From mboxrd@z Thu Jan  1 00:00:00 1970
Return-Path: <gentoo-user+bounces-148012-garchives=archives.gentoo.org@lists.gentoo.org>
Received: from lists.gentoo.org (pigeon.gentoo.org [208.92.234.80])
	by finch.gentoo.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id D7DED1381F3
	for <garchives@archives.gentoo.org>; Mon,  3 Jun 2013 20:07:57 +0000 (UTC)
Received: from pigeon.gentoo.org (localhost [127.0.0.1])
	by pigeon.gentoo.org (Postfix) with SMTP id 54FDCE0A43;
	Mon,  3 Jun 2013 20:07:46 +0000 (UTC)
Received: from ironport2-out.teksavvy.com (ironport2-out.teksavvy.com [206.248.154.182])
	by pigeon.gentoo.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id CAD03E09B2
	for <gentoo-user@lists.gentoo.org>; Mon,  3 Jun 2013 20:07:44 +0000 (UTC)
X-IronPort-Anti-Spam-Filtered: true
X-IronPort-Anti-Spam-Result: Av4EABK/CFFFxKuj/2dsb2JhbABEvw4Xc4IfAQU6HDMLIRMSDwUlN4gRwS2NYYJIYQONfogOhX6IcIFegxOBSiQ
X-IPAS-Result: Av4EABK/CFFFxKuj/2dsb2JhbABEvw4Xc4IfAQU6HDMLIRMSDwUlN4gRwS2NYYJIYQONfogOhX6IcIFegxOBSiQ
X-IronPort-AV: E=Sophos;i="4.84,565,1355115600"; 
   d="scan'208";a="15535806"
Received: from 69-196-171-163.dsl.teksavvy.com (HELO waltdnes.org) ([69.196.171.163])
  by ironport2-out.teksavvy.com with SMTP; 03 Jun 2013 16:07:38 -0400
Received: by waltdnes.org (sSMTP sendmail emulation); Mon, 03 Jun 2013 16:07:43 -0400
From: "Walter Dnes" <waltdnes@waltdnes.org>
Date: Mon, 3 Jun 2013 16:07:43 -0400
To: gentoo-user@lists.gentoo.org
Subject: Re: [gentoo-user] Poor sound quality
Message-ID: <20130603200743.GA1727@waltdnes.org>
References: <CAPi0psuoFdPT=vLXM_TqqckSN45U+gRoEYLDfV6S9E0mi+pGEg@mail.gmail.com>
Precedence: bulk
List-Post: <mailto:gentoo-user@lists.gentoo.org>
List-Help: <mailto:gentoo-user+help@lists.gentoo.org>
List-Unsubscribe: <mailto:gentoo-user+unsubscribe@lists.gentoo.org>
List-Subscribe: <mailto:gentoo-user+subscribe@lists.gentoo.org>
List-Id: Gentoo Linux mail <gentoo-user.gentoo.org>
X-BeenThere: gentoo-user@lists.gentoo.org
Reply-to: gentoo-user@lists.gentoo.org
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Disposition: inline
In-Reply-To: <CAPi0psuoFdPT=vLXM_TqqckSN45U+gRoEYLDfV6S9E0mi+pGEg@mail.gmail.com>
User-Agent: Mutt/1.5.21 (2010-09-15)
X-Archives-Salt: 6f3cdb08-aca1-4844-9115-b97139193878
X-Archives-Hash: 5686cb4b4340bb7e8ed657038fdf4bf6

On Sun, Jun 02, 2013 at 09:34:21PM -0700, Chris Stankevitz wrote
> Hello,
> 
> My sound started sounding like crap ~6 months ago.  Imagine someone
> has control of my volume knob and is quickly (~5Hz) turning the volume
> knob up and down.  That is a rough idea of what it sounds like.
> 
> This happens whether I am listening a beautiful song or whether I'm
> listening to 'white noise'.  Happens with my laptop speakers or with
> headphones.
> 
> Can anyone hazard a guess as to what is wrong?  FYI I'm using a Dell
> M6600 with the same amd64 gentoo install for ~2 years.

  At the risk of starting a flamewar, did you recently install a "sound
server" (e.g. pulseaudio/phonon/whatever)?  Can you temporarily disable
it and see how the sound comes out?

-- 
Walter Dnes <waltdnes@waltdnes.org>
I don't run "desktop environments"; I run useful applications