2.6.16.x - relatively low volume and high noice using snd-ali15451

[Andrey Borzenkov <arvidjaar@mail.ru>]

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I have a notebook with built in sound card:

{pts/0}% lspci
00:00.0 Host bridge: ALi Corporation M1644/M1644T Northbridge+Trident (rev 01)
00:01.0 PCI bridge: ALi Corporation PCI to AGP Controller
00:02.0 USB Controller: ALi Corporation USB 1.1 Controller (rev 03)
00:04.0 IDE interface: ALi Corporation M5229 IDE (rev c3)
00:06.0 Multimedia audio controller: ALi Corporation M5451 PCI AC-Link 
Controller Audio Device (rev 01)
00:07.0 ISA bridge: ALi Corporation M1533 PCI to ISA Bridge [Aladdin IV]
00:08.0 Bridge: ALi Corporation M7101 Power Management Controller [PMU]
00:0a.0 Ethernet controller: Intel Corporation 82557/8/9 [Ethernet Pro 100] 
(rev 08)
00:10.0 CardBus bridge: Texas Instruments PCI1410 PC card Cardbus Controller 
(rev 01)
00:11.0 CardBus bridge: Toshiba America Info Systems ToPIC100 PCI to Cardbus 
Bridge with ZV Support (rev 32)
00:11.1 CardBus bridge: Toshiba America Info Systems ToPIC100 PCI to Cardbus 
Bridge with ZV Support (rev 32)
00:12.0 System peripheral: Toshiba America Info Systems SD TypA Controller 
(rev 03)
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: Trident Microsystems CyberBlade XPAi1 (rev 
82)

A some point I noticed that volume became quite low; attempting to turn it up 
using volume control on notebook results in very audible noise that makes it 
impossible to actually use sound.

I am very casual sound user so I unfortunately cannot tell when exactly the 
problem appeared first; but I am pretty sure that in 2.6.14 I could normally 
watch video or listen CD without much strain.

I appreciate any pointers how to debug it further; if required I am ready to 
try to recompile older kernel (as time permits).

TIA

- -andrey
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