Score:1

Lenovo T14 AMD microphone/output device gives weird echoing/crackling noises

cn flag

this is my first question so please be kind regarding any mistakes, etc.

So, I've got a problem with my lenovo t14 amd laptop. From time to time, the output device makes weird echoing/crackling noises while playing videos or other people's talk from discord etc. The weird noises stay for some time (usually a few minutes, I think) and then disappear again. Turning the device off and on again can help, but doesn't do so necessarily. I've never had a problem with connecting the microphone (what other people seem to have).
For other people the kernel seems to be the problem: https://www.reddit.com/r/thinkpad/comments/i2h847/t14t14s_amdlinux_internal_microphone_works_with/ but since I've got 5.11.0-37-generic I think that shouldn't be the problem?

What else: I've got ubuntu 20.04. Here's a recording of the noise: https://voca.ro/114YFb1BAlzo

Thanks in advance! Winterstorm

Edit: systemctl --user status pulseaudio gave me

● pulseaudio.service - Sound Service
     Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/user/pulseaudio.service; enabled; vendor >
     Active: active (running) since Fri 2021-10-15 11:56:30 CEST; 15min ago
TriggeredBy: ● pulseaudio.socket
   Main PID: 1744 (pulseaudio)
     CGroup: /user.slice/user-1000.slice/[email protected]/pulseaudio.service
             └─1744 /usr/bin/pulseaudio --daemonize=no --log-target=journal

Okt 15 11:56:30 Nyx systemd[1737]: Starting Sound Service...
Okt 15 11:56:30 Nyx pulseaudio[1744]: GetManagedObjects() failed: org.freedeskt>
Okt 15 11:56:30 Nyx systemd[1737]: Started Sound Service.

And for journalctl | grep pulseaudio the terminal kind of exploded and I just take the entries for today and yesterday, since I've had the problem yesterday:

Okt 14 08:11:41 Nyx dbus-daemon[964]: [system] Activating via systemd: service name='org.freedesktop.RealtimeKit1' unit='rtkit-daemon.service' requested by ':1.27' (uid=125 pid=1111 comm="/usr/bin/pulseaudio --daemonize=no --log-target=jo" label="unconfined")
    Okt 14 08:11:42 Nyx dbus-daemon[964]: [system] Activating via systemd: service name='org.bluez' unit='dbus-org.bluez.service' requested by ':1.38' (uid=125 pid=1111 comm="/usr/bin/pulseaudio --daemonize=no --log-target=jo" label="unconfined")
    Okt 14 08:12:08 Nyx dbus-daemon[964]: [system] Activating via systemd: service name='org.bluez' unit='dbus-org.bluez.service' requested by ':1.75' (uid=1000 pid=1758 comm="/usr/bin/pulseaudio --daemonize=no --log-target=jo" label="unconfined")
    Okt 14 08:12:08 Nyx pulseaudio[1758]: GetManagedObjects() failed: org.freedesktop.systemd1.NoSuchUnit: Unit dbus-org.bluez.service not found.
    Okt 14 08:12:13 Nyx systemd[1100]: pulseaudio.service: Succeeded.
    Okt 14 08:12:24 Nyx systemd[1100]: pulseaudio.socket: Succeeded.
    Okt 14 10:02:27 Nyx dbus-daemon[964]: [system] Activating via systemd: service name='org.freedesktop.RealtimeKit1' unit='rtkit-daemon.service' requested by ':1.153' (uid=1000 pid=1758 comm="/usr/bin/pulseaudio --daemonize=no --log-target=jo" label="unconfined")
    Okt 14 10:02:27 Nyx dbus-daemon[964]: [system] Activating via systemd: service name='org.freedesktop.RealtimeKit1' unit='rtkit-daemon.service' requested by ':1.154' (uid=1000 pid=1758 comm="/usr/bin/pulseaudio --daemonize=no --log-target=jo" label="unconfined")
    Okt 14 10:02:27 Nyx dbus-daemon[964]: [system] Activating via systemd: service name='org.freedesktop.RealtimeKit1' unit='rtkit-daemon.service' requested by ':1.155' (uid=1000 pid=1758 comm="/usr/bin/pulseaudio --daemonize=no --log-target=jo" label="unconfined")
    Okt 14 10:02:27 Nyx dbus-daemon[964]: [system] Activating via systemd: service name='org.freedesktop.RealtimeKit1' unit='rtkit-daemon.service' requested by ':1.156' (uid=1000 pid=1758 comm="/usr/bin/pulseaudio --daemonize=no --log-target=jo" label="unconfined")
    Okt 14 10:02:27 Nyx dbus-daemon[964]: [system] Activating via systemd: service name='org.freedesktop.RealtimeKit1' unit='rtkit-daemon.service' requested by ':1.157' (uid=1000 pid=1758 comm="/usr/bin/pulseaudio --daemonize=no --log-target=jo" label="unconfined")
    Okt 14 10:02:27 Nyx pulseaudio[1758]: After module unload, module 'module-null-sink' was still loaded!
    Okt 14 10:02:27 Nyx systemd[1752]: pulseaudio.service: Succeeded.
    Okt 14 10:02:27 Nyx systemd[1752]: pulseaudio.socket: Succeeded.
    Okt 14 17:41:24 Nyx dbus-daemon[982]: [system] Activating via systemd: service name='org.freedesktop.RealtimeKit1' unit='rtkit-daemon.service' requested by ':1.27' (uid=125 pid=1130 comm="/usr/bin/pulseaudio --daemonize=no --log-target=jo" label="unconfined")
    Okt 14 17:41:24 Nyx dbus-daemon[982]: [system] Activating via systemd: service name='org.bluez' unit='dbus-org.bluez.service' requested by ':1.38' (uid=125 pid=1130 comm="/usr/bin/pulseaudio --daemonize=no --log-target=jo" label="unconfined")
    Okt 14 17:41:37 Nyx dbus-daemon[982]: [system] Activating via systemd: service name='org.bluez' unit='dbus-org.bluez.service' requested by ':1.75' (uid=1000 pid=1777 comm="/usr/bin/pulseaudio --daemonize=no --log-target=jo" label="unconfined")
    Okt 14 17:41:37 Nyx pulseaudio[1777]: GetManagedObjects() failed: org.freedesktop.systemd1.NoSuchUnit: Unit dbus-org.bluez.service not found.
    Okt 14 17:41:41 Nyx systemd[1124]: pulseaudio.service: Succeeded.
    Okt 14 17:41:52 Nyx systemd[1124]: pulseaudio.socket: Succeeded.
    Okt 14 23:50:24 Nyx dbus-daemon[982]: [system] Activating via systemd: service name='org.freedesktop.RealtimeKit1' unit='rtkit-daemon.service' requested by ':1.218' (uid=1000 pid=1777 comm="/usr/bin/pulseaudio --daemonize=no --log-target=jo" label="unconfined")
    Okt 14 23:50:24 Nyx dbus-daemon[982]: [system] Activating via systemd: service name='org.freedesktop.RealtimeKit1' unit='rtkit-daemon.service' requested by ':1.219' (uid=1000 pid=1777 comm="/usr/bin/pulseaudio --daemonize=no --log-target=jo" label="unconfined")
    Okt 14 23:50:24 Nyx dbus-daemon[982]: [system] Activating via systemd: service name='org.freedesktop.RealtimeKit1' unit='rtkit-daemon.service' requested by ':1.220' (uid=1000 pid=1777 comm="/usr/bin/pulseaudio --daemonize=no --log-target=jo" label="unconfined")
    Okt 14 23:50:24 Nyx dbus-daemon[982]: [system] Activating via systemd: service name='org.freedesktop.RealtimeKit1' unit='rtkit-daemon.service' requested by ':1.221' (uid=1000 pid=1777 comm="/usr/bin/pulseaudio --daemonize=no --log-target=jo" label="unconfined")
    Okt 14 23:50:24 Nyx dbus-daemon[982]: [system] Activating via systemd: service name='org.freedesktop.RealtimeKit1' unit='rtkit-daemon.service' requested by ':1.222' (uid=1000 pid=1777 comm="/usr/bin/pulseaudio --daemonize=no --log-target=jo" label="unconfined")
    Okt 14 23:50:24 Nyx pulseaudio[1777]: After module unload, module 'module-null-sink' was still loaded!
    Okt 14 23:50:24 Nyx systemd[1771]: pulseaudio.service: Succeeded.
    Okt 14 23:50:24 Nyx systemd[1771]: pulseaudio.socket: Succeeded.
    Okt 15 11:55:15 Nyx dbus-daemon[931]: [system] Activating via systemd: service name='org.freedesktop.RealtimeKit1' unit='rtkit-daemon.service' requested by ':1.28' (uid=125 pid=1345 comm="/usr/bin/pulseaudio --daemonize=no --log-target=jo" label="unconfined")
    Okt 15 11:55:16 Nyx dbus-daemon[931]: [system] Activating via systemd: service name='org.bluez' unit='dbus-org.bluez.service' requested by ':1.41' (uid=125 pid=1345 comm="/usr/bin/pulseaudio --daemonize=no --log-target=jo" label="unconfined")
    Okt 15 11:55:48 Nyx pulseaudio[1345]: Error opening PCM device hdmi:1,1: No such file or directory
    Okt 15 11:55:48 Nyx pulseaudio[1345]: Error opening PCM device hw:Generic_1: No such device
    Okt 15 11:55:48 Nyx pulseaudio[1345]: Error opening PCM device hw:acp: No such device
    Okt 15 11:55:48 Nyx pulseaudio[1345]: Error opening PCM device hw:Generic_1: No such device
    Okt 15 11:55:48 Nyx systemd[1295]: pulseaudio.service: Succeeded.
    Okt 15 11:55:48 Nyx systemd[1295]: pulseaudio.socket: Succeeded.
    Okt 15 11:56:19 Nyx dbus-daemon[950]: [system] Activating via systemd: service name='org.freedesktop.RealtimeKit1' unit='rtkit-daemon.service' requested by ':1.27' (uid=125 pid=1097 comm="/usr/bin/pulseaudio --daemonize=no --log-target=jo" label="unconfined")
    Okt 15 11:56:20 Nyx dbus-daemon[950]: [system] Activating via systemd: service name='org.bluez' unit='dbus-org.bluez.service' requested by ':1.39' (uid=125 pid=1097 comm="/usr/bin/pulseaudio --daemonize=no --log-target=jo" label="unconfined")
    Okt 15 11:56:30 Nyx dbus-daemon[950]: [system] Activating via systemd: service name='org.bluez' unit='dbus-org.bluez.service' requested by ':1.76' (uid=1000 pid=1744 comm="/usr/bin/pulseaudio --daemonize=no --log-target=jo" label="unconfined")
    Okt 15 11:56:30 Nyx pulseaudio[1744]: GetManagedObjects() failed: org.freedesktop.systemd1.NoSuchUnit: Unit dbus-org.bluez.service not found.
    Okt 15 11:56:34 Nyx systemd[1091]: pulseaudio.service: Succeeded.
kanehekili avatar
zw flag
Since that problem seems to be occur randomly, I'be interested in the output of `systemctl --user status pulseaudio` or `journalctl | grep pulseaudio`. Copy the output of the terminal`s answer and add it to your question using the [edit](https://askubuntu.com/posts/1369285/edit) button
cn flag
Thanks, did that. Hope it helps. Especially the journalct1 part looks kind of messy. Would you prefer a screenshot?
kanehekili avatar
zw flag
Sorry can't see anything. So you might look at the `alsamixer`and make sure that the output gains are not too high (-3 db as a starter)
cn flag
Thanks, did that. I'll wait to see if the noises come back.
cn flag
Yeah, it appears with my headphones as well. Thanks, honestly I have to because it is very annoying when I have to study... thanks for helping me!
cn flag
Hi, so the noises did come back, but it seems to me they disappear after a shorter time. Can't say for sure though
kanehekili avatar
zw flag
Checked that with other hardware? (aka headphones or mics). Cool, that you are still pursuing that problem. Don't give up!
cn flag
Update: So this time around the noises had first only a weird cracking, but then the echo reappeared. I tried if it has anything to do with my second monitor; for 2 times out of 3, when the noises appeared and I removed the second monitor, the noises disappeared. This time however they stayed.
mangohost

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