[BUG] Dell Inspiron 3501 (Tiger Lake) - No analog audio output, only HDMI detected

[BUG] Dell Inspiron 3501 (Tiger Lake) - No analog audio output, only HDMI detected

[Enrique Orozco]

Dear sound/ALSA maintainers,

I am reporting an issue with audio on a Dell Inspiron 3501 laptop. The
system detects the Intel HDA controller but only HDMI outputs appear;
the internal speakers and headphone jack are not detected at all.

System Information:
- Laptop: Dell Inspiron 3501
- Audio Controller: Intel Corporation Tiger Lake-LP Smart Sound Technology
  Audio Controller [8086:a0c8] (rev 20)
- Subsystem: Dell Device [1028:0a25]
- Kernel: 6.18.12-1-MANJARO (also tested with 6.18.12)
- Distribution: Manjaro (Arch-based)

Problem Description:
After boot, only HDMI audio outputs are available. The internal speakers
and headphone jack do not appear in ALSA or PulseAudio/PipeWire. The
kernel detects the audio hardware but fails to initialize the analog
codec.

Observations:
1. `aplay -l` shows only HDMI devices (devices 3,7,8,9)
2. No analog output device (device 0) appears
3. The codec detected is only "Intel Tigerlake HDMI" - no analog codec
4. The following error appears in dmesg:
   `snd_soc_avs 0000:00:1f.3: core_mask 1 power off failed: -110`
5. Attempted various snd_hda_intel model parameters (dell-headset-multi,
   dell-headset-dock, generic) with no success
6. Forcing legacy driver with `snd-intel-dspcfg dsp_driver=1` also
   didn't help

Reproduction Steps:
1. Boot any recent Linux kernel (tested with 5.15.x and 6.18.x)
2. Check audio outputs with `aplay -l`
3. Observe only HDMI outputs are present
4. No sound from internal speakers or headphone jack

Expected Behavior:
The system should detect and provide both analog output (internal
speakers/headphone) and HDMI output.

Additional Information:
- ALSA diagnostics:
http://alsa-project.org/db/?f=8eb23206a6d8aa76d24136f224b1ad93dab53651

- lspci -vvv output:
lspci -vvv -s 00:1f.3
00:1f.3 Audio device: Intel Corporation Tiger Lake-LP Smart Sound
Technology Audio Controller (rev 20) (prog-if 00 [HDA compatible])
Subsystem: Dell Device 0a25
Control: I/O- Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr-
Stepping- SERR- FastB2B- DisINTx+
Status: Cap+ 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B- ParErr- DEVSEL=fast >TAbort-
<TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR- INTx-
Latency: 64
Interrupt: pin A routed to IRQ 153
Region 0: Memory at 6001138000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16K]
Region 4: Memory at 6001000000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=1M]
Capabilities: <access denied>
Kernel driver in use: snd_hda_intel
Kernel modules: snd_soc_avs, snd_sof_pci_intel_tgl, snd_hda_intel


- dmesg audio-related messages:
sudo dmesg | grep -i -E "snd|hda|sof|audio|alsa"             1|1 ✘
[sudo] password for enriqueop:
[    0.033006] software IO TLB: area num 8.
[    0.305063] PCI-DMA: Using software bounce buffering for IO (SWIOTLB)
[    0.305064] software IO TLB: mapped [mem
0x000000004f173000-0x0000000053173000] (64MB)
[    0.364632] integrity: Loaded X.509 cert 'Microsoft Windows
Production PCA 2011: a92902398e16c49778cd90f99e4f9ae17c55af53'
[    0.364639] integrity: Loaded X.509 cert 'Microsoft Corporation
UEFI CA 2011: 13adbf4309bd82709c8cd54f316ed522988a1bd4'
[    2.989645] pps_core: Software ver. 5.3.6 - Copyright 2005-2007
Rodolfo Giometti <giometti@linux.it>
[    3.235754] snd_hda_intel 0000:00:1f.3: enabling device (0000 -> 0002)
[    3.235948] snd_hda_intel 0000:00:1f.3: bound 0000:00:02.0 (ops
intel_audio_component_bind_ops [i915])
[    3.279312] input: HDA Intel PCH HDMI/DP,pcm=3 as
/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1f.3/sound/card0/input16
[    3.279365] input: HDA Intel PCH HDMI/DP,pcm=7 as
/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1f.3/sound/card0/input17
[    3.279404] input: HDA Intel PCH HDMI/DP,pcm=8 as
/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1f.3/sound/card0/input18
[    3.279443] input: HDA Intel PCH HDMI/DP,pcm=9 as
/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1f.3/sound/card0/input19


lsmod | grep -E "snd|hda|sof|audio"                       ✔  7s 
snd_seq_dummy          12288  0
snd_hrtimer            12288  1
snd_seq               135168  7 snd_seq_dummy
snd_seq_device         16384  1 snd_seq
snd_hda_codec_intelhdmi    28672  1
snd_hda_intel          69632  1
snd_sof_pci_intel_tgl    12288  0
snd_sof_pci_intel_cnl    20480  1 snd_sof_pci_intel_tgl
snd_sof_intel_hda_generic    40960  2
snd_sof_pci_intel_tgl,snd_sof_pci_intel_cnl
soundwire_intel        94208  1 snd_sof_intel_hda_generic
snd_sof_intel_hda_sdw_bpt    24576  1 soundwire_intel
snd_sof_intel_hda_common   204800  4
snd_sof_intel_hda_sdw_bpt,snd_sof_intel_hda_generic,snd_sof_pci_intel_tgl,snd_sof_pci_intel_cnl
snd_soc_hdac_hda       24576  1 snd_sof_intel_hda_common
snd_sof_intel_hda_mlink    36864  4
snd_sof_intel_hda_sdw_bpt,soundwire_intel,snd_sof_intel_hda_common,snd_sof_intel_hda_generic
snd_sof_intel_hda      20480  2
snd_sof_intel_hda_common,snd_sof_intel_hda_generic
snd_hda_codec_hdmi     61440  1 snd_hda_codec_intelhdmi
snd_sof_pci            24576  3
snd_sof_intel_hda_generic,snd_sof_pci_intel_tgl,snd_sof_pci_intel_cnl
snd_sof_xtensa_dsp     16384  1 snd_sof_intel_hda_generic
snd_sof               479232  6
snd_sof_intel_hda_sdw_bpt,snd_sof_pci,snd_sof_intel_hda_common,snd_sof_intel_hda_generic,snd_sof_intel_hda,snd_sof_pci_intel_cnl
snd_sof_utils          16384  1 snd_sof
snd_soc_acpi_intel_match   143360  3
snd_sof_intel_hda_generic,snd_sof_pci_intel_tgl,snd_sof_pci_intel_cnl
snd_soc_acpi_intel_sdca_quirks    12288  1 snd_soc_acpi_intel_match
snd_soc_acpi           16384  2
snd_soc_acpi_intel_match,snd_sof_intel_hda_generic
snd_soc_sdca           98304  2 snd_soc_acpi_intel_sdca_quirks,soundwire_bus
snd_soc_avs           262144  0
snd_soc_hda_codec      28672  1 snd_soc_avs
snd_hda_ext_core       36864  7
snd_sof_intel_hda_sdw_bpt,snd_soc_avs,snd_soc_hda_codec,snd_sof_intel_hda_common,snd_soc_hdac_hda,snd_sof_intel_hda_mlink,snd_sof_intel_hda
snd_hda_codec         217088  7
snd_soc_avs,snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_soc_hda_codec,snd_hda_intel,snd_soc_hdac_hda,snd_sof_intel_hda,snd_hda_codec_intelhdmi
snd_hda_core          147456  10
snd_soc_avs,snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_soc_hda_codec,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_ext_core,snd_hda_codec,snd_sof_intel_hda_common,snd_soc_hdac_hda,snd_sof_intel_hda,snd_hda_codec_intelhdmi
snd_intel_dspcfg       45056  5
snd_soc_avs,snd_hda_intel,snd_sof,snd_sof_intel_hda_common,snd_sof_intel_hda_generic
snd_intel_sdw_acpi     16384  2 snd_intel_dspcfg,snd_sof_intel_hda_generic
snd_hwdep              24576  1 snd_hda_codec
snd_soc_core          434176  7
snd_soc_avs,snd_soc_hda_codec,soundwire_intel,snd_sof,snd_soc_sdca,snd_sof_intel_hda_common,snd_soc_hdac_hda
snd_compress           32768  2 snd_soc_avs,snd_soc_core
ac97_bus               12288  1 snd_soc_core
snd_pcm_dmaengine      20480  1 snd_soc_core
snd_pcm               212992  14
snd_soc_avs,snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec,soundwire_intel,snd_sof,snd_soc_sdca,snd_sof_intel_hda_common,snd_compress,snd_sof_intel_hda_generic,snd_soc_core,snd_sof_utils,snd_hda_core,snd_pcm_dmaengine
snd_timer              57344  3 snd_seq,snd_hrtimer,snd_pcm
snd                   159744  16
snd_seq,snd_seq_device,snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hwdep,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec,snd_sof,snd_soc_sdca,snd_timer,snd_compress,snd_soc_core,snd_pcm
soundcore              16384  1 snd

lspci | grep -i audio                                            ✔
00:1f.3 Audio device: Intel Corporation Tiger Lake-LP Smart Sound
Technology Audio Controller (rev 20)

cat /proc/asound/card0/codec#* | grep -i "Codec" 2>/dev/null
Codec: Intel Tigerlake HDMI

- Current modprobe configuration: options snd_hda_intel model=dell-headset-multi
cat /etc/modprobe.d/*.conf | grep -i snd                         ✔
options snd_hda_intel model=dell-headset-multi

What I've tried:
- Various model parameters (dell-headset-multi, 1, 2, 3, 4)
- Forcing legacy driver with dsp_driver=1
- Different kernel versions (5.15, 6.18)
- Checking alsamixer (only HDMI controls appear)
- Updating the BIOS to the latest from Dell

This appears to be a codec detection/initialization issue. The hardware
exists but the analog codec is not being properly detected or initialized.

Please let me know if you need any additional information or if I can
provide any further debugging data.

Thank you for your time and effort maintaining ALSA.

Best regards,

Enrique Orozco

Re: [BUG] Dell Inspiron 3501 (Tiger Lake) - No analog audio output, only HDMI detected

[Cezary Rojewski]

On 2026-03-20 2:31 AM, Enrique Orozco wrote:
> Dear sound/ALSA maintainers,
> 
> I am reporting an issue with audio on a Dell Inspiron 3501 laptop. The
> system detects the Intel HDA controller but only HDMI outputs appear;
> the internal speakers and headphone jack are not detected at all.
> 
> System Information:
> - Laptop: Dell Inspiron 3501
> - Audio Controller: Intel Corporation Tiger Lake-LP Smart Sound Technology
>    Audio Controller [8086:a0c8] (rev 20)
> - Subsystem: Dell Device [1028:0a25]
> - Kernel: 6.18.12-1-MANJARO (also tested with 6.18.12)
> - Distribution: Manjaro (Arch-based)
> 
> Problem Description:
> After boot, only HDMI audio outputs are available. The internal speakers
> and headphone jack do not appear in ALSA or PulseAudio/PipeWire. The
> kernel detects the audio hardware but fails to initialize the analog
> codec.
> 
> Observations:
> 1. `aplay -l` shows only HDMI devices (devices 3,7,8,9)
> 2. No analog output device (device 0) appears
> 3. The codec detected is only "Intel Tigerlake HDMI" - no analog codec
> 4. The following error appears in dmesg:
>     `snd_soc_avs 0000:00:1f.3: core_mask 1 power off failed: -110`
> 5. Attempted various snd_hda_intel model parameters (dell-headset-multi,
>     dell-headset-dock, generic) with no success
> 6. Forcing legacy driver with `snd-intel-dspcfg dsp_driver=1` also
>     didn't help
> 
> Reproduction Steps:
> 1. Boot any recent Linux kernel (tested with 5.15.x and 6.18.x)
> 2. Check audio outputs with `aplay -l`
> 3. Observe only HDMI outputs are present
> 4. No sound from internal speakers or headphone jack
> 
> Expected Behavior:
> The system should detect and provide both analog output (internal
> speakers/headphone) and HDMI output.
> 
> Additional Information:
> - ALSA diagnostics:
> http://alsa-project.org/db/?f=8eb23206a6d8aa76d24136f224b1ad93dab53651


Hi Enrique,

Sorry to hear about the problems.  Your diagnostics seem to be devoid of 
dmesg, it would be vital to provide it.  You could also open a bugzilla 
and attach the logs there.

Now, this report seems a bit all over the place, mentioning all the 
sound drivers at once.  Let's start with context - their purpose:

- snd_hda_intel driver default for all general, non-DSP cases
- for TGL, snd_sof_xxx driver should probe by default for all DSP cases
- snd_soc_avs is utilized on designs older than TGL for all DSP cases

Your TGL of device ID=a0c8 points to PCI_DEVICE_ID_INTEL_HDA_TGL_LP 
(include/linux/pci_ids.h).  This means snd_sof_xxx should have probed 
first.  Frankly, there should be no attempts for snd_soc_avs unless a 
user forced the enumeration.  Such enumeration is destined to fail - not 
because of the driver, but because there is no firmware binary paired 
with it available on linux-firmware..

..unless one copies a binary from a Windows device.

Last but not least:
	`snd_soc_avs 0000:00:1f.3: core_mask 1 power off failed: -110`

While without the dmesg I cannot say for certain, failing such "basic" 
operation as power-off MASTER_CORE (mask 1) usually means that the 
laptop, despite being -LP, has AudioDSP functionality disabled in BIOS. 
Forced enumeration won't workaround that either.


Kind regards,
Czarek