Lower master volume

[falkenhawk]

Hi,
Could you perhaps give a hint how to change the master system volume, please?
I know I can lower the volume in retroarch config (I set it to -20 dB), but there are also other standalone emulators and games, which I find way too loud on the lowest volume level.
Rogue CFW has an alsasound config app, if I am not mistaken, perhaps we could have something similar in your fw? Or maybe it can be already configured manually in a config file, using Commander app? 🤔

[eduardofilo]

Hi.
Could you please give a concrete example for me to try?

[eduardofilo]

Ah, and with which console are you experiencing that issues?

[falkenhawk]

I use RG280V. We may try to extract the volume control app from the rogue fw and include it here and see if it works to preserve the adjusted system volume level also after reboot, or if additional init scripts are needed.
An example is that I would like to have the master volume lowered globally for the whole system and all apps, to my preference :)

[eduardofilo]

You have luck. Next release of SimpleMenu will have access to alsasound utility throgh settings menu. I will install in next Adam version when available.

[eduardofilo]

In new 1.3 release of the image, you have access to alsamixer in Apps section of SimpleMenu and in settings section of GMenu2X. I hope it helps.

[ridsama]

Is there any documentation on how to use alsamixer utility? It doesn't seem to change my overall sound volume even with -20dB for everything. And also it resets after a reboot.

[eduardofilo]

On my machine it seems that the only item that affects volume is PCM. I can adjust it down to -30dB and it does hold the setting between reboots. The value is stored on reboot in the file /media/data/local/etc/volume.state.

[eduardofilo]

For the documentation, you have the Linux manual, but I don't think it's very helpful in this case.

https://linux.die.net/man/1/alsamixer

[danielristic]

The alsamixer does work and retain settings but it seems that even at -30dB it's still a bit loud on the RG280V.

[eduardofilo]

I understand. Unfortunately, I can only play with the options available in the programs and the system. Adjusting the correspondence of a certain value in alsamixer with the perceived volume is something that can only be adjusted by modifying the system.

[danielristic]

What's weird is that leaving the alsamixer value to the default setting and adjusting retroarch's audio gain value to -20dB seems to produce a sound that is much quieter compared to the system-wide -30dB value.

[eduardofilo]

Good workaround. That had not occurred to me. I will include it in the FAQ. Thanks.

[eduardofilo]

I see now that @falkenhawk already suggested it in first comment.

[eduardofilo]

What's weird is that leaving the alsamixer value to the default setting and adjusting retroarch's audio gain value to -20dB seems to produce a sound that is much quieter compared to the system-wide -30dB value.

Well, I understand that the -20dB in RA is accumulated over the PCM level. So, you have to put PCM to 0dB to compare RA output adjusting with alsamixer. I have compared the following:

• RA: 0dB; PCM/alsamixer: -30dB
• RA: -30dB; PCM/alsamixer: 0dB

and they sound similar to me.

[eduardofilo]

This topic in FAQ. I hope it helps:

https://github.com/eduardofilo/RG350_adam_image/blob/master/README.md#q7-how-can-i-lower-the-minimum-volume-without-actually-muting-the-sound-the-minimum-is-still-very-high

[danielristic]

Well, I understand that the -20dB in RA is accumulated over the PCM level. So, you have to put PCM to 0dB to compare RA output adjusting with alsamixer. I have compared the following:

• RA: 0dB; PCM/alsamixer: -30dB
• RA: -30dB; PCM/alsamixer: 0dB

and they sound similar to me.

Thanks for your answer, I got confused and did not realise that the PCM levels in alsamixer also changed when using the volume buttons (I thought it was an independent setting).

The FAQ is really clear and it works well, thanks!

[falkenhawk]

I see now that @falkenhawk already suggested it in first comment.

yes, that works fine, but outside of RetroArch i can't find a way to lower the volume below pcm level 32 (-30dB), for example in Gambatte emulator.

[falkenhawk]

But why do I even bother running gambatte directly, as retroarch's core is also based on Gambatte, you may ask.

I noticed that the performance of standalone's gambatte was better than retroarch's, but it turned out it was because of the default settings in retroarch - there is "color correction" enabled and set to "accurate". (And standalone had color correction disabled.)

That makes the colors look much closer to how they look on original gbc, which is very nice.

But it also causes audio (esp. music) to stutter in some games, i.a. Tomb Raider.

When color correction is disabled or set to "fast" then sound is fine, but colors are not that nice anymore. (they are darker and more saturated, which one may think that's better, but they are not how they were supposed to look on gbc.)

Is rg280v not powerful enough to run without audio issues with accurate color correction enabled? 🤔

[eduardofilo]

Well, with these machines you almost always have to find some kind of compromise. Although with GB I would have thought that the machine would be powerful enough to handle even some graphical effects. But from what you say that's not the case.