vlc-backend: heavily over-amplified and distorted sound

[Allan Sandfeld Jensen]

On Tuesday 04 May 2010, Nikos Chantziaras wrote:
> Today I thought I'd give the new vlc-backend for Phonon a try.  So I
> installed the latest Amarok beta (Version 2.3.0.90), phonon-vlc from Git
> and VLC 1.1 branch from Git too.
> 
> All compiled fine.  I selected VLC as backend in Systemsettings and
> started Amarok.  But the sound is waaaaay too amplified and extremely
> distorted.  There's no way to tell what volume level to use to get
> unattenuated 0db volume.  I am using OSSv4 as my system's audio system,
> not ALSA or PulseAudio.
> 
> Any hints?
> 
Try decreasing master volume in kmixer. I think they way it has been explained 
is that some sounds cards advertise amplifying capabilities that are unsafe, 
but unless you know specific settings for specific cards there is no way of 
knowning if going to max is safe or not. Therefore Linux might use higher 
levels than what Windows (using custom drivers) would. Try lowering it until 
it sounds good. I keep mine around 80%.

`Allan