Using a kernel module from old Linux kernel in a new Linux kernel

[Rune Svendsen]

Hi Rashkae!
> Rune Svendsen wrote:
> 
> > I'd very much like to try both Feisty's and Gutsy's kernel here in
> > Karmic (and all subsequent kernels from the various Ubuntu releases),
> > because, as far as I remember, the sound was perfect back then. Perhaps
> > just to verify that the distorted sound is not the result from a bug in
> > ALSA or Pulseaudio but _is_ something that has changed in snd_ice1724,
> > and, perhaps, report it as as a bug in this module if the error persists
> > when using these kernels.
> > 
> > Thanks Nils!
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> 
> 
> sorry if I haven't followed the entire thread.
> 
> Have you tried using alsa mixer to turn down some of the non-master
> volume levels?  It's a pain that it now allows you to turn the volume up
> to levels the sound card can't support, but chances are, you can restore
>  your sound quality with just a bit of experimentation on those knobs.
> 

Thanks a lot! I hadn't considered that it was a _feature_ of a program
that allowed me to distort the audio :).

When running alsamixer I noticed that the Master volume level had a dB
gain of 128 dB!:

        Item: Master [dB gain=128.00, 128.00]
        
I presume this means that the audio is (digitally) amplified by 128 dB
before being sent to my sound card to be converted to analog at line
level and subsequently amplified by my amplifier.

Can you say if there's a way for ALSA to just not touch the audio (at
least not try to amplify it) and output it to my sound card as-it-is?
Will adjusting the dB gain to zero achieve this? Unfortunately I can
only adjust it to -2 or 3 dB, so it seems the audio will be modified
regardless.

Thanks for your input! I hadn't thought of this.