Terrible sound on Ubuntu 18.04 with Dell XPS 15 7590

Question

I have Dell XPS 15 7590 with dual boot Windows 10 + Ubuntu 18.04.

When on Ubuntu, laptop's speakers sound really terrible. The max volume is very low and bass is basically non existing. On Windows, it is 100x better. The difference is also noticeable with external headphones or speakers. Especially bass is really missing.

Microphone has similar problem. When I call on Ubuntu, people are complaining that the sound quality is terrible and they can barely hear me. Again, on Windows I do not have problem like that.

I was trying to fix it with Pulse Effect but that improved sound only slightly. It more feels like there is a problem with sound drivers. With the microphone, I have not tried anything yet.

Is there some way how to detect what is the problem and how could it be fixed?

Answer 1

I partially "fixed" it with PulseEffects and it does sound much better.

This is my current setup:

{"spectrum": {"show": "true","n-points": "100","height": "100","use-custom-color": "false","fill": "true","show-bar-border": "true","scale": "1","exponent": "1","sampling-freq": "10","line-width": "2","type": "Bars","color": ["1","1","1","1"],"gradient-color": ["0","0","0","1"]},"output": {"blacklist": "","plugins_order": ["limiter","filter","bass_enhancer","multiband_compressor","stereo_tools","autogain","crystalizer","equalizer","gate","multiband_gate","compressor","convolver","exciter","reverb","delay","deesser","crossfeed","loudness","maximizer","pitch"],"bass_enhancer": {"state": "true","input-gain": "0","output-gain": "0","amount": "14","harmonics": "9.2999999999999972","scope": "200","floor": "10","blend": "0","floor-active": "false","listen": "false"},"compressor": {"state": "false","input-gain": "0","output-gain": "0","mode": "Downward","attack": "20","release": "100","threshold": "-12","ratio": "4","knee": "-6","makeup": "0","sidechain": {"listen": "false","type": "Feed-forward","mode": "RMS","source": "Middle","preamp": "0","reactivity": "10","lookahead": "0"}},"crossfeed": {"state": "false","fcut": "700","feed": "4.5"},"deesser": {"state": "false","detection": "RMS","mode": "Wide","threshold": "-18","ratio": "3","laxity": "15","makeup": "0","f1-freq": "6000","f2-freq": "4500","f1-level": "0","f2-level": "12","f2-q": "1","sc-listen": "false"},"equalizer": {"state": "false","mode": "IIR","num-bands": "30","input-gain": "0","output-gain": "0","split-channels": "false","left": {"band0": {"type": "Bell","mode": "RLC (BT)","slope": "x1","solo": "false","mute": "false","gain": "0","frequency": "22.59","q": "4.3600000000000003"},"band1": {"type": "Bell","mode": "RLC (BT)","slope": "x1","solo": "false","mute": "false","gain": "0","frequency": "28.440000000000001","q": "4.3600000000000003"},"band2": {"type": "Bell","mode": "RLC (BT)","slope": "x1","solo": "false","mute": "false","gain": "0","frequency": "35.799999999999997","q": "4.3600000000000003"},"band3": {"type": "Bell","mode": "RLC (BT)","slope": "x1","solo": "false","mute": "false","gain": "1.3999999999999999","frequency": "45.07","q": "4.3600000000000003"},"band4": {"type": "Bell","mode": "RLC (BT)","slope": "x1","solo": "false","mute": "false","gain": "0.29999999999999999","frequency": "56.740000000000002","q": "4.3600000000000003"},"band5": {"type": "Bell","mode": "RLC (BT)","slope": "x1","solo": "false","mute": "false","gain": "0","frequency": "71.430000000000007","q": "4.3600000000000003"},"band6": {"type": "Bell","mode": "RLC (BT)","slope": "x1","solo": "false","mute": "false","gain": "0","frequency": "89.930000000000007","q": "4.3600000000000003"},"band7": {"type": "Bell","mode": "RLC (BT)","slope": "x1","solo": "false","mute": "false","gain": "0","frequency": "113.20999999999999","q": "4.3600000000000003"},"band8": {"type": "Bell","mode": "RLC (BT)","slope": "x1","solo": "false","mute": "false","gain": "0","frequency": "142.53","q": "4.3600000000000003"},"band9": {"type": "Bell","mode": "RLC (BT)","slope": "x1","solo": "false","mute": "false","gain": "0","frequency": "179.43000000000001","q": "4.3600000000000003"},"band10": {"type": "Bell","mode": "RLC (BT)","slope": "x1","solo": "false","mute": "false","gain": "0","frequency": "225.88999999999999","q": "4.3600000000000003"},"band11": {"type": "Bell","mode": "RLC (BT)","slope": "x1","solo": "false","mute": "false","gain": "0","frequency": "284.38","q": "4.3600000000000003"},"band12": {"type": "Bell","mode": "RLC (BT)","slope": "x1","solo": "false","mute": "false","gain": "0","frequency": "358.01999999999998","q": "4.3600000000000003"},"band13": {"type": "Bell","mode": "RLC (BT)","slope": "x1","solo": "false","mute": "false","gain": "0","frequency": "450.72000000000003","q": "4.3600000000000003"},"band14": {"type": "Bell","mode": "RLC (BT)","slope": "x1","solo": "false","mute": "false","gain": "0","frequency": "567.41999999999996","q": "4.3600000000000003"},"band15": {"type": "Bell","mode": "RLC (BT)","slope": "x1","solo": "false","mute": "false","gain": "0","frequency": "714.34000000000003","q": "4.3600000000000003"},"band16": {"type": "Bell","mode": "RLC (BT)","slope": "x1","solo": "false","mute": "false","gain": "0","frequency": "899.28999999999996","q": "4.3600000000000003"},"band17": {"type": "Bell","mode": "RLC (BT)","slope": "x1","solo": "false","mute": "false","gain": "0","frequency": "1132.1500000000001","q": "4.3600000000000003"},"band18": {"type": "Bell","mode": "RLC (BT)","slope": "x1","solo": "false","mute": "false","gain": "0","frequency": "1425.29","q": "4.3600000000000003"},"band19": {"type": "Bell","mode": "RLC (BT)","slope": "x1","solo": "false","mute": "false","gain": "0","frequency": "1794.3299999999999","q": "4.3600000000000003"},"band20": {"type": "Bell","mode": "RLC (BT)","slope": "x1","solo": "false","mute": "false","gain": "0","frequency": "2258.9299999999998","q": "4.3600000000000003"},"band21": {"type": "Bell","mode": "RLC (BT)","slope": "x1","solo": "false","mute": "false","gain": "0","frequency": "2843.8200000000002","q": "4.3600000000000003"},"band22": {"type": "Bell","mode": "RLC (BT)","slope": "x1","solo": "false","mute": "false","gain": "0","frequency": "3580.1599999999999","q": "4.3600000000000003"},"band23": {"type": "Bell","mode": "RLC (BT)","slope": "x1","solo": "false","mute": "false","gain": "0.40000000000000002","frequency": "4507.1499999999996","q": "4.3600000000000003"},"band24": {"type": "Bell","mode": "RLC (BT)","slope": "x1","solo": "false","mute": "false","gain": "0.69999999999999996","frequency": "5674.1599999999999","q": "4.3600000000000003"},"band25": {"type": "Bell","mode": "RLC (BT)","slope": "x1","solo": "false","mute": "false","gain": "1.8","frequency": "7143.3500000000004","q": "4.3600000000000003"},"band26": {"type": "Bell","mode": "RLC (BT)","slope": "x1","solo": "false","mute": "false","gain": "3.2000000000000002","frequency": "8992.9400000000005","q": "4.3600000000000003"},"band27": {"type": "Bell","mode": "RLC (BT)","slope": "x1","solo": "false","mute": "false","gain": "0","frequency": "11321.450000000001","q": "4.3600000000000003"},"band28": {"type": "Bell","mode": "RLC (BT)","slope": "x1","solo": "false","mute": "false","gain": "0","frequency": "14252.860000000001","q": "4.3600000000000003"},"band29": {"type": "Bell","mode": "RLC (BT)","slope": "x1","solo": "false","mute": "false","gain": "0","frequency": "17943.279999999999","q": "4.3600000000000003"}},"right": {"band0": {"type": "Bell","mode": "RLC (BT)","slope": "x1","solo": "false","mute": "false","gain": "0","frequency": "22.59","q": "4.3600000000000003"},"band1": {"type": "Bell","mode": "RLC (BT)","slope": "x1","solo": "false","mute": "false","gain": "0","frequency": "28.440000000000001","q": "4.3600000000000003"},"band2": {"type": "Bell","mode": "RLC (BT)","slope": "x1","solo": "false","mute": "false","gain": "0","frequency": "35.799999999999997","q": "4.3600000000000003"},"band3": {"type": "Bell","mode": "RLC (BT)","slope": "x1","solo": "false","mute": "false","gain": "1.3999999999999999","frequency": "45.07","q": "4.3600000000000003"},"band4": {"type": "Bell","mode": "RLC (BT)","slope": "x1","solo": "false","mute": "false","gain": "0.29999999999999999","frequency": "56.740000000000002","q": "4.3600000000000003"},"band5": {"type": "Bell","mode": "RLC (BT)","slope": "x1","solo": "false","mute": "false","gain": "0","frequency": "71.430000000000007","q": "4.3600000000000003"},"band6": {"type": "Bell","mode": "RLC (BT)","slope": "x1","solo": "false","mute": "false","gain": "0","frequency": "89.930000000000007","q": "4.3600000000000003"},"band7": {"type": "Bell","mode": "RLC (BT)","slope": "x1","solo": "false","mute": "false","gain": "0","frequency": "113.20999999999999","q": "4.3600000000000003"},"band8": {"type": "Bell","mode": "RLC (BT)","slope": "x1","solo": "false","mute": "false","gain": "0","frequency": "142.53","q": "4.3600000000000003"},"band9": {"type": "Bell","mode": "RLC (BT)","slope": "x1","solo": "false","mute": "false","gain": "0","frequency": "179.43000000000001","q": "4.3600000000000003"},"band10": {"type": "Bell","mode": "RLC (BT)","slope": "x1","solo": "false","mute": "false","gain": "0","frequency": "225.88999999999999","q": "4.3600000000000003"},"band11": {"type": "Bell","mode": "RLC (BT)","slope": "x1","solo": "false","mute": "false","gain": "0","frequency": "284.38","q": "4.3600000000000003"},"band12": {"type": "Bell","mode": "RLC (BT)","slope": "x1","solo": "false","mute": "false","gain": "0","frequency": "358.01999999999998","q": "4.3600000000000003"},"band13": {"type": "Bell","mode": "RLC (BT)","slope": "x1","solo": "false","mute": "false","gain": "0","frequency": "450.72000000000003","q": "4.3600000000000003"},"band14": {"type": "Bell","mode": "RLC (BT)","slope": "x1","solo": "false","mute": "false","gain": "0","frequency": "567.41999999999996","q": "4.3600000000000003"},"band15": {"type": "Bell","mode": "RLC (BT)","slope": "x1","solo": "false","mute": "false","gain": "0","frequency": "714.34000000000003","q": "4.3600000000000003"},"band16": {"type": "Bell","mode": "RLC (BT)","slope": "x1","solo": "false","mute": "false","gain": "0","frequency": "899.28999999999996","q": "4.3600000000000003"},"band17": {"type": "Bell","mode": "RLC (BT)","slope": "x1","solo": "false","mute": "false","gain": "0","frequency": "1132.1500000000001","q": "4.3600000000000003"},"band18": {"type": "Bell","mode": "RLC (BT)","slope": "x1","solo": "false","mute": "false","gain": "0","frequency": "1425.29","q": "4.3600000000000003"},"band19": {"type": "Bell","mode": "RLC (BT)","slope": "x1","solo": "false","mute": "false","gain": "0","frequency": "1794.3299999999999","q": "4.3600000000000003"},"band20": {"type": "Bell","mode": "RLC (BT)","slope": "x1","solo": "false","mute": "false","gain": "0","frequency": "2258.9299999999998","q": "4.3600000000000003"},"band21": {"type": "Bell","mode": "RLC (BT)","slope": "x1","solo": "false","mute": "false","gain": "0","frequency": "2843.8200000000002","q": "4.3600000000000003"},"band22": {"type": "Bell","mode": "RLC (BT)","slope": "x1","solo": "false","mute": "false","gain": "0","frequency": "3580.1599999999999","q": "4.3600000000000003"},"band23": {"type": "Bell","mode": "RLC (BT)","slope": "x1","solo": "false","mute": "false","gain": "0.40000000000000002","frequency": "4507.1499999999996","q": "4.3600000000000003"},"band24": {"type": "Bell","mode": "RLC (BT)","slope": "x1","solo": "false","mute": "false","gain": "0.69999999999999996","frequency": "5674.1599999999999","q": "4.3600000000000003"},"band25": {"type": "Bell","mode": "RLC (BT)","slope": "x1","solo": "false","mute": "false","gain": "1.8","frequency": "7143.3500000000004","q": "4.3600000000000003"},"band26": {"type": "Bell","mode": "RLC (BT)","slope": "x1","solo": "false","mute": "false","gain": "3.2000000000000002","frequency": "8992.9400000000005","q": "4.3600000000000003"},"band27": {"type": "Bell","mode": "RLC (BT)","slope": "x1","solo": "false","mute": "false","gain": "0","frequency": "11321.450000000001","q": "4.3600000000000003"},"band28": {"type": "Bell","mode": "RLC (BT)","slope": "x1","solo": "false","mute": "false","gain": "0","frequency": "14252.860000000001","q": "4.3600000000000003"},"band29": {"type": "Bell","mode": "RLC (BT)","slope": "x1","solo": "false","mute": "false","gain": "0","frequency": "17943.279999999999","q": "4.3600000000000003"}}},"exciter": {"state": "false","input-gain": "0","output-gain": "0","amount": "0","harmonics": "8.5","scope": "7500","ceil": "16000","blend": "0","ceil-active": "false","listen": "false"},"filter": {"state": "true","input-gain": "0","output-gain": "0","frequency": "120","resonance": "-3","mode": "36dB\/oct Highpass","inertia": "20"},"gate": {"state": "false","detection": "RMS","stereo-link": "Average","range": "-24","attack": "20","release": "250","threshold": "-18","ratio": "2","knee": "9","makeup": "0"},"limiter": {"state": "true","input-gain": "0","limit": "0","lookahead": "2.0000000000000018","release": "8","asc": "false","asc-level": "0.5","oversampling": "4"},"maximizer": {"state": "false","release": "25","ceiling": "0","threshold": "0"},"pitch": {"state": "false","input-gain": "0","output-gain": "0","cents": "0","semitones": "0","octaves": "0","crispness": "3","formant-preserving": "false","faster": "false"},"reverb": {"state": "false","input-gain": "0","output-gain": "0","room-size": "Large","decay-time": "1.5","hf-damp": "5000","diffusion": "0.5","amount": "-12","dry": "0","predelay": "0","bass-cut": "300","treble-cut": "5000"},"multiband_compressor": {"state": "true","input-gain": "-5","output-gain": "0","freq0": "150","freq1": "1250","freq2": "5000","mode": "LR8","subband": {"threshold": "-16","ratio": "5.0000000000000018","attack": "150","release": "300","makeup": "5","knee": "12","detection": "RMS","bypass": "false","solo": "false"},"lowband": {"threshold": "-16","ratio": "5.0000000000000018","attack": "150","release": "300","makeup": "4","knee": "12","detection": "RMS","bypass": "false","solo": "false"},"midband": {"threshold": "-24","ratio": "3.0000000000000022","attack": "125","release": "175","makeup": "4","knee": "9","detection": "RMS","bypass": "false","solo": "false"},"highband": {"threshold": "-24","ratio": "4.0000000000000018","attack": "80","release": "120","makeup": "5","knee": "9","detection": "RMS","bypass": "false","solo": "false"}},"loudness": {"state": "false","loudness": "-3.0900000000000003","output": "-6","link": "-9.0999999999999996"},"multiband_gate": {"state": "false","input-gain": "0","output-gain": "0","freq0": "120","freq1": "1000","freq2": "6000","mode": "LR8","subband": {"reduction": "-24","threshold": "-12","ratio": "2","attack": "150","release": "300","makeup": "0","knee": "9","detection": "RMS","bypass": "false","solo": "false"},"lowband": {"reduction": "-24","threshold": "-12","ratio": "2","attack": "150","release": "300","makeup": "0","knee": "9","detection": "RMS","bypass": "false","solo": "false"},"midband": {"reduction": "-24","threshold": "-12","ratio": "2","attack": "150","release": "300","makeup": "0","knee": "9","detection": "RMS","bypass": "false","solo": "false"},"highband": {"reduction": "-24","threshold": "-12","ratio": "2","attack": "150","release": "300","makeup": "0","knee": "9","detection": "RMS","bypass": "false","solo": "false"}},"stereo_tools": {"state": "true","input-gain": "-1","output-gain": "0","balance-in": "0","balance-out": "0","softclip": "false","mutel": "false","muter": "false","phasel": "false","phaser": "false","mode": "LR > LR (Stereo Default)","side-level": "0","side-balance": "0","middle-level": "0","middle-panorama": "0","stereo-base": "0.23000000000000004","delay": "0","sc-level": "1","stereo-phase": "0"},"convolver": {"state": "false","input-gain": "0","output-gain": "0","kernel-path": "","ir-width": "100"},"crystalizer": {"state": "false","aggressive": "true","input-gain": "3","output-gain": "0","band0": {"intensity": "12","mute": "false","bypass": "false"},"band1": {"intensity": "10","mute": "false","bypass": "false"},"band2": {"intensity": "8","mute": "false","bypass": "false"},"band3": {"intensity": "6","mute": "false","bypass": "false"},"band4": {"intensity": "4","mute": "false","bypass": "false"},"band5": {"intensity": "2","mute": "false","bypass": "false"},"band6": {"intensity": "0","mute": "false","bypass": "false"},"band7": {"intensity": "0","mute": "false","bypass": "false"},"band8": {"intensity": "-2","mute": "false","bypass": "false"},"band9": {"intensity": "-6","mute": "false","bypass": "false"},"band10": {"intensity": "-8","mute": "false","bypass": "false"},"band11": {"intensity": "-10","mute": "false","bypass": "false"},"band12": {"intensity": "-13","mute": "false","bypass": "false"}},"autogain": {"state": "false","detect-silence": "false","use-geometric-mean": "true","input-gain": "0","output-gain": "0","target": "-14","weight-m": "1","weight-s": "1","weight-i": "1"},"delay": {"state": "false","input-gain": "0","output-gain": "0","time-l": "0","time-r": "0"}}}

I did not use Equalizer at the end at all. I altered: Limiter, Filter Bass Enhancer, Multiband Compressor and Stereo Tools. It is based on help's guide (Enhancing your internal notebook speakers without using an equalizer).

Answer 2

I had the same issue with my laptop after installing Ubuntu on it. On one hand, the speakers of the XPS are not that great, so compared to something like an Apple laptop, it's going to lack much more bass.

For Windows there is a utility that processes the sound before going to the speakers so that it sounds better. But there is no such an official application for Linux users. So what I did was to install the closest option, which is PulseEffects. You can find some help on how to install it here: Installing PulseEffects. I used the equalizer to adjust the sound with less mid-frequencies, to lessen the radio-like sound of the speakers, and bumped up the low frequencies a bit.