Let’s troubleshoot the issue step by step to identify the root cause of your sound problem on Arch Linux.

1. Check Physical and Basic Issues

  1. Ensure your speakers/headphones are properly connected and powered on.
  2. If you’re using a USB or Bluetooth device, verify the connection is still active.

2. Check Sound Levels and Mute Status

  1. Open a terminal and run:
    alsamixer
    • Ensure that the Master and PCM channels are unmuted (no MM at the bottom) and have adequate volume levels.
    • Use M to toggle mute and arrow keys to adjust volume.
  2. Alternatively, use pavucontrol (PulseAudio Volume Control) if it’s installed:
    pavucontrol
    • Check the Playback and Output Devices tabs to ensure the correct device is selected.

3. Verify Output Devices

Run the following command to list active sound devices:

aplay -l
  • If no devices are listed, it suggests a problem with hardware detection or the sound server.

For PulseAudio:

pactl list short sinks

For PipeWire:

pw-cli ls Node

Ensure your desired output device is active and selected.

4. Restart the Audio Services

Restart the audio service depending on your setup:

  • For PulseAudio:
    pulseaudio --kill
pulseaudio --start
  • For PipeWire:
    systemctl --user restart pipewire pipewire-pulse
  • Check if this resolves the issue.

5. Test Audio Output

Run the following to test audio output:

speaker-test -c 2 -l 1 -t sine

This plays a test tone. If you hear sound, your system is working at a lower level.

6. Check for Recent Updates

If your system recently updated, an update may have caused a regression. Check:

sudo pacman -Q linux

If the kernel version has changed, it might have affected your sound. Consider reverting to the previous kernel version if necessary:

sudo pacman -U /var/cache/pacman/pkg/linux-[version].pkg.tar.zst

7. Inspect Logs

Check system logs for sound-related errors:

journalctl -b | grep -i audio
journalctl -b | grep -i pulse
journalctl -b | grep -i pipewire

This might highlight any misconfiguration or module errors.

8. Check Kernel Modules

Ensure that the necessary audio kernel modules are loaded:

lsmod | grep snd

If no snd modules appear, try reloading them:

sudo modprobe snd_hda_intel

9. Reset Configuration

Reset ALSA to default:

sudo alsactl restore

Reset PulseAudio (if applicable):

rm -r ~/.config/pulse
pulseaudio --kill
pulseaudio --start

10. Reinstall Audio Packages

If the above steps don’t resolve the issue, reinstall key audio packages:

sudo pacman -S alsa-utils pulseaudio pavucontrol
# Or for PipeWire:
sudo pacman -S pipewire pipewire-pulse wireplumber

If none of these steps resolve the issue, provide details from aplay -l, journalctl, or any error messages you find, and we can dig deeper.