If you’re having trouble with your Raspberry Pi’s sound, don’t worry – you’re not alone! A lot of people seem to have this problem, but it’s actually quite easy to fix. In this blog post, we will walk you through the steps that you need to take in order to get your sound working again. We’ll also show you how to troubleshoot any other issues that might come up. So don’t wait – follow these instructions and get your Raspberry Pi sounding great in no time!
What is Raspberry Pi?
It is one of the most popular single-board computers in the world. Despite its small size, it is a powerful little device that has been used in many different projects.
One common issue that Raspberry Pi users face is that their sound does not work. This can be a very frustrating problem, but luckily, there are some things that you can do to try and fix it. [1]
Raspberry Pi Sound Not Working
Problem 1. There is no sound at all.
If you are using HDMI, the first thing to try is setting the output device to “hdmi”. You can do this by running the following command: amixer cset numid=3 1
If that doesn’t work, try setting it to “auto” instead: amixer cset numid=3 2
If you are using analog (headphone) output, make sure the volume is not muted and turned up: amixer set PCM — 100% unmute alsamixer
If you still don’t hear anything, try the following command to test the output: aplay /usr/share/sounds/alsa/Front_Center.wav
If you hear the test sound, then your problem is most likely with the application you are trying to use; if not, then it is a system-wide audio problem. [1]
Problem 2. The sound is distorted or crackling.
This is almost always caused by interference from the power supply. The first thing to try is using a different power supply, preferably one that provides more current (amperes). If that doesn’t work, try connecting the Raspberry Pi directly to your router with an Ethernet cable; this will bypass any potential problems with the power supply. If you are still having problems, try the following command to increase the size of the audio buffer: amixer cset numid=3 Nwhere N is the new buffer size in samples (the default is 128).
Problem 3. The sound is choppy or stuttering.
This is usually caused by a slow SD card or by too many applications running at once. Try closing some programs and/or moving them to a different computer; if that doesn’t work, try overclocking the Raspberry Pi. Overclocking will make the CPU run faster, which may help if the sound stuttering is caused by a slow CPU. To overclock the Raspberry Pi, edit the file /boot/config.txt and add the following lines:
force_turbo=1initial_turbo=30arm_freq=1000core_freq=500sdram_freq=500over_voltage=2
If you are still having problems, try using a USB sound card instead of the on-board audio; this will usually provide better sound quality.
Problem 4. How to switch output to headphone jack?
- Go to ‘Raspi-config’
- Select ‘Advanced Options’
- Select ‘Audio’
- Choose either ‘1 Force 3.5mm (‘headphone’) jack’ or ‘2 Force HDMI’
- Reboot for the changes to take effect.
Things to Try
Audio Source
The first thing you should check is the audio source. By default, the Raspberry Pi will output sound through HDMI. If your monitor or TV has built-in speakers, that’s where the sound will come from. But you can also change the audio output to come from the 3.5mm jack or the USB port. To change the audio output, go to the Raspberry Pi menu and select Preferences > Sound. From there, you can select the audio output device.
Raspberry Pi OS
The next thing to check is the operating system you’re using on your Raspberry Pi. If you’re using the official Raspberry Pi OS (formerly called Raspbian), then you should have no problem with sound output. But if you’re using a different operating system, such as Ubuntu MATE, then you might need to install some additional software to get sound working. To install the required software in Ubuntu MATE, open a terminal window and enter the following command: sudo apt-get install alsa-utils pulseaudio
This will install the ALSA utilities and PulseAudio, which are both needed for sound output. [3]
TV Audio Mode
If you’re using your TV as a monitor, then you might need to change the audio mode. By default, most TVs will output sound in stereo mode. But if you want to get 5.1 surround sound, you need to change the audio mode to Dolby Digital (AC3). To do this, go into the settings menu on your TV and look for the audio settings. Once you’ve found the audio settings, change the audio mode to Dolby Digital (AC3) or DTS.HDMI Cable
Video Adapters
If you’re using an HDMI cable to connect your Raspberry Pi to your TV or monitor, then you might need to use a different cable. Some HDMI cables are not compatible with the Raspberry Pi and can cause problems with sound output. If you’re having trouble with sound, try using a different HDMI cable. [4]
How Сan You Test Your Sound Card?
The first thing you need to do is test your sound card. This can be done in a few ways. One way is to use the “alsamixer” command. To do this, open up a terminal and type in “alsamixer”.
This screen shows all of the different mixer controls for your sound card. The first column shows the name of the mixer control, the second column shows the current level, and the third column shows the maximum level.
To test your sound card, you can try raising the volume levels for each control. You can do this by using the arrow keys on your keyboard. Pressing the up arrow will raise the level, and pressing the down arrow will lower it.
Once you have raised the levels, press the “m” key to unmute each control. You should now be able to hear sound through your speakers or headphones. [5]
FAQ
How do I fix the sound on my Raspberry Pi?
If your Raspberry Pi is not outputting any sound, there are a few possible causes:
- Make sure that you have connected your speakers or headphones correctly. If you are using external speakers, they should be connected to the 3.5mm audio jack. If you are using headphones, they should be connected to the headphone jack (usually located on the side or front of the Raspberry Pi).
- Make sure that your speakers or headphones are turned on and properly plugged in.
- Check the volume level of your speakers or headphones. The volume level can be adjusted using the alsamixer utility (see below for instructions).
- Make sure that the audio output device is set to the correct one. The audio output device can be set using the raspi-config utility (see below for instructions).
- Make sure that the audio output is not muted. The audio output can be muted using the alsamixer utility (see below for instructions).
- Try playing a different file (e.g., an MP3 or WAV file) to see if the issue is with the file you were trying to play.
- Try playing a sound from a different source (e.g., YouTube, Spotify, etc.) to see if the issue is with the Raspberry Pi itself.
Does Raspberry Pi have audio output?
Yes, the Raspberry Pi has audio output. The audio output can be configured to use either the 3.5mm audio jack or the HDMI port.
How do I change the audio output device on my Raspberry Pi?
The audio output device can be changed using the raspi-config utility. To launch raspi-config, enter the following command:sudo raspi-config. Then select “Advanced Options” and then “Audio”. You will then be presented with a list of audio output devices to choose from. Select the one you want to use and then reboot your Raspberry Pi.
How do I mute/unmute the audio on my Raspberry Pi?
The audio output can be muted using the alsamixer utility. To launch alsamixer, enter the following command: alsamixer. Use the arrow keys to navigate to the “Master” volume and use the + and – keys to adjust the volume. To mute/unmute the audio, press the M key.
How do I change the audio output volume on my Raspberry Pi?
The audio output volume can be changed using the alsamixer utility. To launch alsamixer, enter the following command:alsamixer. Use the arrow keys to navigate to the “Master” volume and use the + and – keys to adjust the volume.
Can I use Bluetooth speakers with my Raspberry Pi?
Yes, you can use Bluetooth speakers with your Raspberry Pi. However, you will need to have a Bluetooth adapter installed on your Raspberry Pi.
How do I install a Bluetooth adapter on my Raspberry Pi?
There are a few different ways to install a Bluetooth adapter on your Raspberry Pi. The easiest way is to use the RPi-BT addon from the official Raspbian repositories. To install it, enter the following command: sudo apt-get install rpi-bt. If you want to use a USB Bluetooth adapter, you will need to install the BlueZ stack. To do this, enter the following commands: sudo apt-get updatesudo apt-get upgradesudo apt-get install bluetooth bluez blueman alsa-utils pulseaudio-module-bluetooth.
What is a speaker bonnet?
The speaker bonnet includes an amplifier, so you do not need to use an external one.
How do I install a speaker bonnet on my Raspberry Pi?
The easiest way to install a speaker bonnet is to use the Pimoroni Speaker Bonnet Setup script. To do this, enter the following command: curl https://get.pimoroni.com/speakerbonnet | bash.
How can I test my Raspberry Pi sound?
You can test your Raspberry Pi sound by playing a sound file (e.g., an MP3 or WAV file) using the media player of your choice. Alternatively, you can use the alsamixer utility to test the audio output. To launch alsamixer, enter the following command:alsamixer. Use the arrow keys to navigate to the “Master” volume and use the + and – keys to adjust the volume. You should hear a beep when you increase the volume past a certain point.
Where is the audio menu on a Raspberry Pi?
The audio menu is located in the raspi-config utility. To launch raspi-config, enter the following command:sudo raspi-config. Then select “Advanced Options” and then “Audio”.
How do I set my ALSA default sound card?
To set the default sound card, you need to edit the /etc/asound.conf file. To do this, enter the following command:sudo nano /etc/asound.conf. Then add the following lines to the end of the file:pcm.!default { type plug slave { pcm “hw:0,0” }}ctl.!default { type hw card 0}Replace “hw:0,0” with the correct values for your setup. Save the file and reboot your Raspberry Pi.
Can Raspberry Pi play MP3?
Yes, the Raspberry Pi can play MP3 files. However, you will need to have an MP3 player installed on your Raspberry Pi.
How do I install an MP3 player on my Raspberry Pi?
The easiest way to install an MP3 player is to use the apt-get command. For example, to install the VLC media player, enter the following command: sudo apt-get install vlc.
Useful Video: Finally Fixed! Raspberry Pi Audio Issues – Well sort of…
Conclusion
If your Raspberry Pi sound is not working, there are a few possible causes. The most common cause is that the audio output device is not set as the default. To fix this, open the Raspberry Pi Configuration tool and go to the Interfaces tab. From here, select the Audio output option and then reboot your Raspberry Pi.
Other potential causes of no sound on a Raspberry Pi include incorrect cable connections and faulty speakers or headphones. If you’ve checked these things and still can’t get sound working, try asking for help on the Raspberry Pi forums.
With a bit of troubleshooting, you should be able to get your Raspberry Pi sound working again in no time!
References
- https://www.redbull.com/gb-en/raspberry-pi-gaming-computer-programing-pc-chip-board
- https://funconsumertech.com/no-audio-on-raspberry-pi-a-helpful-illustrated-guide/
- https://support.thepihut.com/hc/en-us/articles/360010336738-No-sound-output-with-my-Raspberry-Pi-4
- https://medium.com/@thedyslexiccoder/how-to-fix-the-audio-output-on-a-raspberry-pi-4-21045bc7d7b
- https://www.techwalla.com/articles/how-to-check-a-sound-card
