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y50-subwoofer-linux-enabler

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Lenovo Y50 Subwoofer Enabler for Linux

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# Lenovo Y50 Subwoofer Enabler for Linux

---

## NOTE: This project is DEPRECATED. My Lenovo Y50 is not my main laptop anymore, and I use only Windows on it as of now.

## WARNING: This deprecated project can BREAK your subwoofer and/or speakers for good, with no chance of remedy. There have been reports about the subwoofer and/or speakers breaking as of January 2021. It is NOT recommended to use this script anymore!

## Instead, please help fix the subwoofer on Lenovo Y50 on Linux as it should have been done from the beginning, by reporting the bug on ALSA bug tracker. Somebody already reported this, so you should reply to this bug thread: https://bugzilla.kernel.org/show_bug.cgi?id=204833.

### Even if you inspect the script, it might not be as easy as just incrementing some numbers by 1 every time to safely see if the script can make your subwoofer worker. It might be that the script is now enabling the wrong pins by doing bad modifications e.g. by enabling high volumes just by setting something to ON.

#### The rest of the README below was also applicable in 2017. It is not applicable anymore. Even if Ubuntu 16.04 is mentioned, do not try this script on Ubuntu 16.04 as other updates on Ubuntu 16.04 might have happened too that would make this script incompatible and risky. It is not recommended!

---

## README

This script used to fix the issue of the subwoofer of Lenovo Y50 laptops not having any sound on Linux distributions (in a dirty way!). Tested on Ubuntu 16.04. This project is more of a proof-of-concept that the subwoofer on Lenovo Y50 can be fixed.

The script `install.sh` uses `apt-get` once to install `alsa-tools`. If using a non-Debian distribution, use your package manager of choice and continue to use the script (or modify acordingly). Also, use common sense on the security part of these scripts and, if you can, inspect all three scripts (*which are small!*) before anything. (see **Warnings** below).

**Important:** Use simply `install.sh` to install the script as a **user** service. For me, that means it can detect pulseaudio, which I believe runs in the user space and not in the system space (at least for me). If it doesn't detect pulseaudio, the script wastes 8% of CPU constantly. You can also use`install.sh system` to install the script as a **system** service, because apparently Ubuntu does not work the same for everyone: https://github.com/dragosprju/y50-subwoofer-linux-enabler/pull/3 .

Open `subwoofer.py` to modify helpful options:

* **speakerBalance** (values between `-100` and `100`): Sets the stereo volume balancing of the speakers. Mostly needed because the subwoofer itself is on the right of the laptop and if everything was 100% volume and no balance, it would sound debalanced anyway. (but you should check *extraVolume*)
* **headphonesBalance** (values between `-100` and `100`): In case your headphones are a bit broken (like mine) and sound debalanced, this setting will help you. Using the normal sound settings panel from your Linux distribution won't work, since balancing is being reset every time you plug the headphones in or out.
* **subwooferBalance** (values between `-100` and `100`): If at `0`, the subwoofer will get the left and right channels of the song you are playing and play them both at 100%. Set at `-25` (as it is by default) makes it so you hear 100% of the left channel but only 75% of the right channel.
* **extraVolume** (values between `-100` and `100`): Helps balancing the whole sound as mentioned, since the subwoofer is placed on the right. This limits the subwoofer's volume instead and not the speakers'. 
    * `0` is relative to general volume. Maximum subwoofer volume is achieved when general volume is at 100%;
    * `100` is maximum subwoofer volume even if the general volume is low.

Maximize it for a party by setting _extraVolume_ over `0 ` considerably. Default is `11`.

## Warnings

The script will let the program `hda-verb`, which is usually called using `sudo`, to be called *without it* by adding a `sudoers` file to `/etc/sudoers.d/`. It does so for the current user at installation and the `guest` user. **This might be a security issue for some!**

**I am not responsible if your speakers or subwoofer breaks!** Please inspect the script by yourself if you can, making sure that everything is being protected. I've designed it to cut down anything over maximum possible subwoofer (`100` is for speakers and `87` *weirdly enough* is for the subwoofer), so nothing should break as I use the script myself and do still want a fully working laptop.

~~Try not to reinstall twice as it appends the needed modifications to `/etc/sudoers` file twice. Just recopy `subwoofer.py` to its install location `/opt/subwoofer.py`.~~ (`install.sh` now can override past installation cleanly!)

## Needed improvements

~~The script doesn't take care of the subwoofer when you suspend the laptop. Therefore, a crack is heard from the subwoofer when suspending.~~ (now does accordingly: however I have only tested on `pm-suspend` command only, but the way it does it should be generic - inspect `install.sh` and `subwoofer.sh`)

The script is also a dirty way to fix things. A more resposible person would report the problem as a bug and cooperate with the people related to the Linux software component that has the issue with the subwoofer itself. (`alsa` I believe)

## Related links

http://superuser.com/questions/945110/how-do-i-make-my-lenovo-y50s-subwoofer-work-on-linux

http://superuser.com/questions/975219/how-to-disable-power-saving-on-my-lenovo-y50s-subwoofer-audio-pins

https://www.reddit.com/r/linuxquestions/comments/3ejkbe/how_do_i_make_my_lenovo_y50s_subwoofer_work_on/

Have fun!

y50-subwoofer-linux-enabler

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