On Framwork 13 DIY AMD Ryzen 7040 series (specifically 7840U w/ Radeon 780 Graphics), Ubuntu 22.04.04 -
I’ve started using this as my “desktop” on my desktop… on my NUC, I had a headphone-jack to RCA jack connection to my stereo amplifier.
On the Framework, it “acts like” the chip-set gets shut-off after something like 15s of “no audio input signal”, which is fine… but the ensuing noise sounds like any semblance of “ground” is also disconnected. (and WOW is it ever amplified by the 15" subwoofer I have connected to my stereo).
I can toggle mute to stop it for another 15s, but mostly, if the phone rings I have to yank the headphone cable out of the laptop, or have my eardrums blown(!)…
Has any one else encountered this? I could get some other path than the analog jack to drive my stereo, but… this seems like such a basic problem (leaving a “floating” line on output).
Sounds similar to an old problem, Framework’s built-in DAC generally just doesn’t have great SNR, as well as having some power state issues.
I’d recommend picking up a $5 Apple USB-C Dongle or something of the like.
However, the core problem still … annoys the engineer in me, although I will say, the audiofile/flac files I created, was playing seem to sound crisper, cleaner (I can hear subtle details in acoustic guitar strings, and things like that) over the USB-C route (so I’m likely to keep it).
Well - forgive the (retired) engineer here: perhaps the circuit design on the analog audio out is… missing something which would address this. “Not turning off” a faulty designed piece feels like an awful hack (!).
I will try it tomorrow (past midnight now) just to confirm that it indeed does provide the audible relief to a powered down chipset which doesn’t by switching to “grounded” signal lines (or whatever the appropriate result would be). Goes to show: people don’t think about, care about analog mini-jack outputs … which is (?) the problem. Of course, if costs would be driven much, then maybe that jack should be eliminates, and a plug module (which does it correctly) be the solution. There is USB, Bluetooth, HDMI, and other existing paths.