No HDMI audio Ubuntu 20.04

I've just installed Ubuntu 20.04 in a desktop computer connected via hdmi with an external BenQ GW2480E monitor. I have perfect video display but no audio output at all. I have checked a lot of possible issues and workarounds but none o them seems to work for me.

Somo extra info:

• inxi -SMA output:

Kernel: 5.4.0-29-generic x86_64 bits: 64 Desktop: Gnome 3.36.1 Distro: Ubuntu 20.04 LTS (Focal Fossa) Machine: Type: Desktop System: Gigabyte product: B450M DS3H v: N/A serial: Mobo: Gigabyte model: B450M DS3H-CF v: x.x serial: UEFI: American Megatrends v: F50 date: 11/27/2019 Audio: Device-1: NVIDIA driver: snd_hda_intel Device-2: AMD Starship/Matisse HD Audio driver: snd_hda_intel Sound Server: ALSA v: k5.4.0-29-generic.

• alsamixer output:
• aplay -l output:

**** Lista de PLAYBACK dispositivos hardware **** tarjeta 0: NVidia [HDA NVidia], dispositivo 3: HDMI 0 [HDMI 0] Subdispositivos: 0/1 Subdispositivo #0: subdevice #0 tarjeta 0: NVidia [HDA NVidia], dispositivo 7: HDMI 1 [HDMI 1] Subdispositivos: 1/1 Subdispositivo #0: subdevice #0 tarjeta 0: NVidia [HDA NVidia], dispositivo 8: HDMI 2 [HDMI 2] Subdispositivos: 1/1 Subdispositivo #0: subdevice #0 tarjeta 0: NVidia [HDA NVidia], dispositivo 9: HDMI 3 [HDMI 3] Subdispositivos: 1/1 Subdispositivo #0: subdevice #0 tarjeta 1: Generic [HD-Audio Generic], dispositivo 0: ALC887-VD Analog [ALC887-VD Analog] Subdispositivos: 1/1 Subdispositivo #0: subdevice #0 tarjeta 1: Generic [HD-Audio Generic], dispositivo 1: ALC887-VD Digital [ALC887-VD Digital] Subdispositivos: 1/1 Subdispositivo #0: subdevice #0

2 Answers

I have the same motherboard and the HDMI sound is working (sound is coming out of my screen) but the front and back jacks are not.

I only installed a recent kernel, maybe you can try that too? I used UKUU but you can also download them directly from and install them with dpkg -i.

You should also try to upgrade your nvidia proprietary drivers.

For the record, here is the information of my system with HDMI sound working:

inxi -SMA
System: Host: euclide Kernel: 5.6.11-050611-generic x86_64 bits: 64 Desktop: Gnome 3.36.1 Distro: Ubuntu 20.04 LTS (Focal Fossa)
Machine: Type: Desktop System: Gigabyte product: B450M DS3H v: N/A serial: <superuser/root required> Mobo: Gigabyte model: B450M DS3H-CF v: x.x serial: <superuser/root required> UEFI: American Megatrends v: F50 date: 11/27/2019
Audio: Device-1: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD/ATI] Raven/Raven2/Fenghuang HDMI/DP Audio driver: snd_hda_intel Sound Server: ALSA v: k5.6.11-050611-generic 

aplay -l
**** Liste des Périphériques Matériels PLAYBACK ****
carte 0: Generic [HD-Audio Generic], périphérique 3: HDMI 0 [HDMI 0] Sous-périphériques: 1/1 Sous-périphérique #0: subdevice #0
carte 0: Generic [HD-Audio Generic], périphérique 7: HDMI 1 [HDMI 1] Sous-périphériques: 1/1 Sous-périphérique #0: subdevice #0
carte 0: Generic [HD-Audio Generic], périphérique 8: HDMI 2 [HDMI 2] Sous-périphériques: 1/1 Sous-périphérique #0: subdevice #0

I would be very interested to know if your jack are working?

Have you tried adding your user profile to the audio group? Adding your user profile to the audio group gives you full access to sound. Try:

1.Type in terminal:

whoami

that returns your user name.

2. Type in terminal:

sudo adduser <username> audio

where instead of <username> you'll type your user name returned from step 1.

3. Shut down and restart.

Comments: This may not be the most secure way to settle this, but if it works you'll know it's a user access issue which is one of the most common things that trips up Linux users.