the case are different if you have laptop with different codecs, pulseaudio require driver to provide jack detection control since ubuntu 12.04
Control: name="Headphone Jack", index=0, device=0 iface CARD name 'Headphone Jack' value false comment { access read type BOOLEAN count 1 } your ad1984a are not using latest alsa driver and does not have headphone jack and mic jack detection control post pactl list for your laptop with different codec -- You received this bug notification because you are a member of Desktop Packages, which is subscribed to pulseaudio in Ubuntu. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1254884 Title: Pulseaudio: incoherent muting of GStreamer channels (mutes master, headphone and speaker, but unmutes only master) Status in PulseAudio sound server: Unknown Status in “pulseaudio” package in Ubuntu: Incomplete Status in “xfce4-volumed” package in Ubuntu: Invalid Bug description: with certain audio hardware (those where alsamixer shows separate "headphone" and "speaker" channels) pressing of the mute button on laptop keyboards causes mute of all three channels: master, headphone and speaker. unfortunately, pressing the button again to unmute (or deselecting mute in the xfce audio mixer panel applet) unmutes only the master channel, leaving headphone and speaker muted. there is no other way than opening alsamixer in a terminal (or open mixer controls from the applet) and manually clicking the two remaining channels to unmute. ProblemType: Bug DistroRelease: Ubuntu 13.10 Package: xfce4-volumed 0.2.0-0ubuntu1 ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.11.0-13.20-generic 3.11.6 Uname: Linux 3.11.0-13-generic x86_64 NonfreeKernelModules: wl ApportVersion: 2.12.5-0ubuntu2.1 Architecture: amd64 Date: Mon Nov 25 22:33:06 2013 InstallationDate: Installed on 2013-11-07 (17 days ago) InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 13.10 "Saucy Salamander" - Release amd64 (20131016.1) MarkForUpload: True SourcePackage: xfce4-volumed UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install) To manage notifications about this bug go to: https://bugs.launchpad.net/pulseaudio/+bug/1254884/+subscriptions -- Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~desktop-packages Post to : desktop-packages@lists.launchpad.net Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~desktop-packages More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp