Fixed it using this bug report: #1331915 https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/1331915.
Basically: 1) Make sure there are no alsa daily builds installed on that laptop, including any oem-audio daily build packages. 2) modify the alsa-base.conf file (edit /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf and add the line “options snd-hda-intel model=,dell-headset-multi”), careful at the comma "," before dell 3) reboot 4) Plug in your headeset 5) you'll get the pop-up dialog confirming what you just plugged in. 6) Select headset Quote about the comma: "That should get the mic going for you on that machine. David told me that the comma is needed because HDMI audio became the first sound card in the case of this laptop." The hdajackretask software is a nice get-out-of-jail card, but couldn't figure out the correct pin assignments myself (or maybe some more settings were needed to get it working equivalently with the above alsa setting). Thank you for your time. On to solve the acpi setting for getting the brightness keys to work :) -- You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu Touch seeded packages, which is subscribed to alsa-driver in Ubuntu. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1315911 Title: [N550JV, Realtek ALC668, Black Mic, Left] No autoswitch Status in “alsa-driver” package in Ubuntu: Incomplete Bug description: When I plug in the smartphone headset microphone and sound stop working. If I go to Pulseaudio Volume Control and I select Internal Microphone for input and Speakers for output the hedset works fine. If I remove the headset, the speakers and the microphone stop working again. I have to manually reset them again to make them working. This is really anoying, especially in Skype or Viber. ProblemType: Bug DistroRelease: Ubuntu 14.04 Package: alsa-base 1.0.25+dfsg-0ubuntu4 ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.13.0-24.46-generic 3.13.9 Uname: Linux 3.13.0-24-generic x86_64 ApportVersion: 2.14.1-0ubuntu3 Architecture: amd64 AudioDevicesInUse: USER PID ACCESS COMMAND /dev/snd/controlC1: adrian 11017 F.... pulseaudio /dev/snd/controlC0: adrian 11017 F.... pulseaudio CurrentDesktop: Unity Date: Sun May 4 19:55:50 2014 InstallationDate: Installed on 2014-04-12 (22 days ago) InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 14.04 LTS "Trusty Tahr" - Beta amd64 (20140326) PackageArchitecture: all SourcePackage: alsa-driver Symptom: audio Symptom_Card: Built-in Audio - HDA Intel PCH Symptom_Jack: Black Mic, Left Symptom_Type: No auto-switch between inputs Title: [N550JV, Realtek ALC668, Black Mic, Left] No autoswitch UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install) dmi.bios.date: 09/17/2013 dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc. dmi.bios.version: N550JV.207 dmi.board.asset.tag: ATN12345678901234567 dmi.board.name: N550JV dmi.board.vendor: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. dmi.board.version: 1.0 dmi.chassis.asset.tag: No Asset Tag dmi.chassis.type: 10 dmi.chassis.vendor: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. dmi.chassis.version: 1.0 dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAmericanMegatrendsInc.:bvrN550JV.207:bd09/17/2013:svnASUSTeKCOMPUTERINC.:pnN550JV:pvr1.0:rvnASUSTeKCOMPUTERINC.:rnN550JV:rvr1.0:cvnASUSTeKCOMPUTERINC.:ct10:cvr1.0: dmi.product.name: N550JV dmi.product.version: 1.0 dmi.sys.vendor: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. To manage notifications about this bug go to: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/alsa-driver/+bug/1315911/+subscriptions -- Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~touch-packages Post to : touch-packages@lists.launchpad.net Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~touch-packages More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp