The VideoLAN Forums

I have been struck with stereo audio on Ubuntu for years due to Ubuntu only displaying a stereo
audio profile, despite my audio hardware being capable of up to 7.1 surround sound output,
Eventually I knuckled down to resolving the issue - and this solution worked perfectly for me.

Install the required packages.

Now you need to re-assign each audio jack from their default assignments, so run.

Select the audio codec you wish to change.
Modify each audio jacks assignment as required.
Click the 'Install Boot Override' Button and then reboot.

The pavumeter and pavucontrol apps should now show as many audio out channels as you assigned.

Check that your audio channel assignments correspond to the correct speakers
using the usual Ubuntu Sound Settings app and if you have a wrong assignment
just re-run hdajackretask again and change it.

Hope this helps someone else as I am so relieved that I now have surround sound in Ubuntu and can use vlc in
Ubuntu to play bluerays and dvds with all channels blazing insead of having to resort to windows all the time

I have also just noticed that pavucontrol allows you to configure and pass surround sound
through your graphics cards HDMI port to your HDTV - I wish Windows10 had that option!!

Windows only ever sends stereo to my HDTV because it can see that my TV plays in stereo
but totally ignores the fact that it also has digital pass-through to an external decoder/amp.