diff --git a/sound/pci/hda/patch_sigmatel.c b/sound/pci/hda/patch_sigmatel.c
index 7fdafcb0015d8e9030c13c27b9d060c16ff9b39d..ad994fcab72508da6a7e483fd4b51526388643b6 100644
--- a/sound/pci/hda/patch_sigmatel.c
+++ b/sound/pci/hda/patch_sigmatel.c
@@ -560,8 +560,9 @@ static struct hda_verb dell_eq_core_init[] = {
 };
 
 static struct hda_verb dell_m6_core_init[] = {
-	/* set master volume and direct control */
-	{ 0x1f, AC_VERB_SET_VOLUME_KNOB_CONTROL, 0xff},
+	/* set master volume to max value without distortion
+	 * and direct control */
+	{ 0x1f, AC_VERB_SET_VOLUME_KNOB_CONTROL, 0xec},
 	/* setup audio connections */
 	{ 0x0d, AC_VERB_SET_CONNECT_SEL, 0x00},
 	{ 0x0a, AC_VERB_SET_CONNECT_SEL, 0x01},