Sorry, I don't understand what the problem is here. Most likely a wrong initialisation for ALSA, or a bug in PulseAudio. I'm not really sure what you're asking for.

Created attachment 161360 [details]
Alsa information script output

I need to be able to mute sound from the microphone and still be able to record from it. The only option in gnome-volume-control input deck is to adjust inputed volume or completely mute the input.

More illustratively, when using my headphone+microphone for phone or in-game chat. I don't want to hear my voice back in the headset or in the speakers, but I want my microphone still capturing my voice.

I don't know about the Alsa initialization, but, if this is of some help, here is the alsa+pulseaudio configuration in use: http://www.alsa-project.org/db/?f=505654b0d5478d90d3d53213df4e4c869bc76dd2

Please file a bug in PulseAudio http://pulseaudio.org/

thanks

If you could clarify how a missing "input playback mute switch and/or slider" option from gnome-volume-control could belong to a pulseaudio issue, I could document this in a report to pulseaudio trac. I believe it to be a documentation requirement for the pluseaudio team to account for this issue seriously or they may play ping pong with the issue between gnome team and pulseaudio team.

(In reply to comment #3)
> More illustratively, when using my headphone+microphone for phone or in-game
> chat. I don't want to hear my voice back in the headset or in the speakers, but
> I want my microphone still capturing my voice.
> 

that shouldn't happen. this is a bug in PulseAudio mixer handling. that's why I ask you to file a bug to PulseAudio.

I suppose once this is fixed, you won't have any concern with the current sound input volume handling in gnome-volume-control.