Low volume in headphones [N53SN, Realtek ALC269VB, Black Headphone Out, Right] Playback problem

When I plug in headphones, the sound is very quiet, even when I crank the volume to the maximum.
If I go to the sound settings and switch the connector from analog headphones to analog speakers, then the sound is fine.
If I unplug the headphones, the sound comes out of the speakers again just fine.
If I plug in the headphones again, the sound is low, and I have to go back and change the sound settings. This happens every time I plug in headphones.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 11.10
Package: alsa-base 1.0.24+dfsg-0ubuntu2
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.0.0-15.26-generic 3.0.13
Uname: Linux 3.0.0-15-generic x86_64
AlsaVersion: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Driver Version 1.0.24.
ApportVersion: 1.23-0ubuntu4
Architecture: amd64
ArecordDevices:
 **** List of CAPTURE Hardware Devices ****
 card 0: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], device 0: ALC269VB Analog [ALC269VB Analog]
   Subdevices: 0/1
   Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: don 1727 F.... pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/pcmC0D0c: don 1727 F...m pulseaudio
Card0.Amixer.info:
 Card hw:0 'PCH'/'HDA Intel PCH at 0xdf000000 irq 43'
   Mixer name : 'Intel CougarPoint HDMI'
   Components : 'HDA:10ec0269,10431063,00100100 HDA:80862805,80860101,00100000'
   Controls : 22
   Simple ctrls : 12
Date: Mon Feb 13 13:24:27 2012
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 11.10 "Oneiric Ocelot" - Release amd64 (20111012)
PackageArchitecture: all
ProcEnviron:
 LANGUAGE=en_CA:en
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 LANG=en_CA.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: alsa-driver
Symptom: audio
Symptom_AlsaPlaybackTest: ALSA playback test through plughw:PCH failed
Symptom_Card: Internal Audio - HDA Intel PCH
Symptom_Jack: Black Headphone Out, Right
Symptom_Type: None of the above
Title: [N53SN, Realtek ALC269VB, Black Headphone Out, Right] Playback problem
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 04/07/2011
dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
dmi.bios.version: N53SN.206
dmi.board.asset.tag: ATN12345678901234567
dmi.board.name: N53SN
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.:bvrN53SN.206:bd04/07/2011:svnASUSTeKComputerInc.:pnN53SN:pvr1.0:rvnASUSTeKComputerInc.:rnN53SN:rvr1.0:cvnASUSTeKComputerInc.:ct10:cvr1.0:
dmi.product.name: N53SN
dmi.product.version: 1.0
dmi.sys.vendor: ASUSTeK Computer Inc.