From Bugzilla Helper:
User-Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (X11; U; Linux i686; en-US; rv:1.6)
Gecko/20040422 Epiphany/1.1.12

Description of problem:
mixer_applet2 does not save settings between panel restarts.  The
master volume mutes upon login.  Mixer channel preferences are forgotten.

Version-Release number of selected component (if applicable):
gnome-applets-2.6.0-4

How reproducible:
Always

Steps to Reproduce:
1. Add a "Volume Control" applet to a panel.
2. Master volume is selected by default.
3. Right-click and choose preferences.
4. Select any channel except the master volume (e.g. rear volume).
5. Logout/Login or restart panel.


Actual Results:  Panel starts up with mixer set to the master volume.
 A split second after the mixer appears the master volume mutes.

Expected Results:  mixer_applet2 should not change the volume by
itself.  mixer_applet2 should remember the proper channel assignments.

Additional info:

This is probably related to ALSA.

This upstream bug appears to be similar and includes a patch but it is
still marked as new:
  http://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=139374