diff --git a/include/sound/seq_kernel.h b/include/sound/seq_kernel.h
index feb58d4..4b9ee30 100644
--- a/include/sound/seq_kernel.h
+++ b/include/sound/seq_kernel.h
@@ -49,7 +49,8 @@
 #define SNDRV_SEQ_DEFAULT_CLIENT_EVENTS	200
 
 /* max delivery path length */
-#define SNDRV_SEQ_MAX_HOPS		10
+/* NOTE: this shouldn't be greater than MAX_LOCKDEP_SUBCLASSES */
+#define SNDRV_SEQ_MAX_HOPS		8
 
 /* max size of event size */
 #define SNDRV_SEQ_MAX_EVENT_LEN		0x3fffffff
diff --git a/include/sound/timer.h b/include/sound/timer.h
index c4d76ff..7ae226a 100644
--- a/include/sound/timer.h
+++ b/include/sound/timer.h
@@ -90,6 +90,8 @@
 	struct list_head ack_list_head;
 	struct list_head sack_list_head; /* slow ack list head */
 	struct tasklet_struct task_queue;
+	int max_instances;	/* upper limit of timer instances */
+	int num_instances;	/* current number of timer instances */
 };
 
 struct snd_timer_instance {
diff --git a/sound/core/hrtimer.c b/sound/core/hrtimer.c
index 1ac0c42..6e47b82 100644
--- a/sound/core/hrtimer.c
+++ b/sound/core/hrtimer.c
@@ -159,6 +159,7 @@
 	timer->hw = hrtimer_hw;
 	timer->hw.resolution = resolution;
 	timer->hw.ticks = NANO_SEC / resolution;
+	timer->max_instances = 100; /* lower the limit */
 
 	err = snd_timer_global_register(timer);
 	if (err < 0) {
diff --git a/sound/core/seq/oss/seq_oss_midi.c b/sound/core/seq/oss/seq_oss_midi.c
index aaff9ee..b30b213 100644
--- a/sound/core/seq/oss/seq_oss_midi.c
+++ b/sound/core/seq/oss/seq_oss_midi.c
@@ -612,9 +612,7 @@
 	if (!dp->timer->running)
 		len = snd_seq_oss_timer_start(dp->timer);
 	if (ev->type == SNDRV_SEQ_EVENT_SYSEX) {
-		if ((ev->flags & SNDRV_SEQ_EVENT_LENGTH_MASK) == SNDRV_SEQ_EVENT_LENGTH_VARIABLE)
-			snd_seq_oss_readq_puts(dp->readq, mdev->seq_device,
-					       ev->data.ext.ptr, ev->data.ext.len);
+		snd_seq_oss_readq_sysex(dp->readq, mdev->seq_device, ev);
 	} else {
 		len = snd_midi_event_decode(mdev->coder, msg, sizeof(msg), ev);
 		if (len > 0)
diff --git a/sound/core/seq/oss/seq_oss_readq.c b/sound/core/seq/oss/seq_oss_readq.c
index 046cb586..06b2122 100644
--- a/sound/core/seq/oss/seq_oss_readq.c
+++ b/sound/core/seq/oss/seq_oss_readq.c
@@ -118,6 +118,35 @@
 }
 
 /*
+ * put MIDI sysex bytes; the event buffer may be chained, thus it has
+ * to be expanded via snd_seq_dump_var_event().
+ */
+struct readq_sysex_ctx {
+	struct seq_oss_readq *readq;
+	int dev;
+};
+
+static int readq_dump_sysex(void *ptr, void *buf, int count)
+{
+	struct readq_sysex_ctx *ctx = ptr;
+
+	return snd_seq_oss_readq_puts(ctx->readq, ctx->dev, buf, count);
+}
+
+int snd_seq_oss_readq_sysex(struct seq_oss_readq *q, int dev,
+			    struct snd_seq_event *ev)
+{
+	struct readq_sysex_ctx ctx = {
+		.readq = q,
+		.dev = dev
+	};
+
+	if ((ev->flags & SNDRV_SEQ_EVENT_LENGTH_MASK) != SNDRV_SEQ_EVENT_LENGTH_VARIABLE)
+		return 0;
+	return snd_seq_dump_var_event(ev, readq_dump_sysex, &ctx);
+}
+
+/*
  * copy an event to input queue:
  * return zero if enqueued
  */
diff --git a/sound/core/seq/oss/seq_oss_readq.h b/sound/core/seq/oss/seq_oss_readq.h
index f1463f1..8d033ca 100644
--- a/sound/core/seq/oss/seq_oss_readq.h
+++ b/sound/core/seq/oss/seq_oss_readq.h
@@ -44,6 +44,8 @@
 void snd_seq_oss_readq_clear(struct seq_oss_readq *readq);
 unsigned int snd_seq_oss_readq_poll(struct seq_oss_readq *readq, struct file *file, poll_table *wait);
 int snd_seq_oss_readq_puts(struct seq_oss_readq *readq, int dev, unsigned char *data, int len);
+int snd_seq_oss_readq_sysex(struct seq_oss_readq *q, int dev,
+			    struct snd_seq_event *ev);
 int snd_seq_oss_readq_put_event(struct seq_oss_readq *readq, union evrec *ev);
 int snd_seq_oss_readq_put_timestamp(struct seq_oss_readq *readq, unsigned long curt, int seq_mode);
 int snd_seq_oss_readq_pick(struct seq_oss_readq *q, union evrec *rec);
diff --git a/sound/core/timer.c b/sound/core/timer.c
index 6cdd04a..15e82a6 100644
--- a/sound/core/timer.c
+++ b/sound/core/timer.c
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@
  *
  * call this with register_mutex down.
  */
-static void snd_timer_check_slave(struct snd_timer_instance *slave)
+static int snd_timer_check_slave(struct snd_timer_instance *slave)
 {
 	struct snd_timer *timer;
 	struct snd_timer_instance *master;
@@ -190,16 +190,21 @@
 		list_for_each_entry(master, &timer->open_list_head, open_list) {
 			if (slave->slave_class == master->slave_class &&
 			    slave->slave_id == master->slave_id) {
+				if (master->timer->num_instances >=
+				    master->timer->max_instances)
+					return -EBUSY;
 				list_move_tail(&slave->open_list,
 					       &master->slave_list_head);
+				master->timer->num_instances++;
 				spin_lock_irq(&slave_active_lock);
 				slave->master = master;
 				slave->timer = master->timer;
 				spin_unlock_irq(&slave_active_lock);
-				return;
+				return 0;
 			}
 		}
 	}
+	return 0;
 }
 
 /*
@@ -208,7 +213,7 @@
  *
  * call this with register_mutex down.
  */
-static void snd_timer_check_master(struct snd_timer_instance *master)
+static int snd_timer_check_master(struct snd_timer_instance *master)
 {
 	struct snd_timer_instance *slave, *tmp;
 
@@ -216,7 +221,11 @@
 	list_for_each_entry_safe(slave, tmp, &snd_timer_slave_list, open_list) {
 		if (slave->slave_class == master->slave_class &&
 		    slave->slave_id == master->slave_id) {
+			if (master->timer->num_instances >=
+			    master->timer->max_instances)
+				return -EBUSY;
 			list_move_tail(&slave->open_list, &master->slave_list_head);
+			master->timer->num_instances++;
 			spin_lock_irq(&slave_active_lock);
 			spin_lock(&master->timer->lock);
 			slave->master = master;
@@ -228,8 +237,11 @@
 			spin_unlock_irq(&slave_active_lock);
 		}
 	}
+	return 0;
 }
 
+static int snd_timer_close_locked(struct snd_timer_instance *timeri);
+
 /*
  * open a timer instance
  * when opening a master, the slave id must be here given.
@@ -240,6 +252,7 @@
 {
 	struct snd_timer *timer;
 	struct snd_timer_instance *timeri = NULL;
+	int err;
 
 	if (tid->dev_class == SNDRV_TIMER_CLASS_SLAVE) {
 		/* open a slave instance */
@@ -259,10 +272,14 @@
 		timeri->slave_id = tid->device;
 		timeri->flags |= SNDRV_TIMER_IFLG_SLAVE;
 		list_add_tail(&timeri->open_list, &snd_timer_slave_list);
-		snd_timer_check_slave(timeri);
+		err = snd_timer_check_slave(timeri);
+		if (err < 0) {
+			snd_timer_close_locked(timeri);
+			timeri = NULL;
+		}
 		mutex_unlock(&register_mutex);
 		*ti = timeri;
-		return 0;
+		return err;
 	}
 
 	/* open a master instance */
@@ -288,6 +305,10 @@
 			return -EBUSY;
 		}
 	}
+	if (timer->num_instances >= timer->max_instances) {
+		mutex_unlock(&register_mutex);
+		return -EBUSY;
+	}
 	timeri = snd_timer_instance_new(owner, timer);
 	if (!timeri) {
 		mutex_unlock(&register_mutex);
@@ -314,25 +335,27 @@
 	}
 
 	list_add_tail(&timeri->open_list, &timer->open_list_head);
-	snd_timer_check_master(timeri);
+	timer->num_instances++;
+	err = snd_timer_check_master(timeri);
+	if (err < 0) {
+		snd_timer_close_locked(timeri);
+		timeri = NULL;
+	}
 	mutex_unlock(&register_mutex);
 	*ti = timeri;
-	return 0;
+	return err;
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(snd_timer_open);
 
 /*
  * close a timer instance
+ * call this with register_mutex down.
  */
-int snd_timer_close(struct snd_timer_instance *timeri)
+static int snd_timer_close_locked(struct snd_timer_instance *timeri)
 {
 	struct snd_timer *timer = NULL;
 	struct snd_timer_instance *slave, *tmp;
 
-	if (snd_BUG_ON(!timeri))
-		return -ENXIO;
-
-	mutex_lock(&register_mutex);
 	list_del(&timeri->open_list);
 
 	/* force to stop the timer */
@@ -340,6 +363,7 @@
 
 	timer = timeri->timer;
 	if (timer) {
+		timer->num_instances--;
 		/* wait, until the active callback is finished */
 		spin_lock_irq(&timer->lock);
 		while (timeri->flags & SNDRV_TIMER_IFLG_CALLBACK) {
@@ -355,6 +379,7 @@
 		list_for_each_entry_safe(slave, tmp, &timeri->slave_list_head,
 					 open_list) {
 			list_move_tail(&slave->open_list, &snd_timer_slave_list);
+			timer->num_instances--;
 			slave->master = NULL;
 			slave->timer = NULL;
 			list_del_init(&slave->ack_list);
@@ -382,9 +407,24 @@
 		module_put(timer->module);
 	}
 
-	mutex_unlock(&register_mutex);
 	return 0;
 }
+
+/*
+ * close a timer instance
+ */
+int snd_timer_close(struct snd_timer_instance *timeri)
+{
+	int err;
+
+	if (snd_BUG_ON(!timeri))
+		return -ENXIO;
+
+	mutex_lock(&register_mutex);
+	err = snd_timer_close_locked(timeri);
+	mutex_unlock(&register_mutex);
+	return err;
+}
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(snd_timer_close);
 
 unsigned long snd_timer_resolution(struct snd_timer_instance *timeri)
@@ -856,6 +896,7 @@
 	spin_lock_init(&timer->lock);
 	tasklet_init(&timer->task_queue, snd_timer_tasklet,
 		     (unsigned long)timer);
+	timer->max_instances = 1000; /* default limit per timer */
 	if (card != NULL) {
 		timer->module = card->module;
 		err = snd_device_new(card, SNDRV_DEV_TIMER, timer, &ops);
diff --git a/sound/pci/hda/patch_realtek.c b/sound/pci/hda/patch_realtek.c
index 546d515..dce0682 100644
--- a/sound/pci/hda/patch_realtek.c
+++ b/sound/pci/hda/patch_realtek.c
@@ -6544,6 +6544,11 @@
 		{0x14, 0x90170110},
 		{0x1b, 0x90a70130},
 		{0x21, 0x03211020}),
+	SND_HDA_PIN_QUIRK(0x10ec0274, 0x1028, "Dell", ALC269_FIXUP_DELL1_MIC_NO_PRESENCE,
+		{0x12, 0xb7a60130},
+		{0x13, 0xb8a61140},
+		{0x16, 0x90170110},
+		{0x21, 0x04211020}),
 	SND_HDA_PIN_QUIRK(0x10ec0280, 0x103c, "HP", ALC280_FIXUP_HP_GPIO4,
 		{0x12, 0x90a60130},
 		{0x14, 0x90170110},
diff --git a/sound/usb/quirks.c b/sound/usb/quirks.c
index 4f5f18f..2062432 100644
--- a/sound/usb/quirks.c
+++ b/sound/usb/quirks.c
@@ -1375,6 +1375,7 @@
 			case 0x199:
 				return SNDRV_PCM_FMTBIT_DSD_U32_LE;
 			case 0x19b:
+			case 0x203:
 				return SNDRV_PCM_FMTBIT_DSD_U32_BE;
 			default:
 				break;