config SND_SB16_CSP
        bool "Sound Blaster 16/AWE CSP support"
        depends on (SND_SB16 || SND_SBAWE) && (BROKEN || !PPC)
-       select FW_LOADER
        help
          Say Y here to include support for the CSP core.  This special
          coprocessor can do variable tasks like various compression and
          decompression algorithms.
 
+config SND_SB16_CSP_FIRMWARE_IN_KERNEL
+       bool "In-kernel firmware for SB16 CSP"
+       depends on SND_SB16_CSP
+       select FW_LOADER
+       default y
+       help
+         Say Y here to include the static firmware built in the kernel
+         for SB16 CSP controller.  If you choose N here, the external
+         firmware files from alsa-plugins pacakge are necessary.
+
 config SND_SGALAXY
        tristate "Aztech Sound Galaxy"
        depends on SND
 config SND_WAVEFRONT
        tristate "Turtle Beach Maui,Tropez,Tropez+ (Wavefront)"
        depends on SND
-       select FW_LOADER
        select SND_OPL3_LIB
        select SND_MPU401_UART
        select SND_CS4231_LIB
          To compile this driver as a module, choose M here: the module
          will be called snd-wavefront.
 
+config SND_WAVEFRONT_FIRMWARE_IN_KERNEL
+       bool "In-kernel firmware for Wavefront"
+       depends on SND_WAVEFRONT
+       select FW_LOADER
+       default y
+       help
+         Say Y here to include the static firmware built in the kernel
+         for Wavefront driver.  If you choose N here, the external
+         firmware files from alsa-plugins pacakge are necessary.
+
 endmenu
 
        return err;
 }
 
-#define FIRMWARE_IN_THE_KERNEL
-
-#ifdef FIRMWARE_IN_THE_KERNEL
+#ifdef CONFIG_SND_SB16_CSP_FIRMWARE_IN_KERNEL
 #include "sb16_csp_codecs.h"
 
 static const struct firmware snd_sb_csp_static_programs[] = {
                if (err >= 0)
                        p->csp_programs[index] = program;
                else {
-#ifdef FIRMWARE_IN_THE_KERNEL
+#ifdef CONFIG_SND_SB16_CSP_FIRMWARE_IN_KERNEL
                        program = &snd_sb_csp_static_programs[index];
 #else
                        return err;
 
 
 #define WAIT_IDLE      0xff
 
-#define FIRMWARE_IN_THE_KERNEL
-
-#ifdef FIRMWARE_IN_THE_KERNEL
+#ifdef CONFIG_SND_WAVEFRONT_FIRMWARE_IN_KERNEL
 #include "yss225.c"
 static const struct firmware yss225_registers_firmware = {
        .data = (u8 *)yss225_registers,
        err = request_firmware(&firmware, "yamaha/yss225_registers.bin",
                               dev->card->dev);
        if (err < 0) {
-#ifdef FIRMWARE_IN_THE_KERNEL
+#ifdef CONFIG_SND_WAVEFRONT_FIRMWARE_IN_KERNEL
                firmware = &yss225_registers_firmware;
 #else
                err = -1;
        err = 0;
 
 out:
-#ifdef FIRMWARE_IN_THE_KERNEL
+#ifdef CONFIG_SND_WAVEFRONT_FIRMWARE_IN_KERNEL
        if (firmware != &yss225_registers_firmware)
 #endif
                release_firmware(firmware);
 
 config SND_KORG1212
        tristate "Korg 1212 IO"
        depends on SND
-       select FW_LOADER
        select SND_PCM
        help
          Say Y here to include support for Korg 1212IO soundcards.
          To compile this driver as a module, choose M here: the module
          will be called snd-korg1212.
 
+config SND_KORG1212_FIRMWARE_IN_KERNEL
+       bool "In-kernel firmware for Korg1212 driver"
+       depends on SND_KORG1212
+       select FW_LOADER
+       default y
+       help
+         Say Y here to include the static firmware built in the kernel
+         for Korg1212 driver.  If you choose N here, the external
+         firmware files from alsa-plugins pacakge are necessary.
+
 config SND_MAESTRO3
        tristate "ESS Allegro/Maestro3"
        depends on SND
          To compile this driver as a module, choose M here: the module
          will be called snd-maestro3.
 
+config SND_MAESTRO3_FIRMWARE_IN_KERNEL
+       bool "In-kernel firmware for Maestro3 driver"
+       depends on SND_MAESTRO3
+       select FW_LOADER
+       default y
+       help
+         Say Y here to include the static firmware built in the kernel
+         for Maestro3 driver.  If you choose N here, the external
+         firmware files from alsa-plugins pacakge are necessary.
+
 config SND_MIXART
        tristate "Digigram miXart"
        depends on SND
 config SND_YMFPCI
        tristate "Yamaha YMF724/740/744/754"
        depends on SND
-       select FW_LOADER
        select SND_OPL3_LIB
        select SND_MPU401_UART
        select SND_AC97_CODEC
          To compile this driver as a module, choose M here: the module
          will be called snd-ymfpci.
 
+config SND_YMFPCI_FIRMWARE_IN_KERNEL
+       bool "In-kernel firmware for YMFPCI driver"
+       depends on SND_YMFPCI
+       select FW_LOADER
+       default y
+       help
+         Say Y here to include the static firmware built in the kernel
+         for YMFPCI driver.  If you choose N here, the external
+         firmware files from alsa-plugins pacakge are necessary.
+
 config SND_AC97_POWER_SAVE
        bool "AC97 Power-Saving Mode"
        depends on SND_AC97_CODEC && EXPERIMENTAL
 
 #define COMMAND_ACK_DELAY   13         // number of RTC ticks to wait for an acknowledgement
                                        //    from the card after sending a command.
 
-#define FIRMWARE_IN_THE_KERNEL
-
-#ifdef FIRMWARE_IN_THE_KERNEL
+#ifdef CONFIG_SND_KORG1212_FIRMWARE_IN_KERNEL
 #include "korg1212-firmware.h"
 static const struct firmware static_dsp_code = {
        .data = (u8 *)dspCode,
        err = request_firmware(&dsp_code, "korg/k1212.dsp", &pci->dev);
        if (err < 0) {
                release_firmware(dsp_code);
-#ifdef FIRMWARE_IN_THE_KERNEL
+#ifdef CONFIG_SND_KORG1212_FIRMWARE_IN_KERNEL
                dsp_code = &static_dsp_code;
 #else
                snd_printk(KERN_ERR "firmware not available\n");
                                dsp_code->size, &korg1212->dma_dsp) < 0) {
                snd_printk(KERN_ERR "korg1212: cannot allocate dsp code memory (%zd bytes)\n", dsp_code->size);
                 snd_korg1212_free(korg1212);
-#ifdef FIRMWARE_IN_THE_KERNEL
+#ifdef CONFIG_SND_KORG1212_FIRMWARE_IN_KERNEL
                if (dsp_code != &static_dsp_code)
 #endif
                        release_firmware(dsp_code);
 
        memcpy(korg1212->dma_dsp.area, dsp_code->data, dsp_code->size);
 
-#ifdef FIRMWARE_IN_THE_KERNEL
+#ifdef CONFIG_SND_KORG1212_FIRMWARE_IN_KERNEL
        if (dsp_code != &static_dsp_code)
 #endif
                release_firmware(dsp_code);
 
 }
 
 
-#define FIRMWARE_IN_THE_KERNEL
-
-#ifdef FIRMWARE_IN_THE_KERNEL
+#ifdef CONFIG_SND_MAESTRO3_FIRMWARE_IN_KERNEL
 
 /*
  * DSP Code images
        .size = sizeof assp_minisrc_image
 };
 
-#endif /* FIRMWARE_IN_THE_KERNEL */
+#endif /* CONFIG_SND_MAESTRO3_FIRMWARE_IN_KERNEL */
 
 #ifdef __LITTLE_ENDIAN
 static inline void snd_m3_convert_from_le(const struct firmware *fw) { }
        if (chip->iobase)
                pci_release_regions(chip->pci);
 
-#ifdef FIRMWARE_IN_THE_KERNEL
+#ifdef CONFIG_SND_MAESTRO3_FIRMWARE_IN_KERNEL
        if (chip->assp_kernel_image != &assp_kernel)
 #endif
                release_firmware(chip->assp_kernel_image);
-#ifdef FIRMWARE_IN_THE_KERNEL
+#ifdef CONFIG_SND_MAESTRO3_FIRMWARE_IN_KERNEL
        if (chip->assp_minisrc_image != &assp_minisrc)
 #endif
                release_firmware(chip->assp_minisrc_image);
        err = request_firmware(&chip->assp_kernel_image,
                               "ess/maestro3_assp_kernel.fw", &pci->dev);
        if (err < 0) {
-#ifdef FIRMWARE_IN_THE_KERNEL
+#ifdef CONFIG_SND_MAESTRO3_FIRMWARE_IN_KERNEL
                chip->assp_kernel_image = &assp_kernel;
 #else
                snd_m3_free(chip);
        err = request_firmware(&chip->assp_minisrc_image,
                               "ess/maestro3_assp_minisrc.fw", &pci->dev);
        if (err < 0) {
-#ifdef FIRMWARE_IN_THE_KERNEL
+#ifdef CONFIG_SND_MAESTRO3_FIRMWARE_IN_KERNEL
                chip->assp_minisrc_image = &assp_minisrc;
 #else
                snd_m3_free(chip);
 
        }
 }
 
-#define FIRMWARE_IN_THE_KERNEL
-
-#ifdef FIRMWARE_IN_THE_KERNEL
+#ifdef CONFIG_SND_YMFPCI_FIRMWARE_IN_KERNEL
 
 #include "ymfpci_image.h"
 
                }
        }
        if (err < 0) {
-#ifdef FIRMWARE_IN_THE_KERNEL
+#ifdef CONFIG_SND_YMFPCI_FIRMWARE_IN_KERNEL
                chip->dsp_microcode = &snd_ymfpci_dsp_microcode;
 #else
                return err;
                }
        }
        if (err < 0) {
-#ifdef FIRMWARE_IN_THE_KERNEL
+#ifdef CONFIG_SND_YMFPCI_FIRMWARE_IN_KERNEL
                chip->controller_microcode =
                        is_1e ? &snd_ymfpci_controller_1e_microcode
                              : &snd_ymfpci_controller_microcode;
        pci_write_config_word(chip->pci, 0x40, chip->old_legacy_ctrl);
        
        pci_disable_device(chip->pci);
-#ifdef FIRMWARE_IN_THE_KERNEL
+#ifdef CONFIG_SND_YMFPCI_FIRMWARE_IN_KERNEL
        if (chip->dsp_microcode != &snd_ymfpci_dsp_microcode)
 #endif
                release_firmware(chip->dsp_microcode);
-#ifdef FIRMWARE_IN_THE_KERNEL
+#ifdef CONFIG_SND_YMFPCI_FIRMWARE_IN_KERNEL
        if (chip->controller_microcode != &snd_ymfpci_controller_microcode &&
            chip->controller_microcode != &snd_ymfpci_controller_1e_microcode)
 #endif