alsa+audigy ls=no sound

verbose · 09-11-2006, 04:50 AM

Hello,
I recently bought a CMI8738 sound card and the audio output was just awful, so I eventually threw up my hands and upgraded to the Audigy SE (Audigy LS in lspci)... now I have NO sound. I've read dozens of threads on LQ regarding woes with alsa and no sound with the LS, but none seemed to offer a clear solution. I've run alsaconf multiple times. I installed all available alsa drivers (--with-cards=all) and alsaconf detects what I've confirmed to be the correct driver for my card, ca0106). It loads all the necessary modules just fine. I have tested this with a live cd (Ubuntu in this case) as well with no different results.

I'm just going to do a data dump (might be a little overkill)...

$uname -a:
Linux c-67-167-188-115 2.6.16-2-686-smp #1 SMP Sat Jul 15 22:33:00 UTC 2006 i686 GNU/Linux

$cat /proc/asound/version
Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Driver Version 1.0.13rc1.
Compiled on Sep 11 2006 for kernel 2.6.16-2-686-smp (SMP).

$lspci -v
00:07.0 Multimedia audio controller: Creative Labs SB Audigy LS
Subsystem: Creative Labs Unknown device 100a
Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 64, IRQ 201
I/O ports at 5040 [size=32]

$lsmod|grep snd
snd_ca0106 29988 1
snd_rawmidi 22464 1 snd_ca0106
snd_seq_device 7564 1 snd_rawmidi
snd_ac97_codec 87460 1 snd_ca0106
snd_pcm_oss 38880 0
snd_mixer_oss 16128 1 snd_pcm_oss
snd_pcm 69508 3 snd_ca0106,snd_ac97_codec,snd_pcm_oss
snd_timer 20708 1 snd_pcm
snd 49440 10 snd_ca0106,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq_device,snd_ac97_codec,snd_pcm_oss,snd_mixer_oss,snd_pcm,snd_timer
soundcore 9216 1 snd
snd_ac97_bus 2304 1 snd_ac97_codec
snd_page_alloc 9576 2 snd_ca0106,snd_pcm

$cat /etc/modutils/alsa-base

Code:

/torrents/torrent$ cat /etc/modutils/alsa-base
# autoloader aliases
alias char-major-116 snd
alias char-major-14 soundcore
alias sound-slot-0 snd-card-0
alias sound-slot-1 snd-card-1
alias sound-slot-2 snd-card-2
alias sound-slot-3 snd-card-3
alias sound-slot-4 snd-card-4
alias sound-slot-5 snd-card-5
alias sound-slot-6 snd-card-6
alias sound-slot-7 snd-card-7
above sound-slot-0 snd-pcm-oss snd-mixer-oss snd-seq-oss
above sound-slot-1 snd-pcm-oss snd-mixer-oss snd-seq-oss
above sound-slot-2 snd-pcm-oss snd-mixer-oss snd-seq-oss
above sound-slot-3 snd-pcm-oss snd-mixer-oss snd-seq-oss
above sound-slot-4 snd-pcm-oss snd-mixer-oss snd-seq-oss
above sound-slot-5 snd-pcm-oss snd-mixer-oss snd-seq-oss
above sound-slot-6 snd-pcm-oss snd-mixer-oss snd-seq-oss
above sound-slot-7 snd-pcm-oss snd-mixer-oss snd-seq-oss
alias sound-service-0-0 snd-mixer-oss
alias sound-service-0-1 snd-seq-oss
alias sound-service-0-3 snd-pcm-oss
alias sound-service-0-8 snd-seq-oss
alias sound-service-0-12 snd-pcm-oss
# Load optional modules above their base modules
above snd-pcm snd-pcm-oss
above snd-mixer snd-mixer-oss
above snd-seq snd-seq-oss snd-seq-midi
above snd-emu10k1 snd-emu10k1-synth
above snd-via82xx snd-seq
# Cause a script to be run after snd-*-synth module initialization
post-install snd-emu8000-synth /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-emu8000-synth
post-install snd-emu10k1-synth /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-emu10k1-synth
# Cause a script to be run after card driver module initialization
post-install snd-ad1816a /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-ad1816a
post-install snd-ad1848 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-ad1848
post-install snd-adlib /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-adlib
post-install snd-ad1889 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-ad1889
post-install snd-ali5451 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-ali5451
post-install snd-als100 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-als100
post-install snd-als300 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-als300
post-install snd-als4000 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-als4000
post-install snd-armaaci /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-armaaci
post-install snd-asihpi /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-asihpi
post-install snd-atiixp /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-atiixp
post-install snd-au1x00 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-au1x00
post-install snd-au8810 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-au8810
post-install snd-au8820 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-au8820
post-install snd-au8830 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-au8830
post-install snd-azt2320 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-azt2320
post-install snd-azt3328 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-azt3328
post-install snd-ca0106 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-ca0106
post-install snd-cmi8330 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-cmi8330
post-install snd-cmipci /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-cmipci
post-install snd-cs4231 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-cs4231
post-install snd-cs4232 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-cs4232
post-install snd-cs4236 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-cs4236
post-install snd-cs4281 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-cs4281
post-install snd-cs46xx /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-cs46xx
post-install snd-cs5535audio /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-cs5535audio
post-install snd-darla20 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-darla20
post-install snd-darla24 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-darla24
post-install snd-dt019x /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-dt019x
post-install snd-echo3g /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-echo3g
post-install snd-emu10k1x /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-emu10k1x
post-install snd-ens1370 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-ens1370
post-install snd-ens1371 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-ens1371
post-install snd-es1688 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-es1688
post-install snd-es18xx /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-es18xx
post-install snd-es1938 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-es1938
post-install snd-es1968 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-es1968
post-install snd-es968 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-es968
post-install snd-fm801 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-fm801
post-install snd-fm801-tea575x /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-fm801-tea575x
post-install snd-gina20 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-gina20
post-install snd-gina24 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-gina24
post-install snd-gusclassic /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-gusclassic
post-install snd-gusextreme /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-gusextreme
post-install snd-gusmax /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-gusmax
post-install snd-harmony /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-harmony
post-install snd-hda-intel /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-hda-intel
post-install snd-hdsp /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-hdsp
post-install snd-hdspm /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-hdspm
post-install snd-ice1712 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-ice1712
post-install snd-ice1724 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-ice1724
post-install snd-indigo /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-indigo
post-install snd-indigodj /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-indigodj
post-install snd-indigoio /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-indigoio
post-install snd-intel8x0 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-intel8x0
post-install snd-interwave /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-interwave
post-install snd-interwave-stb /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-interwave-stb
post-install snd-korg1212 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-korg1212
post-install snd-layla20 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-layla20
post-install snd-layla24 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-layla24
post-install snd-maestro3 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-maestro3
post-install snd-mia /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-mia
post-install snd-miro /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-miro
post-install snd-mixart /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-mixart
post-install snd-mona /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-mona
post-install snd-mpu401 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-mpu401
post-install snd-msnd-pinnacle /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-msnd-pinnacle
post-install snd-mtpav /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-mtpav
post-install snd-nm256 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-nm256
post-install snd-opl3sa2 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-opl3sa2
post-install snd-opti92x-ad1848 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-opti92x-ad1848
post-install snd-opti92x-cs4231 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-opti92x-cs4231
post-install snd-opti93x /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-opti93x
post-install snd-pc98-cs4232 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-pc98-cs4232
post-install snd-pcsp /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-pcsp
post-install snd-pcxhr /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-pcxhr
post-install snd-pdaudiocf /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-pdaudiocf
post-install snd-pdplus /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-pdplus
post-install snd-portman2x4 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-portman2x4
post-install snd-powermac /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-powermac
post-install snd-pxa2xx-ac97 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-pxa2xx-ac97
post-install snd-pxa2xx-i2sound /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-pxa2xx-i2sound
post-install snd-riptide /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-riptide
post-install snd-rme32 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-rme32
post-install snd-rme96 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-rme96
post-install snd-rme9652 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-rme9652
post-install snd-s3c2410 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-s3c2410
post-install snd-sa11xx-uda1341 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-sa11xx-uda1341
post-install snd-sb16 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-sb16
post-install snd-sb8 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-sb8
post-install snd-sbawe /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-sbawe
post-install snd-serialmidi /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-serialmidi
post-install snd-serial-u16550 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-serial-u16550
post-install snd-sgalaxy /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-sgalaxy
post-install snd-sonicvibes /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-sonicvibes
post-install snd-sscape /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-sscape
post-install snd-sun-amd7930 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-sun-amd7930
post-install snd-sun-cs4231 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-sun-cs4231
post-install snd-sun-dbri /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-sun-dbri
post-install snd-trident /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-trident
post-install snd-usb-audio /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-usb-audio
post-install snd-usb-usx2y /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-usb-usx2y
post-install snd-vx222 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-vx222
post-install snd-vxpocket /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-vxpocket
post-install snd-wavefront /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-wavefront
post-install snd-ymfpci /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-ymfpci
# Prevent abnormal drivers from grabbing index 0
options snd-bt87x index=-2
options snd-atiixp-modem index=-2
options snd-intel8x0m index=-2
options snd-via82xx-modem index=-2

$cat /proc/asound/cards
0 [CA0106 ]: CA0106 - CA0106
Audigy SE [SB0570] at 0x5040 irq 201

$ls -l /proc/asound
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 5 2006-09-11 05:35 CA0106 -> card0
dr-xr-xr-x 10 root root 0 2006-09-11 05:35 card0
-r--r--r-- 1 root root 0 2006-09-11 05:35 cards
-r--r--r-- 1 root root 0 2006-09-11 05:35 devices
-r--r--r-- 1 root root 0 2006-09-11 05:35 modules
dr-xr-xr-x 2 root root 0 2006-09-11 05:35 oss
-r--r--r-- 1 root root 0 2006-09-11 05:35 pcm
dr-xr-xr-x 2 root root 0 2006-09-11 05:35 seq
-r--r--r-- 1 root root 0 2006-09-11 05:35 timers
-r--r--r-- 1 root root 0 2006-09-11 05:35 version

$ls -l /proc/asound/card0
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 0 2006-09-11 05:36 ca0106_i2c
-r--r--r-- 1 root root 0 2006-09-11 05:36 ca0106_reg16
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 0 2006-09-11 05:36 ca0106_reg32
-r--r--r-- 1 root root 0 2006-09-11 05:36 ca0106_reg8
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 0 2006-09-11 05:36 ca0106_regs1
-r--r--r-- 1 root root 0 2006-09-11 05:36 ca0106_regs2
-r--r--r-- 1 root root 0 2006-09-11 05:36 id
-r--r--r-- 1 root root 0 2006-09-11 05:36 iec958
-r--r--r-- 1 root root 0 2006-09-11 05:36 midi0
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 0 2006-09-11 05:36 oss_mixer
dr-xr-xr-x 3 root root 0 2006-09-11 05:36 pcm0c
dr-xr-xr-x 3 root root 0 2006-09-11 05:36 pcm0p
dr-xr-xr-x 3 root root 0 2006-09-11 05:36 pcm1c
dr-xr-xr-x 3 root root 0 2006-09-11 05:36 pcm1p
dr-xr-xr-x 3 root root 0 2006-09-11 05:36 pcm2c
dr-xr-xr-x 3 root root 0 2006-09-11 05:36 pcm2p
dr-xr-xr-x 3 root root 0 2006-09-11 05:36 pcm3c
dr-xr-xr-x 3 root root 0 2006-09-11 05:36 pcm3p

$modinfo snd_ca0106
filename: /lib/modules/2.6.16-2-686-smp/kernel/sound/pci/ca0106/snd-ca0106.ko
license: GPL
description: CA0106
author: James Courtier-Dutton <James@superbug.demon.co.uk>
alias: pci:v00001102d00000007sv*sd*bc*sc*i*
depends: snd,snd-pcm,snd-page-alloc,snd-rawmidi,snd,snd-ac97-codec
vermagic: 2.6.16-2-686-smp SMP 686 gcc-4.0
parm: index:Index value for the CA0106 soundcard. (array of int)
parm: id:ID string for the CA0106 soundcard. (array of charp)
parm: enable:Enable the CA0106 soundcard. (array of bool)

$cat /dev/sndstat
Sound Driver:3.8.1a-980706 (ALSA v1.0.13rc1 emulation code)
Kernel: Linux c-67-167-188-115 2.6.16-2-686-smp #1 SMP Sat Jul 15 22:33:00 UTC 2006 i686
Config options: 0

Installed drivers:
Type 10: ALSA emulation

Card config:
Audigy SE [SB0570] at 0x5040 irq 201

Audio devices:
0: CA0106 (DUPLEX)

Synth devices: NOT ENABLED IN CONFIG

Midi devices:
0: CA0106 MPU-401 (UART)

Timers:
7: system timer

Mixers:
0: mixer00

Thanks

rkelsen · 09-11-2006, 05:18 AM

Dumb question, but have you 'unmuted' the card? Alsa drivers are muted by default. You can fix it by running alsamixer.

verbose · 09-11-2006, 05:51 AM

Alsamixer shows all channels as muted while alsamixergui and my volume control gnome-applet shows everything excluding Line In, Phone and Aux as unmuted by default. The reason for this, as I just discovered, is due to the fact alsamixer only displays these IEC958 channels. In alsamixer, line in and mic are combined and cannot be adjusted. I can turn up everything and still be without sound. Also, it seems a bit odd that the chipset is not displayed in the alsa mixers.

Thanks for the suggestion, but I'm all set in that area.

verbose · 09-12-2006, 12:44 AM

I've been reading around some more and the situation is looking pretty grim (ie: time to buy yet another sound card). If alsa's site wasn't always down I might be able to get some more information, but I guess not.

If anyone else has this same problem, let me just say it doesn't look too good. It sounds like you might get better results if you use OSS. As of alsa 1.0.11, it doesn't seem the SB0570 variant of this card is supported.

This external thread is identical to the bind I'm stuck in.

The most discouraging comment I've seen can be found in the above posting.
"The CA106 based cards are one of those that are to sound, what a winmodem is to a real modem."

I spent I don't know how many hours trying to get my old winmodem to work and I was never able to pin it down.

Also:
"You bought based on price, always a chancy thing to do for a linux system. One really should check the hardware compatibility lists before
quoting card numbers over the phone.

I too have an audigy, but its a 2 Value, and does all that in onboard hardware. I would recommend you return that one to newegg, and get a hardware based card such as an audigy 2. You'll be 1000% happier with the results."

If anyone's gotten this variant of card to work with alsa, I'd be happy to know how it was accomplished.

Electro · 09-12-2006, 01:52 AM

Creative Labs cards have poor sound quality even their X-Fi which is not yet supported. I recommend Audiotrak Prodigy 7.1LT or Terratec Aureon Space 7.1. These two sound cards are based on VIA 1724HT DSP chip which provides better sound quality than the X-Fi at a fraction of the cost. I have Audiotrak Prodigy 7.1 and its sound quality equals professional sound cards like the Lynx Studio Technology LynxTwo. Unfortunately, these two sound cards are out of stock in most stores that carry it and they need a software mixer to help them handle more than one sound stream.

verbose · 09-13-2006, 02:43 AM

I never resolved what I'm assuming to be driver incompatibilities with this variant of card. I was able to salvage a Aureal Vortex 1 sound card from an old computer and it is working great. It's even able to play multiple sound streams simultaneously, which I wasn't able to get working on my old integrated i810 audio chip (although I never tried).

I appreciate the suggestion though, Electro. You made the same recommendation in my other thread (here). I actually found this card on ebay but it's a little too expensive and- how shall I say- fancy, for my needs. I don't need anything all that impressive. The only reason I need an audio solution is for videos.

Electro · 09-13-2006, 07:03 PM

The sound cards that I suggest are not fancy but produces high quality sound. The advertised features like hard wire is not even used in Linux because there is no professional formats other than jack. Jack can be used with the ALSA. Creative Labs sound cards are more fancy than the cards that I suggest because they have all the bells and whistles that do not produce high quality sound.

On-board sound like from the Intel needs a software mixer. ALSA has this as a library called dmix. A dmix configuration is not compatible with many programs.