Sound Card output problem

dfgu32 · 07-12-2016, 04:20 PM

I have a Creative X-Fi Notebook in my laptop. I can't get good headphone (or stereo) output from it. I've tried different distros and they all offer multichannel outputs like 4.1 or 2.1 but no stereo. The sound is not good with these when using headphones. I've tried to configure Alsa and Pulseaudio but can't get stereo output. Is there anything to do?

Ztcoracat · 07-12-2016, 09:30 PM

Hi & Welcome to Linux Questions.

Open the terminal and run:

Code:

alsamixer

Raise up the master, pcm and the mic.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWmXG-e6yzI

Hope that helps.

dfgu32 · 07-13-2016, 03:15 AM

Sorry but how is that gonna do anything with channel outputs? I have only "Speaker", "PCM capture" and "Line" in the settings. I raised all three and that didnt change anything.

Ztcoracat · 07-13-2016, 08:40 PM

If that didn't help I don't know what else to suggest.

I'm not a sound expert.

Look up 'Troubleshooting Sound' for the distribution that you are running.

http://www.troubleshooters.com/linux...leshooting.htm
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/SoundTroubleshooting

notKlaatu · 07-13-2016, 08:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dfgu32

Sorry but how is that gonna do anything with channel outputs? I have only "Speaker", "PCM capture" and "Line" in the settings. I raised all three and that didnt change anything.

So did you run alsamixer as suggested? just because your GUI is showing you three options doesn't mean that's all your computer has available to it.

You might also try:

Code:

$ aplay -l

seasons · 07-13-2016, 09:24 PM

Grab the alsa info (upload your info and give us the link):

Code:

cd ~/
wget http://www.alsa-project.org/alsa-info.sh -O alsa-info.sh && bash alsa-info.sh

ferrari · 07-13-2016, 09:26 PM

This reads like a possible PulseAudio configuration issue. The PA control utility 'pavucontrol' has a configuration tab that should allow you to explicitly set an analog stereo profile as required.

If that doesn't help, share the output from the following commands so that others can advise further

Code:

cat /etc/pulse/daemon.conf

Code:

pacmd list-sinks

This wiki might be helpful to you too
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php..._sound_systems

dfgu32 · 07-14-2016, 02:43 AM

Thank you all for the advice. I post here the output you asked. As you can see i have two sound devices, hda intel (which i cant disable from bios) and Creative.

aplay -l

Code:

**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 0: Intel [HDA Intel], device 0: 92HD71B7X Analog [92HD71B7X Analog]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: Intel [HDA Intel], device 3: HDMI 0 [HDMI 0]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: Notebook [SB X-Fi Notebook], device 0: USB Audio [USB Audio]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0

alsa info: http://www.alsa-project.org/db/?f=fe...c7df230e8c8c02

cat /etc/pulse/daemon.conf

Code:

# This file is part of PulseAudio.
#
# PulseAudio is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
# it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by
# the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
# (at your option) any later version.
#
# PulseAudio is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
# WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU
# General Public License for more details.
#
# You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public License
# along with PulseAudio; if not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.

## Configuration file for the PulseAudio daemon. See pulse-daemon.conf(5) for
## more information. Default values are commented out.  Use either ; or # for
## commenting.

; daemonize = no
; fail = yes
; allow-module-loading = yes
; allow-exit = yes
; use-pid-file = yes
; system-instance = no
; local-server-type = user
; enable-shm = yes
; shm-size-bytes = 0 # setting this 0 will use the system-default, usually 64 MiB
; lock-memory = no
; cpu-limit = no

; high-priority = yes
; nice-level = -11

; realtime-scheduling = yes
; realtime-priority = 5

; exit-idle-time = 20
; scache-idle-time = 20

; dl-search-path = (depends on architecture)

; load-default-script-file = yes
; default-script-file = /etc/pulse/default.pa

; log-target = auto
; log-level = notice
; log-meta = no
; log-time = no
; log-backtrace = 0

; resample-method = speex-float-1
; enable-remixing = yes
; enable-lfe-remixing = yes
; lfe-crossover-freq = 120

flat-volumes = no

; rlimit-fsize = -1
; rlimit-data = -1
; rlimit-stack = -1
; rlimit-core = -1
; rlimit-as = -1
; rlimit-rss = -1
; rlimit-nproc = -1
; rlimit-nofile = 256
; rlimit-memlock = -1
; rlimit-locks = -1
; rlimit-sigpending = -1
; rlimit-msgqueue = -1
; rlimit-nice = 31
; rlimit-rtprio = 9
; rlimit-rttime = 200000

; default-sample-format = s16le
; default-sample-rate = 44100
; alternate-sample-rate = 48000
; default-sample-channels = 2
; default-channel-map = front-left,front-right

; default-fragments = 4
; default-fragment-size-msec = 25

; enable-deferred-volume = yes
deferred-volume-safety-margin-usec = 1
; deferred-volume-extra-delay-usec = 0

pacmd list-sinks

Code:

2 sink(s) available.
  * index: 0
	name: <alsa_output.usb-Creative_Technology_Ltd_SB_X-Fi_Notebook-00.analog-surround-50>
	driver: <module-alsa-card.c>
	flags: HARDWARE HW_MUTE_CTRL HW_VOLUME_CTRL DECIBEL_VOLUME LATENCY DYNAMIC_LATENCY
	state: SUSPENDED
	suspend cause: IDLE 
	priority: 9049
	volume: front-left: 26090 /  40% / -24,00 dB,   front-right: 26090 /  40% / -24,00 dB,   rear-left: 26090 /  40% / -24,00 dB,   rear-right: 26090 /  40% / -24,00 dB,   front-center: 65536 / 100% / 0,00 dB
	        balance 0,00
	base volume: 65536 / 100% / 0,00 dB
	volume steps: 65537
	muted: no
	current latency: 0,00 ms
	max request: 0 KiB
	max rewind: 0 KiB
	monitor source: 0
	sample spec: s16le 5ch 48000Hz
	channel map: front-left,front-right,rear-left,rear-right,front-center
	             Surround 5.0
	used by: 0
	linked by: 0
	configured latency: 0,00 ms; range is 0,50 .. 1820,44 ms
	card: 0 <alsa_card.usb-Creative_Technology_Ltd_SB_X-Fi_Notebook-00>
	module: 6
	properties:
		alsa.resolution_bits = "16"
		device.api = "alsa"
		device.class = "sound"
		alsa.class = "generic"
		alsa.subclass = "generic-mix"
		alsa.name = "USB Audio"
		alsa.id = "USB Audio"
		alsa.subdevice = "0"
		alsa.subdevice_name = "subdevice #0"
		alsa.device = "0"
		alsa.card = "1"
		alsa.card_name = "SB X-Fi Notebook"
		alsa.long_card_name = "Creative Technology Ltd SB X-Fi Notebook at usb-0000:00:1a.0-2, full speed"
		alsa.driver_name = "snd_usb_audio"
		device.bus_path = "pci-0000:00:1a.0-usb-0:2:1.0"
		sysfs.path = "/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.0/usb3/3-2/3-2:1.0/sound/card1"
		udev.id = "usb-Creative_Technology_Ltd_SB_X-Fi_Notebook-00"
		device.bus = "usb"
		device.vendor.id = "041e"
		device.vendor.name = "Creative Technology, Ltd"
		device.product.id = "30d2"
		device.product.name = "SB X-Fi Notebook"
		device.serial = "Creative_Technology_Ltd_SB_X-Fi_Notebook"
		device.string = "surround50:1"
		device.buffering.buffer_size = "873810"
		device.buffering.fragment_size = "436900"
		device.access_mode = "mmap+timer"
		device.profile.name = "analog-surround-50"
		device.profile.description = "Analog Surround 5.0"
		device.description = "SB X-Fi Notebook Analog Surround 5.0"
		alsa.mixer_name = "USB Mixer"
		alsa.components = "USB041e:30d2"
		module-udev-detect.discovered = "1"
		device.icon_name = "audio-card-usb"
	ports:
		analog-output-speaker: Speakers (priority 10000, latency offset 0 usec, available: unknown)
			properties:
				device.icon_name = "audio-speakers"
	active port: <analog-output-speaker>
    index: 1
	name: <alsa_output.pci-0000_00_1b.0.analog-stereo>
	driver: <module-alsa-card.c>
	flags: HARDWARE HW_MUTE_CTRL HW_VOLUME_CTRL DECIBEL_VOLUME LATENCY DYNAMIC_LATENCY
	state: SUSPENDED
	suspend cause: IDLE 
	priority: 9959
	volume: front-left: 0 /   0% / -inf dB,   front-right: 0 /   0% / -inf dB
	        balance 0,00
	base volume: 65536 / 100% / 0,00 dB
	volume steps: 65537
	muted: no
	current latency: 0,00 ms
	max request: 0 KiB
	max rewind: 0 KiB
	monitor source: 2
	sample spec: s16le 2ch 44100Hz
	channel map: front-left,front-right
	             Stereo
	used by: 0
	linked by: 0
	configured latency: 0,00 ms; range is 0,50 .. 371,52 ms
	card: 1 <alsa_card.pci-0000_00_1b.0>
	module: 7
	properties:
		alsa.resolution_bits = "16"
		device.api = "alsa"
		device.class = "sound"
		alsa.class = "generic"
		alsa.subclass = "generic-mix"
		alsa.name = "92HD71B7X Analog"
		alsa.id = "92HD71B7X Analog"
		alsa.subdevice = "0"
		alsa.subdevice_name = "subdevice #0"
		alsa.device = "0"
		alsa.card = "0"
		alsa.card_name = "HDA Intel"
		alsa.long_card_name = "HDA Intel at 0xf6adc000 irq 29"
		alsa.driver_name = "snd_hda_intel"
		device.bus_path = "pci-0000:00:1b.0"
		sysfs.path = "/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1b.0/sound/card0"
		device.bus = "pci"
		device.vendor.id = "8086"
		device.vendor.name = "Intel Corporation"
		device.product.id = "293e"
		device.product.name = "82801I (ICH9 Family) HD Audio Controller"
		device.form_factor = "internal"
		device.string = "front:0"
		device.buffering.buffer_size = "65536"
		device.buffering.fragment_size = "32768"
		device.access_mode = "mmap+timer"
		device.profile.name = "analog-stereo"
		device.profile.description = "Analog Stereo"
		device.description = "Built-in Audio Analog Stereo"
		alsa.mixer_name = "IDT 92HD71B7X"
		alsa.components = "HDA:111d76b2,1028024d,00100302 HDA:80862802,80860101,00100000"
		module-udev-detect.discovered = "1"
		device.icon_name = "audio-card-pci"
	ports:
		analog-output-lineout: Line Out (priority 9900, latency offset 0 usec, available: no)
			properties:
				
		analog-output-speaker: Speakers (priority 10000, latency offset 0 usec, available: unknown)
			properties:
				device.icon_name = "audio-speakers"
		analog-output-headphones: Headphones (priority 9000, latency offset 0 usec, available: no)
			properties:
				device.icon_name = "audio-headphones"
	active port: <analog-output-speaker>

ferrari · 07-14-2016, 04:16 AM

Code:

channel map: front-left,front-right,rear-left,rear-right,front-center
	           Surround 5.0

Did you try changing the profile configuration via pavucontrol yet?

dfgu32 · 07-14-2016, 04:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ferrari

Code:

channel map: front-left,front-right,rear-left,rear-right,front-center
	           Surround 5.0

Did you try changing the profile configuration via pavucontrol yet?

Yes, the pavucontrol gui and there no settings for 2.0 stereo or headphones. Only for 2.1, 4.1 and so on.

ferrari · 07-14-2016, 05:02 AM

Show us the available profiles for the card concerned as reported by

Code:

pacmd list-cards

Shadow_7 · 07-14-2016, 05:28 AM

You might try without pulseaudio.

$ nano /etc/pulse/client.conf

Code:

autospawn = no

$ pulseaudio --kill

And create a .asoundrc configuration for alsa natively.

FILE: ~/.asoundrc

Code:

defaults.ctl.card 1
defaults.pcm.card 1
defaults.pcm.device 0

$ alsamixer -c 1
$ speaker-test -c 2 -l 2

Pulseaudio can be a bit horrid when it tries to resample the audio in realtime. Especially if it's configured poorly and tries to resample multiple times in realtime. Older versions of pulseaudio only dealt in 48kHz samples. Not that I've seen much in improved behavior from pulseaudio, but I run debian stable which can be a bit dated / old.

dfgu32 · 07-14-2016, 06:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ferrari

Show us the available profiles for the card concerned as reported by

Code:

pacmd list-cards

Code:

2 card(s) available.
    index: 0
	name: <alsa_card.usb-Creative_Technology_Ltd_SB_X-Fi_Notebook-00>
	driver: <module-alsa-card.c>
	owner module: 6
	properties:
		alsa.card = "1"
		alsa.card_name = "SB X-Fi Notebook"
		alsa.long_card_name = "Creative Technology Ltd SB X-Fi Notebook at usb-0000:00:1a.0-2, full speed"
		alsa.driver_name = "snd_usb_audio"
		device.bus_path = "pci-0000:00:1a.0-usb-0:2:1.0"
		sysfs.path = "/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.0/usb3/3-2/3-2:1.0/sound/card1"
		udev.id = "usb-Creative_Technology_Ltd_SB_X-Fi_Notebook-00"
		device.bus = "usb"
		device.vendor.id = "041e"
		device.vendor.name = "Creative Technology, Ltd"
		device.product.id = "30d2"
		device.product.name = "SB X-Fi Notebook"
		device.serial = "Creative_Technology_Ltd_SB_X-Fi_Notebook"
		device.string = "1"
		device.description = "SB X-Fi Notebook"
		module-udev-detect.discovered = "1"
		device.icon_name = "audio-card-usb"
	profiles:
		input:analog-stereo: Analog Stereo Input (priority 60, available: unknown)
		input:iec958-stereo: Digital Stereo (IEC958) Input (priority 55, available: unknown)
		output:analog-surround-21: Analog Surround 2.1 Output (priority 800, available: unknown)
		output:analog-surround-21+input:analog-stereo: Analog Surround 2.1 Output + Analog Stereo Input (priority 860, available: unknown)
		output:analog-surround-21+input:iec958-stereo: Analog Surround 2.1 Output + Digital Stereo (IEC958) Input (priority 855, available: unknown)
		output:analog-surround-41: Analog Surround 4.1 Output (priority 800, available: unknown)
		output:analog-surround-41+input:analog-stereo: Analog Surround 4.1 Output + Analog Stereo Input (priority 860, available: unknown)
		output:analog-surround-41+input:iec958-stereo: Analog Surround 4.1 Output + Digital Stereo (IEC958) Input (priority 855, available: unknown)
		output:analog-surround-50: Analog Surround 5.0 Output (priority 700, available: unknown)
		output:analog-surround-50+input:analog-stereo: Analog Surround 5.0 Output + Analog Stereo Input (priority 760, available: unknown)
		output:analog-surround-50+input:iec958-stereo: Analog Surround 5.0 Output + Digital Stereo (IEC958) Input (priority 755, available: unknown)
		output:analog-surround-51: Analog Surround 5.1 Output (priority 800, available: unknown)
		output:analog-surround-51+input:analog-stereo: Analog Surround 5.1 Output + Analog Stereo Input (priority 860, available: unknown)
		output:analog-surround-51+input:iec958-stereo: Analog Surround 5.1 Output + Digital Stereo (IEC958) Input (priority 855, available: unknown)
		off: Off (priority 0, available: unknown)
	active profile: <output:analog-surround-50+input:iec958-stereo>
	sinks:
		alsa_output.usb-Creative_Technology_Ltd_SB_X-Fi_Notebook-00.analog-surround-50/#0: SB X-Fi Notebook Analog Surround 5.0
	sources:
		alsa_output.usb-Creative_Technology_Ltd_SB_X-Fi_Notebook-00.analog-surround-50.monitor/#0: Monitor of SB X-Fi Notebook Analog Surround 5.0
		alsa_input.usb-Creative_Technology_Ltd_SB_X-Fi_Notebook-00.iec958-stereo/#1: SB X-Fi Notebook Digital Stereo (IEC958)
	ports:
		analog-input-mic: Microphone (priority 8700, latency offset 0 usec, available: unknown)
			properties:
				device.icon_name = "audio-input-microphone"
		analog-input-linein: Line In (priority 8100, latency offset 0 usec, available: unknown)
			properties:
				
		iec958-stereo-input: Digital Input (S/PDIF) (priority 0, latency offset 0 usec, available: unknown)
			properties:
				
		analog-output-speaker: Speakers (priority 10000, latency offset 0 usec, available: unknown)
			properties:
				device.icon_name = "audio-speakers"
    index: 1
	name: <alsa_card.pci-0000_00_1b.0>
	driver: <module-alsa-card.c>
	owner module: 7
	properties:
		alsa.card = "0"
		alsa.card_name = "HDA Intel"
		alsa.long_card_name = "HDA Intel at 0xf6adc000 irq 29"
		alsa.driver_name = "snd_hda_intel"
		device.bus_path = "pci-0000:00:1b.0"
		sysfs.path = "/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1b.0/sound/card0"
		device.bus = "pci"
		device.vendor.id = "8086"
		device.vendor.name = "Intel Corporation"
		device.product.id = "293e"
		device.product.name = "82801I (ICH9 Family) HD Audio Controller"
		device.form_factor = "internal"
		device.string = "0"
		device.description = "Built-in Audio"
		module-udev-detect.discovered = "1"
		device.icon_name = "audio-card-pci"
	profiles:
		input:analog-stereo: Analog Stereo Input (priority 60, available: unknown)
		output:analog-stereo: Analog Stereo Output (priority 6000, available: unknown)
		output:analog-stereo+input:analog-stereo: Analog Stereo Duplex (priority 6060, available: unknown)
		output:hdmi-stereo: Digital Stereo (HDMI) Output (priority 5400, available: unknown)
		output:hdmi-stereo+input:analog-stereo: Digital Stereo (HDMI) Output + Analog Stereo Input (priority 5460, available: unknown)
		output:hdmi-surround: Digital Surround 5.1 (HDMI) Output (priority 300, available: unknown)
		output:hdmi-surround+input:analog-stereo: Digital Surround 5.1 (HDMI) Output + Analog Stereo Input (priority 360, available: unknown)
		output:hdmi-surround71: Digital Surround 7.1 (HDMI) Output (priority 300, available: unknown)
		output:hdmi-surround71+input:analog-stereo: Digital Surround 7.1 (HDMI) Output + Analog Stereo Input (priority 360, available: unknown)
		off: Off (priority 0, available: unknown)
	active profile: <output:analog-stereo+input:analog-stereo>
	sinks:
		alsa_output.pci-0000_00_1b.0.analog-stereo/#1: Built-in Audio Analog Stereo
	sources:
		alsa_output.pci-0000_00_1b.0.analog-stereo.monitor/#2: Monitor of Built-in Audio Analog Stereo
		alsa_input.pci-0000_00_1b.0.analog-stereo/#3: Built-in Audio Analog Stereo
	ports:
		analog-input-internal-mic: Internal Microphone (priority 8900, latency offset 0 usec, available: unknown)
			properties:
				device.icon_name = "audio-input-microphone"
		analog-input-dock-mic: Dock Microphone (priority 7800, latency offset 0 usec, available: no)
			properties:
				device.icon_name = "audio-input-microphone"
		analog-input-mic: Microphone (priority 8700, latency offset 0 usec, available: no)
			properties:
				device.icon_name = "audio-input-microphone"
		analog-output-lineout: Line Out (priority 9900, latency offset 0 usec, available: no)
			properties:
				
		analog-output-speaker: Speakers (priority 10000, latency offset 0 usec, available: unknown)
			properties:
				device.icon_name = "audio-speakers"
		analog-output-headphones: Headphones (priority 9000, latency offset 0 usec, available: no)
			properties:
				device.icon_name = "audio-headphones"
		hdmi-output-0: HDMI / DisplayPort (priority 5900, latency offset 0 usec, available: no)
			properties:
				device.icon_name = "video-display"

ferrari · 07-14-2016, 04:49 PM

Okay, that confirms that the desired analog-stereo channel mapping is not present.

Here's a guide which may be helpful to creating a custom path profile configuration for your hardware. It is not trivial exercise for those of us who are not sound gurus, so some rolling up of the sleeves will be needed...

https://www.freedesktop.org/wiki/Sof...ALSA/Profiles/

The guide refers to the '/usr/lib/share/pulseaudio/alsa-mixer/profile-sets' directory, but I found mine located in '/usr/share/pulseaudio/alsa-mixer/profile-sets' (with openSUSE Leap).

dfgu32 · 07-14-2016, 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ferrari

Okay, that confirms that the desired analog-stereo channel mapping is not present.

Here's a guide which may be helpful to creating a custom path profile configuration for your hardware. It is not trivial exercise for those of us who are not sound gurus, so some rolling up of the sleeves will be needed...

https://www.freedesktop.org/wiki/Sof...ALSA/Profiles/

The guide refers to the '/usr/lib/share/pulseaudio/alsa-mixer/profile-sets' directory, but I found mine located in '/usr/share/pulseaudio/alsa-mixer/profile-sets' (with openSUSE Leap).

Do i need PulseAudio to get stereo or can it be done only with ALSA?