[SOLVED] Help in setting up Cambridge Audio DAC

d_fajardo · 2017-08-19 12:21:02

I have an installation with my native motherboard soundcard working using ALSA and JACK together bridging PULSE Audio in between. But now I have acquired a Cambridge Audio DacMagic Plus which I need help in setting up. Currently I'm not getting any sound from the speakers so I need some guidance in setting it up. I intend to keep JACK with ALSA as I'd like to be able to do some recording in the future but I can forgo of JACK for the meantime if need be as I am interested in hearing a sound from my DAC first. I am a bit confused in all the configuration files beginning with alsa, mpd, jack and now I assume my DAC.

Anyway, here is my currently working setup which work with the onboard soundcard:

~/.asoundrc:

pcm.!default {
    type plug
    slave { pcm "pulse" }
}

pcm.pulse {
    type pulse
}

ctl.mixer0 {
    type hw
    card 0
}

##MPD - Jack Audio Connection Kit
pcm.jackplugmpd {	
    type plug
    slave {	pcm "jackmpd" }	
}

pcm.jackmpd {	
    type jack
    playback_ports 
    {	
        0 system:playback_1
        1 system:playback_2	
    }	
}

And this is from my mpd.conf:

audio_output {
	type		     "alsa"
	name		     "MPD Jack Output"
	device		     "jackplugmpd"	# optional
	mixer_type       "software"	# optional
	mixer_device	 "default"	# optional
	mixer_control	 "PCM"		# optional
##	mixer_index	"0"		# optional
}
audio_output {
    type             "fifo"
    name             "my_fifo"
    path             "/tmp/mpd.fifo"
    format           "44100:16:2"
}

This is fine and as I said working on my native soundboard.

And now the Cambridge Audio DAC. It looks like the system sees it from this output:
cat /proc/asound/cards:

 0 [C20            ]: USB-Audio - Cambridge Audio USB Audio 2.0
                      Cambridge Audio Cambridge Audio USB Audio 2.0 at usb-0000:00:14.0-7, high speed
 1 [PCH            ]: HDA-Intel - HDA Intel PCH
                      HDA Intel PCH at 0xdf340000 irq 145

The modules are sound as well it seems:
lsmod | grep snd:

snd_hda_codec_hdmi     49152  1
snd_hda_codec_generic    69632  1
snd_hda_intel          36864  2
snd_usb_audio         163840  3
snd_hda_codec         106496  3 snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hda_codec_generic
snd_usbmidi_lib        24576  1 snd_usb_audio
snd_hda_core           65536  4 snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec,snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hda_codec_generic
snd_rawmidi            28672  1 snd_usbmidi_lib
snd_seq_device         16384  1 snd_rawmidi
snd_hwdep              16384  2 snd_hda_codec,snd_usb_audio
snd_pcm                86016  6 snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec,snd_usb_audio,snd_hda_core,snd_hda_codec_hdmi
snd_timer              28672  1 snd_pcm
snd                    69632  20 snd_hda_intel,snd_hwdep,snd_hda_codec,snd_usb_audio,snd_timer,snd_rawmidi,snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hda_codec_generic,snd_usbmidi_lib,snd_seq_device,snd_pcm
soundcore              16384  1 snd
usbcore               208896  5 usbhid,snd_usb_audio,xhci_pci,snd_usbmidi_lib,xhci_hcd

And it looks like playback is happening as well:
cat /proc/asound/C20/stream0:

Cambridge Audio Cambridge Audio USB Audio 2.0 at usb-0000:00:14.0-7, high speed : USB Audio

Playback:
  Status: Running
    Interface = 1
    Altset = 1
    Packet Size = 72
    Momentary freq = 48000 Hz (0x6.0000)
    Feedback Format = 16.16
  Interface 1
    Altset 1
    Format: S32_LE
    Channels: 2
    Endpoint: 1 OUT (ASYNC)
    Rates: 44100, 48000, 88200, 96000, 192000
    Data packet interval: 125 us

So how do I get the sound out to my speakers (which are connected to the DAC)?

Last edited by d_fajardo (2017-08-19 22:34:29)

d_fajardo · 2017-08-19 19:49:58

I have made some progress. I edited both my asoundrc and mpd.conf . Then I experimented with Cadence with hw:PCH as input and hw:C20 as output. Now I have audio with ncmpcpp and Spotify. But I can't get any audio in Cantata, Amarok or my web browser, and YouTube videos refuse to run.

Here are my updated files:
asoundrc:

pcm.pulse {
    type pulse
}

pcm.!default {
    type hw
    card 0
    slave { pcm "pulse" }
}

ctl.!default {
    type hw
    card 0
}

##MPD - Jack Audio Connection Kit
pcm.jackplugmpd {	
    type plug
    slave {	pcm "jackmpd" }	
}

pcm.jackmpd {	
    type jack
    playback_ports 
    {	
        0 system:playback_1
        1 system:playback_2	
    }	
}

and mpd.conf:

 audio_output {
	type		     "alsa"
	name		     "My Alsa Device"
	device		     "hw:0,0"	# optional
	mixer_type       "hardware"	# optional
	mixer_device	 "default"	# optional
	mixer_control	 "PCM"		# optional
	mixer_index	      "0"		# optional
}
audio_output {
	type		     "alsa"
	name		     "MPD Jack Output"
	device		     "jackplugmpd"	# optional
	mixer_type       "software"	# optional
	mixer_device	 "default"	# optional
	mixer_control	 "PCM"		# optional
##	mixer_index	"0"		# optional
}
audio_output {
    type             "fifo"
    name             "my_fifo"
    path             "/tmp/mpd.fifo"
    format           "44100:16:2"
}

My feeling is this has something to do now with PulseAudio. The good news is I can say that the DAC is actually working. And it does sound excellent.

Any help from anyone?

d_fajardo · 2017-08-19 20:44:58

I finally got everything working. My intuition was correct and it was configuring PulseAudio. It was a matter of passing PulseAudio to JACK, a simple configuration in Cadence. And through JACK I can now even input the digital streams at 192KHZ to my DAC.

jasonwryan · 2017-08-19 21:02:39

Please remember to mark your thread as [Solved] by editing your first post and prepending it to the title.

Arch Linux

#1 2017-08-19 12:21:02

[SOLVED] Help in setting up Cambridge Audio DAC

#2 2017-08-19 19:49:58

Re: [SOLVED] Help in setting up Cambridge Audio DAC

#3 2017-08-19 20:44:58

Re: [SOLVED] Help in setting up Cambridge Audio DAC

#4 2017-08-19 21:02:39

Re: [SOLVED] Help in setting up Cambridge Audio DAC

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