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nexx1

Member

Registered: 2017-08-20

Posts: 72

[solved] (audio) changed from integr. sound to USB-DAC, softvol/dmix

Hi!

i recently tried to use my AMP/DAC (Sabaj A4) via USB instead of using the mediocre internal sound chip of my motherboard in order to maybe get a bit higher quality sound.

I managed to get dmix working, but the AMP does not seem to have volume control via alsamixer, thus can only be controlled with the remote. However, i really would like to control the volume with the usual software controls.

If i understood it correctly, it seems impossible to use softvol and dmix at the same time - is this correct? If so, this would be a reason to change back to the internal sound device.

.asoundrc:

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

pcm.dmixer {
type dmix
ipc_key 1024
slave {
pcm "hw:2,0"
period_time 0
period_size 1024
buffer_size 4096
rate 44100
}
bindings {
0 0
1 1
}
}

ctl.dmixer {
type hw
card 2
} 

alsamixer:

Dieses Gerät hat keine Regler (This sound device does not have any controls)

aplay -L:

null
    Discard all samples (playback) or generate zero samples (capture)
samplerate
    Rate Converter Plugin Using Samplerate Library
speexrate
    Rate Converter Plugin Using Speex Resampler
jack
    JACK Audio Connection Kit
oss
    Open Sound System
pipewire
    PipeWire Sound Server
pulse
    PulseAudio Sound Server
speex
    Plugin using Speex DSP (resample, agc, denoise, echo, dereverb)
upmix
    Plugin for channel upmix (4,6,8)
vdownmix
    Plugin for channel downmix (stereo) with a simple spacialization
hdmi:CARD=HDMI,DEV=0
    HDA ATI HDMI, HDMI 0
    HDMI Audio Output
hdmi:CARD=HDMI,DEV=1
    HDA ATI HDMI, HDMI 1
    HDMI Audio Output
hdmi:CARD=HDMI,DEV=2
    HDA ATI HDMI, HDMI 2
    HDMI Audio Output
hdmi:CARD=HDMI,DEV=3
    HDA ATI HDMI, HDMI 3
    HDMI Audio Output
hdmi:CARD=HDMI,DEV=4
    HDA ATI HDMI, HDMI 4
    HDMI Audio Output
hdmi:CARD=HDMI,DEV=5
    HDA ATI HDMI, HDMI 5
    HDMI Audio Output
usbstream:CARD=HDMI
    HDA ATI HDMI
    USB Stream Output
sysdefault:CARD=Generic
    HD-Audio Generic, ALC1220 Analog
    Default Audio Device
front:CARD=Generic,DEV=0
    HD-Audio Generic, ALC1220 Analog
    Front output / input
surround21:CARD=Generic,DEV=0
    HD-Audio Generic, ALC1220 Analog
    2.1 Surround output to Front and Subwoofer speakers
surround40:CARD=Generic,DEV=0
    HD-Audio Generic, ALC1220 Analog
    4.0 Surround output to Front and Rear speakers
surround41:CARD=Generic,DEV=0
    HD-Audio Generic, ALC1220 Analog
    4.1 Surround output to Front, Rear and Subwoofer speakers
surround50:CARD=Generic,DEV=0
    HD-Audio Generic, ALC1220 Analog
    5.0 Surround output to Front, Center and Rear speakers
surround51:CARD=Generic,DEV=0
    HD-Audio Generic, ALC1220 Analog
    5.1 Surround output to Front, Center, Rear and Subwoofer speakers
surround71:CARD=Generic,DEV=0
    HD-Audio Generic, ALC1220 Analog
    7.1 Surround output to Front, Center, Side, Rear and Woofer speakers
iec958:CARD=Generic,DEV=0
    HD-Audio Generic, ALC1220 Digital
    IEC958 (S/PDIF) Digital Audio Output
usbstream:CARD=Generic
    HD-Audio Generic
    USB Stream Output
sysdefault:CARD=AMP
    Sabaj A4 AMP, USB Audio
    Default Audio Device
front:CARD=AMP,DEV=0
    Sabaj A4 AMP, USB Audio
    Front output / input
surround21:CARD=AMP,DEV=0
    Sabaj A4 AMP, USB Audio
    2.1 Surround output to Front and Subwoofer speakers
surround40:CARD=AMP,DEV=0
    Sabaj A4 AMP, USB Audio
    4.0 Surround output to Front and Rear speakers
surround41:CARD=AMP,DEV=0
    Sabaj A4 AMP, USB Audio
    4.1 Surround output to Front, Rear and Subwoofer speakers
surround50:CARD=AMP,DEV=0
    Sabaj A4 AMP, USB Audio
    5.0 Surround output to Front, Center and Rear speakers
surround51:CARD=AMP,DEV=0
    Sabaj A4 AMP, USB Audio
    5.1 Surround output to Front, Center, Rear and Subwoofer speakers
surround71:CARD=AMP,DEV=0
    Sabaj A4 AMP, USB Audio
    7.1 Surround output to Front, Center, Side, Rear and Woofer speakers
iec958:CARD=AMP,DEV=0
    Sabaj A4 AMP, USB Audio
    IEC958 (S/PDIF) Digital Audio Output
usbstream:CARD=AMP
    Sabaj A4 AMP
    USB Stream Output

Thanks for any hint!

Last edited by nexx1 (2020-12-28 20:05:42)

V1del

Forum Moderator

Registered: 2012-10-16

Posts: 25,353

Re: [solved] (audio) changed from integr. sound to USB-DAC, softvol/dmix

It is possible but you aren't allocating a softvol in that config.

 pcm.!default {
    type plug
    slave.pcm "softvol"
    hint {
           show on
           description "Default device"
     }
}

pcm.dmixer {
type dmix
ipc_key 1024
slave {
pcm "hw:2,0"
period_time 0
period_size 1024
buffer_size 4096
rate 44100
}
bindings {
0 0
1 1
}
}


pcm.softvol {
    type softvol
    slave {
        pcm "dmixer"
    }
    control {
        name "Pre-Amp"
        card 2
    }
}

alternatively forgo this raindance and handle your audio devices with pulseaudio or pipewire or so

nexx1

Member

Registered: 2017-08-20

Posts: 72

Re: [solved] (audio) changed from integr. sound to USB-DAC, softvol/dmix

Yes, i did not even try it because i read that it isnt a thing.

But you showed me otherwise - thank you! dmix + softvol now works. The only thing that does not seem to work anymore is toggling mute/unmute via XF86AudioMute (worked before). That doesnt matter to, i just reduce the volume to 0 now when i press the mute button.

alternatively forgo this raindance and handle your audio devices with pulseaudio or pipewire or so

sigh... Yes, if i would be sure that this fiddling then would stop i would maybe trying it. Is pulse really the salvation for such cases? The thing i struggled most in my linux journey has always been sound :-(

(marked the topic as solved)

V1del

Forum Moderator

Registered: 2012-10-16

Posts: 25,353

Re: [solved] (audio) changed from integr. sound to USB-DAC, softvol/dmix

This particular fiddling would stop, there might be some new/other cases, but most of that is generally configurable. Especially if you intend to more flexibly switch between the DAC or the soundcard (... without restarting your applications) you need a daemon that handles communication between the audio cards and the applications.

They will also allocate controllable volumes for all devices and applications.

But if the softvol definition is sufficient for now, don't let that stop you