[SOLVED] PCM2707 DAC output options missing under Arch/Plasma

JanErik · 2025-01-26 14:19:06

Screenshot from KUbuntu 24.04;

Under Arch/Plasma I am missing this option for my DAC, I need it to be able to get S/P-DIF properly out and volume controllable.
The board is similar to https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005008084370120.html but homemade.

Is it accessible through some ALSA tool (atleast not alsamixer as I have searched)? Or do I need pulseaudio or similar?

Last edited by JanErik (2025-01-28 11:17:39)

Head_on_a_Stick · 2025-01-26 14:36:51

Altering volume levels in the digital domain is highly detrimental to sound quality. Use the analogue volume control on your output device instead, it will sound _much_ better.

V1del · 2025-01-26 15:54:33

For that dialog as screenshoted you need pipewire-pulse or pulseaudio.

What's your output for

sudo fuser -v /dev/snd/*
aplay -lL
pactl list cards
pactl list sinks

ReDress · 2025-01-26 18:54:16

Head_on_a_Stick wrote:

Altering volume levels in the digital domain is highly detrimental to sound quality. Use the analogue volume control on your output device instead, it will sound _much_ better.

Sounds to me like it only becomes a problem when you alter to an extent beyond the upper limit. LIke for example, 120% where 100% is the limit.

Head_on_a_Stick · 2025-01-26 19:02:17

Not for digital streams. The only way to reduce volume for those is to either clip the dynamic range (which is like using the gamma option in xrandr to dim the screen) or convert the stream to analogue and then back to digital again, which would be performed in software and so completely invalidate the use of a hardware-based DAC.

JanErik · 2025-01-27 17:09:58

Seems I did have pulseaudio on this machine, though not the Plasma plugin;

sudo fuser -v /dev/snd/*

                     USER        PID ACCESS COMMAND
/dev/snd/controlC0:  jskata     1067 F.... pulseaudio
/dev/snd/controlC1:  jskata     1067 F.... pulseaudio
/dev/snd/controlC2:  jskata     1067 F.... pulseaudio

aplay -lL

null
    Discard all samples (playback) or generate zero samples (capture)
lavrate
    Rate Converter Plugin Using Libav/FFmpeg Library
samplerate
    Rate Converter Plugin Using Samplerate Library
speexrate
    Rate Converter Plugin Using Speex Resampler
jack
    JACK Audio Connection Kit
oss
    Open Sound System
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
default
    Default ALSA Output (currently PulseAudio Sound Server)
hdmi:CARD=Generic,DEV=0
    HD-Audio Generic, HDMI 0
    HDMI Audio Output
hdmi:CARD=Generic,DEV=1
    HD-Audio Generic, HDMI 1
    HDMI Audio Output
usbstream:CARD=Generic
    HD-Audio Generic
    USB Stream Output
sysdefault:CARD=Generic_1
    HD-Audio Generic, ALC1220 Analog
    Default Audio Device
front:CARD=Generic_1,DEV=0
    HD-Audio Generic, ALC1220 Analog
    Front output / input
surround21:CARD=Generic_1,DEV=0
    HD-Audio Generic, ALC1220 Analog
    2.1 Surround output to Front and Subwoofer speakers
surround40:CARD=Generic_1,DEV=0
    HD-Audio Generic, ALC1220 Analog
    4.0 Surround output to Front and Rear speakers
surround41:CARD=Generic_1,DEV=0
    HD-Audio Generic, ALC1220 Analog
    4.1 Surround output to Front, Rear and Subwoofer speakers
surround50:CARD=Generic_1,DEV=0
    HD-Audio Generic, ALC1220 Analog
    5.0 Surround output to Front, Center and Rear speakers
surround51:CARD=Generic_1,DEV=0
    HD-Audio Generic, ALC1220 Analog
    5.1 Surround output to Front, Center, Rear and Subwoofer speakers
surround71:CARD=Generic_1,DEV=0
    HD-Audio Generic, ALC1220 Analog
    7.1 Surround output to Front, Center, Side, Rear and Woofer speakers
usbstream:CARD=Generic_1
    HD-Audio Generic
    USB Stream Output
sysdefault:CARD=DAC
    USB AUDIO    DAC, USB Audio
    Default Audio Device
front:CARD=DAC,DEV=0
    USB AUDIO    DAC, USB Audio
    Front output / input
surround21:CARD=DAC,DEV=0
    USB AUDIO    DAC, USB Audio
    2.1 Surround output to Front and Subwoofer speakers
surround40:CARD=DAC,DEV=0
    USB AUDIO    DAC, USB Audio
    4.0 Surround output to Front and Rear speakers
surround41:CARD=DAC,DEV=0
    USB AUDIO    DAC, USB Audio
    4.1 Surround output to Front, Rear and Subwoofer speakers
surround50:CARD=DAC,DEV=0
    USB AUDIO    DAC, USB Audio
    5.0 Surround output to Front, Center and Rear speakers
surround51:CARD=DAC,DEV=0
    USB AUDIO    DAC, USB Audio
    5.1 Surround output to Front, Center, Rear and Subwoofer speakers
surround71:CARD=DAC,DEV=0
    USB AUDIO    DAC, USB Audio
    7.1 Surround output to Front, Center, Side, Rear and Woofer speakers
iec958:CARD=DAC,DEV=0
    USB AUDIO    DAC, USB Audio
    IEC958 (S/PDIF) Digital Audio Output
usbstream:CARD=DAC
    USB AUDIO    DAC
    USB Stream Output
**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 0: Generic [HD-Audio Generic], device 3: HDMI 0 [HDMI 0]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: Generic [HD-Audio Generic], device 7: HDMI 1 [HDMI 1]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: Generic_1 [HD-Audio Generic], device 0: ALC1220 Analog [ALC1220 Analog]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 2: DAC [USB AUDIO    DAC], device 0: USB Audio [USB Audio]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0

pactl list cards (shortened the motherboard built-in as not relevant)

Card #0
        Name: alsa_card.pci-0000_0b_00.1
        Driver: module-alsa-card.c
        Owner Module: 6
        Properties:
                alsa.card = "0"
                alsa.card_name = "HD-Audio Generic"
        ...

Card #1
        Name: alsa_card.pci-0000_0b_00.6
        Driver: module-alsa-card.c
        Owner Module: 7
        Properties:
                alsa.card = "1"
                alsa.card_name = "HD-Audio Generic"
        ...

Card #2
        Name: alsa_card.usb-BurrBrown_from_Texas_Instruments_USB_AUDIO_DAC-00
        Driver: module-alsa-card.c
        Owner Module: 24
        Properties:
                alsa.card = "2"
                alsa.card_name = "USB AUDIO    DAC"
                alsa.long_card_name = "BurrBrown from Texas Instruments USB AUDIO    DAC at usb-0000:09:00.0-2, full s"
                alsa.driver_name = "snd_usb_audio"
                device.bus_path = "pci-0000:09:00.0-usb-0:2:1.0"
                sysfs.path = "/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:02.1/0000:02:00.0/0000:03:0c.0/0000:09:00.0/usb1/1-2/1-2:1.0/sound/card2"
                udev.id = "usb-BurrBrown_from_Texas_Instruments_USB_AUDIO_DAC-00"
                device.bus = "usb"
                device.vendor.id = "08bb"
                device.vendor.name = "Texas Instruments"
                device.product.id = "27c7"
                device.product.name = "PCM2707C stereo audio DAC"
                device.serial = "BurrBrown_from_Texas_Instruments_USB_AUDIO_DAC"
                device.string = "2"
                device.description = "PCM2707C stereo audio DAC"
                module-udev-detect.discovered = "1"
                device.icon_name = "audio-card-usb"
        Profiles:
                output:analog-stereo: Analog Stereo Output (sinks: 1, sources: 0, priority: 6500, available: yes)
                output:iec958-stereo: Digital Stereo (IEC958) Output (sinks: 1, sources: 0, priority: 5500, available: yes)
                output:iec958-ac3-surround-51: Digital Surround 5.1 (IEC958/AC3) Output (sinks: 1, sources: 0, priority: 300, available: yes)
                off: Off (sinks: 0, sources: 0, priority: 0, available: yes)
        Active Profile: output:analog-stereo
        Ports:
                analog-output: Analog Output (type: Analog, priority: 9900, latency offset: 0 usec, availability unknown)
                        Part of profile(s): output:analog-stereo
                iec958-stereo-output: Digital Output (S/PDIF) (type: SPDIF, priority: 0, latency offset: 0 usec, availability unknown)
                        Part of profile(s): output:iec958-stereo

pactl list sinks (shortened the motherboard built-in as not relevant)

Sink #0
        State: SUSPENDED
        Name: alsa_output.pci-0000_0b_00.6.analog-stereo
        Description: Family 17h/19h/1ah HD Audio Controller Analog Stereo
        ...
Sink #1
        State: SUSPENDED
        Name: alsa_output.usb-BurrBrown_from_Texas_Instruments_USB_AUDIO_DAC-00.analog-stereo
        Description: PCM2707C stereo audio DAC Analog Stereo
        Driver: module-alsa-card.c
        Sample Specification: s16le 2ch 44100Hz
        Channel Map: front-left,front-right
        Owner Module: 24
        Mute: no
        Volume: front-left: 30419 /  46% / -20,00 dB,   front-right: 30419 /  46% / -20,00 dB
                balance 0,00
        Base Volume: 65536 / 100% / 0,00 dB
        Monitor Source: alsa_output.usb-BurrBrown_from_Texas_Instruments_USB_AUDIO_DAC-00.analog-stereo.monitor
        Latency: 0 usec, configured 0 usec
        Flags: HARDWARE HW_MUTE_CTRL HW_VOLUME_CTRL DECIBEL_VOLUME LATENCY 
        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 = "2"
                alsa.card_name = "USB AUDIO    DAC"
                alsa.long_card_name = "BurrBrown from Texas Instruments USB AUDIO    DAC at usb-0000:09:00.0-2, full s"
                alsa.driver_name = "snd_usb_audio"
                device.bus_path = "pci-0000:09:00.0-usb-0:2:1.0"
                sysfs.path = "/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:02.1/0000:02:00.0/0000:03:0c.0/0000:09:00.0/usb1/1-2/1-2:1.0/sound/card2"
                udev.id = "usb-BurrBrown_from_Texas_Instruments_USB_AUDIO_DAC-00"
                device.bus = "usb"
                device.vendor.id = "08bb"
                device.vendor.name = "Texas Instruments"
                device.product.id = "27c7"
                device.product.name = "PCM2707C stereo audio DAC"
                device.serial = "BurrBrown_from_Texas_Instruments_USB_AUDIO_DAC"
                device.string = "front:2"
                device.buffering.buffer_size = "352800"
                device.buffering.fragment_size = "176400"
                device.access_mode = "mmap+timer"
                device.profile.name = "analog-stereo"
                device.profile.description = "Analog Stereo"
                device.description = "PCM2707C stereo audio DAC Analog Stereo"
                module-udev-detect.discovered = "1"
                device.icon_name = "audio-card-usb"
        Ports:
                analog-output: Analog Output (type: Analog, priority: 9900, availability unknown)
        Active Port: analog-output
        Formats:
                pcm

Last edited by JanErik (2025-01-27 17:12:48)

V1del · 2025-01-27 18:02:17

FTR the plugin is in plasma-pa.

Change the profile to the one encompassing the digital out:

pactl set-card-profile  alsa_card.usb-BurrBrown_from_Texas_Instruments_USB_AUDIO_DAC-00 output:iec958-stereo

(also available from the right click menu, if you have the plasma-pa plugin now)

If there's no remaining question, please mark as [SOLVED] by editing the title in your first post.

Arch Linux

#1 2025-01-26 14:19:06

[SOLVED] PCM2707 DAC output options missing under Arch/Plasma

#2 2025-01-26 14:36:51

Re: [SOLVED] PCM2707 DAC output options missing under Arch/Plasma

#3 2025-01-26 15:54:33

Re: [SOLVED] PCM2707 DAC output options missing under Arch/Plasma

#4 2025-01-26 18:54:16

Re: [SOLVED] PCM2707 DAC output options missing under Arch/Plasma

#5 2025-01-26 19:02:17

Re: [SOLVED] PCM2707 DAC output options missing under Arch/Plasma

#6 2025-01-27 17:09:58

Re: [SOLVED] PCM2707 DAC output options missing under Arch/Plasma

#7 2025-01-27 18:02:17

Re: [SOLVED] PCM2707 DAC output options missing under Arch/Plasma

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