[SOLVED] New setup: no sound devices found in pipewire

carmik · 2025-09-01 10:19:37

Not sure if it is actually an issue, or that I've not actually installed a DE yet, but here it goes
Building my first physical arch system, my own desktop. when pacstrap'ing I installed the following packages:

pacstrap -K /mnt base linux linux-lts linux-firmware amd-ucode \
    btrfs-progs ntfs-3g sudo vim bash-completion efibootmgr \
    snapper snap-pac reflector git man-db man-pages texinfo \
    base-devel linux-headers mtools \
    networkmanager network-manager-applet\
    openssh sudo iptables-nft ipset firewalld acpid\
    alsa-utils pipewire pipewire-alsa pipewire-pulse pipewire-jack \
    sof-firmware

I installed sof-firmware only, uncertain if I should also install alsa-firmware and/or alsa-ucm-conf. KDE not yet installed. I've installed pipewire which, if I understand correctly, is a layer above ALSA.

My system has a Xonar STX sound card:

# lspci -nnk |grep -i audio
22:04.0 Multimedia audio controller [0401]: C-Media Electronics Inc CMI8788 [Oxygen HD Audio] [13f6:8788]
26:00.1 Audio device [0403]: NVIDIA Corporation GA104 High Definition Audio Controller [10de:228b] (rev a1)

aplay -l
**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 0: STX [Xonar STX], device 0: Multichannel [Multichannel]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: STX [Xonar STX], device 1: Digital [Digital]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 2: NVidia [HDA NVidia], device 3: HDMI 0 [S22C570]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 2: NVidia [HDA NVidia], device 7: HDMI 1 [27GL850]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 2: NVidia [HDA NVidia], device 8: HDMI 2 [HDMI 2]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 2: NVidia [HDA NVidia], device 9: HDMI 3 [HDMI 3]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0

# dmesg |grep -i snd
[   42.418971] snd_virtuoso 0000:22:04.0: enabling device (0000 -> 0001)
[   42.429900] snd_hda_intel 0000:26:00.1: enabling device (0000 -> 0002)
[   42.429960] snd_hda_intel 0000:26:00.1: Disabling MSI
[   42.429968] snd_hda_intel 0000:26:00.1: Handle vga_switcheroo audio client
[   42.484093] usbcore: registered new interface driver snd-usb-audio

# dmesg |grep -i hda
[   42.429900] snd_hda_intel 0000:26:00.1: enabling device (0000 -> 0002)
[   42.429960] snd_hda_intel 0000:26:00.1: Disabling MSI
[   42.429968] snd_hda_intel 0000:26:00.1: Handle vga_switcheroo audio client
[   42.451938] input: HDA NVidia HDMI/DP,pcm=3 as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:03.1/0000:26:00.1/sound/card2/input9
[   42.452090] input: HDA NVidia HDMI/DP,pcm=7 as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:03.1/0000:26:00.1/sound/card2/input10
[   42.452153] input: HDA NVidia HDMI/DP,pcm=8 as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:03.1/0000:26:00.1/sound/card2/input11
[   42.452207] input: HDA NVidia HDMI/DP,pcm=9 as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:03.1/0000:26:00.1/sound/card2/input12

(As normal user)
$ systemctl --user status wireplumber.service pipewire pipewire-pulse
● wireplumber.service - Multimedia Service Session Manager
     Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/user/wireplumber.service; enabled; preset: enabled)
     Active: active (running) since Mon 2025-09-01 09:27:16 EEST; 50min ago
 Invocation: fd59612f18fb4b4cad1164cbbc699553
   Main PID: 31591 (wireplumber)
      Tasks: 6 (limit: 38169)
     Memory: 6.6M (peak: 7.4M)
        CPU: 44ms
     CGroup: /user.slice/user-1000.slice/user@1000.service/session.slice/wireplumber.service
             └─31591 /usr/bin/wireplumber

Σεπ 01 09:27:16 shocknawe systemd[30070]: Started Multimedia Service Session Manager.
Σεπ 01 09:27:16 shocknawe wireplumber[31591]: mod.rt: RTKit error: org.freedesktop.DBus.Error.ServiceUnknown
Σεπ 01 09:27:16 shocknawe wireplumber[31591]: mod.rt: RTKit does not give us MaxRealtimePriority, using 1
Σεπ 01 09:27:16 shocknawe wireplumber[31591]: mod.rt: RTKit error: org.freedesktop.DBus.Error.ServiceUnknown
Σεπ 01 09:27:16 shocknawe wireplumber[31591]: mod.rt: RTKit does not give us MinNiceLevel, using 0
Σεπ 01 09:27:16 shocknawe wireplumber[31591]: mod.rt: RTKit error: org.freedesktop.DBus.Error.ServiceUnknown
Σεπ 01 09:27:16 shocknawe wireplumber[31591]: mod.rt: RTKit does not give us RTTimeUSecMax, using -1
Σεπ 01 09:27:16 shocknawe wireplumber[31591]: wp-device: SPA handle 'api.libcamera.enum.manager' could not be loaded; is it installed?
Σεπ 01 09:27:16 shocknawe wireplumber[31591]: s-monitors-libcamera: PipeWire's libcamera SPA plugin is missing or broken. Some camera types may not be suppo>

● pipewire.service - PipeWire Multimedia Service
     Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/user/pipewire.service; disabled; preset: enabled)
     Active: active (running) since Mon 2025-09-01 09:27:16 EEST; 50min ago
 Invocation: ea39fc5807844e70a0221df14fd8d2ab
TriggeredBy: ● pipewire.socket
   Main PID: 31589 (pipewire)
      Tasks: 3 (limit: 38169)
     Memory: 5.2M (peak: 5.5M)
        CPU: 17ms
     CGroup: /user.slice/user-1000.slice/user@1000.service/session.slice/pipewire.service
             └─31589 /usr/bin/pipewire

Σεπ 01 09:27:16 shocknawe systemd[30070]: Started PipeWire Multimedia Service.
Σεπ 01 09:27:16 shocknawe pipewire[31589]: mod.rt: RTKit error: org.freedesktop.DBus.Error.ServiceUnknown
Σεπ 01 09:27:16 shocknawe pipewire[31589]: mod.rt: RTKit does not give us MaxRealtimePriority, using 1
Σεπ 01 09:27:16 shocknawe pipewire[31589]: mod.rt: RTKit error: org.freedesktop.DBus.Error.ServiceUnknown
Σεπ 01 09:27:16 shocknawe pipewire[31589]: mod.rt: RTKit does not give us MinNiceLevel, using 0
Σεπ 01 09:27:16 shocknawe pipewire[31589]: mod.rt: RTKit error: org.freedesktop.DBus.Error.ServiceUnknown
Σεπ 01 09:27:16 shocknawe pipewire[31589]: mod.rt: RTKit does not give us RTTimeUSecMax, using -1

● pipewire-pulse.service - PipeWire PulseAudio
     Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/user/pipewire-pulse.service; disabled; preset: enabled)
     Active: active (running) since Mon 2025-09-01 09:27:16 EEST; 50min ago
 Invocation: 30d60b24456848a49777991a17ca50db
TriggeredBy: ● pipewire-pulse.socket
   Main PID: 31592 (pipewire-pulse)
      Tasks: 3 (limit: 38169)
     Memory: 1.9M (peak: 2.9M)
        CPU: 12ms
     CGroup: /user.slice/user-1000.slice/user@1000.service/session.slice/pipewire-pulse.service
             └─31592 /usr/bin/pipewire-pulse

Σεπ 01 09:27:16 shocknawe systemd[30070]: Started PipeWire PulseAudio.
Σεπ 01 09:27:16 shocknawe pipewire-pulse[31592]: mod.rt: RTKit error: org.freedesktop.DBus.Error.ServiceUnknown
Σεπ 01 09:27:16 shocknawe pipewire-pulse[31592]: mod.rt: RTKit does not give us MaxRealtimePriority, using 1
Σεπ 01 09:27:16 shocknawe pipewire-pulse[31592]: mod.rt: RTKit error: org.freedesktop.DBus.Error.ServiceUnknown
Σεπ 01 09:27:16 shocknawe pipewire-pulse[31592]: mod.rt: RTKit does not give us MinNiceLevel, using 0
Σεπ 01 09:27:16 shocknawe pipewire-pulse[31592]: mod.rt: RTKit error: org.freedesktop.DBus.Error.ServiceUnknown
Σεπ 01 09:27:16 shocknawe pipewire-pulse[31592]: mod.rt: RTKit does not give us RTTimeUSecMax, using -1
lines 1-60/60 (END)

Additionally, running alsamixer as a normal user shows a text console, but whatever option I choose, it exits to shell.

Last edited by carmik (2025-09-02 16:56:53)

Head_on_a_Stick · 2025-09-01 10:33:37

Does this produce any sound:

speaker-test -l 1

Please share the full output if it exits with an error.

carmik · 2025-09-01 11:01:19

At work atm, but over ssh it does not produce an error (ran as user):

$ speaker-test -l 1

speaker-test 1.2.14

Playback device is default
Stream parameters are 48000Hz, S16_LE, 1 channels
Using 16 octaves of pink noise
Rate set to 48000Hz (requested 48000Hz)
Buffer size range from 128 to 2097152
Period size range from 64 to 1048576
Periods = 4
was set period_size = 12000
was set buffer_size = 48000
 0 - Mono
Time per period = 2,006084

As root:

# speaker-test -l 1

speaker-test 1.2.14

Playback device is default
Stream parameters are 48000Hz, S16_LE, 1 channels
Using 16 octaves of pink noise
Playback open error: -112,Το σύστημα δε λειτουργεί

Will report back if I can actually hear something from the (analog) headphones connected to my Xonar.

carmik · 2025-09-01 13:10:29

At home, no sound from the test.

Head_on_a_Stick · 2025-09-01 13:23:42

Did you open alsamixer(1) to check if the Master channel was un-muted with a non-zero volume level?

carmik · 2025-09-02 10:06:06

Head_on_a_Stick wrote:

Did you open alsamixer(1) to check if the Master channel was un-muted with a non-zero volume level?

Shows a "This sound device does not have any controls" and the speaker-test command now throws error "Unable to set hw params for playback : no such file or directory". See https://ibb.co/Y70kFyny

I've run again the commands in the OP, they give the same output as before. Additional info:

$ wpctl status
PipeWire 'pipewire-0' [1.4.7, mpap@shocknawe, cookie:2993632333]
 └─ Clients:
        32. WirePlumber                         [1.4.7, mpap@shocknawe, pid:66581]
        40. WirePlumber [export]                [1.4.7, mpap@shocknawe, pid:66581]
        41. wpctl                               [1.4.7, mpap@shocknawe, pid:66964]

Audio
 ├─ Devices:
 │
 ├─ Sinks:
 │
 ├─ Sources:
 │
 ├─ Filters:
 │
 └─ Streams:

Video
 ├─ Devices:
 │
 ├─ Sinks:
 │
 ├─ Sources:
 │
 ├─ Filters:
 │
 └─ Streams:

Settings
 └─ Default Configured Devices:

$ speaker-test -l 1

speaker-test 1.2.14

Playback device is default
Stream parameters are 48000Hz, S16_LE, 1 channels
Using 16 octaves of pink noise
Rate set to 48000Hz (requested 48000Hz)
Buffer size range from 128 to 2097152
Period size range from 64 to 1048576
Periods = 4
Unable to set hw params for playback: Δεν υπάρχει τέτοιο αρχείο ή κατάλογος
Setting of hwparams failed: Δεν υπάρχει τέτοιο αρχείο ή κατάλογος

Last edited by carmik (2025-09-02 10:28:28)

carmik · 2025-09-02 13:00:05

qI had some progress. First, I installed rtkit, which seemed to be needed by pipewire (I wonder why it did not get installed in the first place).

Then there were some errors about pipewire-libcamera. Fixed them as well. Pipewire status as a user:

$ systemctl --user status wireplumber.service pipewire pipewire-pulse
● wireplumber.service - Multimedia Service Session Manager
     Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/user/wireplumber.service; enabled; preset: enabled)
     Active: active (running) since Tue 2025-09-02 14:18:10 EEST; 17min ago
 Invocation: e4ca27dc4127426b896aa9e40a5a0dcc
   Main PID: 1233 (wireplumber)
      Tasks: 7 (limit: 18979)
     Memory: 32M (peak: 33.8M)
        CPU: 395ms
     CGroup: /user.slice/user-1000.slice/user@1000.service/session.slice/wireplumber.service
             └─1233 /usr/bin/wireplumber

Σεπ 02 14:18:10 shocknawe systemd[1132]: Started Multimedia Service Session Manager.
Σεπ 02 14:18:10 shocknawe wireplumber[1233]: default: Failed to get percentage from UPower: org.freedesktop.DBus.Error.NameHasNoOwner
Σεπ 02 14:18:10 shocknawe wireplumber[1233]: spa.bluez5: BlueZ system service is not available
Σεπ 02 14:18:10 shocknawe wireplumber[1233]: [0:03:46.827338046] [1233]  INFO Camera camera_manager.cpp:330 libcamera v0.5.2
Σεπ 02 14:18:10 shocknawe wireplumber[1233]: [0:03:46.847766269] [1253]  INFO Camera camera_manager.cpp:220 Adding camera '\_SB_.PCI0.GP13.XHC0-1.2:1.0-041e:40a0' for pipeline handler uvcv>
Σεπ 02 14:18:11 shocknawe wireplumber[1233]: m-portal-permissionstore: <WpPortalPermissionStorePlugin:0x55e978156300> Lookup: The name is not activatable (org.freedesktop.DBus.Error.Servic>

● pipewire.service - PipeWire Multimedia Service
     Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/user/pipewire.service; disabled; preset: enabled)
     Active: active (running) since Tue 2025-09-02 14:18:10 EEST; 17min ago
 Invocation: 17759bb383d4410eabd5c7b7ed0da76f
TriggeredBy: ● pipewire.socket
   Main PID: 1232 (pipewire)
      Tasks: 3 (limit: 18979)
     Memory: 6.8M (peak: 8.6M)
        CPU: 72ms
     CGroup: /user.slice/user-1000.slice/user@1000.service/session.slice/pipewire.service
             └─1232 /usr/bin/pipewire

Σεπ 02 14:18:10 shocknawe systemd[1132]: Started PipeWire Multimedia Service.

○ pipewire-pulse.service - PipeWire PulseAudio
     Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/user/pipewire-pulse.service; disabled; preset: enabled)
     Active: inactive (dead)
TriggeredBy: ● pipewire-pulse.socket

.

Don't know why piperware-pulse is inactive, is it normal?

wpctl now "sees" devices:

$ wpctl status
PipeWire 'pipewire-0' [1.4.7, mpap@shocknawe, cookie:2911901154]
 └─ Clients:
        33. WirePlumber                         [1.4.7, mpap@shocknawe, pid:1233]
        40. WirePlumber [export]                [1.4.7, mpap@shocknawe, pid:1233]
        71. wpctl                               [1.4.7, mpap@shocknawe, pid:1742]

Audio
 ├─ Devices:
 │      41. CMI8788 [Oxygen HD Audio] (Virtuoso 100 (Xonar Essence STX)) [alsa]
 │      42. GA104 High Definition Audio Controller [alsa]
 │      43. Creative Live! Cam Sync 1080p V2    [alsa]
 │
 ├─ Sinks:
 │  *   50. CMI8788 [Oxygen HD Audio] (Virtuoso 100 (Xonar Essence STX)) Αναλογικό στερεοφωνικό [vol: 1.00]
 │      55. GA104 High Definition Audio Controller Ψηφιακός στερεοφωνικός (HDMI) [vol: 0.40]
 │
 ├─ Sources:
 │  *   51. CMI8788 [Oxygen HD Audio] (Virtuoso 100 (Xonar Essence STX)) Αναλογικό στερεοφωνικό [vol: 0.84]
 │      56. Creative Live! Cam Sync 1080p V2 Αναλογικό στερεοφωνικό [vol: 1.00]
 │
 ├─ Filters:
 │
 └─ Streams:

Video
 ├─ Devices:
 │      52. Creative Live! Cam Sync 1080p V2    [v4l2]
 │      53. Creative Live! Cam Sync 1080p V2    [v4l2]
 │      54. Creative Live! Cam Sync 1080p V     [libcamera]
 │
 ├─ Sinks:
 │
 ├─ Sources:
 │  *   69. Creative Live! Cam Sync 1080p V2 (V4L2)
 │
 ├─ Filters:
 │
 └─ Streams:

Settings
 └─ Default Configured Devices:

The speaker-test now works, but still no sound:

$ speaker-test -l 1

speaker-test 1.2.14

Playback device is default
Stream parameters are 48000Hz, S16_LE, 1 channels
Using 16 octaves of pink noise
Rate set to 48000Hz (requested 48000Hz)
Buffer size range from 128 to 2097152
Period size range from 64 to 1048576
Periods = 4
was set period_size = 12000
was set buffer_size = 48000
 0 - Mono
Time per period = 1,962899

Also I found aplay:

$ aplay -L
null
    Discard all samples (playback) or generate zero samples (capture)
sysdefault
    Default Audio Device
iec958
    IEC958 (S/PDIF) Digital Audio Output
pipewire
    PipeWire Sound Server
default
    Default ALSA Output (currently PipeWire Media Server)
sysdefault:CARD=STX
    Xonar STX, Multichannel
    Default Audio Device
front:CARD=STX,DEV=0
    Xonar STX, Multichannel
    Front output / input
surround21:CARD=STX,DEV=0
    Xonar STX, Multichannel
    2.1 Surround output to Front and Subwoofer speakers
surround40:CARD=STX,DEV=0
    Xonar STX, Multichannel
    4.0 Surround output to Front and Rear speakers
surround41:CARD=STX,DEV=0
    Xonar STX, Multichannel
    4.1 Surround output to Front, Rear and Subwoofer speakers
surround50:CARD=STX,DEV=0
    Xonar STX, Multichannel
    5.0 Surround output to Front, Center and Rear speakers
surround51:CARD=STX,DEV=0
    Xonar STX, Multichannel
    5.1 Surround output to Front, Center, Rear and Subwoofer speakers
surround71:CARD=STX,DEV=0
    Xonar STX, Multichannel
    7.1 Surround output to Front, Center, Side, Rear and Woofer speakers
iec958:CARD=STX,DEV=0
    Xonar STX, Multichannel
    IEC958 (S/PDIF) Digital Audio Output
hdmi:CARD=NVidia,DEV=0
    HDA NVidia, S22C570
    HDMI Audio Output
hdmi:CARD=NVidia,DEV=1
    HDA NVidia, 27GL850
    HDMI Audio Output
hdmi:CARD=NVidia,DEV=2
    HDA NVidia, HDMI 2
    HDMI Audio Output
hdmi:CARD=NVidia,DEV=3
    HDA NVidia, HDMI 3
    HDMI Audio Output

alsamixer is now operational. It shows many devices: a default, my xonar, the webcam, and the nvidia HDMI ports:
* the default device is not muted
* the same with the xonar device, which has a multitude of controls, master, mic, spdif etc

Perhaps I should install KDE to be able to set Xonar as the default device.

I also did a couple of test like speaker-test -Dsysdefault:CARD=STX -l1, testing also sysdefault, pipewire as parameters. No errors in any case, but no sound as well.

Head_on_a_Stick · 2025-09-02 16:02:17

carmik wrote:

Don't know why piperware-pulse is inactive, is it normal?

Yes, it is socket activated so remains off until needed.

I'm at a loss here though, sorry. It could be something to do with your NVIDIA card, I suppose, but I am willfully ignorant when it comes to that company's products so I can't help with that.

carmik · 2025-09-02 16:56:31

All is well, after KDE got installed everything works fine!

Thank you for your time mate, really appreciated it!

Head_on_a_Stick · 2025-09-02 17:11:04

Ah good, glad to hear that. Can you get sound from the TTY now? Everything looked to be configured correctly, hence my confusion.

carmik · 2025-09-02 17:36:55

Yep, perfectly!

Arch Linux

#1 2025-09-01 10:19:37

[SOLVED] New setup: no sound devices found in pipewire

#2 2025-09-01 10:33:37

Re: [SOLVED] New setup: no sound devices found in pipewire

#3 2025-09-01 11:01:19

Re: [SOLVED] New setup: no sound devices found in pipewire

#4 2025-09-01 13:10:29

Re: [SOLVED] New setup: no sound devices found in pipewire

#5 2025-09-01 13:23:42

Re: [SOLVED] New setup: no sound devices found in pipewire

#6 2025-09-02 10:06:06

Re: [SOLVED] New setup: no sound devices found in pipewire

#7 2025-09-02 13:00:05

Re: [SOLVED] New setup: no sound devices found in pipewire

#8 2025-09-02 16:02:17

Re: [SOLVED] New setup: no sound devices found in pipewire

#9 2025-09-02 16:56:31

Re: [SOLVED] New setup: no sound devices found in pipewire

#10 2025-09-02 17:11:04

Re: [SOLVED] New setup: no sound devices found in pipewire

#11 2025-09-02 17:36:55

Re: [SOLVED] New setup: no sound devices found in pipewire

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