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Hi, I have a problem with my USB headset on Linux.
It produces a tick/pop/electrical-discharge-like sound approximately once every second whenever audio is playing.
I've reproduced it on Arch with the regular, LTS, RT and Zen kernels, as well as on Fedora, CachyOS and Ubuntu LTS, so it does not appear to be specific to my installed Arch setup or kernel.
The same headset does **not** produce the periodic tick when used with native Windows on the same hardware and also on another laptop. I also tested Windows in a VirtualBox VM with USB passthrough, and the tick occurs there too, so the Windows test only works when Windows has direct/native access to the USB device.
I've already tested this directly through ALSA (`speaker-test -D hw:2,0 -c 2 -r 48000 -F S16_LE -t sine -f 1000`), rather than only through PipeWire, and the behavior remains.
I'm trying to determine whether this is a Linux USB/audio driver issue, or something else.
MmdrzaArch% uname -a
Linux MmdrzaArch 7.2.6-arch2-1 #1 SMP PREEMPT_DYNAMIC Mon, 14 Sep 2026 22:41:30 +0000 x86_64 GNU/LinuxMmdrzaArch% lsusb -v -d 0c76:1720
Bus 002 Device 007: ID 0c76:1720 JMTek, LLC. USBFH11
Couldn't open device, some information will be missing
Negotiated speed: Full Speed (12Mbps)
Device Descriptor:
bLength 18
bDescriptorType 1
bcdUSB 1.10
bDeviceClass 0 [unknown]
bDeviceSubClass 0 [unknown]
bDeviceProtocol 0
bMaxPacketSize0 64
idVendor 0x0c76 JMTek, LLC.
idProduct 0x1720 USBFH11
bcdDevice 1.00
iManufacturer 1 Solid State System Co.,Ltd.
iProduct 2 USBFH11
iSerial 0
bNumConfigurations 1
Configuration Descriptor:
bLength 9
bDescriptorType 2
wTotalLength 0x0137
bNumInterfaces 4
bConfigurationValue 1
iConfiguration 0
bmAttributes 0x80
(Bus Powered)
MaxPower 100mA
Interface Descriptor:
bLength 9
bDescriptorType 4
bInterfaceNumber 0
bAlternateSetting 0
bNumEndpoints 0
bInterfaceClass 1 Audio
bInterfaceSubClass 1 Control Device
bInterfaceProtocol 0
iInterface 0
AudioControl Interface Descriptor:
bLength 10
bDescriptorType 36
bDescriptorSubtype 1 (HEADER)
bcdADC 1.00
wTotalLength 0x004e
bInCollection 2
baInterfaceNr(0) 1
baInterfaceNr(1) 2
AudioControl Interface Descriptor:
bLength 12
bDescriptorType 36
bDescriptorSubtype 2 (INPUT_TERMINAL)
bTerminalID 1
wTerminalType 0x0101 USB Streaming
bAssocTerminal 0
bNrChannels 2
wChannelConfig 0x0003
Left Front (L)
Right Front (R)
iChannelNames 0
iTerminal 0
AudioControl Interface Descriptor:
bLength 12
bDescriptorType 36
bDescriptorSubtype 2 (INPUT_TERMINAL)
bTerminalID 2
wTerminalType 0x0201 Microphone
bAssocTerminal 0
bNrChannels 1
wChannelConfig 0x0000
iChannelNames 0
iTerminal 0
AudioControl Interface Descriptor:
bLength 9
bDescriptorType 36
bDescriptorSubtype 3 (OUTPUT_TERMINAL)
bTerminalID 17
wTerminalType 0x0301 Speaker
bAssocTerminal 0
bSourceID 49
iTerminal 0
AudioControl Interface Descriptor:
bLength 9
bDescriptorType 36
bDescriptorSubtype 3 (OUTPUT_TERMINAL)
bTerminalID 18
wTerminalType 0x0101 USB Streaming
bAssocTerminal 2
bSourceID 33
iTerminal 0
AudioControl Interface Descriptor:
bLength 7
bDescriptorType 36
bDescriptorSubtype 5 (SELECTOR_UNIT)
bUnitID 33
bNrInPins 1
baSourceID(0) 50
iSelector 0
AudioControl Interface Descriptor:
bLength 10
bDescriptorType 36
bDescriptorSubtype 6 (FEATURE_UNIT)
bUnitID 49
bSourceID 1
bControlSize 1
bmaControls(0) 0x01
Mute Control
bmaControls(1) 0x02
Volume Control
bmaControls(2) 0x02
Volume Control
iFeature 0
AudioControl Interface Descriptor:
bLength 9
bDescriptorType 36
bDescriptorSubtype 6 (FEATURE_UNIT)
bUnitID 50
bSourceID 2
bControlSize 1
bmaControls(0) 0x03
Mute Control
Volume Control
bmaControls(1) 0x00
iFeature 0
Interface Descriptor:
bLength 9
bDescriptorType 4
bInterfaceNumber 1
bAlternateSetting 0
bNumEndpoints 0
bInterfaceClass 1 Audio
bInterfaceSubClass 2 Streaming
bInterfaceProtocol 0
iInterface 0
Interface Descriptor:
bLength 9
bDescriptorType 4
bInterfaceNumber 1
bAlternateSetting 1
bNumEndpoints 1
bInterfaceClass 1 Audio
bInterfaceSubClass 2 Streaming
bInterfaceProtocol 0
iInterface 0
AudioStreaming Interface Descriptor:
bLength 7
bDescriptorType 36
bDescriptorSubtype 1 (AS_GENERAL)
bTerminalLink 1
bDelay 1 frames
wFormatTag 0x0001 PCM
AudioStreaming Interface Descriptor:
bLength 11
bDescriptorType 36
bDescriptorSubtype 2 (FORMAT_TYPE)
bFormatType 1 (FORMAT_TYPE_I)
bNrChannels 2
bSubframeSize 2
bBitResolution 16
bSamFreqType 1 Discrete
tSamFreq[ 0] 48000
Endpoint Descriptor:
bLength 9
bDescriptorType 5
bEndpointAddress 0x01 EP 1 OUT
bmAttributes 13
Transfer Type Isochronous
Synch Type Synchronous
Usage Type Data
wMaxPacketSize 0x00c0 1x 192 bytes
bInterval 1
bRefresh 0
bSynchAddress 0
AudioStreaming Endpoint Descriptor:
bLength 7
bDescriptorType 37
bDescriptorSubtype 1 (EP_GENERAL)
bmAttributes 0x01
Sampling Frequency
bLockDelayUnits 1 Milliseconds
wLockDelay 0x0001
Interface Descriptor:
bLength 9
bDescriptorType 4
bInterfaceNumber 1
bAlternateSetting 2
bNumEndpoints 1
bInterfaceClass 1 Audio
bInterfaceSubClass 2 Streaming
bInterfaceProtocol 0
iInterface 0
AudioStreaming Interface Descriptor:
bLength 7
bDescriptorType 36
bDescriptorSubtype 1 (AS_GENERAL)
bTerminalLink 1
bDelay 1 frames
wFormatTag 0x0001 PCM
AudioStreaming Interface Descriptor:
bLength 11
bDescriptorType 36
bDescriptorSubtype 2 (FORMAT_TYPE)
bFormatType 1 (FORMAT_TYPE_I)
bNrChannels 2
bSubframeSize 3
bBitResolution 24
bSamFreqType 1 Discrete
tSamFreq[ 0] 48000
Endpoint Descriptor:
bLength 9
bDescriptorType 5
bEndpointAddress 0x01 EP 1 OUT
bmAttributes 13
Transfer Type Isochronous
Synch Type Synchronous
Usage Type Data
wMaxPacketSize 0x0120 1x 288 bytes
bInterval 1
bRefresh 0
bSynchAddress 0
AudioStreaming Endpoint Descriptor:
bLength 7
bDescriptorType 37
bDescriptorSubtype 1 (EP_GENERAL)
bmAttributes 0x01
Sampling Frequency
bLockDelayUnits 1 Milliseconds
wLockDelay 0x0001
Interface Descriptor:
bLength 9
bDescriptorType 4
bInterfaceNumber 2
bAlternateSetting 0
bNumEndpoints 0
bInterfaceClass 1 Audio
bInterfaceSubClass 2 Streaming
bInterfaceProtocol 0
iInterface 0
Interface Descriptor:
bLength 9
bDescriptorType 4
bInterfaceNumber 2
bAlternateSetting 1
bNumEndpoints 1
bInterfaceClass 1 Audio
bInterfaceSubClass 2 Streaming
bInterfaceProtocol 0
iInterface 0
AudioStreaming Interface Descriptor:
bLength 7
bDescriptorType 36
bDescriptorSubtype 1 (AS_GENERAL)
bTerminalLink 18
bDelay 1 frames
wFormatTag 0x0001 PCM
AudioStreaming Interface Descriptor:
bLength 11
bDescriptorType 36
bDescriptorSubtype 2 (FORMAT_TYPE)
bFormatType 1 (FORMAT_TYPE_I)
bNrChannels 1
bSubframeSize 2
bBitResolution 16
bSamFreqType 1 Discrete
tSamFreq[ 0] 48000
Endpoint Descriptor:
bLength 9
bDescriptorType 5
bEndpointAddress 0x82 EP 2 IN
bmAttributes 5
Transfer Type Isochronous
Synch Type Asynchronous
Usage Type Data
wMaxPacketSize 0x0060 1x 96 bytes
bInterval 1
bRefresh 0
bSynchAddress 0
AudioStreaming Endpoint Descriptor:
bLength 7
bDescriptorType 37
bDescriptorSubtype 1 (EP_GENERAL)
bmAttributes 0x01
Sampling Frequency
bLockDelayUnits 0 Undefined
wLockDelay 0x0000
Interface Descriptor:
bLength 9
bDescriptorType 4
bInterfaceNumber 2
bAlternateSetting 2
bNumEndpoints 1
bInterfaceClass 1 Audio
bInterfaceSubClass 2 Streaming
bInterfaceProtocol 0
iInterface 0
AudioStreaming Interface Descriptor:
bLength 7
bDescriptorType 36
bDescriptorSubtype 1 (AS_GENERAL)
bTerminalLink 18
bDelay 1 frames
wFormatTag 0x0001 PCM
AudioStreaming Interface Descriptor:
bLength 11
bDescriptorType 36
bDescriptorSubtype 2 (FORMAT_TYPE)
bFormatType 1 (FORMAT_TYPE_I)
bNrChannels 1
bSubframeSize 3
bBitResolution 24
bSamFreqType 1 Discrete
tSamFreq[ 0] 48000
Endpoint Descriptor:
bLength 9
bDescriptorType 5
bEndpointAddress 0x82 EP 2 IN
bmAttributes 5
Transfer Type Isochronous
Synch Type Asynchronous
Usage Type Data
wMaxPacketSize 0x0090 1x 144 bytes
bInterval 1
bRefresh 0
bSynchAddress 0
AudioStreaming Endpoint Descriptor:
bLength 7
bDescriptorType 37
bDescriptorSubtype 1 (EP_GENERAL)
bmAttributes 0x01
Sampling Frequency
bLockDelayUnits 0 Undefined
wLockDelay 0x0000
Interface Descriptor:
bLength 9
bDescriptorType 4
bInterfaceNumber 3
bAlternateSetting 0
bNumEndpoints 1
bInterfaceClass 3 Human Interface Device
bInterfaceSubClass 0 [unknown]
bInterfaceProtocol 0
iInterface 0
HID Device Descriptor:
bLength 9
bDescriptorType 33
bcdHID 1.00
bCountryCode 0 Not supported
bNumDescriptors 1
bDescriptorType 34 Report
wDescriptorLength 62
Report Descriptors:
** UNAVAILABLE **
Endpoint Descriptor:
bLength 7
bDescriptorType 5
bEndpointAddress 0x83 EP 3 IN
bmAttributes 3
Transfer Type Interrupt
Synch Type None
Usage Type Data
wMaxPacketSize 0x0004 1x 4 bytes
bInterval 32MmdrzaArch% cat /proc/asound/card2/stream0
Solid State System Co.,Ltd. USBFH11 at usb-0000:00:1d.0-1.2, full speed : USB Audio
Playback:
Status: Stop
Interface 1
Altset 1
Format: S16_LE
Channels: 2
Endpoint: 0x01 (1 OUT) (SYNC)
Rates: 48000
Bits: 16
Channel map: FL FR
Interface 1
Altset 2
Format: S24_3LE
Channels: 2
Endpoint: 0x01 (1 OUT) (SYNC)
Rates: 48000
Bits: 24
Channel map: FL FR
Capture:
Status: Stop
Interface 2
Altset 1
Format: S16_LE
Channels: 1
Endpoint: 0x82 (2 IN) (ASYNC)
Rates: 48000
Bits: 16
Channel map: MONO
Interface 2
Altset 2
Format: S24_3LE
Channels: 1
Endpoint: 0x82 (2 IN) (ASYNC)
Rates: 48000
Bits: 24
Channel map: MONOOffline