No sound in Chromium with AudioEngine HD3 (DAC)

pvn · 2017-09-06 19:33:46

I bought AudioEngine HD3 which has integrated DAC. I plugged it in and all the modules were loaded. Тhe device is fully recognized. I can see it from the KDE sound settings, from pavucontrol, from alsamixer, from asound... from everywhere. I selected it as a default output device from the KDE settings and also from pavucontrol. The test sounds from KDE work. Playing a video with mplayer also works. But there is no sound in Chromium. And here is the interesting part. If I play a sound from mplayer or the test sound from kde settings and while the sound is playing I start chromium -> boom, chromium has sound. But if I start chromium and no sound is playing at the time chromium starts, results in no sound in chromium.

Any idea how I can troubleshoot this thing? I am not new to linux. I am using it for years but I have zero experience with pulseaudio and DAC devices. Any advice will be highly appreciated. If I don't fix this I will have to return these beautiful speakers. You are my last hope.

V1del · 2017-09-06 19:51:03

Play something in chromium, then post

sudo fuser -v /dev/snd/*
pacmd list-cards
pacmd list-sink-inputs
pacmd list-sinks

pvn · 2017-09-07 02:09:27

[pvn@xeon]: ~>$ fuser -v /dev/snd/*
                     USER        PID ACCESS COMMAND
/dev/snd/controlC0:  pvn        1723 F.... pulseaudio
/dev/snd/pcmC0D0p:   pvn        1723 F...m pulseaudio
[pvn@xeon]: ~>$

[pvn@xeon]: ~>$ pacmd list-cards
1 card(s) available.
    index: 0
	name: <alsa_card.usb-Audioengine_Audioengine_HD3_AE20150021600001-00>
	driver: <module-alsa-card.c>
	owner module: 6
	properties:
		alsa.card = "0"
		alsa.card_name = "Audioengine HD3"
		alsa.long_card_name = "Audioengine Audioengine HD3 at usb-0000:00:1d.0-1.2, full speed"
		alsa.driver_name = "snd_usb_audio"
		device.bus_path = "pci-0000:00:1d.0-usb-0:1.2:1.0"
		sysfs.path = "/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1d.0/usb2/2-1/2-1.2/2-1.2:1.0/sound/card0"
		udev.id = "usb-Audioengine_Audioengine_HD3_AE20150021600001-00"
		device.bus = "usb"
		device.vendor.id = "0a12"
		device.vendor.name = "Cambridge Silicon Radio, Ltd"
		device.product.id = "1243"
		device.product.name = "Audioengine HD3"
		device.serial = "Audioengine_Audioengine_HD3_AE20150021600001"
		device.string = "0"
		device.description = "Audioengine HD3"
		module-udev-detect.discovered = "1"
		device.icon_name = "audio-card-usb"
	profiles:
		output:analog-stereo: Analog Stereo Output (priority 6000, available: unknown)
		output:iec958-stereo: Digital Stereo (IEC958) Output (priority 5500, available: unknown)
		off: Off (priority 0, available: unknown)
	active profile: <output:analog-stereo>
	sinks:
		alsa_output.usb-Audioengine_Audioengine_HD3_AE20150021600001-00.analog-stereo/#0: Audioengine HD3 Analog Stereo
	sources:
		alsa_output.usb-Audioengine_Audioengine_HD3_AE20150021600001-00.analog-stereo.monitor/#0: Monitor of Audioengine HD3 Analog Stereo
	ports:
		analog-output: Analog Output (priority 9900, latency offset 0 usec, available: unknown)
			properties:
				
		iec958-stereo-output: Digital Output (S/PDIF) (priority 0, latency offset 0 usec, available: unknown)
			properties:
				
[pvn@xeon]: ~>$

[pvn@xeon]: ~>$ pacmd list-sink-inputs
3 sink input(s) available.
    index: 0
	driver: <protocol-native.c>
	flags: 
	state: DRAINED
	sink: 0 <alsa_output.usb-Audioengine_Audioengine_HD3_AE20150021600001-00.analog-stereo>
	volume: mono: 65536 / 100% / 0.00 dB
	        balance 0.00
	muted: no
	current latency: 0.00 ms
	requested latency: 0.50 ms
	sample spec: s16le 1ch 44100Hz
	channel map: mono
	             Mono
	resample method: copy
	module: 8
	client: 6 <speech-dispatcher>
	properties:
		media.name = "playback"
		application.name = "speech-dispatcher"
		native-protocol.peer = "UNIX socket client"
		native-protocol.version = "32"
		application.process.id = "1908"
		application.process.user = "pvn"
		application.process.host = "xeon"
		application.process.binary = "sd_generic"
		application.language = "C"
		window.x11.display = ":0"
		application.process.machine_id = "5cdee5689e9f4373b18b1b7b800a29e6"
		application.process.session_id = "c3"
		module-stream-restore.id = "sink-input-by-application-name:speech-dispatcher"
    index: 1
	driver: <protocol-native.c>
	flags: 
	state: DRAINED
	sink: 0 <alsa_output.usb-Audioengine_Audioengine_HD3_AE20150021600001-00.analog-stereo>
	volume: mono: 65536 / 100% / 0.00 dB
	        balance 0.00
	muted: no
	current latency: 0.00 ms
	requested latency: 1.00 ms
	sample spec: s16le 1ch 44100Hz
	channel map: mono
	             Mono
	resample method: copy
	module: 8
	client: 7 <speech-dispatcher>
	properties:
		media.name = "playback"
		application.name = "speech-dispatcher"
		native-protocol.peer = "UNIX socket client"
		native-protocol.version = "32"
		application.process.id = "1911"
		application.process.user = "pvn"
		application.process.host = "xeon"
		application.process.binary = "sd_dummy"
		application.language = "C"
		window.x11.display = ":0"
		application.process.machine_id = "5cdee5689e9f4373b18b1b7b800a29e6"
		application.process.session_id = "c3"
		module-stream-restore.id = "sink-input-by-application-name:speech-dispatcher"
    index: 8
	driver: <protocol-native.c>
	flags: START_CORKED 
	state: RUNNING
	sink: 0 <alsa_output.usb-Audioengine_Audioengine_HD3_AE20150021600001-00.analog-stereo>
	volume: front-left: 65536 / 100% / 0.00 dB,   front-right: 65536 / 100% / 0.00 dB
	        balance 0.00
	muted: no
	current latency: 39.32 ms
	requested latency: 26.00 ms
	sample spec: float32le 2ch 44100Hz
	channel map: front-left,front-right
	             Stereo
	resample method: copy
	module: 8
	client: 18 <Chromium>
	properties:
		application.icon_name = "chromium-browser"
		media.name = "Playback"
		application.name = "Chromium"
		native-protocol.peer = "UNIX socket client"
		native-protocol.version = "32"
		application.process.id = "2094"
		application.process.user = "pvn"
		application.process.host = "xeon"
		application.process.binary = "chromium"
		application.language = "en_US.UTF-8"
		window.x11.display = ":0"
		application.process.machine_id = "5cdee5689e9f4373b18b1b7b800a29e6"
		application.process.session_id = "c3"
		module-stream-restore.id = "sink-input-by-application-name:Chromium"
[pvn@xeon]: ~>$

[pvn@xeon]: ~>$ pacmd list-sinks
1 sink(s) available.
  * index: 0
	name: <alsa_output.usb-Audioengine_Audioengine_HD3_AE20150021600001-00.analog-stereo>
	driver: <module-alsa-card.c>
	flags: HARDWARE HW_MUTE_CTRL HW_VOLUME_CTRL DECIBEL_VOLUME LATENCY DYNAMIC_LATENCY
	state: RUNNING
	suspend cause: 
	priority: 9049
	volume: front-left: 64325 /  98% / -0.49 dB,   front-right: 64325 /  98% / -0.49 dB
	        balance 0.00
	base volume: 65536 / 100% / 0.00 dB
	volume steps: 65537
	muted: no
	current latency: 34.54 ms
	max request: 4 KiB
	max rewind: 344 KiB
	monitor source: 0
	sample spec: s16le 2ch 44100Hz
	channel map: front-left,front-right
	             Stereo
	used by: 3
	linked by: 3
	configured latency: 26.00 ms; range is 26.00 .. 2000.00 ms
	card: 0 <alsa_card.usb-Audioengine_Audioengine_HD3_AE20150021600001-00>
	module: 6
	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 = "0"
		alsa.card_name = "Audioengine HD3"
		alsa.long_card_name = "Audioengine Audioengine HD3 at usb-0000:00:1d.0-1.2, full speed"
		alsa.driver_name = "snd_usb_audio"
		device.bus_path = "pci-0000:00:1d.0-usb-0:1.2:1.0"
		sysfs.path = "/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1d.0/usb2/2-1/2-1.2/2-1.2:1.0/sound/card0"
		udev.id = "usb-Audioengine_Audioengine_HD3_AE20150021600001-00"
		device.bus = "usb"
		device.vendor.id = "0a12"
		device.vendor.name = "Cambridge Silicon Radio, Ltd"
		device.product.id = "1243"
		device.product.name = "Audioengine HD3"
		device.serial = "Audioengine_Audioengine_HD3_AE20150021600001"
		device.string = "front:0"
		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 = "Audioengine HD3 Analog Stereo"
		alsa.mixer_name = "USB Mixer"
		alsa.components = "USB0a12:1243"
		module-udev-detect.discovered = "1"
		device.icon_name = "audio-card-usb"
	ports:
		analog-output: Analog Output (priority 9900, latency offset 0 usec, available: unknown)
			properties:
				
	active port: <analog-output>
[pvn@xeon]: ~>$

I hope that makes sense to you.

pvn · 2017-09-07 02:19:43

By the way I just created the user "pvn", logged in with it and there is no sound at all. Even the KDE test sounds don't play. I see the "Audioengine HD3" device all over the place. The sound is not muted.

Last edited by pvn (2017-09-07 02:30:21)

V1del · 2017-09-07 08:00:44

Running the fuser command as root is pretty important, repost a root enabled fuser. You might also want to disable speech-dispatcher spawning if you have no use for it - https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php … 0#p1688550

What do you mean with just created? Is the user you initially reported some form of working with not the same as these outputs now? While we are at it you might want to add

aplay -lL
amixer -c0

pvn · 2017-09-07 18:31:29

IIRC I run the fuser command with root and non-root user and the result was the same. But I will check again. I will provide the requested information when I get home. I have already disabled speech-dispatcher since it was constantly eating 10% of my precious CPU cores.

Regarding the user I created - I created a new linux user (useradd -m pvn) in order to have a fresh environment with no ~/.config, ~/.kde, .asoundrc, etc.

I think the DAC is going into sleep mode or something because when the kde test sounds are working, the first time you play the sound the sound does not play from the beginning. Then if you play it again right after it has finished - it plays it from the very beginning. If I don't play anything for 10 or so seconds DAC (or pulseaudio) goes back to sleep mode. Somehow the kde test sounds (and mplayer) are capable of waking up the DAC but for some reason chromium can't do that. This is the best way I can explain it.

pvn · 2017-09-08 02:28:01

I installed a sound card on the PCIE slot which worked right out of the box. This is why I now have C0 and C1.

[root@xeon]: ~># fuser -v /dev/snd/*
                     USER        PID ACCESS COMMAND
/dev/snd/controlC0:  pvn        1312 F.... pulseaudio
/dev/snd/controlC1:  pvn        1312 F.... pulseaudio
/dev/snd/pcmC1D0p:   pvn        1312 F...m pulseaudio
[root@xeon]: ~>#

[pvn@xeon]: ~>$ aplay -lL
null
    Discard all samples (playback) or generate zero samples (capture)
pulse
    PulseAudio Sound Server
default
    Default ALSA Output (currently PulseAudio Sound Server)
sysdefault:CARD=DSX
    Xonar DSX, Multichannel
    Default Audio Device
front:CARD=DSX,DEV=0
    Xonar DSX, Multichannel
    Front speakers
surround21:CARD=DSX,DEV=0
    Xonar DSX, Multichannel
    2.1 Surround output to Front and Subwoofer speakers
surround40:CARD=DSX,DEV=0
    Xonar DSX, Multichannel
    4.0 Surround output to Front and Rear speakers
surround41:CARD=DSX,DEV=0
    Xonar DSX, Multichannel
    4.1 Surround output to Front, Rear and Subwoofer speakers
surround50:CARD=DSX,DEV=0
    Xonar DSX, Multichannel
    5.0 Surround output to Front, Center and Rear speakers
surround51:CARD=DSX,DEV=0
    Xonar DSX, Multichannel
    5.1 Surround output to Front, Center, Rear and Subwoofer speakers
surround71:CARD=DSX,DEV=0
    Xonar DSX, Multichannel
    7.1 Surround output to Front, Center, Side, Rear and Woofer speakers
iec958:CARD=DSX,DEV=0
    Xonar DSX, Multichannel
    IEC958 (S/PDIF) Digital Audio Output
sysdefault:CARD=HD3
    Audioengine HD3, USB Audio
    Default Audio Device
front:CARD=HD3,DEV=0
    Audioengine HD3, USB Audio
    Front speakers
surround21:CARD=HD3,DEV=0
    Audioengine HD3, USB Audio
    2.1 Surround output to Front and Subwoofer speakers
surround40:CARD=HD3,DEV=0
    Audioengine HD3, USB Audio
    4.0 Surround output to Front and Rear speakers
surround41:CARD=HD3,DEV=0
    Audioengine HD3, USB Audio
    4.1 Surround output to Front, Rear and Subwoofer speakers
surround50:CARD=HD3,DEV=0
    Audioengine HD3, USB Audio
    5.0 Surround output to Front, Center and Rear speakers
surround51:CARD=HD3,DEV=0
    Audioengine HD3, USB Audio
    5.1 Surround output to Front, Center, Rear and Subwoofer speakers
surround71:CARD=HD3,DEV=0
    Audioengine HD3, USB Audio
    7.1 Surround output to Front, Center, Side, Rear and Woofer speakers
iec958:CARD=HD3,DEV=0
    Audioengine HD3, USB Audio
    IEC958 (S/PDIF) Digital Audio Output
**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 0: DSX [Xonar DSX], device 0: Multichannel [Multichannel]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: DSX [Xonar DSX], device 1: Digital [Digital]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: HD3 [Audioengine HD3], device 0: USB Audio [USB Audio]
  Subdevices: 0/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0

[pvn@xeon]: ~>$ amixer -c0
Simple mixer control 'Master',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pswitch pswitch-joined
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right - Rear Left - Rear Right - Front Center - Woofer - Side Left - Side Right
  Limits: Playback 135 - 255
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 221 [72%] [-17.00dB] [on]
  Front Right: Playback 221 [72%] [-17.00dB] [on]
  Rear Left: Playback 222 [72%] [-16.50dB] [on]
  Rear Right: Playback 222 [72%] [-16.50dB] [on]
  Front Center: Playback 215 [67%] [-20.00dB] [on]
  Woofer: Playback 215 [67%] [-20.00dB] [on]
  Side Left: Playback 215 [67%] [-20.00dB] [on]
  Side Right: Playback 215 [67%] [-20.00dB] [on]
Simple mixer control 'Headphone',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pswitch pswitch-joined
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 61 - 127
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 116 [83%] [on]
  Front Right: Playback 116 [83%] [on]
Simple mixer control 'Front Mic',0
  Capabilities: cswitch cswitch-joined
  Capture channels: Mono
  Mono: Capture [off]
Simple mixer control 'Line',0
  Capabilities: cswitch cswitch-joined
  Capture channels: Mono
  Mono: Capture [off]
Simple mixer control 'Mic',0
  Capabilities: cswitch cswitch-joined
  Capture channels: Mono
  Mono: Capture [on]
Simple mixer control 'IEC958',0
  Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
  Playback channels: Mono
  Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'IEC958 Loopback',0
  Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
  Playback channels: Mono
  Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'IEC958 Validity Check',0
  Capabilities: cswitch cswitch-joined
  Capture channels: Mono
  Mono: Capture [off]
Simple mixer control 'Aux',0
  Capabilities: cswitch cswitch-joined
  Capture channels: Mono
  Mono: Capture [off]
Simple mixer control 'ADC Filter',0
  Capabilities: cenum
  Items: 'None' 'High-pass Filter'
  Item0: 'High-pass Filter'
Simple mixer control 'Analog Input Monitor',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pvolume-joined pswitch pswitch-joined
  Playback channels: Mono
  Limits: Playback 0 - 1
  Mono: Playback 1 [100%] [0.00dB] [off]
Simple mixer control 'Digital Input Monitor',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pvolume-joined pswitch pswitch-joined
  Playback channels: Mono
  Limits: Playback 0 - 1
  Mono: Playback 1 [100%] [0.00dB] [off]
Simple mixer control 'Input',0
  Capabilities: cvolume
  Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Capture 165 - 255
  Front Left: Capture 165 [0%]
  Front Right: Capture 165 [0%]
Simple mixer control 'Level Control',0
  Capabilities: cenum
  Items: 'None' 'Peak Limiter' 'Automatic Level Control'
  Item0: 'None'
Simple mixer control 'Noise Gate',0
  Capabilities: cswitch cswitch-joined
  Capture channels: Mono
  Mono: Capture [off]
Simple mixer control 'Stereo Upmixing',0
  Capabilities: enum
  Items: 'Front' 'Front+Surround' 'Front+Surround+Back' 'Front+Surround+Center/LFE' 'Front+Surround+Center/LFE+Back'
  Item0: 'Front+Surround'
[pvn@xeon]: ~>$ 
[pvn@xeon]: ~>$ 
[pvn@xeon]: ~>$ amixer -c1
Simple mixer control 'PCM',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pswitch pswitch-joined
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 60
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 57 [95%] [-3.00dB] [on]
  Front Right: Playback 57 [95%] [-3.00dB] [on]
[pvn@xeon]: ~>$

Last edited by pvn (2017-09-08 02:28:34)

RichieHH · 2017-09-28 16:13:05

Did you get anywhere with this? I have exact the same problem. The woeful state of Linux Bluetooth means I cant reliably assume that will reconnect when I power on the PC OR the speakers either. The only input that works reliably is me feeding the HD3 from a USB Audio card analog out into the speaker's analog input socket. I really really would like the USB to the internal DAC to work. It has worked but I can't pinpoint what sequence of random killings of pulseaudio and running speaker-test make it so.... I see the HD3 in pavucontrol. But there is no sound coming out of the speakers. Painful to say the least to need to use the analog in from a USB Audio dongle sticking out the back of my workstation.

d_fajardo · 2017-09-29 06:35:01

I am entirely new to all this myself. I got myself a Cambridge Audio DacMagic Plus and I am able to work it very well using MPD and JACK with PulseAudio JACK sink. I would recommend using mpd particularly if your DAC is capable of reading DSD streams as MPD is built to capably read DSD's.
This was my previous thread on the subject. My intuition tells me your problem could be with PulseAudio.
I like using JACK is I am able to control the digital streams that goes into my DAC and one can control as many connections as one needs - input or output.
Here are references:
JACK
MPD

V1del · 2017-09-29 07:18:28

Jack isn't a magic bullet, if it works in Jack it should work in Pulseaudio and in plain ALSA as well.

@RichieHH and pvn If you want to play out of the digital out, you'll have to switch the card profile like so

pacmd set-card-profile alsa_card.usb-Audioengine_Audioengine_HD3_AE20150021600001-00 output:iec958-stereo

or use pavucontrol which will have easy to use dropbboxes for doing the same. @RichieHH your card name might be different, just compare with the

pacmd list-cards

output on your system

Arch Linux

#1 2017-09-06 19:33:46

No sound in Chromium with AudioEngine HD3 (DAC)

#2 2017-09-06 19:51:03

Re: No sound in Chromium with AudioEngine HD3 (DAC)

#3 2017-09-07 02:09:27

Re: No sound in Chromium with AudioEngine HD3 (DAC)

#4 2017-09-07 02:19:43

Re: No sound in Chromium with AudioEngine HD3 (DAC)

#5 2017-09-07 08:00:44

Re: No sound in Chromium with AudioEngine HD3 (DAC)

#6 2017-09-07 18:31:29

Re: No sound in Chromium with AudioEngine HD3 (DAC)

#7 2017-09-08 02:28:01

Re: No sound in Chromium with AudioEngine HD3 (DAC)

#8 2017-09-28 16:13:05

Re: No sound in Chromium with AudioEngine HD3 (DAC)

#9 2017-09-29 06:35:01

Re: No sound in Chromium with AudioEngine HD3 (DAC)

#10 2017-09-29 07:18:28

Re: No sound in Chromium with AudioEngine HD3 (DAC)

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