[Workaround] Suddenly no sound; ALSA speaker-test unresponsive

welkyn · 2026-04-09 21:34:34

I swapped my USB sound card out to a laptop today for about 4 hours; after plugging it back into Arch PC, no sound whatsoever.

Running speaker-test gives the following:

speaker-test 1.2.15.2

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

It hangs indefinitely.

Sound card works fine on laptop; it is powered and detected by Arch PC; headphones are working, I can monitor input from microphone just fine.

I'm guessing this is an ALSA problem, but I am very much a noob at kernel stuff. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks.

Last edited by welkyn (Yesterday 17:14:55)

seth · 2026-04-09 21:59:48

dmesg -W

then plug the card and post the tail that generates from dmesg as well as the output of

aplay -lL

Spoiler: if you updated the system incl. the kernel and didn't reboot you might now lack relevant modules for the device and need to reboot (the new kernel)

welkyn · 2026-04-09 22:18:07

seth wrote:

plug the card and post the tail that generates from dmesg

[  238.612366] usb 7-2: new high-speed USB device number 3 using xhci_hcd
[  238.740185] usb 7-2: New USB device found, idVendor=1235, idProduct=8016, bcdDevice= 1.ec
[  238.740188] usb 7-2: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=0
[  238.740190] usb 7-2: Product: Scarlett 2i2 USB
[  238.740191] usb 7-2: Manufacturer: Focusrite

seth wrote:

as well as the output of
aplay -lL

null
    Discard all samples (playback) or generate zero samples (capture)
sysdefault
    Default Audio Device
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
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
default
    Default ALSA Output (currently PipeWire Media Server)
sysdefault:CARD=USB
    Scarlett 2i2 USB, USB Audio
    Default Audio Device
front:CARD=USB,DEV=0
    Scarlett 2i2 USB, USB Audio
    Front output / input
surround21:CARD=USB,DEV=0
    Scarlett 2i2 USB, USB Audio
    2.1 Surround output to Front and Subwoofer speakers
surround40:CARD=USB,DEV=0
    Scarlett 2i2 USB, USB Audio
    4.0 Surround output to Front and Rear speakers
surround41:CARD=USB,DEV=0
    Scarlett 2i2 USB, USB Audio
    4.1 Surround output to Front, Rear and Subwoofer speakers
surround50:CARD=USB,DEV=0
    Scarlett 2i2 USB, USB Audio
    5.0 Surround output to Front, Center and Rear speakers
surround51:CARD=USB,DEV=0
    Scarlett 2i2 USB, USB Audio
    5.1 Surround output to Front, Center, Rear and Subwoofer speakers
surround71:CARD=USB,DEV=0
    Scarlett 2i2 USB, USB Audio
    7.1 Surround output to Front, Center, Side, Rear and Woofer speakers
iec958:CARD=USB,DEV=0
    Scarlett 2i2 USB, USB Audio
    IEC958 (S/PDIF) Digital Audio Output
usbstream:CARD=USB
    Scarlett 2i2 USB
    USB Stream Output
hdmi:CARD=HDMI,DEV=0
    HDA ATI HDMI, HDMI 0
    HDMI Audio Output
hdmi:CARD=HDMI,DEV=1
    HDA ATI HDMI, VA279HG
    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
usbstream:CARD=HDMI
    HDA ATI HDMI
    USB Stream Output
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
hdmi:CARD=Generic,DEV=2
    HD-Audio Generic, HDMI 2
    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
**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 0: USB [Scarlett 2i2 USB], device 0: USB Audio [USB Audio]
  Subdevices: 0/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: HDMI [HDA ATI HDMI], device 3: HDMI 0 [HDMI 0]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: HDMI [HDA ATI HDMI], device 7: HDMI 1 [VA279HG]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: HDMI [HDA ATI HDMI], device 8: HDMI 2 [HDMI 2]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: HDMI [HDA ATI HDMI], device 9: HDMI 3 [HDMI 3]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 2: Generic [HD-Audio Generic], device 3: HDMI 0 [HDMI 0]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 2: Generic [HD-Audio Generic], device 7: HDMI 1 [HDMI 1]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 2: Generic [HD-Audio Generic], device 8: HDMI 2 [HDMI 2]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 3: Generic_1 [HD-Audio Generic], device 0: ALC1220 Analog [ALC1220 Analog]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0

seth wrote:

Spoiler: if you updated the system incl. the kernel and didn't reboot you might now lack relevant modules for the device and need to reboot (the new kernel)

I have rebooted a few times, in fact it was the first thing I tried... Is there another way to get these modules, or do I have to e.g. wait for new kernel update? (Very noob as you can tell)

seth · 2026-04-09 22:23:23

sysdefault:CARD=USB
    Scarlett 2i2 USB, USB Audio
    Default Audio Device
…
card 0: USB [Scarlett 2i2 USB], device 0: USB Audio [USB Audio]
  Subdevices: 0/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0

The card is there…

amixer -Dhw:0

and try https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php … 4#p2293284

welkyn · 2026-04-09 22:31:40

seth wrote:

amixer -Dhw:0

Gives no response... Using -Dhw:1 gives:

Simple mixer control 'IEC958',0
  Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
  Playback channels: Mono
  Mono: Playback [on]
Simple mixer control 'IEC958',1
  Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
  Playback channels: Mono
  Mono: Playback [on]
Simple mixer control 'IEC958',2
  Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
  Playback channels: Mono
  Mono: Playback [on]
Simple mixer control 'IEC958',3
  Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
  Playback channels: Mono
  Mono: Playback [on]

seth wrote:

and try https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php … 4#p2293284

Great sample file! Sadly it doesn't play...

aplay: main:850: audio open error: Device or resource busy

So something is trying to use the sound card?

Trying it with -Dhw1:

aplay: main:850: audio open error: No such file or directory

Edit: OK, reading further down that thread, I tried switching from Pro Audio to Analog Stereo Output - partial success, we are getting sound... But no microphone of course. (Kind of necessary for audio recording PC!)

Thank you for sorting that out anyway, it's good to be able to hear things... Now I'm only wondering why there's an issue with the Pro Audio profile!

Last edited by welkyn (2026-04-09 22:38:32)

seth · 2026-04-10 06:36:01

sudo fuser -v /dev/snd/*

Does it likewise help to downgrade pipewire/wireplumber ?

Great sample file!

All alsa samples are mono and aplay wants some 44100Hz stereo wav so I had to look up *some* file

welkyn · 2026-04-10 12:05:57

seth wrote:

sudo fuser -v /dev/snd/*

/dev/snd/controlC0:  fgsfds  28107 F.... wireplumber
/dev/snd/controlC1:  fgsfds  28107 F.... wireplumber
/dev/snd/controlC2:  fgsfds  28107 F.... wireplumber
/dev/snd/controlC3:  fgsfds  28107 F.... wireplumber
/dev/snd/pcmC0D0c:   fgsfds  28106 F...m pipewire
/dev/snd/pcmC0D0p:   fgsfds  28106 F...m pipewire
/dev/snd/seq:        (unknown)  27557 F.... pipewire
                     fgsfds  28106 F.... pipewire

seth wrote:

Does it likewise help to downgrade pipewire/wireplumber ?

Doesn't seem to - have tried wireplumber down to 5.9, pipewire down to 1.4.9-2, testing each sequentially. Analog Stereo Output works fine on all, Pro Audio doesn't work on any.

I noticed there was pipewire-1:1.6.3-1 on the archive - I don't seem to be getting this with pacman -Syu, is this an issue with mirrors? Tried it anyway with pacman -U, same issue as other wireplumber/pipewire versions: no Pro Audio, Analog Stereo Output is fine; Duplex can be very scratchy if DAW is open; Input "works" but is horribly distorted, unusable.

Only thing left I can think to do is to downgrade kernel (ah, problem - flushed pacman cache in the course of trying to sort this out) or just fresh install. Seems strange to me that it was working perfectly fine yesterday until the card was removed/replaced.

seth wrote:

All alsa samples are mono and aplay wants some 44100Hz stereo wav so I had to look up *some* file

At least I have now heard the glory...

seth · 2026-04-10 15:25:39

https://archlinux.org/packages/extra/x86_64/pipewire/ is at 1.6.3-1 since this noon UTC-ish (just before you posted) so you might have been waiting for the mirror.
You can test the LTS kernel or an even older one, https://aur.archlinux.org/packages?O=0&K=linux-lts instead of downgrading the kernel (you can install them all in parallel)

or just fresh install

Is a fresh user account likewise affected?
https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/WirePl … t_settings

welkyn · 2026-04-11 01:08:59

seth wrote:

You can test the LTS kernel or an even older one, https://aur.archlinux.org/packages?O=0&K=linux-lts instead of downgrading the kernel (you can install them all in parallel)

Thanks! No dice with 6.18 LTS, will try 6.12/older tomorrow.

seth wrote:

Is a fresh user account likewise affected?

Yes, forgot to mention, all accounts/new affected.

Really thinking something is taking "Pro Audio" as an opportunity to lock up sound devices - have tested with CPU/GPU audio controllers as well, two only have Pro Audio profiles, they give same result (media players/DAWs/speaker-test hang); one of them has "Digital Stereo (HDMI) Output" too, this profile plays (can't test connecting it to a TV or anything but I wager it'd produce sound like Analog Stereo Output, gives all graphical signs of functioning).

Is there a way of finding out what processes are trying to use audio services? Clearly ALSA-JACK/Pulse-Pipewire chain is fine without Pro Audio, wondering what could be causing this problem...

seth · 2026-04-11 06:43:12

Is there a way of finding out what processes are trying to use audio services?

https://man.archlinux.org/man/kill.1

But since even a fresh user is affected it would have to be some system daemon (or some session process that you setup on top) - is this a problem in a multi-user.target login (linux console, 2nd link below)

welkyn · 2026-04-11 17:21:18

seth wrote:

is this a problem in a multi-user.target login (linux console, 2nd link below)

Yes, same hanging on mpv/speaker-test.

However, 6.12 LTS is working (more or less) - speakers play/inputs work on Pro Audio; only problem is I'm getting a bit of stuttering every few seconds while monitoring inputs, will try downgrading pipewire/wireplumber tonight and see if that helps.

Thanks so much for sorting this out. Would be good to know what the root cause is, but a viable workaround is good enough for me! Much appreciated

seth · 2026-04-11 18:42:04

Comparative journals between the good and the bad kernel might provide some more insight.

welkyn · Yesterday 17:14:42

No luck trying different pipewire/wireplumber versions, still getting a little stuttering. It's workable though, so I'm going to put "[workaround]" in the thread title for now.

seth wrote:

Comparative journals between the good and the bad kernel might provide some more insight.

https://paste.c-net.org/BijouReturned <- first boot switching from Pro Audio to Analog Stereo Output
https://paste.c-net.org/CravePlead <- first boot with 6.12 LTS, more-or-less working Pro Audio

seth · Yesterday 20:03:46

This is only in the 6.19 boot

Apr 09 21:52:50 sdfsgf wireplumber[974]: default: Failed to get percentage from UPower: org.freedesktop.DBus.Error.NameHasNoOwner

but that seems to be a race condition about when KDE starts

The more important difference is probably that you switch from snd_hda_codec_realtek . to snd_hda_codec_alc882

module_blacklist=snd_hda_codec_alc882

https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Kernel_parameters

Arch Linux

#1 2026-04-09 21:34:34

[Workaround] Suddenly no sound; ALSA speaker-test unresponsive

#2 2026-04-09 21:59:48

Re: [Workaround] Suddenly no sound; ALSA speaker-test unresponsive

#3 2026-04-09 22:18:07

Re: [Workaround] Suddenly no sound; ALSA speaker-test unresponsive

#4 2026-04-09 22:23:23

Re: [Workaround] Suddenly no sound; ALSA speaker-test unresponsive

#5 2026-04-09 22:31:40

Re: [Workaround] Suddenly no sound; ALSA speaker-test unresponsive

#6 2026-04-10 06:36:01

Re: [Workaround] Suddenly no sound; ALSA speaker-test unresponsive

#7 2026-04-10 12:05:57

Re: [Workaround] Suddenly no sound; ALSA speaker-test unresponsive

#8 2026-04-10 15:25:39

Re: [Workaround] Suddenly no sound; ALSA speaker-test unresponsive

#9 2026-04-11 01:08:59

Re: [Workaround] Suddenly no sound; ALSA speaker-test unresponsive

#10 2026-04-11 06:43:12

Re: [Workaround] Suddenly no sound; ALSA speaker-test unresponsive

#11 2026-04-11 17:21:18

Re: [Workaround] Suddenly no sound; ALSA speaker-test unresponsive

#12 2026-04-11 18:42:04

Re: [Workaround] Suddenly no sound; ALSA speaker-test unresponsive

#13 Yesterday 17:14:42

Re: [Workaround] Suddenly no sound; ALSA speaker-test unresponsive

#14 Yesterday 20:03:46

Re: [Workaround] Suddenly no sound; ALSA speaker-test unresponsive

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