SOLVED! - No Input Sound with USB Audio Device

[AVLinux]

Hi!

This is a bit convoluted so I'll try and explain as clearly as I can...

I am using an ALSA supported USB Audio Mixer (a Presonus StudioLive AR8), this device is 'class compliant' so it works with all current stable Linux Distributions so to begin with I know this device is supported by ALSA and it works with Linux..

I have an installation of MX Linux 19.2 and an installation of AV Linux 2020.5.10 on my hard drive and both are running the AV Linux kernel with RT Preempt (5.6.17-rt10avl1), on both systems the AR8 Mixer works as expected for playback Browser Videos, Media Players and DAW's all playback Audio through the AR8 as I would expect....BUT!! In AV Linux 2020.5.10 I get Audio input into things (ie Ardour DAW, Simple Screen Recorder. etc.) but in MX 19.2 I can not get any input from the AR8 at all, not with ALSA, PulseAudio or JACK...

AV Linux is based on Debian Buster and and does use systemd, Is there some sort of Audio configuration differences in MX vs. Debian Buster?? This issue is unfortunately a total showstopper for me, I would guess and hope it's something simple. I know the custom Kernel will raise some eyebrows but I really don't think that has anything to do with the problem, the kernel boots perfectly and performs very well in all other regards and the Audio output is all working as expected, if the Kernel were to blame then I would expect a lack of input Audio on both systems.

Anyone here with knowledge of Audio config on MX?? This seems to be down at the ALSA level because there is no input getting to PulseAudio or JACK..

[AVLinux]

OMG...Doy, somebody missed their smart pills today!!!

It has been SO LONG since I've had to summon 'alsamixer' in a Terminal that I completely forgot it was a thing...

For others who may also have forgotten...

The issue: Pilot Error, for some reason MX had decided to mute all my captures for the StudioLive so simply incanting 'alsamixer' in a terminal showed me those beautiful ALSA controls and and the 'F6 Key' allowed me to choose my StudioLive and the 'F5' key showed me all of the potential controls to change, including those all important 'Capture' ones..

ksnip_20200812-235315.png

[m_pav]

I was experimenting with a build where I completely removed Pulseaudio and replaced the right click tray icon > Open Mixer with alsamixerui. It worked a charm and of course, with much better audio quality.

[AVLinux]

I was experimenting with a build where I completely removed Pulseaudio and replaced the right click tray icon > Open Mixer with alsamixerui. It worked a charm and of course, with much better audio quality.

Hi m_pav!

Yes I know what you mean.. I used to ship systems with no PulseAudio at all and a python based 'aloop-daemon' that used the 'snd-aloop' Kernel module so all sounds whether Audio Apps or Media Players and Browsers would route their ALSA sound through any device running with JACK, it was simple and invisible to the User... Then PulseAudio became an integrated package in almost all common D.E.'s and then Browsers started dropping ALSA and Bluetooth Audio devices became so popular that PulseAudio became impossible to avoid any longer as you know..

[AVLinux]

Actually on the subject of ALSA Mixer utilities, I found that "QasHCtl" from the Debian Repos can seem to really access the hardware of my AR8 to a much more accurate degree than Alsamixer, For anyone using an USB Audio device that isn't supported by a decent graphical ALSA Mixer it may be worth a look...

ksnip_20200813-135910.png

[sunrat]

QasHCtl looks really neat. I had to access alsamixer when testing MX-KDE RC1 the other day and that version didn't even show "F6 Select card" in the little help menu. Fortunately F6 worked and I managed to do the necessary setting adjustments. Ancient M2496 card so not something your average user would need.

[m_pav]

I found that "QasHCtl" from the Debian Repos can seem to really access the hardware of my AR8 to a much more accurate degree than Alsamixer

Nice !