[pulseaudio-discuss] Need help with audio gain on an Intel HDA equipt ASUS M2N-SLI Deluxe

Gene Heskett gheskett at wdtv.com
Fri Jan 17 02:51:47 PST 2014


On Friday 17 January 2014 04:48:43 Raymond Yau did opine:

> 2014/1/16 Gene Heskett <gheskett at wdtv.com>
> 
> > On Thursday 16 January 2014 09:48:10 Raymond Yau did opine:
> > > 2014-1-16 ظ†آ¸â€¹ظ‡ع†ث†5:52 ظˆâ€“آ¼ "Alexander E. Patrakov"
> > > <patrakov at gmail.com> ظ‡آ¯آ«أ©ظ¾â€œأ¯آ¼ع‘
> > > 
> > > > Gene Heskett wrote:
> > > > > On Wednesday 15 January 2014 18:02:04 Alexander E. Patrakov did
> > 
> > opine:
> > > > > > 2014/1/15 Gene Heskett <gheskett at wdtv.com>:
> > > > > > > Running an older ubuntu 10.04.4 LTS 32 bit build because a
> > > > > > > specially patched rtai kernel is mandatory for one app.
> > > > > > > However, I am booted
> > > 
> > > to
> > > 
> > > > > > > a 32bit 3.12.6 build ATM.
> > > > > > > 
> > > > > > > The Audigy2 Value (SBO-400) card, and my amps/3way speaker
> > > > > > > all went south for the winter in a space of about 3 weeks,
> > > > > > > so I bought
> > > 
> > > another
> > > 
> > > > > > > amplified 3way kit and switched the audio back to the intel
> > > > > > > HDA facilities on this motherboard.
> > > > > > > 
> > > > > > > Is there anyplace where I might find another 20 db of gain? 
> > > > > > > Its so quiet, even a youtube video would never get me
> > > > > > > accused of disturbing the peace.
> > > 
> > > .
> > > 
> > > > I have looked at the output. No smoking guns found (even with
> > > 
> > > codecgraph),
> > > 
> > > This seem abnormal
> > > 
> > > Monitor of combined sink is running and the two slaves of combined
> > > sink (HDMI and analog) are also running but HDMI is not plugged
> > > (unavailable)
> > > 
> > > 
> > > 
> > > Source #2 State: RUNNING
> > > Name: combined.monitor
> > > Description: Monitor Source of Simultaneous output to Internal Audio
> > > Analog Stereo, High Definition Audio Controller Digital Stereo
> > > (HDMI) Driver: module-combine.c
> > > Sample Specification: s16le 2ch 44100Hz
> > > Channel Map: front-left,front-right Owner
> > > 
> > > Module: 10
> > > Mute: no
> > > Volume: 0: 278% 1: 278% 0: 26.63 dB 1: 26.63 dB
> > > balance 0.00 Base Volume: 100% 0.00 dB
> > > Monitor of Sink: combined
> > > Latency: 0 usec, configured 200000 usec
> > > Flags: DECIBEL_VOLUME LATENCY
> > > Properties:
> > > device.description = "Monitor Source of Simultaneous output to
> > > Internal Audio Analog Stereo, High Definition Audio Controller
> > > Digital Stereo (HDMI)"
> > > device.class = "monitor"
> > > device.icon_name = "audio-input-microphone"
> > > 
> > > 
> > > Sink #0
> > > 
> > >         State: RUNNING
> > >         Name: alsa_output.pci-0000_00_06.1.
> > > 
> > > analog-stereo
> > > 
> > >         Description: Internal Audio Analog Stereo
> > >         Driver: module-alsa-card.c
> > >         Sample Specification: s16le 2ch 44100Hz
> > >         Channel Map: front-left,front-right
> > >         Owner Module: 4
> > >         Mute: no
> > >         Volume: 0: 100% 1: 100%
> > >         
> > >                 0: 0.00 dB 1: 0.00 dB
> > >                 balance 0.00
> > >         
> > >         Base Volume: 100%
> > >         
> > >                      0.00 dB
> > >         
> > >         Monitor Source:
> > > alsa_output.pci-0000_00_06.1.analog-stereo.monitor Latency: 122184
> > > usec, configured 200000 usec
> > > 
> > >         Flags: HARDWARE HW_MUTE_CTRL HW_VOLUME_CTRL DECIBEL_VOLUME
> > > 
> > > LATENCY Properties:
> > >                 alsa.resolution_bits = "16"
> > >                 device.api = "alsa"
> > >                 device.class = "sound"
> > >                 alsa.class = "generic"
> > >                 alsa.subclass = "generic-mix"
> > >                 alsa.name = "AD1988B Analog"
> > >                 alsa.id = "AD1988B Analog"
> > >                 alsa.subdevice = "0"
> > >                 alsa.subdevice_name = "subdevice #0"
> > >                 alsa.device = "0"
> > >                 alsa.card = "0"
> > >                 alsa.card_name = "HDA NVidia"
> > >                 alsa.long_card_name = "HDA NVidia at 0xfe020000 irq
> > >                 20" alsa.driver_name = "snd_hda_intel"
> > >                 device.bus_path = "pci-0000:00:06.1"
> > >                 sysfs.path =
> > > 
> > > "/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:06.1/sound/card0" device.bus = "pci"
> > > 
> > >                 device.vendor.id = "10de"
> > >                 device.vendor.name = "nVidia Corporation"
> > >                 device.product.id = "0371"
> > >                 device.product.name = "MCP55 High Definition Audio"
> > >                 device.form_factor = "internal"
> > >                 device.string = "front:0"
> > >                 device.buffering.buffer_size = "65536"
> > >                 device.buffering.fragment_size = "32768"
> > >                 device.access_mode = "mmap+timer"
> > >                 device.profile.name = "analog-stereo"
> > >                 device.profile.description = "Analog Stereo"
> > >                 device.description = "Internal Audio Analog Stereo"
> > >                 alsa.mixer_name = "Analog Devices AD1988B"
> > >                 alsa.components = "HDA:11d4198b,104381f6,00100400"
> > >                 module-udev-detect.discovered = "1"
> > >                 device.icon_name = "audio-card-pci"
> > >         
> > >         Ports:
> > >                 analog-output: Analog Output (priority. 9900)
> > >                 analog-output-headphones: Analog Headphones
> > >                 (priority.
> > > 
> > > 9000)
> > > 
> > >         Active Port: analog-output
> > > 
> > > Sink #1
> > > 
> > >         State: RUNNING
> > >         Name: alsa_output.pci-0000_03_00.1.hdmi-stereo
> > >         Description: High Definition Audio Controller Digital Stereo
> > > 
> > > (HDMI) Driver: module-alsa-card.c
> > > 
> > >         Sample Specification: s16le 2ch 44100Hz
> > >         Channel Map: front-left,front-right
> > >         Owner Module: 5
> > >         Mute: no
> > >         Volume: 0: 100% 1: 100%
> > >         
> > >                 0: 0.00 dB 1: 0.00 dB
> > >                 balance 0.00
> > >         
> > >         Base Volume: 100%
> > >         
> > >                      0.00 dB
> > >         
> > >         Monitor Source:
> > >         alsa_output.pci-0000_03_00.1.hdmi-stereo.monitor Latency:
> > >         122243 usec, configured 200000 usec
> > >         Flags: HARDWARE DECIBEL_VOLUME LATENCY
> > >         
> > >         Properties:
> > >                 alsa.resolution_bits = "16"
> > >                 device.api = "alsa"
> > >                 device.class = "sound"
> > >                 alsa.class = "generic"
> > >                 alsa.subclass = "generic-mix"
> > >                 alsa.name = "HDMI 0"
> > >                 alsa.id = "HDMI 0"
> > >                 alsa.subdevice = "0"
> > >                 alsa.subdevice_name = "subdevice #0"
> > >                 alsa.device = "3"
> > >                 alsa.card = "1"
> > >                 alsa.card_name = "HDA NVidia"
> > >                 alsa.long_card_name = "HDA NVidia at 0xf9ffc000 irq
> > >                 16" alsa.driver_name = "snd_hda_intel"
> > >                 device.bus_path = "pci-0000:03:00.1"
> > >                 sysfs.path =
> > > 
> > > "/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:0f.0/0000:03:00.1/sound/card1"
> > > 
> > >                 device.bus = "pci"
> > >                 device.vendor.id = "10de"
> > >                 device.vendor.name = "nVidia Corporation"
> > >                 device.product.id = "0be3"
> > >                 device.product.name = "High Definition Audio
> > >                 Controller" device.string = "hdmi:1"
> > >                 device.buffering.buffer_size = "65536"
> > >                 device.buffering.fragment_size = "32768"
> > >                 device.access_mode = "mmap+timer"
> > >                 device.profile.name = "hdmi-stereo"
> > >                 device.profile.description = "Digital Stereo (HDMI)"
> > >                 device.description = "High Definition Audio
> > >                 Controller
> > > 
> > > Digital Stereo (HDMI)"
> > > 
> > >                 alsa.mixer_name = "Nvidia GPU 0b HDMI/DP"
> > >                 alsa.components = "HDA:10de000b,10de0101,00100200"
> > >                 module-udev-detect.discovered = "1"
> > >                 device.icon_name = "audio-card-pci"
> > > 
> > > state.NVidia_1 {
> > > 
> > >     control.1 {
> > >     
> > >         comment.access read
> > >         comment.type BOOLEAN
> > >         comment.count 1
> > >         iface CARD
> > >         name 'HDMI/DP,pcm=3 Jack'
> > >         value false
> > >     
> > >     }
> > >     
> > >     control.8 {
> > >     
> > >         comment.access read
> > >         comment.type BOOLEAN
> > >         comment.count 1
> > >         iface CARD
> > >         name 'HDMI/DP,pcm=7 Jack'
> > >         value false
> > >     
> > >     }
> > >     control.15 {
> > >     
> > >         comment.access read
> > >         comment.type BOOLEAN
> > >         comment.count 1
> > >         iface CARD
> > >         name 'HDMI/DP,pcm=8 Jack'
> > >         value false
> > >     
> > >     }
> > >     
> > >     control.22 {
> > >     
> > >         comment.access read
> > >         comment.type BOOLEAN
> > >         comment.count 1
> > >         iface CARD
> > >         name 'HDMI/DP,pcm=9 Jack'
> > >         value false
> > >     
> > >     }
> > 
> > I am not sure what conclusion to draw from this although I'm somewhat
> > surprised its only a 16 bit chipset.
> 
> http://www.analog.com/en/codec-afe/audio-codecs/ad1988b/products/product
> .html
> 
> 
> Default PCM:
>     rates [0x7ff]: 8000 11025 16000 22050 32000 44100 48000 88200 96000
> 176400 192000
>     bits [0xe]: 16 20 24
>     formats [0x1]: PCM
> 
> post the outout of
> 
> pactl stat

root at coyote:/home/gene/Mail/work/cur# pactl stat
Currently in use: 43 blocks containing 263.1 KiB bytes total.
Allocated during whole lifetime: 39788385 blocks containing 3.0 GiB bytes 
total.
Sample cache size: 84.4 KiB
User name: gene
Host Name: coyote
Server Name: pulseaudio
Server Version: 0.9.21-63-gd3efa-dirty
Default Sample Specification: s16le 2ch 44100Hz
Default Channel Map: front-left,front-right
Default Sink: combined
Default Source: combined.monitor
Cookie: 831a907b
 
> are you using the module-combine-sink as default sink?

All I wanted was to have all available outputs live.  The only one that 
counts is the lime green line out, but the chooser seems to want to use its 
own language to describe the outputs, so I have no clue which selection in 
the chooser is that jack.  If there is in fact, an hdmi, the thing thats 
not much bigger than a USB load end connector, its invisible.  And it is 
not called out in the back panel nomenclature listed in he boards manual.  

There are 6, 1/8" jacks all together, but until I figure out what has 
happened to my pcHDTV-3000 card, nothing else is hooked up.  Its audio is 
quite low, so its generally plugged into the mic jack.  The normal cable 
for that cannot reach from the card slot to the mic jack.

 
> are you using this to output to analog, spdif and hdmi at the same time

Only one real load, that which is plugged into the lime-green line out.

> 
> Can pulseaudio find the volume control of the combine-sink when hdmi and
> spdif does not has any volume control ?

The applet that responds to the keyboards volume and mute finds it just 
fine, but its gain settings are not echoed back to the alsamixer sliders.  
In either direction.

> > Thanks to finding another control and turning it up, I now do have
> > enough gain I can listen to a news story on cnn, al-jazzera or faux. 
> > It's not feasable to pick up the speakers and use them for
> > headphones, and I don't have a 1/8 to 1/4" adapter for my big phones.
> > A set of Optimus Pro 4AA's. Quite decent phones to these formerly
> > golden but now fading ears.
> > 
> > only green line out, headphone and front mic pin complex have HP amp
> 
> the sound is bad when you connect headphone to the other line out jacks
> (black, orange and grey)

I have not tried, and there is no headphone connection called out anywhere 
on the board.  There is a dual 5 row connector on the board that is not 
occupied,, says it can be an "azalia compliant" or "AC97 compliant" 
connection.  But that front panel was not available at the time I bought 
this ASUS M2N-SLI Deluxe motherboard, several years ago now.

> if you still have applications which expect a full duplex card at card0
> , it is better to swap the position of the two cards by
> 
> options snd-hda-intel index=1,0

So I could plug the Audigy2 Value back in and use it that simply?  Kewl.
 
> https://bugs.freedesktop.org/show_bug.cgi?id=73336

That funkity action described at that link, would seem to fit what I see.  
Alsamixer has a line gain that is wide open, and the next 2 sliders to the 
right are 3 steps of 10 db each, and cranked up to 30, the top step of the 
line slider apparently starts a feedback, one downarrow on the line slider 
stops it.  But I haven't fed it any other audio as its 05:44 here and if it 
will now do what I think it will, it would loosen my fillings.  So the 
testing will wait till a more civilized hour.  I wouldn't be up either 
except I have a heating pad draped over my knee.  Some torn cartilage is 
giving me hell.  Not your problem of coarse.

Thank you Raymond.

Cheers, Gene
-- 
"There are four boxes to be used in defense of liberty:
 soap, ballot, jury, and ammo. Please use in that order."
-Ed Howdershelt (Author)
Genes Web page <http://geneslinuxbox.net:6309/gene>
Required reading: 
<http://culturalslagheap.wordpress.com/2014/01/12/elemental/>
Quantum Mechanics is God's version of "Trust me."
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dangerous than 200 million guns in the hands of
         law-abiding citizens.


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