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[solved] USB headset - No sound
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erde
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 15, 2017 6:43 pm    Post subject: [solved] USB headset - No sound Reply with quote

Hello forums,

I'm very new to Gentoo and after compiling for hours, I finally got it working.

Right now I'm struggling with my Corsair VOID RGB headset. I already compiled alsamixer as well as pavucontrol, but didn't get sound in pavucontrol once I've switched to USB sound output device.

Some details:

Code:
/usr/src/linux $ cat .config | grep -i CONFIG_SND_USB
CONFIG_SND_USB=y
CONFIG_SND_USB_AUDIO=m
CONFIG_SND_USB_UA101=m
CONFIG_SND_USB_USX2Y=m
CONFIG_SND_USB_CAIAQ=m
CONFIG_SND_USB_CAIAQ_INPUT=y
CONFIG_SND_USB_US122L=m
CONFIG_SND_USB_6FIRE=m
# CONFIG_SND_USB_HIFACE is not set
# CONFIG_SND_USB_POD is not set
# CONFIG_SND_USB_PODHD is not set
# CONFIG_SND_USB_TONEPORT is not set
# CONFIG_SND_USB_VARIAX is not set


I also installed bluez-alsa as mentioned here: https://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/Bluetooth_Headset

I don't know how to find out which MAC address my headset has though.

Code:

lsusb | grep Corsair
Bus 001 Device 005: ID 1b1d:1b37 Corsair


If you need any further infos, please just tell me.

cheers,

erde


Last edited by erde on Sun Apr 15, 2018 9:49 am; edited 1 time in total
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LIsLinuxIsSogood
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PostPosted: Sun Dec 17, 2017 5:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Are you aware of the difference between ALSA and PulseAudio they are not the same, although pa will depend on having ALSA installed either way. If you want the easiest solution for your system it helps to post some more information. Please include
Code:
emerge --info net-wireless/bluez

As well, checking the device against the list of ones that will work "out of the box" is always a good idea. https://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/Bluetooth_Headset#Working_devices

If it isn't there doesn't mean it won't work, just means we need to get more info about how the device is setup and which protocols etc. are in use.

Another thing to consider is whether you want a quick solution, versus an easy solution. I know that sounds kind of not at odds, but they are. The bluez-alsa is probably your quickest, but will not also be easier because it involves going into the alternative method for configuring alsa for bluetooth. It is a mini nightmare if you've never worked with ALSa.

I recommend you being a new user that you take some time to play with the configurations a bit nonetheless you will never know when pulseaudio server just won't do something that alsa can easily be configured to do and you want to have the understanding of at least a few basic tools to diagnose sound from the perspective of ALSA. Like aplay for example. Start by posting back with aplay -L and we can look at whether or not alsa sees the device (USB) as being plugged in.

Check to make sure you have this package installed as well.
Code:
emerge -1v alsa-utils


That should help as a place to start. Once we see the output of aplay -L perhaps then you can get the help on how to use pulseaudio which actually sits on top of (a front end) to the alsa backend.
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LIsLinuxIsSogood
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PostPosted: Sun Dec 17, 2017 5:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

erde, also one thing I forgot to mention is that if the usb device is present, and please post the output of lsmod to make sure that it isn't something simple like the module not being loaded in the kernel. Thanks, if it is there (meaning the device driver is loaded) then aplay -L should list the device most likely as that was ALSA does is to list all low-level sound hardware.
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NeddySeagoon
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PostPosted: Sun Dec 17, 2017 4:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

erde,

Welcome to Gentoo

Its a wired USB headset, so if all your kernel bits are in place, it should work with CONFIG_SND_USB_AUDIO.
However, that's only part of the USB set up.

First we need to know about your motherboard.
Post the output of lspci. You may need to emerge pciutils.

Next we need to know about your kernel.
Make friends with wgetpaste and post a link to the .config on the web.

Boot the system with the headset disconnected.
Connect the headset.
Use wgetpaste to post a link to the entire dmesg output

We may find we need
Code:
lsusb -vvv
on a pastebin site too.
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erde
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PostPosted: Sun Dec 17, 2017 7:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hello,

Thanks for your help.

I was able to get the wireless USB headset working. What I did:

/etc/asound.conf
Code:
#Bluetooth headset
  2 defaults.bluealsa {
  3     interface "hci0"
  4     device "00:02:1C:1D:1B:22"
  5     card Do
  6     profile "a2dp"
  7 }


However, I was able to select the Corsair within both pavucontrol and alsamixer, but couldn't get any sound out of it.

I then compiled alsa-utils as @LIsLinuxIsSogood told me and am able to select Corsair and sound in- and output works well. Do you still need aforementioned output in order to identify where the problem actually was?

Also I didn't know Alsa uses PulseAudio to be honest.

BG

erde
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NeddySeagoon
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PostPosted: Sun Dec 17, 2017 7:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

erde,

No, it was a missing alsa-utils as LIsLinuxIsSogood suggested.

I just like to start from the beginning and work my way through to the end.
The information I asked for would only allow for checking that the kernel was matched to the hardware any any required modules were loading correctly.

Checking user space, would be the next step.

We can tell the kernel/drivers/modules are OK as you didn't change anything there and its working now.
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Hu
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PostPosted: Sun Dec 17, 2017 8:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

erde wrote:
Also I didn't know Alsa uses PulseAudio to be honest.
It doesn't. PulseAudio uses ALSA. ALSA can be used without PulseAudio (if you don't need any of the features that PulseAudio provides).
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LIsLinuxIsSogood
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PostPosted: Mon Dec 18, 2017 8:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
ALSA can be used without PulseAudio (if you don't need any of the features that PulseAudio provides).

This is 100% true if you believe that it is worthwhile to learn the ins and outs of linux audio, then especially so. But for many laypersons and even the geeky ones as well, ALSA provides so much detailed configuration to just about every possible audio setting that it is more like learning a programming language that just configuring some tool. Believe me I found that out the hard way after spending two years or more installing it on numerous devices and learning how to troubleshoot sound on dozens of different sound output devices, etc. But to add to the truth that Hu says, with something more of a preference, as I mentioned before is to still add it in there (i'm referring to pulseadio), if for no other reason so that you are not left wondering what it can do, and why others seem to like having it there or whatever excuse you need here really...the truth is this software attempts to make the whole thing about linux audio that much easier for those of us whose lives don't have to revolve around audio troubleshooting (not me, of course, which I guess makes it actually more difficult for me).

Some very cool thing to also try if you get around to it, is the backward capable plugin in Alsa for pulse. It allows another set of controls to pulseaudio sources, sinks and mixers DIRECTLY FROM WITH ALSA and alsamixer. Pretty cool thing!! This could also help to make sure that you are not relying too much on a tool that does so little effectively, other than to be the front end of a more complex tool like Alsa.

Glad we could help to figure it out though. The best ALSA notes I've found are scattered throughout the web, and this is one area you will have to scour the web to find good tips ideas or whatever. Keeping in mind that ALSA was probably one of the oldest living parts of the linux kernel (ok, maybe not actually oldest, or living for that matter). But you get what I'm saying :))
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 01, 2018 8:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just one more thing. Aforementioned USB headset can play 7.1 surround sound. Unfortunately there's no linux driver available to use 7.1, Corsair offers closed source software.

I'm interested if there's any way to implement compatible driver to use 7.1 feature?
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 01, 2018 8:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

erde,

Don't you need eight ears to have 7.1 sound in a headset? :)

You can down mix to stereo before sending the audio to the headset, rather than letting the headset do it.
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 02, 2018 7:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Please provide a link to the drivers, or some more information about them, I assume it is a windows driver. While its possible to do this, I think the tool you are looking for is ndiswrapper for the windows driver implementation within a linux machine. You can read about it here, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NDISwrapper, however my feeling is that if alsa can already do this for you then why go through all the hassle just to use another set of drivers.

Quote:
Don't you need eight ears to have 7.1 sound in a headset? :)


This seems impossible! I think what is possible however is that multiple speakers can be fit into a small area, which would need to be verified by the OP first to know if this is physical or emulated 7.1 sound. If it is the first, then linux audio should be enough to get that to work. Otherwise if the sound emulation of surround sound effect is what the product offers (as opposed to physically separate speakers existing there) then I think it would be worth it to go looking a bit further down these two paths: first the solution about for ndiswrapper if it applies to this specific module or driver, and second a quick search for virtual surround sound did turn up some stuff that may help to review.

In either case it looks like it could be a bit of work, but myself being a linux enthusiast would highly recommend to try the linux platform software before going over to corsair for the windows driver, but really either should work.

Also, can you please provide a bit more infromation regarding the specifications of the hardware?
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LIsLinuxIsSogood
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 02, 2018 8:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
I was able to get the wireless USB headset working.


Yes, to be honest I was wondering the same thing (where did this new issue come from...the problem was "solved" I thought) because it works. So as the saying goes if it isn't broken then don't fix it.

Also, as a sort of point about 7.1 sound, it is really nothing special unless you have a subwoofer and a bunch of speakers.

I say keep the USB headphones and use them with dual channel L/R since that's what they are basically made for.
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 02, 2018 8:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Using linux audio software should give you a lot to be able to "toy with" now that you have sound working on those headsets as well...some things you can try

Further Configure ALSA so that you have better control of the device
Configure ALSA to control Pulseaudio sinks, etc.
Configure Pulseaudio to incorporate a Dummy Sound output (Virtual device) that will help fine tune the control of volume for example within PA
Configure specific applications to use only the USB audio

That's a start!
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Schnulli
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 10, 2018 8:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

i was also playing with USB Audio Stuff.....
i got grey hairs around this problem...
my solution was changing to Bluetooth since that all works soooo fine and no more anoying cable around

;)
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PostPosted: Sun Jan 14, 2018 9:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
my solution was changing to Bluetooth since that all works soooo fine and no more anoying cable around


Yes, but not actually completely true when it is time to charge the bluetooth headset it uses a power cable.
But i see your point, however it just isn't related to the audio stuff or linux audio for that matter. It is just a preference to be going wireless, which is not a strict improvement to anything. The tools are the same that processes the audio, which is ALSA and pulseaudio and while there could be with both of those some easier configurations, then that would be valuable to see. Schulli, can you post the configuration for your bluetooth speakers for asound.conf or asoundrc, and also for pulseaudio (/etc/pulse/system.pa) thanks!
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