No sound from Sound Blaster ZxR but onboard working fine

KarnRedsun

I tried reinstall Gentoo Linux in various ways to fix other problem but now I don't understand why it come to this. There's no sound output from any channel from my Sound Blaster ZxR but when I test sound on setting window of GNOME there's sound level symbol response to my click test on speaker picture but no sound out from speaker. If I try changing audio device around or adjust sound level and click test sound, the setting window freeze. But when I changed the output to USB audio which is onboard audio on my motherboard, there's sound output just fine. As when I saw this problem, I connect my headphone to onboard audio and my speaker to Sound Blaster ZxR.

The thing is, just a few days ago, when I tried installing Gentoo on this PC using Genkernel, I got sound output from ZxR properly after I enable Pipewire; but that time I meet other problem that is WiFi not working and web browser have very awful responsiveness when open some webpage first time after boot (up to 5-10 minutes to get the first webpage to load)and continued to have that slow response when open next and next webpage. I tried to fix that by reinstall the whole thing, this time using distribution kernel. I still get sound from ZxR and webpage responsiveness overall aside from first time after boot seem to become normal and even completely fine on Google Chrome, but it seems instructions on Gentoo handbook regarding distribution kernel and Nvidia driver seems to get Nvidia driver not installed properly that the Nvidia X Setting almost have nothing on it and can't execute nvidia-smi, and the WiFi still not usable. So, I tried again using manually configured kernel, and then everything is the same as second time but this time there's no sound output from ZxR. I already set CONFIG_SND_HDA_CODEC_CA0132=y and CONFIG_SND_HDA_CODEC_CA0132_DSP=y. I even tried enable all HD Audio codec available in kernel setting and recompile the kernel and there's still no sound output from ZxR. I don't understand what's gone wrong as ZxR used to work on Genkernel and distribution kernel just yesterday. Not to say that the loading of first webpage after boot especially in Firefox still not fix and WiFi still unusable, I tried those on other distro's live CD on this same PC and they're working flawlessly. I don't know what I do wrong anymore.

lspci -k

NeddySeagoon · Posted: Fri Dec 29, 2023 8:42 pm Post subject:

KarnRedsun,

Welcome to Gentoo.

What do yon have in /proc/asound/devices ?
Please post it.

What does

KarnRedsun · Posted: Fri Dec 29, 2023 10:08 pm Post subject:

/proc/asound/devices

NeddySeagoon · Posted: Sat Dec 30, 2023 11:53 am Post subject:

KarnRedsun,

You have four soundcards there numbered 0..3. Your kernel looks OK.

KarnRedsun · Posted: Sat Dec 30, 2023 3:10 pm Post subject:

It's doing the same thing. In VLC there's still no sound when I select audio device as CA0132 Sound Core 3D Analog stereo, there's sound when switching to USB Audio Speaker which is from onboard. I just want sound from ZxR.

Alsamixer is only for power level control and it's default at pipewire, so as default it default at whatever has been set in desktop setting. I F6 to select default:2 HDA Creative and all it show up is current sound level that has been set which is 100% in master and I don't think I have anything to do with that.

I run speaker-test and it seems to work properly until I stop it. But there's no sound out of speaker that connect to ZxR

garrison · Apprentice Joined: 18 Mar 2003 Posts: 251

Do you have sys-firmware/alsa-firmware installed? That should bring in necessary firmware files for ca0132. Please check your dmesg for any relevant messages.

KarnRedsun · Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2024 8:54 am Post subject:

garrison · Apprentice Joined: 18 Mar 2003 Posts: 251

I see error loading firmware due to file not found, do you have everything sound builtin and no ca0132 firmware on initramfs?

Could be easier to change everything under CONFIG_SND to =m so that firmware can be found at the right time.

Adding to that, distribution kernel has modular sound drivers so that probably explains how it worked before.

KarnRedsun · Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2024 5:24 pm Post subject:

KarnRedsun · Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2024 5:49 pm Post subject:

Yes, you're right. I set CONFIG_SND_HDA=m and everything under HD-Audio also changed to module as well without any warning (Set to Y if you want auto-loading the codec driver) like previously have. Then I can get the sound out from my ZxR now. That's mean I have to set everything under HD-Audio to be module to make sound work in case of having multiple sound cards installed.

/usr/src/linux/.config section HD-Audio