[SOLVED] (alsa) arateconf not saving properly

kapqa · Today 17:01:05

Hello ,

this post is for troubleshooting a alsa setup on LinuxMint;

maybe it can help troubleshoot someone else, too.

setup was attempted with kind help of user @igorzwx

https://dev1galaxy.org/viewtopic.php?pid=49837#p49837
https://dev1galaxy.org/viewtopic.php?pid=57771#p57771

fuser -av $(find /dev/snd -type c 2>/dev/null)

fuser -av $(find /dev/snd -type c 2>/dev/null)
USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
/dev/snd/controlC1:
/dev/snd/pcmC1D0p:
/dev/snd/controlC3:
/dev/snd/hwC3D0:
/dev/snd/pcmC3D2c:
/dev/snd/pcmC3D1p:
/dev/snd/pcmC3D0c:
/dev/snd/pcmC3D0p:
/dev/snd/controlC0:
/dev/snd/controlC2:
/dev/snd/hwC0D0:
/dev/snd/pcmC0D9p:
/dev/snd/pcmC0D8p:
/dev/snd/pcmC0D7p:
/dev/snd/pcmC0D3p:
/dev/snd/hwC2D0:
/dev/snd/pcmC2D7p:
/dev/snd/pcmC2D3p:
/dev/snd/seq:
/dev/snd/timer:

inxi -A

inxi -A
Audio:
Device-1: AMD Navi 31 HDMI/DP Audio driver: snd_hda_intel
Device-2: AMD Rembrandt Radeon High Definition Audio driver: snd_hda_intel
Device-3: AMD Family 17h/19h HD Audio driver: snd_hda_intel
Device-4: Cambridge Audio USB 1.0 driver: snd-usb-audio type: USB
API: ALSA v: k6.8.0-79-generic status: kernel-api

cat ~/.asoundrc

cat ~/.asoundrc
# ALSA library configuration file managed by arateconf.
#
# MANUAL CHANGES TO THIS FILE WILL BE OVERWRITTEN!
#
# Manual changes to the ALSA library configuration should be implemented
# by editing the ~/.asoundrc file, not by editing this file.
#=====================================================
# Configuration for HDMI
#-----------------------------------------------------
# Perform dmixer
pcm.dmixer_HDMI
{
type dmix
ipc_key 1024
ipc_perm 0666
hint
{
show off
description "Direct mixing of multiple audio streams (HDMI)"
}
slave
{
pcm "hw:HDMI,0"
rate 48000
channels 2
format S32_LE
period_size 1920
buffer_size 7680
}
}
# Perform dsnooper
pcm.dsnooper_HDMI
{
type dsnoop
ipc_key 1025
ipc_perm 0666
hint
{
show off
description "Recording from the same device for several applications simultaneously (HDMI)"
}
slave
{
pcm "hw:HDMI,0"
rate 48000
format S32_LE
period_size 1920
buffer_size 7680
}
}
# Perform duplex
pcm.duplex_HDMI
{
type asym
playback.pcm "dmixer_HDMI"
capture.pcm "dsnooper_HDMI"
hint
{
show off
description "Full duplex for simultaneous playback and recording (HDMI)"
}
}
# Perform convert
pcm.convert_HDMI
{
type rate
converter fftrate
hint
{
show off
description "Sample rate converter (HDMI)"
}
slave
{
pcm "duplex_HDMI"
rate 48000
format S32_LE
}
}
# Perform plug device
pcm.primary_HDMI
{
type plug
slave.pcm "convert_HDMI"
hint.description "Primary device (HDMI)"
}
#=====================================================
# Configuration for C10
#-----------------------------------------------------
# Perform dmixer
pcm.dmixer_C10
{
type dmix
ipc_key 1026
ipc_perm 0666
hint
{
show off
description "Direct mixing of multiple audio streams (C10)"
}
slave
{
pcm "hw:C10,0"
rate 192000
channels 2
format S24_3LE
period_size 7680
buffer_size 30720
}
}
# Perform dsnooper
pcm.dsnooper_C10
{
type dsnoop
ipc_key 1027
ipc_perm 0666
hint
{
show off
description "Recording from the same device for several applications simultaneously (C10)"
}
slave
{
pcm "hw:C10,0"
rate 192000
format S24_3LE
period_size 7680
buffer_size 30720
}
}
# Perform duplex
pcm.duplex_C10
{
type asym
playback.pcm "dmixer_C10"
capture.pcm "dsnooper_C10"
hint
{
show off
description "Full duplex for simultaneous playback and recording (C10)"
}
}
# Perform convert
pcm.convert_C10
{
type rate
converter fftrate
hint
{
show off
description "Sample rate converter (C10)"
}
slave
{
pcm "duplex_C10"
rate 192000
format S24_3LE
}
}
# Perform plug device
pcm.capture_C10
{
type plug
slave.pcm "convert_C10"
hint.description "Capture device (C10)"
}
#=====================================================
# Configuration for Generic
#-----------------------------------------------------
# Perform dmixer
pcm.dmixer_Generic
{
type dmix
ipc_key 1028
ipc_perm 0666
hint
{
show off
description "Direct mixing of multiple audio streams (Generic)"
}
slave
{
pcm "hw:Generic,0"
rate 48000
channels 2
format S32_LE
period_size 1920
buffer_size 7680
}
}
# Perform dsnooper
pcm.dsnooper_Generic
{
type dsnoop
ipc_key 1029
ipc_perm 0666
hint
{
show off
description "Recording from the same device for several applications simultaneously (Generic)"
}
slave
{
pcm "hw:Generic,0"
rate 48000
format S32_LE
period_size 1920
buffer_size 7680
}
}
# Perform duplex
pcm.duplex_Generic
{
type asym
playback.pcm "dmixer_Generic"
capture.pcm "dsnooper_Generic"
hint
{
show off
description "Full duplex for simultaneous playback and recording (Generic)"
}
}
# Perform convert
pcm.convert_Generic
{
type rate
converter fftrate
hint
{
show off
description "Sample rate converter (Generic)"
}
slave
{
pcm "duplex_Generic"
rate 48000
format S32_LE
}
}
# Perform plug device
pcm.primary_Generic
{
type plug
slave.pcm "convert_Generic"
hint.description "Default device (Generic)"
}
#=====================================================
# Configuration for Generic_1
#-----------------------------------------------------
# Perform dmixer
pcm.dmixer_Generic_1
{
type dmix
ipc_key 1030
ipc_perm 0666
hint
{
show off
description "Direct mixing of multiple audio streams (Generic_1)"
}
slave
{
pcm "hw:Generic_1,0"
rate 48000
channels 2
format S32_LE
period_size 1920
buffer_size 7680
}
}
# Perform dsnooper
pcm.dsnooper_Generic_1
{
type dsnoop
ipc_key 1031
ipc_perm 0666
hint
{
show off
description "Recording from the same device for several applications simultaneously (Generic_1)"
}
slave
{
pcm "hw:Generic_1,0"
rate 48000
format S32_LE
period_size 1920
buffer_size 7680
}
}
# Perform duplex
pcm.duplex_Generic_1
{
type asym
playback.pcm "dmixer_Generic_1"
capture.pcm "dsnooper_Generic_1"
hint
{
show off
description "Full duplex for simultaneous playback and recording (Generic_1)"
}
}
# Perform convert
pcm.convert_Generic_1
{
type rate
converter fftrate
hint
{
show off
description "Sample rate converter (Generic_1)"
}
slave
{
pcm "duplex_Generic_1"
rate 48000
format S32_LE
}
}
# Perform plug device
pcm.primary_Generic_1
{
type plug
slave.pcm "convert_Generic_1"
hint.description "Default device (Generic_1)"
}
#=====================================================
# Configuration for default audio device
#-----------------------------------------------------
# Perform plug device
pcm.capture
{
type plug
slave.pcm "convert_HDMI"
hint.description "Capture device"
}
# Perform plug device
pcm.!default
{
type plug
slave.pcm "convert_C10"
hint.description "Primary device"
}

whereis arateconf

whereis arateconf
arateconf: /usr/bin/arateconf

issue is with

arateconf

whenever i change something there, it seems then to revert back to initial settings as shown here

===============
| Main menu |
---------------
Curr. | Used | Play (def) | Rec (def) | Available cards
----------|------|------------|-----------|-----------------------------------
0 - >>>>> | * | * * | * * | HDA-Intel - HDA ATI HDMI
1 - | * | * | * | USB-Audio - Cambridge Audio USB Audio 1.0
2 - | * | * | * | HDA-Intel - HD-Audio Generic
3 - | * | * | * | HDA-Intel - HD-Audio Generic
U - Toggle used flag
P - Set this device as default player
R - Set this device as default recorder
O - Output device: HDMI,0
I - Input device : HDMI,0
F - Format: 48000 Hz, 2 ch, 'S32_LE'
C - Converter: fftrate
A - Show all plugins [ ]
M - Plug-ins:
[X] Convert, [ ] Expand, [X] Asym
[ ] Play Vol, [X] Dmix
[ ] Rec. Vol, [X] Dsnoop
[ ] Phonon, [ ] Normalizator
T - Test
S - Save to '/home/rich/.asoundrc'
X - Delete '/home/rich/.asoundrc'
ESC - Exit
>

i mean, the setting is changed factually, from HDMI to DAC (as desired), but arateconf shows itself as if HDMI is default when i evoke it next time, or is this by default?

thanks

EDIT: it seems that the DAC has now effectively switch to 24Bit/96Khz, so maybe something has saved and worked.
EDIT2: ~~sound however always revert back to HDMI, even if i set the output in Mate Sound Settings Output (from HDMI to USB DAC) > next time opening, its back to HDMI.~~
EDIT3: it seems arateconf is taking precedence, so maybe this can be solved?

Last edited by kapqa (Today 17:39:12)

igorzwx · Today 17:42:44

Config was saved (but it was, perhaps, misconfigured). You can read it with command

cat ~/.asoundrc

Tests failed, perhaps.
Was it like this:

Saving config file...
Test: 'default' ... 'capture' ... Failed!
Test: 'default' ... 'capture' ... Failed!
Ok.

Try
DAC : 32bit 96kHz
HDA : 32bit 192kHz
HDMI: 16bit 48kHz

? DAC : 32bit 192kHz

What is in the spec? If 24bit, try 32bit and 24bit.

24bit usually means 32bit in this context.

EDIT:
If you managed to compile the fftrate (despite so little experience with Linux), you might be able to solve any problem.

HDMI is most probably 16bit 48kHz
HDA codec (motherboard) usually supports 32bit 192kHz (best quality) and some other formats.

If this you DAC spec _https://dev1galaxy.org/viewtopic.php?pid=57443#p57443
you have to try 32bit 192kHz
If it does not work, try 24bit or 16bit.

Last edited by igorzwx (Today 18:24:58)

kapqa · Today 18:22:46

spec is perhaps

usb 1.0 > max. 24/96khz
usb 2.0> max 24/192khz

macos> over usb > max 24/192khz
s/pdif > max 24/96?

yes, little experience, but now it sounds better.

it seems if i switch to USB 2.0 mode, it wouldn't play, but maybe just needs to be re-configured again properly; will test some more.

could be wrong about those; there should be upsampling on the DAC from source material to 24/384, but this is not shown on the device itself;

igorzwx · Today 18:43:04

If you switch to USB2, it should be re-configured.

"upsampling on the DAC from source material to 24/384" (in your DAC) has nothing to do with the fftrate plugin, arateconf, and ALSA.

Spec of your DAC:
Digital input word widths supported
16-24bit
Digital input sampling frequencies supported
32kHz, 44.1kHz, 48kHz, 88.2kHz, 96kHz, 176.4kHz**, 192kHz
_https://dev1galaxy.org/viewtopic.php?pid=57443#p57443

On Linux (s/pdif), your DAC should support 32bit 192kHz (or 32bit 96kHz, or else).
It is so with OSS4 (in exclusive mode), and it should be the same with ALSA.

Try 32bit instead of 24bit.

The 32-bit representation serves as a larger, more flexible "container" to preserve the higher precision of the 24-bit data and prevent clipping during internal mixing or editing, especially in professional digital audio workstations (DAWs). The 24-bit data is stored within the 32-bit format, ensuring its precision is maintained without needing resampling.
Why 32-bit is Used as a Container
DAWs and audio servers use 32-bit internally to avoid the complexities of dithering and exporting to fixed-point formats like 24-bit...
When 24-bit integer data is stored in a 32-bit container, the 24-bit precision is preserved within the larger format, similar to storing a number like 0100 in a longer string of zeros, like 00000100.

It may sound esoteric, but it is about Linux drivers for sound cards. The drivers usually support 32-bit (rather than 24-bit) containers for audio formats (digital input).

Last edited by igorzwx (Today 20:54:06)

kapqa · Today 21:38:31

thanks, but i have not yet s/pdif on the PC motherboard; was planning to buy the pcie x1 card , but postponed; will check then.

yes, i have heard that sound over USB may be spotty, and although it seems there offer higher bandwith intotal when compared to s/pdif, that may well not be the whole there is to the story.

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#1 Today 17:01:05

[SOLVED] (alsa) arateconf not saving properly

#2 Today 17:42:44

Re: [SOLVED] (alsa) arateconf not saving properly

#3 Today 18:22:46

Re: [SOLVED] (alsa) arateconf not saving properly

#4 Today 18:43:04

Re: [SOLVED] (alsa) arateconf not saving properly

#5 Today 21:38:31

Re: [SOLVED] (alsa) arateconf not saving properly

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