Sound problems in Ubuntu Edgy

**k0NG0** · 12-17-2006, 11:01 AM

So, I've had problems with the sound in Edgy since I updated from Breezy or whichever came before it (in Breezy it was A-OK and I was so happy I crapped my pants).

I use a TB Santa Cruz (cs46xx) and connect to my NAD (the left one, heh) using the VersaJack which is S/PDIF digitalismo awesomeitude.

It's basically choppy playback and static noise. Sometimes it plays without choppyness for several minutes, and then it degrades to hell and almost no sound is heard (I stop playback and wait a while, and it's pretty good again before it, sooner or later, goes to hell in an overpriced Louis Vuitton handbag). The static noise is there pretty much all the time, slight glitches and whatever.

I did some things according to a guide on Ubuntuguide.org but that one just caused me to play silence, which of course isn't music unless you're terribly arty-farty and "deep". I am both of those things, but when I click Danko Jones, I want to hear Danko and not "an impressionistic interpretation of human suffering as seen from an inclination of 45 degrees when squinting".

Anyway, so I backed out the "proper settings" I had applied as per Ubuntuguide.org and I had sound again, but still with the same problems. Chop city.

To rule out hard drive / file system shenanigans, I checked that the drive was in DMA (it was) and I even mounted a RAMfs and played from there, and still the same cruddy playback. It's not that the CPU is used up, it hovers around 10-15% during playback (it's an Intel "Septuagenarian" Tualeron, cut it some slack).

I've Googled my butt off (seriously, it's lying next to me on the floor) and while there are some tips (mute the IECxxxx [S/PDIF port] thing in ALSAmixer, which I have) none take care of it. I figured there was some ALSA buffer stuff but apparently it's tied to the hardware and if you mess with it the thing blows up and you become sterile, or whatever...

So I guess any pointers you may have I would appreciate. Don't tell me I have to reinstall Ubuntu because that's like saying "buy a new car" when the stereo's out (and I'm not Paris Hilton). I don't much feel like compiling a kernel, since it would be ready in April on this rig, but I guess I could compile a module for it if that was necessary.

Just so we're clear, even the Ubuntu sound properties "test tone" gets all choppy and horrible when I play it. And that's a beep, which is about as hard on sound hardware as farting after you've eaten beans for a week. The ALSA tool aplay also has problems, which tells me it isn't necessarily GStreamer that's all menstrual cycle tantrum-y.

[And anyone who explains that Linux is ready for the desktop can FOAD. FYI, that's an acronym that's NSFW, IIRC, LOL, ROFL, TTFN.]

**Gorganzola** · 12-17-2006, 11:19 AM

What's the memory usage for the app? Perhaps the driver is chewing up memory. Beyond that, if it was working before the update I'd bet the issue is definitely in software. Either the app or the driver or a combo there of. Any way to role back the driver or app? If it is in the kernel, maybe recompile it with different settings?

**k0NG0** · 12-17-2006, 12:09 PM

It's very slight. I play mp3s in Totem and it's at 5-6% of total memory continually, according to top. It's not guzzling memory in any way.

Since it occurs regardless of which player I use (even installed the ancient XMMS Ubuntu had in the repository and it barfed too) it's probably ALSA-related in some way (driver or otherwise). Or kernel. PITA is what it is.

I'll have to read up on installing older versions using Synaptic and such things. I can live without sound, I guess, but then I'd just boot Windoze instead. Where stuff works, etc.

12-17-2006, 11:01 AM	#1
k0NG0 Remembering TQ Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Sweden Posts: 13,630	Sound problems in Ubuntu Edgy So, I've had problems with the sound in Edgy since I updated from Breezy or whichever came before it (in Breezy it was A-OK and I was so happy I crapped my pants). I use a TB Santa Cruz (cs46xx) and connect to my NAD (the left one, heh) using the VersaJack which is S/PDIF digitalismo awesomeitude. It's basically choppy playback and static noise. Sometimes it plays without choppyness for several minutes, and then it degrades to hell and almost no sound is heard (I stop playback and wait a while, and it's pretty good again before it, sooner or later, goes to hell in an overpriced Louis Vuitton handbag). The static noise is there pretty much all the time, slight glitches and whatever. I did some things according to a guide on Ubuntuguide.org but that one just caused me to play silence, which of course isn't music unless you're terribly arty-farty and "deep". I am both of those things, but when I click Danko Jones, I want to hear Danko and not "an impressionistic interpretation of human suffering as seen from an inclination of 45 degrees when squinting". Anyway, so I backed out the "proper settings" I had applied as per Ubuntuguide.org and I had sound again, but still with the same problems. Chop city. To rule out hard drive / file system shenanigans, I checked that the drive was in DMA (it was) and I even mounted a RAMfs and played from there, and still the same cruddy playback. It's not that the CPU is used up, it hovers around 10-15% during playback (it's an Intel "Septuagenarian" Tualeron, cut it some slack). I've Googled my butt off (seriously, it's lying next to me on the floor) and while there are some tips (mute the IECxxxx [S/PDIF port] thing in ALSAmixer, which I have) none take care of it. I figured there was some ALSA buffer stuff but apparently it's tied to the hardware and if you mess with it the thing blows up and you become sterile, or whatever... So I guess any pointers you may have I would appreciate. Don't tell me I have to reinstall Ubuntu because that's like saying "buy a new car" when the stereo's out (and I'm not Paris Hilton). I don't much feel like compiling a kernel, since it would be ready in April on this rig, but I guess I could compile a module for it if that was necessary. Just so we're clear, even the Ubuntu sound properties "test tone" gets all choppy and horrible when I play it. And that's a beep, which is about as hard on sound hardware as farting after you've eaten beans for a week. The ALSA tool aplay also has problems, which tells me it isn't necessarily GStreamer that's all menstrual cycle tantrum-y. [And anyone who explains that Linux is ready for the desktop can FOAD. FYI, that's an acronym that's NSFW, IIRC, LOL, ROFL, TTFN.] __________________ Use Firefox - "the one that blocks all the schmutz" Feeling multicore elation? Remember this correlation: Amdahl's Law.
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12-17-2006, 11:19 AM	#2
Gorganzola ABXZone > Facebook Join Date: May 2001 Location: Hangin' with the fruits Posts: 9,401	What's the memory usage for the app? Perhaps the driver is chewing up memory. Beyond that, if it was working before the update I'd bet the issue is definitely in software. Either the app or the driver or a combo there of. Any way to role back the driver or app? If it is in the kernel, maybe recompile it with different settings? __________________ TTFN. I wasn't asleep at the switch, I was drunk. -- Homer J. Simpson Q. How many dull people does it take to change a lightbulb? A. One. A very useful tool on these forums: You can Meebo in public.
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12-17-2006, 12:09 PM	#3
k0NG0 Remembering TQ Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Sweden Posts: 13,630	It's very slight. I play mp3s in Totem and it's at 5-6% of total memory continually, according to top. It's not guzzling memory in any way. Since it occurs regardless of which player I use (even installed the ancient XMMS Ubuntu had in the repository and it barfed too) it's probably ALSA-related in some way (driver or otherwise). Or kernel. PITA is what it is. I'll have to read up on installing older versions using Synaptic and such things. I can live without sound, I guess, but then I'd just boot Windoze instead. Where stuff works, etc. __________________ Use Firefox - "the one that blocks all the schmutz" Feeling multicore elation? Remember this correlation: Amdahl's Law.
(Offline)

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