recording and monitoring Line In on Debian using alsa/amixer(/jack?), SB Audigy2 card

Question

NOTE!!!!!! I'm giving up on solving this (at least temporarily) Installed another Audigy 2 - with an external unit. 2 out of 3 inputs work, but they are named incorrectly and there're problems with level.

I've read about similar problem someone's had in comments on the driver's page. Setting the right module parameters might help - but hard to choose the right one and I haven't found related up-to-date alsa docs yet.

Could just try them all one by one, but since I bought used TASCAM usb audio interface I'm leaving it at that for now.

I cannot configure Audigy2 card to monitor & record using Line In

previously I only used built-in sound (HDA Intel), configuring it is relatively simple: there is an "Input Source" control where one can choose Line, Capture control with cvolume - for recording, and Line control with pvolume capabilities - for monitoring.

now I'm trying to use a dedicated card: SB Audigy2 Platinum.

I'm using Debian (well, Devuan), and want to keep it as simple as possible (i.e. commnad line, no PulseAudio etc)

so, for Audigy2 in amixer/alsamixer: - there's no Input Source mixer control - there's just this "Line" control, that has only capture capabilities (cvolume, cswitch, cswitch-joined)

Line is ON but nothing's getting recorded through it. There's a "HD Source Capture" control, but there's no "Line" option so it's probably irrelevant.

And I cannot figure out how am I supposed to monitor Line In. I thought may be by routing Line In to playback using Jack?

jack_lsp returns:

system:capture_1
system:capture_2
system:playback_1
system:playback_2

So I tried this:

​jack_connect system:capture_1 system:playback_1

to no avail (though not really sure, b/c recording doesn't work either) (Sorry if this command makes no sense - the wikis on Jack out there seem more like a collection of notes than a detailed spec / reference, if someone can recommend a good one, would be great)

For testing purposes I tried to record in Reaper (it can record fine when built-in card is used).

It refuses to work with Audigy2 directly through ALSA ("There was an error opening the audio hardware: ALSA: error setting input device period count"), but works when JACK is used.

Or, to be exact, playback does work, but recording (or at least recording from LINE IN) doesn't.

While system:capture_1 is selected as Input for a track, level shows nothing. Though recording the playback (using PCM capture control) does work.

full amixer output:

Simple mixer control 'Master',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pvolume-joined cvolume cswitch cswitch-joined
  Playback channels: Mono
  Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 100 Capture 0 - 31
  Mono: Playback 100 [100%] [0.00dB]
  Front Left: Capture 31 [100%] [0.00dB] [off]
  Front Right: Capture 31 [100%] [0.00dB] [off]
Simple mixer control 'Tone',0
  Capabilities: pswitch
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback [on]
  Front Right: Playback [on]
Simple mixer control 'Bass',0
  Capabilities: volume
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: 0 - 40
  Front Left: 20 [50%]
  Front Right: 20 [50%]
Simple mixer control 'Treble',0
  Capabilities: volume
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: 0 - 40
  Front Left: 20 [50%]
  Front Right: 20 [50%]
Simple mixer control '3D Control Sigmatel - Depth',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pvolume-joined
  Playback channels: Mono
  Limits: Playback 0 - 3
  Mono: Playback 0 [0%]
Simple mixer control 'PCM',0
  Capabilities: cvolume
  Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Capture 0 - 100
  Front Left: Capture 80 [80%] [-8.00dB]
  Front Right: Capture 80 [80%] [-8.00dB]
Simple mixer control 'PCM Center',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pvolume-joined
  Playback channels: Mono
  Limits: Playback 0 - 100
  Mono: Playback 100 [100%] [0.00dB]
Simple mixer control 'PCM Front',0
  Capabilities: pvolume
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 100
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 100 [100%] [0.00dB]
  Front Right: Playback 100 [100%] [0.00dB]
Simple mixer control 'PCM LFE',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pvolume-joined
  Playback channels: Mono
  Limits: Playback 0 - 100
  Mono: Playback 100 [100%] [0.00dB]
Simple mixer control 'PCM Side',0
  Capabilities: pvolume
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 100
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 100 [100%] [0.00dB]
  Front Right: Playback 100 [100%] [0.00dB]
Simple mixer control 'PCM Surround',0
  Capabilities: pvolume
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 100
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 100 [100%] [0.00dB]
  Front Right: Playback 100 [100%] [0.00dB]
Simple mixer control 'Front',0
  Capabilities: pvolume
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 100
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 100 [100%] [0.00dB]
  Front Right: Playback 100 [100%] [0.00dB]
Simple mixer control 'Surround',0
  Capabilities: pvolume
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 100
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 100 [100%] [0.00dB]
  Front Right: Playback 100 [100%] [0.00dB]
Simple mixer control 'Surround Phase Inversion',0
  Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
  Playback channels: Mono
  Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'Center',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pvolume-joined
  Playback channels: Mono
  Limits: Playback 0 - 100
  Mono: Playback 100 [100%] [0.00dB]
Simple mixer control 'LFE',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pvolume-joined
  Playback channels: Mono
  Limits: Playback 0 - 100
  Mono: Playback 100 [100%] [0.00dB]
Simple mixer control 'Side',0
  Capabilities: pvolume
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 100
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 0 [0%] [-99999.99dB]
  Front Right: Playback 0 [0%] [-99999.99dB]
Simple mixer control 'Synth',0
  Capabilities: pvolume cvolume
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 100 Capture 0 - 100
  Front Left: Playback 50 [50%] [-20.00dB] Capture 80 [80%] [-8.00dB]
  Front Right: Playback 50 [50%] [-20.00dB] Capture 80 [80%] [-8.00dB]
Simple mixer control 'Wave',0
  Capabilities: pvolume
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 100
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 100 [100%] [0.00dB]
  Front Right: Playback 100 [100%] [0.00dB]
Simple mixer control 'Line',0
  Capabilities: cvolume cswitch cswitch-joined
  Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Capture 0 - 31
  Front Left: Capture 31 [100%] [12.00dB] [on]
  Front Right: Capture 31 [100%] [12.00dB] [on]
Simple mixer control 'CD',0
  Capabilities: cvolume cswitch cswitch-joined
  Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Capture 0 - 31
  Front Left: Capture 26 [84%] [4.50dB] [off]
  Front Right: Capture 26 [84%] [4.50dB] [off]
Simple mixer control 'Mic',0
  Capabilities: cvolume cvolume-joined cswitch cswitch-joined
  Capture channels: Mono
  Limits: Capture 0 - 31
  Mono: Capture 26 [84%] [4.50dB] [off]
Simple mixer control 'Mic Boost (+20dB)',0
  Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
  Playback channels: Mono
  Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'Mic Extra Boost',0
  Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
  Playback channels: Mono
  Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'Mic Select',0
  Capabilities: enum
  Items: 'Mic1' 'Mic2'
  Item0: 'Mic1'
Simple mixer control 'Video',0
  Capabilities: cvolume cswitch cswitch-joined
  Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Capture 0 - 31
  Front Left: Capture 0 [0%] [-34.50dB] [off]
  Front Right: Capture 0 [0%] [-34.50dB] [off]
Simple mixer control 'Phone',0
  Capabilities: cvolume cvolume-joined cswitch cswitch-joined
  Capture channels: Mono
  Limits: Capture 0 - 31
  Mono: Capture 0 [0%] [-34.50dB] [off]
Simple mixer control 'Phone Output',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pvolume-joined pswitch pswitch-joined
  Playback channels: Mono
  Limits: Playback 0 - 31
  Mono: Playback 0 [0%] [-46.50dB] [on]
Simple mixer control 'IEC958 Optical',0
  Capabilities: pvolume cvolume
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 100 Capture 0 - 100
  Front Left: Playback 0 [0%] [-99999.99dB] Capture 0 [0%] [-99999.99dB]
  Front Right: Playback 0 [0%] [-99999.99dB] Capture 0 [0%] [-99999.99dB]
Simple mixer control 'IEC958 Optical Raw',0
  Capabilities: pswitch
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback [off]
  Front Right: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'Beep',0
  Capabilities: cvolume cvolume-joined cswitch cswitch-joined
  Capture channels: Mono
  Limits: Capture 0 - 15
  Mono: Capture 0 [0%] [-45.00dB] [off]
Simple mixer control 'Aux',0
  Capabilities: cvolume cswitch cswitch-joined
  Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Capture 0 - 31
  Front Left: Capture 0 [0%] [-34.50dB] [off]
  Front Right: Capture 0 [0%] [-34.50dB] [off]
Simple mixer control 'Aux2',0
  Capabilities: pvolume cvolume
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 100 Capture 0 - 100
  Front Left: Playback 0 [0%] [-99999.99dB] Capture 0 [0%] [-99999.99dB]
  Front Right: Playback 0 [0%] [-99999.99dB] Capture 0 [0%] [-99999.99dB]
Simple mixer control 'Mono Output Select',0
  Capabilities: enum
  Items: 'Mix' 'Mic'
  Item0: 'Mic'
Simple mixer control 'AMic',0
  Capabilities: pvolume
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 100
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 36 [36%] [-25.60dB]
  Front Right: Playback 36 [36%] [-25.60dB]
Simple mixer control 'Analog Mix',0
  Capabilities: pvolume cvolume
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 100 Capture 0 - 100
  Front Left: Playback 0 [0%] [-99999.99dB] Capture 73 [73%] [-10.80dB]
  Front Right: Playback 0 [0%] [-99999.99dB] Capture 73 [73%] [-10.80dB]
Simple mixer control 'Audigy Analog/Digital Output Jack',0
  Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
  Playback channels: Mono
  Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'Audigy CD',0
  Capabilities: pvolume cvolume
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 100 Capture 0 - 100
  Front Left: Playback 0 [0%] [-99999.99dB] Capture 0 [0%] [-99999.99dB]
  Front Right: Playback 0 [0%] [-99999.99dB] Capture 0 [0%] [-99999.99dB]
Simple mixer control 'External Amplifier',0
  Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
  Playback channels: Mono
  Mono: Playback [on]
Simple mixer control 'HD Analog Center/LFE',0
  Capabilities: pvolume
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 255
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 207 [81%] [0.00dB]
  Front Right: Playback 207 [81%] [0.00dB]
Simple mixer control 'HD Analog Front',0
  Capabilities: pvolume
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 255
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 207 [81%] [0.00dB]
  Front Right: Playback 207 [81%] [0.00dB]
Simple mixer control 'HD Analog Rear',0
  Capabilities: pvolume
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 255
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 207 [81%] [0.00dB]
  Front Right: Playback 207 [81%] [0.00dB]
Simple mixer control 'HD Analog Side',0
  Capabilities: pvolume
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 255
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 207 [81%] [0.00dB]
  Front Right: Playback 207 [81%] [0.00dB]
Simple mixer control 'HD SPDIF Center/LFE',0
  Capabilities: pvolume
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 255
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 207 [81%] [0.00dB]
  Front Right: Playback 207 [81%] [0.00dB]
Simple mixer control 'HD SPDIF Front',0
  Capabilities: pvolume
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 255
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 207 [81%] [0.00dB]
  Front Right: Playback 207 [81%] [0.00dB]
Simple mixer control 'HD SPDIF Rear',0
  Capabilities: pvolume
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 255
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 207 [81%] [0.00dB]
  Front Right: Playback 207 [81%] [0.00dB]
Simple mixer control 'HD SPDIF Side',0
  Capabilities: pvolume
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 255
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 207 [81%] [0.00dB]
  Front Right: Playback 207 [81%] [0.00dB]
Simple mixer control 'HD channel Capture',0
  Capabilities: enum
  Items: '0' '1' '2' '3'
  Item0: '1'
Simple mixer control 'HD source Capture',0
  Capabilities: enum
  Items: 'SPDIF' 'I2S' 'SRC48' 'SRCMulti_SPDIF' 'SRCMulti_I2S' 'CDIF' 'FX' 'AC97'
  Item0: 'SPDIF'
Simple mixer control 'Sigmatel 4-Speaker Stereo',0
  Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
  Playback channels: Mono
  Mono: Playback [off]

or alsamixer screenshots:

Capture controls

playback controls:

Thanks in advance for any advice

Answer 1

Partial answer:

Try get everything working in ALSA first; Jack is just an additional layer onto ALSA.

You can use

arecord -L

to show all ALSA input devices; based on your Jack information, it'll probably have two for your Audigy (representing two ADC converters in the hardware).

You can use

sox -t alsa plughw:0,0 -n

to get a continous level display for an input device. plughw:0,0 means card 0, device 0, with default ALSA plugins (sample rate converter etc.). Exact values depend on the results of arecord -L.

So try this for each input device, and at the same time, open alsamixer in another terminal. Then, unmute every mixer (it should display OO instead of MM) that can somehow be related to sound input, move to some medium level, and see what happens, and if you can figure out what it does.

In my experience, that's the number one problem with "cannot record sound" - some ALSA mixer is off, or has the wrong level.

I tried to google some information on the Audigy 2 hardware, but couldn't find anything, so if you happen to have a diagram of how the mixers are connected, that would also help.

"There was an error opening the audio hardware: ALSA: error setting input device period count")

Unrelated, assuming "device period count" is the sample rate, you are either not using an ALSA sample rate converter plugin, or there is something else about Reaper that doesn't like the hardware. But I am not familiar with Reaper.

but works when JACK is used.

As I wrote, try without Jack first.

it does show something when something is played back

There are mixer(s) that add as loopback from the sound output to the sound input. Try to identify and disable them with the above method. You can use aplay with a WAV file if Reaper doesn't work.

Answer 2

The Line-In port at the back of the PCI card cannot be recorded by itself, this is a hardware limitation — see the “How to record on Audigy and Audigy 2” section on the emu10k1 driver page (the whole page is worth a read).

An analog mix of all analog sources can be recorded though, as indicated.

Some Audigy variants have a 5¼” breakout box with extra input ports; those behave properly as capture ports and should be preferred when interfacing with Jack. Your post does not indicate if you own one; if so, I'd suggest you forget about the PCI card's back ports for capture.

Side note: I used to own a variant of this card (Audigy2 ZS) with the breakout box and I loved it but unfortunately a build up of pops and crackles happened over years; not sure if all Audigy2 are affected, but know that if that ever happens to your card, soldering electrolytic capacitors may save your card.