M2Tech HiFace DAC, 24/384

[Nuuk]

Sorry, the question about the 6631 chips was mean for mudlark.

Have you checked any muting with alasmixer?

Yes I have.

 

[PegLeg]

I re-read your earlier post. As you've tried this on three different PCs all with different versions of Linux, it is not looking too good.

But what are these versions of linux? Did you install hiface drivers on all three? Is pulseaudio installed on all three machines?

Pick one PC and with the DAC attached prior to booting post the output of this command

aplay -l

(that's a lower case letter L)

Post output of this command:

lsmod | grep snd

( the bar | symbol is above the \ key)


Post output of this command:

dmesg | grep usb

We can then see how the m2tech is detected.

 

[Nuuk]

I re-read your earlier post. As you've tried this on three different PCs all with different versions of Linux, it is not looking too good.

But what are these versions of linux? Did you install hiface drivers on all three? Is pulseaudio installed on all three machines?

Pick one PC and with the DAC attached prior to booting post the output of this command

aplay -l

(that's a lower case letter L)

Post output of this command:

lsmod | grep snd

( the bar | symbol is above the \ key)


Post output of this command:

dmesg | grep usb

We can then see how the m2tech is detected.

Playing raw date 'stdin', unsigned 8 bit, Rate 8000 Hz, Mono

This was on lubuntu 13.04.

Edit: This was also the same for the iFi iDAC (not working) and the Miniwatt N4 (working).

 

[PegLeg]

Playing raw date 'stdin', unsigned 8 bit, Rate 8000 Hz, Mono

This was on lubuntu 13.04.

I'm sorry, I don't know where this message comes from. I take it the new m2tech DAC is not working with lubuntu 13.04.

If you can post the output of the commands I gave you, then I might have a clue as to what is going on. Otherwise, I can't help, nor could M2tech as they will need info feed back to them.

 

[PegLeg]

A happy Linux user of the hiface DAC:

http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f6-dac-digital-analog-conversion/hiface-dac-15418/

What's going on?

 

[Nuuk]

Oops -sorry Pegleg - I put a space after the | where there obviously shouldn't have been one. Try this:

music-server nick # aplay -l
**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 0: NVidia [HDA NVidia], device 0: VT1708S Analog [VT1708S Analog]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: NVidia [HDA NVidia], device 2: VT1708S HP [VT1708S HP]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: M20 [M2Tech USB Audio 2.0], device 0: USB Audio [USB Audio]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
music-server nick # lsmod |grep snd
snd_hda_codec_via 32355 1
snd_usb_audio 76002 1
snd_usbmidi_lib 18702 1 snd_usb_audio
snd_pcm_oss 36297 0
snd_mixer_oss 17771 1 snd_pcm_oss
snd_hda_intel 30783 3
snd_hda_codec 73624 2 snd_hda_codec_via,snd_hda_intel
snd_hwdep 12939 2 snd_usb_audio,snd_hda_codec
snd_pcm 57791 4 snd_pcm_oss,snd_usb_audio,snd_hda_codec,snd_hda_intel
snd_seq_midi 12744 0
snd_seq_midi_event 13124 1 snd_seq_midi
snd_page_alloc 12938 2 snd_pcm,snd_hda_intel
snd_rawmidi 22444 2 snd_usbmidi_lib,snd_seq_midi
snd_seq 39556 2 snd_seq_midi_event,snd_seq_midi
snd_timer 22109 2 snd_pcm,snd_seq
snd_seq_device 13016 3 snd_seq,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq_midi
snd 42806 21 snd_pcm_oss,snd_usb_audio,snd_hwdep,snd_timer,snd_hda_codec_via,snd_pcm,snd_seq,snd_rawmidi,snd_usbmidi_lib,snd_hda_codec,snd_hda_intel,snd_seq_device,snd_mixer_oss
soundcore 12890 1 snd
usbcore 113600 6 snd_usb_audio,usb_storage,ohci_hcd,snd_usbmidi_lib,ehci_hcd,ehci_pci
music-server nick # dmes |grep usb
No command 'dmes' found, did you mean:
Command 'dmesg' from package 'util-linux' (main)
dmes: command not found
music-server nick # dmesg |grep usb
[ 4.371985] ACPI: bus type usb registered
[ 4.379350] usbcore: registered new interface driver usbfs
[ 4.379375] usbcore: registered new interface driver hub
[ 4.382127] usbcore: registered new device driver usb
[ 4.979098] usb usb1: New USB device found, idVendor=1d6b, idProduct=0001
[ 4.979102] usb usb1: New USB device strings: Mfr=3, Product=2, SerialNumber=1
[ 4.979105] usb usb1: Product: OHCI Host Controller
[ 4.979108] usb usb1: Manufacturer: Linux 3.8.10-rt6 ohci_hcd
[ 4.979111] usb usb1: SerialNumber: 0000:00:02.0
[ 5.436026] usb 1-7: new full-speed USB device number 2 using ohci_hcd
[ 5.629086] usb 1-7: New USB device found, idVendor=0930, idProduct=6545
[ 5.629093] usb 1-7: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=3
[ 5.629097] usb 1-7: Product: DataTraveler 2.0
[ 5.629101] usb 1-7: Manufacturer: Kingston
[ 5.629104] usb 1-7: SerialNumber: 0019E000B4565B8A0F120171
[ 5.641023] scsi6 : usb-storage 1-7:1.0
[ 5.641538] usbcore: registered new interface driver usb-storage
[ 5.789034] usb 1-8: new full-speed USB device number 3 using ohci_hcd
[ 5.983061] usb 1-8: New USB device found, idVendor=249c, idProduct=930e
[ 5.983067] usb 1-8: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=3
[ 5.983071] usb 1-8: Product: M2Tech USB Audio 1.0
[ 5.983074] usb 1-8: Manufacturer: M2Tech
[ 5.983077] usb 1-8: SerialNumber: 0000
[ 10.885133] usb 1-7: USB disconnect, device number 2
[ 10.891167] usb usb2: New USB device found, idVendor=1d6b, idProduct=0002
[ 10.891171] usb usb2: New USB device strings: Mfr=3, Product=2, SerialNumber=1
[ 10.891175] usb usb2: Product: EHCI Host Controller
[ 10.891178] usb usb2: Manufacturer: Linux 3.8.10-rt6 ehci_hcd
[ 10.891181] usb usb2: SerialNumber: 0000:00:02.1
[ 10.990047] usb 1-8: USB disconnect, device number 3
[ 11.196078] usb 2-7: new high-speed USB device number 2 using ehci-pci
[ 11.311731] usb 2-7: New USB device found, idVendor=0930, idProduct=6545
[ 11.311740] usb 2-7: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=3
[ 11.311744] usb 2-7: Product: DataTraveler 2.0
[ 11.311747] usb 2-7: Manufacturer: Kingston
[ 11.311750] usb 2-7: SerialNumber: 0019E000B4565B8A0F120171
[ 11.316086] scsi7 : usb-storage 2-7:1.0
[ 11.418035] usb 2-8: new high-speed USB device number 3 using ehci-pci
[ 11.502142] usbcore: registered new interface driver snd-usb-audio
[ 11.533229] usb 2-8: New USB device found, idVendor=249c, idProduct=930f
[ 11.533236] usb 2-8: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=3
[ 11.533240] usb 2-8: Product: M2Tech USB Audio 2.0
[ 11.533243] usb 2-8: Manufacturer: M2Tech
[ 11.533246] usb 2-8: SerialNumber: 0000
music-server nick #

 

[Nuuk]

A happy Linux user of the hiface DAC:

http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f6-dac-digital-analog-conversion/hiface-dac-15418/

What's going on?

Well I already said that the iDAC was playing OK with Ubuntu - that I am certain of. I also thought that was the case with the hiFace DAC when I originally tried it but couldn't be so certain. So yes, it is all very odd. Three computers, three Linux systems, two amp/speakers, two sets of headphones - I don't think that I have missed anything in trying to find why there is no sound now from these two USB DACs.

 

[PegLeg]

Thanks for the output. That looks OK. The hiface DAC is detected, and the correct modules are loaded with no obvious conflict with HDA sound device. I see from the "Linux 3.8.10-rt6" this is using ap-linux.

The next obvious test is to use the aplay command to play an audio file in wav format directly from the command line.

E.g:

aplay -v -D hw:1,0 test.wav

or

aplay -v -D plughw:1,0 test.wav

I'd expect the second format is what you need as the XMOS chip probably wants a 32bit format and ALSA needs to do bit padding.

Use "crtl-c" to stop play. Make sure no other audio app is open, not even your browser, or you likely to get a Device or resource busy" error.

You could also use mplayer from the command line. E.G:

mplayer -ao alsa:device=plughw=1.0 test.wav

(You might only have mplayer2 on your system)

 

[Nuuk]

Thanks for all this PegLeg.

Still no sound, and this is the output from those commands in case it reveals anything:

music-server nick # aplay -v -D plughw:1,0 test.wav
Playing WAVE 'test.wav' : Signed 16 bit Little Endian, Rate 44100 Hz, Stereo
Plug PCM: Linear conversion PCM (S32_LE)
Its setup is:
stream : PLAYBACK
access : RW_INTERLEAVED
format : S16_LE
subformat : STD
channels : 2
rate : 44100
exact rate : 44100 (44100/1)
msbits : 16
buffer_size : 22050
period_size : 5513
period_time : 125011
tstamp_mode : NONE
period_step : 1
avail_min : 5513
period_event : 0
start_threshold : 22050
stop_threshold : 22050
silence_threshold: 0
silence_size : 0
boundary : 1445068800
Slave: Hardware PCM card 1 'M2Tech USB Audio 2.0' device 0 subdevice 0
Its setup is:
stream : PLAYBACK
access : MMAP_INTERLEAVED
format : S32_LE
subformat : STD
channels : 2
rate : 44100
exact rate : 44100 (44100/1)
msbits : 32
buffer_size : 22050
period_size : 5513
period_time : 125011
tstamp_mode : NONE
period_step : 1
avail_min : 5513
period_event : 0
start_threshold : 22050
stop_threshold : 22050
silence_threshold: 0
silence_size : 0
boundary : 1445068800
appl_ptr : 0
hw_ptr : 0


---------------------------------------------------------------------------

music-server nick # mplayer -ao alsa:device=plughw=1.0 test.wav
Failed to read /etc/mplayer/mplayer.conf.local: No such file or directory
Warning unknown option include at line 177
Creating config file: /root/.mplayer/config
MPlayer 1.1-4.7 (C) 2000-2012 MPlayer Team
Can't open joystick device /dev/input/js0: No such file or directory
Can't init input joystick
mplayer: could not connect to socket
mplayer: No such file or directory
Failed to open LIRC support. You will not be able to use your remote control.

Playing test.wav.
libavformat version 54.6.101 (internal)
Audio only file format detected.
Load subtitles in ./
==========================================================================
Opening audio decoder: [pcm] Uncompressed PCM audio decoder
AUDIO: 44100 Hz, 2 ch, s16le, 1411.2 kbit/100.00% (ratio: 176400->176400)
Selected audio codec: [pcm] afm: pcm (Uncompressed PCM)
==========================================================================
AO: [alsa] 44100Hz 2ch s16le (2 bytes per sample)
Video: no video
Starting playback...
A: 45.4 (45.4) of 215.0 (03:35.0) 0.1%


MPlayer interrupted by signal 2 in module: play_audio
A: 45.5 (45.4) of 215.0 (03:35.0) 0.1%

Exiting... (Quit)

 

[PegLeg]

Hmm, nothing obvious there. The output looks good. Incidentally, your test wav file can be called anything you like and you can use other formats, such as flac files, with mplayer.

It does confirm what I said about needing to address the hiface DAC with "plughw" in ALSA as it works with S32_LE.

While I'm thinking about this, there's one other check you should make. This will need you to have two consoles open at the same time. Start playing music in one with the same aplay command as above. In the second console, use this command:

cat /proc/asound/card1/stream0

You should see info about supported rate and if an async endpoint has been established. If you've still got pulseaudio and/or jackd running I would kill those too before doing this.

P.S. Before I forget the bleedin' obvious, your user is in the "audio" group? Just type "groups" at the command line. I should have aked if you were doing this as root rather than an oridinary user, and if sound worked for root only.

 

[Nuuk]

I'm using the ROOT Terminal but I did type in 'groups'.

music-server nick # cat /proc/asound/card1/stream0
M2Tech M2Tech USB Audio 2.0 at usb-0000:00:02.1-8, high speed : USB Audio

Playback:
Status: Running
Interface = 1
Altset = 1
Packet Size = 1024
Momentary freq = 44102 Hz (0x5.8340)
Feedback Format = 8.16
Packet Size = 0
Momentary freq = 44100 Hz (0x5.8333)
Interface 1
Altset 1
Format: S32_LE
Channels: 2
Endpoint: 1 OUT (ASYNC)
Rates: 44100, 48000, 88200, 96000, 176400, 192000, 352800, 384000
Data packet interval: 125 us
music-server nick #

 

[PegLeg]

OK, you should really be doing all this as a non-root user who should be in the "audio" group. Having said that all the output you've shown would indicate the hiface DAC is working.

In such cases, hearing no sound is typically due to muting or confusion over mixer channels. Both of which should be shown by using alsamixer. You say you've checked this. I assume you picked the USB sound device and not the Nvidia one when you looked for a muted or zero levels. You should set your USB audio device level to 100% via the alsamixer.

There's also the possibility that another app is some how blocking the hiface DAC. It would be interesting to see the output of:

lsof | grep snd

and

fuser -v /dev/snd/* /dev/dsp*

 

[Nuuk]

nick@music-server ~ $ lsof | grep snd
gnome-set 2996 nick mem REG 8,5 453188 402774 /usr/lib/i386-linux-gnu/libsndfile.so.1.0.25
gdbus 2996 3005 nick mem REG 8,5 453188 402774 /usr/lib/i386-linux-gnu/libsndfile.so.1.0.25
dconf 2996 3006 nick mem REG 8,5 453188 402774 /usr/lib/i386-linux-gnu/libsndfile.so.1.0.25
pulseaudi 3123 nick mem REG 8,5 453188 402774 /usr/lib/i386-linux-gnu/libsndfile.so.1.0.25
pulseaudi 3123 nick 20u CHR 116,3 0t0 5011 /dev/snd/controlC1
pulseaudi 3123 nick 26u CHR 116,8 0t0 5092 /dev/snd/controlC0
pulseaudi 3123 nick 32u CHR 116,8 0t0 5092 /dev/snd/controlC0
pulseaudi 3123 nick 34u CHR 116,8 0t0 5092 /dev/snd/controlC0
alsa-sink 3123 3128 nick mem REG 8,5 453188 402774 /usr/lib/i386-linux-gnu/libsndfile.so.1.0.25
alsa-sink 3123 3128 nick 20u CHR 116,3 0t0 5011 /dev/snd/controlC1
alsa-sink 3123 3128 nick 26u CHR 116,8 0t0 5092 /dev/snd/controlC0
alsa-sink 3123 3128 nick 32u CHR 116,8 0t0 5092 /dev/snd/controlC0
alsa-sink 3123 3128 nick 34u CHR 116,8 0t0 5092 /dev/snd/controlC0
alsa-sink 3123 3129 nick mem REG 8,5 453188 402774 /usr/lib/i386-linux-gnu/libsndfile.so.1.0.25
alsa-sink 3123 3129 nick 20u CHR 116,3 0t0 5011 /dev/snd/controlC1
alsa-sink 3123 3129 nick 26u CHR 116,8 0t0 5092 /dev/snd/controlC0
alsa-sink 3123 3129 nick 32u CHR 116,8 0t0 5092 /dev/snd/controlC0
alsa-sink 3123 3129 nick 34u CHR 116,8 0t0 5092 /dev/snd/controlC0
alsa-sour 3123 3130 nick mem REG 8,5 453188 402774 /usr/lib/i386-linux-gnu/libsndfile.so.1.0.25
alsa-sour 3123 3130 nick 20u CHR 116,3 0t0 5011 /dev/snd/controlC1
alsa-sour 3123 3130 nick 26u CHR 116,8 0t0 5092 /dev/snd/controlC0
alsa-sour 3123 3130 nick 32u CHR 116,8 0t0 5092 /dev/snd/controlC0
alsa-sour 3123 3130 nick 34u CHR 116,8 0t0 5092 /dev/snd/controlC0
gconf-hel 3131 nick mem REG 8,5 453188 402774 /usr/lib/i386-linux-gnu/libsndfile.so.1.0.25
cinnamon 3153 nick mem REG 8,5 453188 402774 /usr/lib/i386-linux-gnu/libsndfile.so.1.0.25
dconf 3153 3168 nick mem REG 8,5 453188 402774 /usr/lib/i386-linux-gnu/libsndfile.so.1.0.25
gdbus 3153 3169 nick mem REG 8,5 453188 402774 /usr/lib/i386-linux-gnu/libsndfile.so.1.0.25
cinnamon 3153 3170 nick mem REG 8,5 453188 402774 /usr/lib/i386-linux-gnu/libsndfile.so.1.0.25
gmain 3153 3286 nick mem REG 8,5 453188 402774 /usr/lib/i386-linux-gnu/libsndfile.so.1.0.25
nick@music-server ~ $ fuser -v /dev/snd/*/dev/dsp*
Specified filename /dev/snd/*/dev/dsp* does not exist.
nick@music-server ~ $ fuser -v/dev/snd/*/dev/dsp*
fuser: Invalid option /
Usage: fuser [-fMuvw] [-a|-s] [-4|-6] [-c|-m|-n SPACE] [-k [-i] [-SIGNAL]] NAME...
fuser -l
fuser -V
Show which processes use the named files, sockets, or filesystems.

-a,--all display unused files too
-i,--interactive ask before killing (ignored without -k)
-k,--kill kill processes accessing the named file
-l,--list-signals list available signal names
-m,--mount show all processes using the named filesystems or block device
-M,--ismountpoint fulfill request only if NAME is a mount point
-n,--namespace SPACE search in this name space (file, udp, or tcp)
-s,--silent silent operation
-SIGNAL send this signal instead of SIGKILL
-u,--user display user IDs
-v,--verbose verbose output
-w,--writeonly kill only processes with write access
-V,--version display version information
-4,--ipv4 search IPv4 sockets only
-6,--ipv6 search IPv6 sockets only
- reset options

udp/tcp names: [local_port][,[rmt_host][,[rmt_port]]]

nick@music-server ~ $

 

[Nuuk]

Pegleg, could you please run me through adjusting the ALSAMixer settings to make sure I get it right.

 

[PegLeg]

Happy to do that, just got to let my breakfast go down.

The second command should have a space after the first *

You are still have pulseaudio running, it can get in the way. If possible, it would be better to test the DAC using Lubuntu. The LiveCD should be sufficient.

If you hadn't said the hiface DAC was (still?) working in Windows, I would have suspected the device was faulty. Linux only sees the USB side of the device, but there could be a fault on the DAC/analog side.

 

[PegLeg]

Using the alsamixer:

Type the command "alsamixer" in a console.

Press F6 to select audio device, followed by up/down arrow keys & enter to select USB audio device.

I would expect to see just one PCM level for your USB audio device. Press "m" to toggle muting. Unmuted is with "00" below the level. Use the up/down arrow keys to set the level. Press "esc" when done.

I would strongly advise testing on a system that doesn't have pulseaudio running. I don't use it on any of my Linux installs, and can't test if it's getting in your way.

 

[Nuuk]

No PulseAudio running in Lubuntu. And the ALSAMixer settings were the ones that I tried before.

I've just tried playing music through Audacious and Qmmp, and trying every setting I can find - but no sound.

I was using the hiFace DAC yesterday afternoon with W8/JPlay, and it was working perfectly. Very puzzling to say the least!

Anyway, thanks again for your help Pegleg.

 

[PegLeg]

Something screwy here, all the outputs look right to me. Maybe ask another Linux user to test it on different hardware. You could try emailing Marco at M2tech re: your problem. It's supposed to be "plug & play" in Linux, it doesn't work so return & replace the unit.

Sorry it's a dead end for now. If you do get it sorted, I'd be interest to know how.

 

[Nuuk]

I did report the matter to the M2Tech guys and am still waiting for an answer. If I find out anything I will report back here.

 

[Nuuk]

Pietro from M2Tech has kindly been hard at work trying to resolve this issue. He's given me permission to copy his advice here:

I read carefully the posts on pink fish and did a simple test, I
downloaded the Lubuntu, current release 13.04, ran it from my desktop pc
(live mode), connected a hiFace DAC, configured Audacious and ok
everything works.
Please check the follow:
- Connect the hiFace DAC to the USB port after the Linux has been
started and is running.
- Configure Audacious, please set up the plughhw more, also refer to the
Audacious.jpg (attached).
- Start to play something, if it does not sound then also try out other
audio track.
- Check the mute by alsamixer, please pay attention, the M2Tech USB
Audio 2.0 has to be selected, refer to the Alsamixer.png, the name
appears on the top left corner, press "m" to enable ore disable the mute
and the up/done key to increrease/decrerease the volume, also please
check for both the selector, in the screenshot appears as selector 1 and
selector 2.
- If it still no sound then please try out a couple of headphone.

I tried all that and the results were:

Lubuntu - still no sound.
Audiophile Linux - still no sound.
Ubuntu - still no sound.
Lubuntu live mode - still no sound.
Audiophile Linux live mode - sound!

I don't know if that gives a clue as to what is going on or not.