SoundBlaster Audigy 2 ZS - wrong output channel?
by AlvaroG from LinuxQuestions.org on (#6CCZH)
Hi!
I'd like some help regarding a weird issue I am having with a "Creative SoundBlaster Audigy 2 SZ Video Editor" USB sound card, in Debian 12 (previously 11 too) and Linux Mint. I know it is an old piece of gear but it works well for what I need from it, except when it doesn't.
Basically, the issue is that I don't get sound via its Headset connector. ALSA, PulseAudio, and Pipewire exhibit the same behavior: everything seems to work, I get volume meters showing the playback is correct, but there is no sound coming out of the headsets.
The output connector works, because exactly the same setup works well in Windows, without requiring additional drivers.
In two different machines I noticed the first time I plugged it it worked just fine, but every time after that I get silence. I was unable to reproduce that behavior with a Live CD, but I think I noticed the first time the card loads a "dsp" driver but then it just uses "snd_usb_audio". Of course I tried to remove the configuration and restart everything but couldn't make it behave again, I don't know if that is because some configuration was left behind, or because that is not what happened and i'm following a false lead.
Other things I've noticed are that I get two ports I can select in the volume mixer apps (pulseaudio or pipewire, they're just the same on that regard): Headset 2 and Speakers. When I select "Speakers" the thing mutes itself because I have no speakers connected, so that makes sense. When "Headset 2" is selected the power led stays on, indicating the channel is not muted by the device.
Playing with alsamixer I noticed I can see more output channels, the interesting ones being Headset, Headset 2, and Headset 3. Interestingly, Headset 2 cannot be muted, but when I mute what ALSA shows me as Headset, the power led in the device starts blinking.
There is not a lot of info about this device online, at least with regards to Linux. At this point I believe I have two main paths to continue research:
1. Try different drivers for the thing, in case I'm able to find that "dsp" one I think it used when it actually worked
2. Try to force the output to be on "Headset" instead of "Headset 2"
In any case I don't know how to try any of the above. Any suggestions?
Regards
I'd like some help regarding a weird issue I am having with a "Creative SoundBlaster Audigy 2 SZ Video Editor" USB sound card, in Debian 12 (previously 11 too) and Linux Mint. I know it is an old piece of gear but it works well for what I need from it, except when it doesn't.
Basically, the issue is that I don't get sound via its Headset connector. ALSA, PulseAudio, and Pipewire exhibit the same behavior: everything seems to work, I get volume meters showing the playback is correct, but there is no sound coming out of the headsets.
The output connector works, because exactly the same setup works well in Windows, without requiring additional drivers.
In two different machines I noticed the first time I plugged it it worked just fine, but every time after that I get silence. I was unable to reproduce that behavior with a Live CD, but I think I noticed the first time the card loads a "dsp" driver but then it just uses "snd_usb_audio". Of course I tried to remove the configuration and restart everything but couldn't make it behave again, I don't know if that is because some configuration was left behind, or because that is not what happened and i'm following a false lead.
Other things I've noticed are that I get two ports I can select in the volume mixer apps (pulseaudio or pipewire, they're just the same on that regard): Headset 2 and Speakers. When I select "Speakers" the thing mutes itself because I have no speakers connected, so that makes sense. When "Headset 2" is selected the power led stays on, indicating the channel is not muted by the device.
Playing with alsamixer I noticed I can see more output channels, the interesting ones being Headset, Headset 2, and Headset 3. Interestingly, Headset 2 cannot be muted, but when I mute what ALSA shows me as Headset, the power led in the device starts blinking.
There is not a lot of info about this device online, at least with regards to Linux. At this point I believe I have two main paths to continue research:
1. Try different drivers for the thing, in case I'm able to find that "dsp" one I think it used when it actually worked
2. Try to force the output to be on "Headset" instead of "Headset 2"
In any case I don't know how to try any of the above. Any suggestions?
Regards