LinuxMusicians

I'm not sure what happened. I'm running Ubuntu 20.04, and I have this Scarlett audio interface, the computer sees it, I can record into my DAW with it from a mic or guitar cable, but when I play back the audio, I can't get a sound in my headphones or in the monitor---even if the output knob is turned up.

I'm not getting any kind of errors. The computer seems to think it's sending audio back to the box. When I run an audio test from Ubuntu's settings, I'll click front-left and front-right and I get get a little clicking in the left or right headphone.

I also noticed it's showing as surround-sound output, and it gives me the option of 2.1, 5.1, 5.0, or 4.1 surround sound. I have it set on 2.1, and it has a separate control for 'subwoofer'. I don't remember this being the case before. From my recollection, it just showed stereo out---but I'm not sure.

Luckily, I can still record, but I have to play back through the normal headphone jack on my laptop. I'd like to be able to get my headphone audio back.

How is your headphone hooked up?

If its connected to the onboard sound of the mother board. and you hooked up a DAC, its possible that onboard chip gets disabled.

Thanks for the reply. No, it's the opposite: I'm plugged into the Audio interface, not the laptop. Unless I misunderstood your question.

@3x5 Can you check the playback section of the interface's mixer using or ? Sometimes the master output can end up muted, for no apparent reason.

Thanks so much for your help. You were totally right: alsamixer showed that the monitor and headphone outputs were muted for no apparent reason.

I had run alsamixer before and saw that I had volume for these channels, but I didn't notice the [M] under the volume. Navigating to these channels and typing m on the keyboard unmuted them.

I also had another problem, that might be a bug with cadence: I had gone into configuration before, and selected 'duplex' so my inputs were coming from the Scarlett, and the output was the onboard sound card. Then, when I unchecked 'duplex' and selected the audio interface, but I had no sound when Jack was running.

The solution: check 'duplex' again, make sure both input and output are the audio interface, and then uncheck 'duplex' (or leave it on---either way works).

Thanks for your help!

Wowy Kazowy 3x5,

I am so thankful that you replied as to how you resolved this issue. I have a Scarlett 18i20 (1st gen), and experienced the same loss of headphone jack in the hardware, that coincided with upgrading to Ubuntu Studio 18.04. I couldn't figure it out then, so have lived with it, unable to find an assist here. I'd hoped when upgrading to 20.04 I'd find a change, but no. Today simply noticing this thread, by seeing the subject name I thought to look, fully unaware that a potential resolution to this issue was possible with Ubuntu, let alone that it would occur. Had you not written out having changed the [M] to m, I would have still not known that could solve my own long lived problem. And by the way my own had [MM] in those spaces. I had no idea what those symbols represented. This is grand!! Ease of use returns!

Thanks for resolving my issue by typing a few lines. One never knows what might unexpectedly occur when writing out a few words.

Cheers to you!

No Problem. I have a general question about this 18i6: why does it not have an on/off switch? I use to have a presonus Audiobox, and that also had no on/off but it was totally bus powered. This box plugs into the wall, so even if I disconnect it from the computer, or turn off the computer, the box is still on.

I forgot I had left it plugged in and recently realized it has been on, continuously, for like 9 months. Does this matter? Lately I have been regularly unplugging it. Seems weird that it wouldn't have a power switch.

I have no idea as to why your Scarlett would not have a power switch, my own does. A solution could be to use a switched power strip/surge protector between the wall plug and your device. There could be reasons related to heating and cooling cycles over time? Still I don't know that is itself detrimental. I am not an engineer either.