LinuxMusicians

I'm looking for help with getting playback working again from my Tascam US-16x08. I had it working perfectly for several days, but then it stopped inexplicably.

Setup:
OS: Linux Mint 20.3 Cinnamon
Kernal: 5.4.0-139-generic
Interface: Tascam US16x08
DAW: Reaper
Line Out Speakers: New JBL Monitors MkII 305P
Headphones: New SONY MDR-7506
Sound Server Daemon: JACK (qjackctl) w/ pauv control

Background:

I already had PulseAudio volume control installed.

I installed JACK and the pulseaudio module via: sudo apt-get install qjackctl pulseaudio-module-jack

I hooked up my new Tascam 16x08 a few days ago to my computer. I followed this video for set up: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6F9Gt7guWw

I was successfully able to record drums via microphones and guitar via line in, and I still can now. Input is not a problem.

Playback was also working successfully from all sources: browser, VLC, Reaper, etc. This indicates to me I had no issues with the driver and everything was working fine. I was able to start/stop recording multiple times with no issues in playback between each instance of recording.

Yesterday I was recording drums and stopped the recording and went to answer my door. Some time later I returned and tried recording again, but could not hear any playback through my headphones. I tested the monitors as well to no avail.

One potential, but unlikely, contributor is that I left the US-16x08 on overnight at one point. However, it had worked a few times after having done this, and with something that should have an operation life consisting of several hours a day for years, I don't see this being the issue. I do ho have the power saver on.

Attempted corrections:

• Restart PC

• Restart Tascam 16x08

• Unlplug all components and plug them back in

• Purge and reinstall JACK and pulseaudio + restart PC

• Specify output device in Qjackctl as the Tascam US16x08

• Change device selection in Reaper in ALSA, PulseAudio

• Adding the script in qjackctl to execute after startup: pactl load-module module-jack-sink channels=2; pactl load-module module-jack-source; pacmd set-default-sink jack_out

• Using various sample and buffer rates in qjackctl

• Turning the power saver off on the US16x08

I haven't been able to get sound back so far.

Current status:

See images in this link for details of the status of various programs: https://postimg.cc/gallery/yRnr925

• tascam_US16x08_setup.jpeg - You can see that power is on, USB connection exists, and my volume is up on both headphones and line 1/2 out. I have 6mm jacks in both, which were previously working fine.

• alsamixer.png - Shows that ALSA is seeing the US16x08

• qjackctl_settings.png - US16x08 selected with 48000 sample rate and 256 frames/period and 2 periods/buffer.

• qjackctl_sink_connections.png - Shows the PulseAudio JACK Sink is correctly outputting to Lines Out 1/2

• sounds_settings_output - Shows "Jack sink (PulseAudio JACK Sink)" is correctly selected.

• pauv_config_16x08.png - Shows the US16x08 is coming up just fine and correctly configured.

• pauv_output.png - Shows there is output via the "Jack sink (PulseAudio JACK Sink)"

• pauv_playback.png - Shows there is playback per "Jack sink (PulseAudio JACK Sink)" tested with VLC

• reaper_device.png - Shows JACK is properly selected (note: reaper was closed at the time the JACK connections screenshot was taken. It comes up properly and shows connections to playback_1 and playback_2 when running)

• reaper_recording.png - Drum recordings were taken after the issues started happening. I lightly hit a cymbal, tom, and the kick just to show it was working. You can see I was trying to hear the guitar part on solo, but it was not being output.

• tascam_mixer.png - Shows the Tascam mixer from github working fine. This is just for input, so not too related but just showing there are no input issues.

I will also note that while PulseAudio Volume Control shows the output from VLC, browser, and other programs, it does NOT show the output from Reaper. Reaper does properly connect to playback_1 and playback_2 in JACK connections and I can see the playback volume within Reaper itself, but not in PulseAudio Volume Control.

Does anyone have any thoughts on what could be my issue here? I'm new to using Reaper, and recording music in Linux as a whole, but I'm quite determined to keep using the same set up I had. I'm particularly driven because it worked so well at first, so I must be able to correct it.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Artc

I've found the issue. After too many hours of attempting purges, reinstallations, and other unecessary changes, the issue was a setting I had accidentally changed in the custom Tascam Mixer software showing in the video I linked to.

I had unselected the "Computer out to Stereo BUS" option somehow. Might have been an accidental click. Either way, playback is working great again.

Image with setting shown on right hand side here: https://postimg.cc/QBccpWMJ

Hope this helps anyone having similar issues in the future. I've found that I don't actually need the settings in qjackctl that runs commands after startup

pactl load-module module-jack-sink channels=2; pactl load-module module-jack-source; pacmd set-default-sink jack_out

Audio will play from browser, VLC, Reaper, etc., without those commands in place. They may be useful for someone else. I had originally found them here: https://askubuntu.com/questions/572120/ ... dio-device

Back to making music with Linux!

Thanks,

Artc