LinuxMusicians

Hi everyone!

So,

I'm trying to get audio signals routed from my USB-Audio-Interface into my audio server.

I'm running a Manjaro Linux and (hopefullly) I'm using pipewire as a audio server.

At least I followed the instructions, here:
https://forum.manjaro.org/t/how-to-purg ... e/65602/10

Now, the issue is: the Interface itself shows a connection (per LED), but I don't see it anywhere recognized (i.e. within pipewire/ qpwgraph and Ardour).
Or I just don't know, where to check. And at the same time I still need to figure out the routing.

I'm really hoping you guys can help me out, here.

Kind regards,

L4uching_M4n

Oh boy...

just noticed the misspelling within the title....

Gorgeous!

I probably have a different audio device. But it might help for others if you say which brand and exact type you have (if possible w/ link to manufacturer website). The LED's you're talking about might require Windows software to go on and off. Not exactly sure what you mean w/:

connection (per LED), but I don't see it anywhere recognized

Good luck puzzeling!

What you see when run "aplay -l" at the console?

Hi,

sorry for the late response. Btw. just switched to Fedora xfce now.

More Input:

Device - RME Fireface UFX

It seems to be recognized, when being plugged in into an USB-Port (Yellow LED). A blue would mean a USB 3 connection.

Now back to your question:
aplay -l
**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 0: SoundBar [Dell AC511 USB SoundBar], device 0: USB Audio [USB Audio]
Subdevices: 0/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: HDMI [HDA Intel HDMI], device 3: HDMI 0 [HDMI 0]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: HDMI [HDA Intel HDMI], device 7: HDMI 1 [HDMI 1]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: HDMI [HDA Intel HDMI], device 8: HDMI 2 [HDMI 2]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 2: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], device 0: ALC662 rev3 Analog [ALC662 rev3 Analog]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 3: HDMI_1 [HDA ATI HDMI], device 3: HDMI 0 [DELL U2414H]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 3: HDMI_1 [HDA ATI HDMI], device 7: HDMI 1 [HDMI 1]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 3: HDMI_1 [HDA ATI HDMI], device 8: HDMI 2 [HDMI 2]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 3: HDMI_1 [HDA ATI HDMI], device 9: HDMI 3 [HDMI 3]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 3: HDMI_1 [HDA ATI HDMI], device 10: HDMI 4 [HDMI 4]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 3: HDMI_1 [HDA ATI HDMI], device 11: HDMI 5 [HDMI 5]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0

But when using: lsusb it's being listed atleast :
Bus 001 Device 004: ID 2a39:3f84 RME Fireface UFX III

So.... somewhre it is being recognized.

But I lack of knowledge, where to start troubleshooting other than the audio mixer or ardour.

L4uching_M4n wrote: ↑Thu May 25, 2023 1:32 pm

Hi,

sorry for the late response. Btw. just switched to Fedora xfce now.

More Input:

Device - RME Fireface UFX

It seems to be recognized, when being plugged in into an USB-Port (Yellow LED). A blue would mean a USB 3 connection.

Now back to your question:
aplay -l
**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 0: SoundBar [Dell AC511 USB SoundBar], device 0: USB Audio [USB Audio]
Subdevices: 0/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: HDMI [HDA Intel HDMI], device 3: HDMI 0 [HDMI 0]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: HDMI [HDA Intel HDMI], device 7: HDMI 1 [HDMI 1]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: HDMI [HDA Intel HDMI], device 8: HDMI 2 [HDMI 2]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 2: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], device 0: ALC662 rev3 Analog [ALC662 rev3 Analog]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 3: HDMI_1 [HDA ATI HDMI], device 3: HDMI 0 [DELL U2414H]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 3: HDMI_1 [HDA ATI HDMI], device 7: HDMI 1 [HDMI 1]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 3: HDMI_1 [HDA ATI HDMI], device 8: HDMI 2 [HDMI 2]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 3: HDMI_1 [HDA ATI HDMI], device 9: HDMI 3 [HDMI 3]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 3: HDMI_1 [HDA ATI HDMI], device 10: HDMI 4 [HDMI 4]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 3: HDMI_1 [HDA ATI HDMI], device 11: HDMI 5 [HDMI 5]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0

But when using: lsusb it's being listed atleast :
Bus 001 Device 004: ID 2a39:3f84 RME Fireface UFX III

It's recognized as a USB device (by lsusb) which means that the USB cable is probably fine as well as the device itself.

But the aplay -l command tells me that it's not recognized as an audio device. You didn't mention if you have the I, II or III variant of the RME Fireface UFX. The website from the manufacturer RFE is vague about USB class compliancy. It mumbles something about "USB 1.1 MIDI remote control" and "natively compatible to Windows and Mac OS X". I can't find anything about it being an USB Audio Device (I didn't bother to read the whole useless website though). All I know is that most real USB class compliant audio devices are recognized by Linux as such via its kernel module (read: driver). But your mileage might vary and some may not be perfectly supported (yet) by Linux's USB audio driver.

I'll bet you a million dollars that you have to download a driver to get it to work properly in Windows and/or MacOS. As for now: I'd forget about it. It should have been listed in the aplay -l command. Sorry man.

Hi,

it's a UFX III.

That is correct. At least for Windows Systems you've got to install a driver.

RME themselves stated within their forums, they thought about developing drivers/ giving support to Linux as well. But until now it has not been started. Or rather, they have already enough workload atm.

But the reason I was and still am so eager about this is, that within the RME-forums a few people wrote, that the RME-Interfaces also work under Linux, using Jack/ pipewire and I'd really love to use my Linux not just for browsing and switch to Windows for i.e. recording/ editing.

But I also might open up a thread within the RME-forums for this.

I'll keep looking.

So far, thanks and kind regards.

L4uching_M4n wrote: ↑Thu May 25, 2023 5:43 pm

Hi,

it's a UFX III.

That is correct. At least for Windows Systems you've got to install a driver.

RME themselves stated within their forums, they thought about developing drivers/ giving support to Linux as well. But until now it has not been started. Or rather, they have already enough workload atm.

But the reason I was and still am so eager about this is, that within the RME-forums a few people wrote, that the RME-Interfaces also work under Linux, using Jack/ pipewire and I'd really love to use my Linux not just for browsing and switch to Windows for i.e. recording/ editing.

But I also might open up a thread within the RME-forums for this.

I'll keep looking.

So far, thanks and kind regards.

1. RME
Hmmmm. Wonder what exact RME model they got working in Linux in that forum... BTW, the driver for audio in Linux is ALSA and PipeWire and JackAudio are layers (servers) on top of that. So ALSA is the only piece of software that'll support a device or not. The "a" in the command aplay -l stands for Alsa.

Anyway, just out of curiosity, you could run the command below to see if your device is some sort or Midi "thing" like in the cryptic quote from the RME website:

aseqdump -l

Maybe that's what RME means by "USB 1.1 MIDI remote control": that it is some sort of Midi device...?

2. Behringer
If you're eager to try out Linux for audio and you have a few bucks to spare you could try to buy yourself a cheap Behringer U-Phoria series USB audio device. I have the 404 but recently Behringer revised it just a little bit so older kernel driver versions (read: ALSA) wouldn't work (properly) with it anymore. Luckily the developers of ALSA caught the bug and in the latest and greatest Linux kernels it now works again. So if you buy an audio device you'd better make sure you can get your money back if you change your mind.

Some of the U-Phoria devices have Midas pre-amps which, people say, are pretty good. The UMC22 is 60 Euro and has Midas pre-amps.

Good luck and have fun w/ Linux and Music. Too bad the wonderful RME device won't work (yet?) in Linux

Some RME interfaces had to be put into class compliant mode to work with Linux. Is there some way of doing that with the interface you have? E.g. a switch, or a combination of button presses when powering up?

EDIT : Yes, you have to put it into class compliant mode. Instructions for doing so are on page 96 of the manual.

merlyn wrote: ↑Fri May 26, 2023 4:54 pm

Some RME interfaces had to be put into class compliant mode to work with Linux. Is there some way of doing that with the interface you have? E.g. a switch, or a combination of button presses when powering up?

EDIT : Yes, you have to put it into class compliant mode. Instructions for doing so are on page 96 of the manual.

Hi,

that was a pretty good clue. I just checked the manual and noticed, there is a chapter dealing with exactly that.
I'm still at the previous chapter.

So, the interface can use three different modes. One of them is "CC"-Mode which (as stated in the manual) should work under Linux as well. The downside might be, that I'm limited to 18 channels. Currently, I don't cross that limit.

I'll try it out within the next days and report back to you.

Kind regards,

L4uching_M4n

merlyn wrote: ↑Fri May 26, 2023 4:54 pm

Some RME interfaces had to be put into class compliant mode to work with Linux. Is there some way of doing that with the interface you have? E.g. a switch, or a combination of button presses when powering up?

EDIT : Yes, you have to put it into class compliant mode. Instructions for doing so are on page 96 of the manual.

Hi everyone!

As merlyn mentioned:

Running it in Class Compliant Mode did the trick. Thanks a lot!
You'll be limited to 18 Channels. But atm, to me that's not an issue, though.

Next I'll try to figure out how to route audio into wine, for using DIGICheck.

Once again, thanks a lot.
Have a good evening.

Kind regards,

L4uching_M4n

That's good to hear. It was confugured, now it's configured.

L4uching_M4n wrote: ↑Thu Jun 01, 2023 8:07 pm

merlyn wrote: ↑Fri May 26, 2023 4:54 pm

Some RME interfaces had to be put into class compliant mode to work with Linux. Is there some way of doing that with the interface you have? E.g. a switch, or a combination of button presses when powering up?

EDIT : Yes, you have to put it into class compliant mode. Instructions for doing so are on page 96 of the manual.

Hi everyone!

As merlyn mentioned:

Running it in Class Compliant Mode did the trick. Thanks a lot!

Fascinating. I've heard of audio devices that can run in Class Compliant mode as well as in "some other mode" before, but I forgot about that... Just for my information: how did you get it into Class Compl. mode? With (Windows) software or by pressing a key combination on the device itself?

L4uching_M4n wrote: ↑Thu Jun 01, 2023 8:07 pm

Next I'll try to figure out how to route audio into wine, for using DIGICheck.

Once again, thanks a lot.
Have a good evening.

Kind regards,

L4uching_M4n

That software appears to be software from manufacturer RME, specific for RME devices. It might be that the special mysterious "non-class compliant" mode is for that software to work. Luckily, one does not have to run that software regularly: it's for testing and measurement.

And thank you for "informing" us on how this expensive piece of hardware can be used in Linux.

The reason that a UFX III is a possibility for Linux is that all controls are accessible from the front panel. Quite unusual for an audio interface these days. Most require some proprietary software bullshit. The reason for this is that software is cheaper than a physical knob or button, not only in the cost of the button itself, but also in the time added to the manufacturing process to solder the thing in.

The UFX III manual is online, and if you scroll down to page 96, you'll see the instructions on how to use the front panel controls to put it into class compliant mode.