Analog audio to USB

Some hardware takes analog input (1/4 jack, etc) and has a digital USB output. Cool. Before purchasing one, I'd like to know what I can do with it. Do any interfaces exist for linux? How does it interoperate with existing software like JACK, ALSA, etc?
Edit: it looks like they work like "just another soundcard". One of the devices I looked at says, "Compliant with USB Audio Device Class Specification v 1,0". I guess ALSA can deal with that, although I can't reach their website at the moment.
Last edited by peets (2007-11-17 21:00:27)

I don't have such a converter, but I have a USB headset. It's just another soundcard in alsa with its own mixer. Maybe that information helps.

Similar Messages

No audio after USB audio accessory is connected

I've discovered what I believe is a rather interesting (and rather serious) bug in the iPhone 2.0 software:
When an USB IAP accessory (such as a lot of newer car stereos) is connected and disconnected a couple of times the audio output from the iPhone will often stop working. Disconnecting the accessory or plugging/unplugging headphones does not fix the problem.
And I mean the audio completely dies: I get no audio from the phone, voicemail, ringtones, iPod, or system sounds from the speaker, headphones, or dock output.
It's like the audio drivers crash. Sometimes the audio will start working again after a long period of time (like if the phone has been sitting idle for hours while I'm at work) but usually I have to reboot to get it working. It seems when I can get audio to work again without a reboot, I get a new crashReporter log about mediaserverd the next time I sync.
The problem occurs when the phone is connected to an iPod accessory that uses the IAP audio-over-USB capability (I tried my Pioneer car stereo and a Kenwood stereo at Best Buy) It does not occur when connected to an accessory that only uses analog audio. I've seen it happen on my iPhone 3G and the original iPhone, so I know it's not a hardware problem.
I know for a fact the Pioneer and Kenwood units I tested are stated as having USB inputs compatible with the iPod Video, iPod Nano, iPod Classic, and iPod touch. (I can confirm the Pioneer does work fine with my old iPod Video.)
Multiple reviews have shown them to also work well with original iPhones running 1.1.4 and below (even if you do get the "not made for iPhone" warning)
However, both phones I tested are running 2.0. Which leads me to think this is a bad 2.0 bug.

moved to different forum

How to import analog audio into garage band

I have an iMac with 2.5 GHz Intel Core 5i 8 GB memory OSX 10.7.5 and I am trying to import analog audio from a reel to reel tape deck so I can edit it and burn to a CD. I have a elgato video capture device with RCA female plugs on one side and USB on the other. (I've used this device to import analog video and audio to iMovie and Adobe Premiere Elements). I am told that I could import analog audio to Garage Band to edit and burn , however when I launch Garage Band I am not sure what part of the program I should be selecting and how to go about importing the analog audio. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Teddy

teddyfromhauppauge wrote:
I am not sure what part of the program I should be selecting
http://www.bulletsandbones.com/GB/GBFAQ.html#selectinterface
(Let the page FULLY load. The link to your answer is at the top of your screen)
teddyfromhauppauge wrote:
how to go about importing recording the analog audio.
http://www.bulletsandbones.com/GB/GBFAQ.html#recordusingaudiointerface
(Let the page FULLY load. The link to your answer is at the top of your screen)

Mac Pro no analog audio input

The analog audio input on my Mac Pro has stopped working. Audio output still OK; USB audio input works fine but nothing from analog audio input.
I know it's getting a signal as I can send the mixer output to a Zoom H4n and it records fine, but I need it to go directly into the computer for tutorial voiceovers. I've tried recording in Quicktime Player, Soundtrack Pro, Camtasia and Screenflow.
I get no volume indication in the System Preferences>Sound panel.
I opened Apple Midi Setup>analog input and I can adjust volume on the two channels but "Master" is stuck at zero. Could this be the problem?

See if a smc reset shakes it loose.
Just to be clear here. Are you inputting into a program and expect to hear it as well? If so, then unless the program itself has some kind of audio playthru to the speakers you need a app like LineIn to handle that function.

Analog Audio on new MacBooks?

I love what I've seen about the new MacBooks. But my primary use is to digitize analog audio and also to stream it back to my home stereo. Can anyone advise about the new MacBook's support for analog audio? Are the stereo mini-plugs (audio in & headphone out) gone?

I found the following about the new MacBooks at the Apple Store:
Headphone port
Headphone/optical digital audio output (minijack)
Support for Apple iPhone headset with remote and microphone
"Headphone" sounds like an analog audio output, but what about an analog audio input? If not, could anyone advise about the world of quality (but small) A/D converters that would accept analog audio for conversion (to USB?) for streaming into the new MacBook (and recording to an audio editing program)?

No output sound from output port/analog audio: Need help

hello, I want to connect my analog audio equipment to my iMac. I have done this in the past with my old G3. I have connected the RCA cables to a 3.5 mm jack and put it into the audio input port, which was what worked on the G3. When I open the sound page for input & output, on Output I can see the volume bar thing moving in relation to the sounds from mic, turntable, etc: all the analog audio things. However, there is no actual output of sound through the iMac;s speakers or a headphone. The output page is pretty simple so I am real sure I have all the rigt things checked, unchecked etc. Any ideas? Thanks.

I had what sounds like a similar problem to jazzzrat. i had my macbook setup to a stereo and it worked for over a year. suddenly no sound came out of the stereo. in my case, it definitely was a software setup thing.
plug in your stereo jack into the audio out port. then go to system preferences-->sound-->output. on there you should see, under "device for sound output": Name=Headphones, port=built-in output. (if you see name=built in speakers, you plugged in the wrong plug). Now go down to the bottom of the window and UNcheck the "mute" box, and make sure the volume slider is midway or more.
For some reason, mac allows you to mute the "headphones" and "built in speakers" selectively. we have no idea how that box got checked, that remains a complete mystery. but when we eventually found -- and unchecked -- the box, our stereo output came back just fine.
i hope this works for you. good luck and have a good new year.

Apple TV2 missing analog audio output for multi-zone system

Found out the hard way that most receivers can't support digital audio in multiple zones (i.e., Zone 2). Since Apple TV2 (ATV2) dispensed with any analog output, if you have a whole-house system that depends on mult-zone to distribute audio to various speakers, you won't be able to use ATV2 to stream music to anything other than Zone 1. The only outputs are HDMI and optical (both digital audio). I think I found a work around (which, of course costs more money) which is a "de-embedding" device from Atlona that takes HDMI in and splits out the audio to analog and passes the HDMI through to the receiver. The analog audio output then lets me connect to the analog in on the receiver so it can stream to all zones. I figure Apple just didn't have enough real estate on the new product to make room for analog, but it's a pain. Hope this helps someone. If anyone knows a better work-around, I'd love to hear it.

I have the same issue with a MacMini I use for music. My solution was to use an inexpensive optical splitter - one feed to the optical input of my receiver and the second to a DAC. Then run standard RCA audio cables from the DAC to the analog Zone 2 inputs.
Here is a link for a DAC
http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?cid=104&cp_id=10423&cs_id=1042302&pid=6884&seq=1&format=2
They should have the splitter as well.

AppleTV audio out to old amp with only analog audio

I'm thinking about getting the Apple TV for both video and for playing my music on my home stereo system. I currently have an old amp with only analog audio capabilities, but the new ATV looks like it only supports digital optical out, and the digital to analog converters I've looked for seem pretty expensive. How can I get the audio from my music collection (iTunes) to play wirelessly through ATV through my amp?
I currently also have an Airport Express which I use for audio, but I was thinking of selling that and just using the ATV since the ATV can essentially do the same thing as the AX with added video benefit. I've seen some threads on streaming audio from the ATV to the AX, but do I really need both? Seems like there should be another way.
I was thinking of connecting the ATV to my TV via HDMI cable for audio, and then using an analog audio out from the TV to my amp. But, if I'm correct, that would only provide me with sound coming from the TV. It wouldn't give sound out from iTunes, for example. Is that right?
Are there any other options?

Followings are my observations in audio streaming with Apple TV 3 and Airport Express through AirPlay protocol:
-- Apple TV 3 come with only digital audio outputs through HDMI and optical SPDIF outputs. If you connect optical link from the optical output to optical input of any DAC and HDMI cable from the HDMI output to HDMI input on TV set, audio output will be transmitted through both digital outputs. Thus is is not necessary to turn on TV set unless visual feedback is required. There is no audio analog line output for Apple TV 3.
-- AirportExpress come with single combo mini jack (digital + analog) for audio output regardless of old/new models. You can connect either digital optical link (with Mini/Toslink adaptor) to digital input of DAC or analog line cable (inferior) to analog line input of amplifier. When analog line is used, digital-to-analog conversion is done by DAC built into AirportExpress for which do not expect quality is as good as most external DAC models. What do you expect from a single-chip DAC implementation vs standalone DAC models cost few thousand dollars ? Moreover analog line is susceptible to interference more than digital line.
So the decision to use Apple TV or AirportExpress, analog or digital transmission for audio streaming depends on whether you need WiFi base station features of AirportExpress to establish wireless network and quality of your audio system to justify all-digital audio transmission. Followings are what I use in audio streaming from iMac/iPad mini /iPhone 5 to audio system in living room. Quality of audio output is comparable with Sonos Zone Player as audio source.
Apple AirPort Extreme wireless base station (802.11n, 5GHz)
Apple TV 3 (firmware 5.1.1, Xtreme HD Toslink optical cable)
Antelope Audio Zodiac DAC
Bel Canto power amplifier
Bowers & Wilkins 683 speakers
Yamaha YST-SW215 subwoofer

Splitting front & back panel analog audio

Hello,
I'm new to arch linux, and I'm trying to reproduce what I was doing using Windows: I have my headphones and my speakers always connected to my computer, and I switched output "by the OS" whenever I wanted to.
Here, in arch linux, I see I have (in gnome sound panel) the two analog outputs I'd like to switch to when necessary: headphones and line-out.
However, both of them seem to output audio only to headphones.
I've tried different things:
- If I remove Auto-Mute, I can have the audio output on both front and back panel. However, if I re-enable it, I just have front panel analog audio
- I've tried this, without impact: https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Pu … ont.2Frear
I guess it's not a real problem with pulse audio but more with drivers. However, I don't know how to fix it.
Would profiles help? http://www.freedesktop.org/wiki/Softwar … /Profiles/
I doubt it, but if it's the way to go, I'd like to learn about it.
Here is info about my hardware:
http://pastebin.com/gnpw0bF4
And about my pulse audio sinks:
http://pastebin.com/zaeS0KD5
Last edited by evjp (2014-10-03 08:23:56)

MSC wrote:Based on your description, I assume your speakers are plugged in to the back panel and your headphones are plugged in to the front? And you're trying to get output to one or the other, but not both?
Indeed, they are both plugged at the same time, and I want to select my "unique" output.
MSC wrote:One thing you could try is muting the headphone output before switching to line out in PulseAudio, or vice versa. See also if you can control the volume independently - can you turn the headphone volume all the way down without also silencing the speakers?
I can't control them independently. Turning the volume down for headphones silences the speakers.
MSC wrote: Failing that, is auto-mute the only setting your card provides, or are there others? IIRC Gnome hides a lot of switches by default; you can see the full list of settings by running alsamixer in a terminal. You should also look over the ALSA page on the wiki if you haven't already. My guess is that it's not an issue with the hardware itself, but rather some setting that needs to be toggled.
I don't see much more in alsamixer... I've tried toggling everything up/down, the only way to output on the speakers (back panel) is to switch Auto-Mute on/off.
In the alsa page, I only see that part as relevant: https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/AL … g_speakers However, it's for HDMI, which is not the case here.
Maybe changing alsa model?
I'm kinda lost...

Sound plays through Matrox MX02 instead of Komplete Audio 6 USB Device =(

In Adobe Premire Pro CC I can't use my NI Komplete Audio 6 usb device for playback. Instead sound always comes out of my Matrox MX02 when I'm scrubbing or playing.
Under Preferences -> Audio Hardware -> Default Device I have selected Komplete Audio 6. When I hit ASIO settings it brings up the expected Komplete Audio 6 Control Panel.
Under Preferences -> Playback -> Audio Device I see options for Adobe DV, Adobe Desktop Audio, and Matrox Player but no Komplete Audio 6.
My system is a custom built Windows7 PC. Any advice on getting sound out of my Komplete Audio 6 instead of the Matrox MX02 would be much appreciated!

the komplete audio 6 seems more problematic than expected.
Preferences -> Audio Hardware -> Default Device -> Premiere Pro WDM Sound causes stuttery playback. I've tried enabling/disableing "Device 32-bit Playback" under ASIO settings and I've also ensured that the buffer size (256 samples) is the same as in my Komplete Audio 6 Control Panel.
Preferences -> Audio Hardware -> Default Device -> Komplete Audio 6 audio playback is fine but if I alt-tab away from PPCS6 the application will freeze as I describe in this thread: http://forums.adobe.com/message/5412540#5412540 ...
I'm running the latest driver/control pannel from Native Instruments (3.1.0) and the latest firmware has been flashed to the Komplete Audio 6 (45).

Analog audio to optical connection

I am trying to connect an analog Bose Cinemate home theater system to my new HDTV. The TV does not have an analog audio in, only a SPDIF (optical) in connection. Is there a way to convert the analog to the optical connection? I was told there is a converter for that, but I have not found one. Thanks for your help.

You should be looking for outputs on your TV, not inputs, as all TVs have analog inputs.
Please post the make and model of your TV set.
Disclosure: Former BBY employee.

Optical Audio - Analog Audio Adapter?

I have been thinking for a while about buying an Apple TV.
One of the main reasons I want an Apple TV is for streaming music through the Apple TV into my stereo system WITHOUT having the TV turned on.
So this means I need to use the Optical Audio port to go straight into the stereo.
I have a Kenwood XD-551 stereo system which is reasonably old and only has Analog Audio input. That means I can't connect an Apple TV to the stereo using an optical audio cable. Is there an adapter I can buy that connects Optical Audio to Analog Audio?
I know I can stream music to the speakers through an AirPort Express (I have a 3.5mm to Analog cable), but I want an Apple TV also to stream HD Movies and TV Shows from iTunes, as well as AirPlay Mirroring from my iPod Touch.
My current set up:
TV --- 3.5mm jack to Analog Audio Input --- Stereo
My intended setup:
Apple TV --- HDMI --- TV
Apple TV --- Optical Audio to Analog Audio Input --- Stereo
I REALLY NEED A SOLUTION TO THIS OR ELSE I MAY NOT END UP BUYING AN APPLE TV

I am also looking for a exactly a similar setup.
streaming music through the Apple TV into my stereo system WITHOUT having the TV turned on
@alexei Ok, so this solution works with you. just to understand the setup,
you connected the apple tv's 'optical digital-audio port' to a DAC using which kind of cable ? links from amazon or other websites will be very useful.
Output from this DAC, you connected to the speaker via 3.5mm jack, correct? again a cable name (both ends) will be extreemly helpful.
With this when you airplayed music on 'apple tv' via itunes just the audio played on your speaker, correct? assuming your TV turned off during the music play.
And when you airplayed video/movies on 'apple tv' it automatically played on your TV.
Just wanted to know, you see only one airplay configured on your iphone/ipad correct ?
If this exact setup works with you..then bingo..I can go ahead buy all those stuff. If you have a different set-up with which you play music and video sepeartely using apple tv then please do share..
Your answers to these quesions will help me to decide if I need to buy Apple TV for music(which is equally important) and watching movies. And the invetsment dosent stop there..therz DAC and cables.
Thanks!
PS: I know I can stream music to the speakers through an AirPort Express, but want to go for apple tv.

Can MacBook Pro output digital audio via usb?

I'd like to output digital audio via usb. Can it be done from iTunes? This would allow me to go directly to my dac and then to my preamp.
Thanks.

Russell, there are quite a variety of devices that accept digital audio over USB from any mac with a USB port - see http://www.trendsaudio.com/EN/Product/USBAudiodesc.htm for one example.
Try a google on MAC USB Audio OUTPUT any you should pop up some useful options.
Cheers
Rod
Message was edited by: Rod Hagen

PulseAudio doesn't recognize analog audio plug

One day pulseaudio just stopped recognizing my analog output jack, It only lists my hdmi audio out and nothing else.
>>> list-sinks
1 sink(s) available.
* index: 0
name: <alsa_output.pci-0000_01_00.1.hdmi-stereo>
driver: <module-alsa-card.c>
flags: HARDWARE DECIBEL_VOLUME LATENCY FLAT_VOLUME DYNAMIC_LATENCY
state: RUNNING
suspend cause:
priority: 9050
volume: front-left: 65536 / 100% / 0.00 dB, front-right: 65536 / 100% / 0.00 dB
balance 0.00
base volume: 65536 / 100% / 0.00 dB
volume steps: 65537
muted: no
current latency: 19.81 ms
max request: 3 KiB
max rewind: 344 KiB
monitor source: 0
sample spec: s16le 2ch 44100Hz
channel map: front-left,front-right
Stereo
used by: 1
linked by: 1
configured latency: 20.00 ms; range is 0.50 .. 1999.82 ms
card: 0 <alsa_card.pci-0000_01_00.1>
module: 6
properties:
alsa.resolution_bits = "16"
device.api = "alsa"
device.class = "sound"
alsa.class = "generic"
alsa.subclass = "generic-mix"
alsa.name = "HDMI 0"
alsa.id = "HDMI 0"
alsa.subdevice = "0"
alsa.subdevice_name = "subdevice #0"
alsa.device = "3"
alsa.card = "1"
alsa.card_name = "HD-Audio Generic"
alsa.long_card_name = "HD-Audio Generic at 0xfbbbc000 irq 48"
alsa.driver_name = "snd_hda_intel"
device.bus_path = "pci-0000:01:00.1"
sysfs.path = "/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:03.0/0000:01:00.1/sound/card1"
device.bus = "pci"
device.vendor.id = "1002"
device.vendor.name = "Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI]"
device.product.id = "aa50"
device.product.name = "Cypress HDMI Audio [Radeon HD 5800 Series]"
device.string = "hdmi:1"
device.buffering.buffer_size = "352768"
device.buffering.fragment_size = "176384"
device.access_mode = "mmap+timer"
device.profile.name = "hdmi-stereo"
device.profile.description = "Digital Stereo (HDMI)"
device.description = "Cypress HDMI Audio [Radeon HD 5800 Series] Digital Stereo (HDMI)"
alsa.mixer_name = "ATI R6xx HDMI"
alsa.components = "HDA:1002aa01,00aa0100,00100200"
module-udev-detect.discovered = "1"
device.icon_name = "audio-card-pci"
ports:
hdmi-output-0: HDMI / DisplayPort (priority 5900, latency offset 0 usec, available: no)
properties:
device.icon_name = "video-display"
active port: <hdmi-output-0>
I should also note that this problem is exclusive to pulseaudio. When I use regular alsa everything works.
How do I make PulseAudio recognize my headphones again?

Well that is the problem, When I use pulseaudio (I just reinstalled it) It ignores the analog audio port completely and doesn't list it anywhere.
Not in pacmd list-cards:
1 card(s) available.
index: 0
name: <alsa_card.pci-0000_01_00.1>
driver: <module-alsa-card.c>
owner module: 6
properties:
alsa.card = "1"
alsa.card_name = "HD-Audio Generic"
alsa.long_card_name = "HD-Audio Generic at 0xfbbbc000 irq 48"
alsa.driver_name = "snd_hda_intel"
device.bus_path = "pci-0000:01:00.1"
sysfs.path = "/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:03.0/0000:01:00.1/sound/card1"
device.bus = "pci"
device.vendor.id = "1002"
device.vendor.name = "Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI]"
device.product.id = "aa50"
device.product.name = "Cypress HDMI Audio [Radeon HD 5800 Series]"
device.string = "1"
device.description = "Cypress HDMI Audio [Radeon HD 5800 Series]"
module-udev-detect.discovered = "1"
device.icon_name = "audio-card-pci"
profiles:
output:hdmi-stereo: Digital Stereo (HDMI) Output (priority 5400, available: unknown)
off: Off (priority 0, available: unknown)
active profile: <output:hdmi-stereo>
sinks:
alsa_output.pci-0000_01_00.1.hdmi-stereo/#2: Cypress HDMI Audio [Radeon HD 5800 Series] Digital Stereo (HDMI)
sources:
alsa_output.pci-0000_01_00.1.hdmi-stereo.monitor/#2: Monitor of Cypress HDMI Audio [Radeon HD 5800 Series] Digital Stereo (HDMI)
ports:
hdmi-output-0: HDMI / DisplayPort (priority 5900, latency offset 0 usec, available: no)
properties:
device.icon_name = "video-display"
and not in pavucontrol.
It's definitely not a hardware issue, The card is recognized and functioning when using alsa.

Displayport audio vs USB audio

I have pre-Thunderbolt 27 display that is offering my 2011 Mac Mini 2 audio options : Display Port vs USB audio
Now, I beleive if I will have to plug in the USB cable either way, to ge the USB hub, microphone, camera to work.
So I don't believe I can necessarily save the USB port (if I could, then why would there be Thunderbolt?).
What I want to know is there any advantage to using Display Audio over USB ?
- Is the sound any better ?
- When I am using USB networking for other purposes, will Display Audio have less USB bus contention and play better ?
- Similar as above, when playing music over Display Port, will my USB devices be faster due to less contention ?
I am leaning towards Display Port audio unless someone can give a definitive answer
Thanks.

You say 'no', but then why did they add the option on the Mac Mini? ie It wasn't to free the USB connector, as that is still used anyhow for the camera, mic, usb hub and software updates.
Software updates? Not sure what that has to do with this. But anyhow I have a mac pro with a 27" mini-displayport apple display and both options are available too. It has nothing to do with power (I'm certainly not underpowered). It's simply that those ports are available audio out devices.
On my old Macbook Pro, when viewing live video from my Hauppagauge HDPVR via a different USB port on the Mac (not the screen), the sound was sometimes choppy if I was doing other tasks as well.
You machine has its limits in processing power and is probably having trouble using too many processor intensive processes. Use your Activity Monitor to see which processes are using large amounts of cpu time.
The display has a USB hub that chains of the USB port, so if have other devices working like my external USB Bluray drive, then I think there could be contention when using that also when reading/writing.
Contention is managed everywhere; hard drives, usb buss, fireware buss, pci buss, memory buss, and any others I can't think of at the moment. You're splitting hairs worrying about sending audio to usb ports which is a blip on the overall processing of generating that audio in the first place. In other words its the processes and efficiency of your machine that are a bootleneck.
So I am really hoping someone will confirm that the audio data was moved to the mini-display plug to provide more bandwidth via the USB controller, or to guarantee bandwidth for consistent audio.
Good luck with that.

Analog audio to USB

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