[SOLVED}_How can I configure ALSA to use usb-soundcard as default?

Question

Hello,
I am trying to figure out how to configure ALSA correctly on my system. I have tried several times following those guides : ALSA_Arch_Wiki, ALSAProject_WIKI_Usb-audio and ALSAProject_hda-intel .
As I understand there are three main files for alsa-configuration. /etc/modprobe.d/file_name.conf, /etc/asound.conf, ~/.asoundrc . Right now I have tried this:
# This File is empty for NOW
pcm.usb-audio {
    type hw
    card 0
ctl.usb-audio {
    type hw
    card 0
pcm.softvol {
    type softvol
    slave {
        pcm "dmix"
    control {
        name "Master"
        card 0
pcm.!default {
    type plug
    slave.pcm "softvol"
pcm.hda-intel {
    type hw
    card 1
ctl.hda-intel {
    type hw
    card 1
pcm.softvol {
    type softvol
    slave {
        pcm "dmix"
    control {
        name "Master"
        card 1
pcm.!default {
    type plug
    slave.pcm "softvol"
But after second reboot My built in soundcard is default again.
cat /proc/asound/cards
0 [SB ]: HDA-Intel - HDA ATI SB
HDA ATI SB at 0xfe024000 irq 16
1 [HDMI ]: HDA-Intel - HDA ATI HDMI
HDA ATI HDMI at 0xfdffc000 irq 27
2 [CODEC ]: USB-Audio - USB Audio CODEC
Burr-Brown from TI USB Audio CODEC at usb-0000:00:12.1-3, full speed
I want to have usb-soundcard as default without disabling my HD built in soundcard. For example, when i am using specific apps i want both soundcards available for example mixxx.
Can anybody guide me to the right direction?
Last edited by zabrielza (2015-03-27 17:07:27)

Answer 1

V1del wrote:
You don't have to have to use every config file theoretically possible and your current setup is probably in such a mess that you are blocking yourself with conflicting configuration. Post the contents of all ALSA related configfiles you might have
/etc/asound.conf
~/.asoundrc (and other ones in your home directory)
In general on a one user standard system you only need an /etc/asound.conf and a /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf any other file is for user-specific configuration which you don't need on a one user system.
EDIT: If that what you posted up there is your current asound.conf, you are resetting your default card away from the usb again. Remove all other definitions except the ones pertaining to your usb card for now to see if you get it working then (and they should have unique names so you should use e.g. pcm.softvolhda-intel if you want softvol for your intel etc otherwise you overwrite previous definitions)
Personally I'd also suggest you switch to using pulseaudio, as it covers all your usecases with way less specific configuration necessary, you could remove all your ALSA config (except the modprobe one) and install pulseaudio-alsa and pavucontrol to control the correct devices. But that's just me, we can still get ALSA to work if you want to get ALSA to work.
I do not have other alsa-related configuration files. /etc/asound.conf and .asoundrc do not exist. In other thread about resetting/restoring alsa, i was told to remove all three files, /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf, /etc/asound.conf and .asoundrc . So i did. And then I created again /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf with the contents i wrote above. So, no, these contents are not in /etc/asound.conf. but in /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf .
Oh, I prefer to work with alsa for now. As I told before there are educational reasons for that too
Last edited by zabrielza (2015-03-26 09:35:44)