Can no longer record streaming radio from external DAC-tuner

Mintonite · May 18, 2015, 11:32am

Audacity 2.0.5 (installed from Synaptic), Linux Mint 17.1 KDE Edition (with ALSA & PulseAudio)

Since switching to a new computer and another OS I am no longer able to record audio streams from an external DAC-tuner-preamp (Cambridge Audio Sonata NP30) connected by optical cable to the S/PDIF In of the internal ASUS Xonar D2/PM sound card. I had been doing this without trouble before the computer-OS change (with the same Xonar D2 installed). However, Audacity does record the same streams played on the computer through that sound card.

The Audacity Log gives this message:

Error: Failed to get file system statistics (error 2: No such file or directory)

Following the computer changes, I was not getting any sound from headphones connected to the Xonar when the NP30 was playing. This was rectified by creating a .asoundrc file with the following configuration:

pcm.!D2 {
     type hw
     card 0
     device 1
}
 
pcm.!default {
     type plug
     slave {
           pcm "D2"
     }
}

based on:

~ > aplay --list-devices
**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 0: D2 [Xonar D2], device 0: Multichannel [Multichannel]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: D2 [Xonar D2], device 1: Digital [Digital]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  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: NVidia [HDA NVidia], device 3: HDMI 0 [HDMI 0]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 2: NVidia [HDA NVidia], device 7: HDMI 1 [HDMI 1]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0

I thought that once the Xonar was processing sound from the NP30 and outputting it to the headphones, Audacity would be able to record it – but no luck. I suspect that tweaking the .asoundrc configuration might be the key to resolving the issue but don’t know how to achieve this. Otherwise, I’m at a loss as to what the cause could be.

steve · May 18, 2015, 11:50am

Open Audacity and select “Help > Audio Device Info”
Copy and paste the full information from the “device info” into your reply.

Mintonite · May 18, 2015, 2:55pm

Here is the Audio Device Info:

==============================
Default capture device number: 8
Default playback device number: 8
==============================
Device ID: 0
Device name: HDA Intel HDMI: 0 (hw:0,3)
Host name: ALSA
Input channels: 0
Output channels: 8
Low Input Latency: -1.000000
Low Output Latency: 0.005805
High Input Latency: -1.000000
High Output Latency: 0.034830
Supported Rates:
    32000
    44100
    48000
    88200
    96000
    176400
    192000
==============================
Device ID: 1
Device name: HDA Intel HDMI: 1 (hw:0,7)
Host name: ALSA
Input channels: 0
Output channels: 8
Low Input Latency: -1.000000
Low Output Latency: 0.005805
High Input Latency: -1.000000
High Output Latency: 0.034830
Supported Rates:
    32000
    44100
    48000
    88200
    96000
    176400
    192000
==============================
Device ID: 2
Device name: HDA Intel HDMI: 2 (hw:0,8)
Host name: ALSA
Input channels: 0
Output channels: 8
Low Input Latency: -1.000000
Low Output Latency: 0.005805
High Input Latency: -1.000000
High Output Latency: 0.034830
Supported Rates:
    32000
    44100
    48000
    88200
    96000
    176400
    192000
==============================
Device ID: 3
Device name: HDA NVidia: HDMI 0 (hw:1,3)
Host name: ALSA
Input channels: 0
Output channels: 8
Low Input Latency: -1.000000
Low Output Latency: 0.005805
High Input Latency: -1.000000
High Output Latency: 0.034830
Supported Rates:
    32000
    44100
    48000
    88200
    96000
    176400
    192000
==============================
Device ID: 4
Device name: HDA NVidia: HDMI 1 (hw:1,7)
Host name: ALSA
Input channels: 0
Output channels: 8
Low Input Latency: -1.000000
Low Output Latency: 0.005805
High Input Latency: -1.000000
High Output Latency: 0.034830
Supported Rates:
    32000
    44100
    48000
    88200
    96000
    176400
    192000
==============================
Device ID: 5
Device name: SAA7134: PCM (hw:3,0)
Host name: ALSA
Input channels: 2
Output channels: 0
Low Input Latency: 0.012000
Low Output Latency: -1.000000
High Input Latency: 0.048000
High Output Latency: -1.000000
Supported Rates:
==============================
Device ID: 6
Device name: hdmi
Host name: ALSA
Input channels: 0
Output channels: 8
Low Input Latency: -1.000000
Low Output Latency: 0.005805
High Input Latency: -1.000000
High Output Latency: 0.034830
Supported Rates:
    32000
    44100
    48000
    88200
    96000
    176400
    192000
==============================
Device ID: 7
Device name: pulse
Host name: ALSA
Input channels: 32
Output channels: 32
Low Input Latency: 0.008707
Low Output Latency: 0.008707
High Input Latency: 0.034830
High Output Latency: 0.034830
Supported Rates:
    8000
    9600
    11025
    12000
    15000
    16000
    22050
    24000
    32000
    44100
    48000
    88200
    96000
    176400
    192000
==============================
Device ID: 8
Device name: default
Host name: ALSA
Input channels: 32
Output channels: 32
Low Input Latency: 0.008707
Low Output Latency: 0.008707
High Input Latency: 0.034830
High Output Latency: 0.034830
Supported Rates:
    8000
    9600
    11025
    12000
    15000
    16000
    22050
    24000
    32000
    44100
    48000
    88200
    96000
    176400
    192000
==============================
Selected capture device: 8 - default
Selected playback device: 8 - default
Supported Rates:
    8000
    9600
    11025
    12000
    15000
    16000
    22050
    24000
    32000
    44100
    48000
    88200
    96000
    176400
    192000
==============================
Available mixers:
==============================
Available capture sources:
==============================
Available playback volumes:
==============================
Capture volume is emulated
Playback volume is emulated

steve · May 18, 2015, 5:21pm

It looks like something has exclusive control of some of your hardware so that Audacity cannot see it.

What I’d suggest is that you make a backup copy of your .asoundrc file and then delete or move .asoundrc out of the way.
Then reboot your computer (full power-off cold reboot) and wait for the computer to fully boot up.
Avoid opening any applications that may access your sound hardware (including your web browser), and launch Audacity.
Get the “Device Info” again, and see if it show additional options (post the info here).

Do you have “PulseAudio Volume Control” installed (pavucontrol)?
If not, install it. It should be able to take the pain out of messing with .asoundrc files.

Mintonite · May 19, 2015, 1:43am

Yes, pavucontrol was installed from the beginning but I couldn’t get the Xonar to detect external audio (meaning no sound from the headphones) until creating the .asoundrc file. But now, after following your instructions including moving .asoundrc, the external sound does play through the headphones (but Audacity still doesn’t record external audio).

The new Audio Device Info looks like the previous; here it is:

============================== 
Default capture device number: 8 
Default playback device number: 8 
============================== 
Device ID: 0 
Device name: HDA Intel HDMI: 0 (hw:0,3) 
Host name: ALSA 
Input channels: 0 
Output channels: 8 
Low Input Latency: -1.000000 
Low Output Latency: 0.005805 
High Input Latency: -1.000000 
High Output Latency: 0.034830 
Supported Rates: 
    32000 
    44100 
    48000 
    88200 
    96000 
    176400 
    192000 
============================== 
Device ID: 1 
Device name: HDA Intel HDMI: 1 (hw:0,7) 
Host name: ALSA 
Input channels: 0 
Output channels: 8 
Low Input Latency: -1.000000 
Low Output Latency: 0.005805 
High Input Latency: -1.000000 
High Output Latency: 0.034830 
Supported Rates: 
    32000 
    44100 
    48000 
    88200 
    96000 
    176400 
    192000 
============================== 
Device ID: 2 
Device name: HDA Intel HDMI: 2 (hw:0,8) 
Host name: ALSA 
Input channels: 0 
Output channels: 8 
Low Input Latency: -1.000000 
Low Output Latency: 0.005805 
High Input Latency: -1.000000 
High Output Latency: 0.034830 
Supported Rates: 
    32000 
    44100 
    48000 
    88200 
    96000 
    176400 
    192000 
============================== 
Device ID: 3 
Device name: HDA NVidia: HDMI 0 (hw:1,3) 
Host name: ALSA 
Input channels: 0 
Output channels: 8 
Low Input Latency: -1.000000 
Low Output Latency: 0.005805 
High Input Latency: -1.000000 
High Output Latency: 0.034830 
Supported Rates: 
    32000 
    44100 
    48000 
    88200 
    96000 
    176400 
    192000 
============================== 
Device ID: 4 
Device name: HDA NVidia: HDMI 1 (hw:1,7) 
Host name: ALSA 
Input channels: 0 
Output channels: 8 
Low Input Latency: -1.000000 
Low Output Latency: 0.005805 
High Input Latency: -1.000000 
High Output Latency: 0.034830 
Supported Rates: 
    32000 
    44100 
    48000 
    88200 
    96000 
    176400 
    192000 
============================== 
Device ID: 5 
Device name: SAA7134: PCM (hw:3,0) 
Host name: ALSA 
Input channels: 2 
Output channels: 0 
Low Input Latency: 0.012000 
Low Output Latency: -1.000000 
High Input Latency: 0.048000 
High Output Latency: -1.000000 
Supported Rates: 
============================== 
Device ID: 6 
Device name: hdmi 
Host name: ALSA 
Input channels: 0 
Output channels: 8 
Low Input Latency: -1.000000 
Low Output Latency: 0.005805 
High Input Latency: -1.000000 
High Output Latency: 0.034830 
Supported Rates: 
    32000 
    44100 
    48000 
    88200 
    96000 
    176400 
    192000 
============================== 
Device ID: 7 
Device name: pulse 
Host name: ALSA 
Input channels: 32 
Output channels: 32 
Low Input Latency: 0.008707 
Low Output Latency: 0.008707 
High Input Latency: 0.034830 
High Output Latency: 0.034830 
Supported Rates: 
    8000 
    9600 
    11025 
    12000 
    15000 
    16000 
    22050 
    24000 
    32000 
    44100 
    48000 
    88200 
    96000 
    176400 
    192000 
============================== 
Device ID: 8 
Device name: default 
Host name: ALSA 
Input channels: 32 
Output channels: 32 
Low Input Latency: 0.008707 
Low Output Latency: 0.008707 
High Input Latency: 0.034830 
High Output Latency: 0.034830 
Supported Rates: 
    8000 
    9600 
    11025 
    12000 
    15000 
    16000 
    22050 
    24000 
    32000 
    44100 
    48000 
    88200 
    96000 
    176400 
    192000 
============================== 
Selected capture device: 8 - default 
Selected playback device: 8 - default 
Supported Rates: 
    8000 
    9600 
    11025 
    12000 
    15000 
    16000 
    22050 
    24000 
    32000 
    44100 
    48000 
    88200 
    96000 
    176400 
    192000 
============================== 
Available mixers: 
============================== 
Available capture sources: 
============================== 
Available playback volumes: 
============================== 
Capture volume is emulated 
Playback volume is emulated

Mintonite · May 19, 2015, 8:15am

Ignore the Audio Device Info in my previous post – I didn’t turn off the external Internet Radio Player when I hard booted the computer and accessed the data. The latest info is different from the previous, with 3 additional devices listed.

==============================
Default capture device number: 11
Default playback device number: 11
==============================
Device ID: 0
Device name: HDA Intel HDMI: 0 (hw:1,3)
Host name: ALSA
Input channels: 0
Output channels: 8
Low Input Latency: -1.000000
Low Output Latency: 0.005805
High Input Latency: -1.000000
High Output Latency: 0.034830
Supported Rates:
    32000
    44100
    48000
    88200
    96000
    176400
    192000
==============================
Device ID: 1
Device name: HDA Intel HDMI: 1 (hw:1,7)
Host name: ALSA
Input channels: 0
Output channels: 8
Low Input Latency: -1.000000
Low Output Latency: 0.005805
High Input Latency: -1.000000
High Output Latency: 0.034830
Supported Rates:
    32000
    44100
    48000
    88200
    96000
    176400
    192000
==============================
Device ID: 2
Device name: HDA Intel HDMI: 2 (hw:1,8)
Host name: ALSA
Input channels: 0
Output channels: 8
Low Input Latency: -1.000000
Low Output Latency: 0.005805
High Input Latency: -1.000000
High Output Latency: 0.034830
Supported Rates:
    32000
    44100
    48000
    88200
    96000
    176400
    192000
==============================
Device ID: 3
Device name: HDA NVidia: HDMI 0 (hw:2,3)
Host name: ALSA
Input channels: 0
Output channels: 8
Low Input Latency: -1.000000
Low Output Latency: 0.005805
High Input Latency: -1.000000
High Output Latency: 0.034830
Supported Rates:
    32000
    44100
    48000
    88200
    96000
    176400
    192000
==============================
Device ID: 4
Device name: HDA NVidia: HDMI 1 (hw:2,7)
Host name: ALSA
Input channels: 0
Output channels: 8
Low Input Latency: -1.000000
Low Output Latency: 0.005805
High Input Latency: -1.000000
High Output Latency: 0.034830
Supported Rates:
    32000
    44100
    48000
    88200
    96000
    176400
    192000
==============================
Device ID: 5
Device name: SAA7134: PCM (hw:3,0)
Host name: ALSA
Input channels: 2
Output channels: 0
Low Input Latency: 0.012000
Low Output Latency: -1.000000
High Input Latency: 0.048000
High Output Latency: -1.000000
Supported Rates:
==============================
Device ID: 6
Device name: sysdefault
Host name: ALSA
Input channels: 128
Output channels: 128
Low Input Latency: 0.021333
Low Output Latency: 0.021333
High Input Latency: 0.021333
High Output Latency: 0.021333
Supported Rates:
    8000
    9600
    11025
    16000
    22050
    32000
    44100
    48000
    88200
    176400
    352800
==============================
Device ID: 7
Device name: front
Host name: ALSA
Input channels: 0
Output channels: 8
Low Input Latency: -1.000000
Low Output Latency: 0.008685
High Input Latency: -1.000000
High Output Latency: 0.034830
Supported Rates:
    32000
    44100
    48000
    88200
    96000
    176400
    192000
==============================
Device ID: 8
Device name: surround71
Host name: ALSA
Input channels: 0
Output channels: 8
Low Input Latency: -1.000000
Low Output Latency: 0.008685
High Input Latency: -1.000000
High Output Latency: 0.034830
Supported Rates:
    32000
    44100
    48000
    88200
    96000
    176400
    192000
==============================
Device ID: 9
Device name: pulse
Host name: ALSA
Input channels: 32
Output channels: 32
Low Input Latency: 0.008707
Low Output Latency: 0.008707
High Input Latency: 0.034830
High Output Latency: 0.034830
Supported Rates:
    8000
    9600
    11025
    12000
    15000
    16000
    22050
    24000
    32000
    44100
    48000
    88200
    96000
    176400
    192000
==============================
Device ID: 10
Device name: dmix
Host name: ALSA
Input channels: 0
Output channels: 2
Low Input Latency: -1.000000
Low Output Latency: 0.021333
High Input Latency: -1.000000
High Output Latency: 0.021333
Supported Rates:
    48000
==============================
Device ID: 11
Device name: default
Host name: ALSA
Input channels: 32
Output channels: 32
Low Input Latency: 0.008707
Low Output Latency: 0.008707
High Input Latency: 0.034830
High Output Latency: 0.034830
Supported Rates:
    8000
    9600
    11025
    12000
    15000
    16000
    22050
    24000
    32000
    44100
    48000
    88200
    96000
    176400
    192000
==============================
Selected capture device: 11 - default
Selected playback device: 11 - default
Supported Rates:
    8000
    9600
    11025
    12000
    15000
    16000
    22050
    24000
    32000
    44100
    48000
    88200
    96000
    176400
    192000
==============================
Available mixers:
==============================
Available capture sources:
==============================
Available playback volumes:
0 - Master:0
1 - Analog Input Monitor:0
2 - Digital Input Monitor:0
==============================
Capture volume is emulated
Playback volume is emulated

steve · May 19, 2015, 11:01am

I’m trying to identify what devices you actually have in your computer.
HDA Intel HDMI - on-board sound chip ?
HDA NVidia: HDMI - Video card audio out?
SAA7134 - TV card?

Does that sound right?

Where’s the ASUS Xonar D2/PM sound card?

Is this a computer that you built / upgraded?

Mintonite · May 19, 2015, 1:37pm

Yes, I think you’ve got it pretty much right.
This is what the motherboard (with 1 HDMI port) specifications say about the onboard audio:
“Realtek® ALC1150 codec
High Definition Audio
2/4/5.1/7.1-channel
Support for S/PDIF Out”
The video card / graphics accelerator is a Gigabyte NVIDIA GeForce GT 610, also with 1 HDMI port.
My documentation says nothing about the SAA7134, but I found this online: “Philips SAA7134 – A PCI interface chipset from NXP/ Philips that provides video decoder functionality. It is supported under Linux by the saa7134 and associated kernel driver modules.“
Might the Xonar D2 be 1 or more of devices 6-11? The info pasted below suggests that it probably is. It is in KMix (KDE Mixer) and pavucontrol – in both it’s called Virtuoso 200 (Xonar D2) Analogue Stereo.

The computer was custom built for me. I added the Xonar sound card, set up the UEFI BIOS, and installed the OS.

Hope this and the following clarify things. And thanks for your help – greatly appreciated.

alex@desktop:~ > cat /proc/asound/cards
 0 [D2             ]: AV200 - Xonar D2
                      Asus Virtuoso 200 at 0xd000, irq 16
 1 [HDMI           ]: HDA-Intel - HDA Intel HDMI
                      HDA Intel HDMI at 0xf7930000 irq 49
 2 [NVidia         ]: HDA-Intel - HDA NVidia
                      HDA NVidia at 0xf7080000 irq 17
 3 [SAA7134        ]: SAA7134 - SAA7134
                      saa7133[0] at 0xf7800000 irq 17
alex@desktop:~ > inxi -Fxz
System:    Host: desktop Kernel: 3.13.0-37-generic x86_64 (64 bit, gcc: 4.8.2) 
           Desktop: KDE 4.14.2 (Qt 4.8.6) Distro: Linux Mint 17.1 Rebecca
Machine:   System: Gigabyte product: Z97-D3H
           Mobo: Gigabyte model: Z97-D3H-CF version: x.x Bios: American Megatrends version: F7 date: 06/17/2014
CPU:       Quad core Intel Core i7-4790 CPU (-HT-MCP-) cache: 8192 KB flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx) bmips: 28802.7 
           Clock Speeds: 1: 1200.00 MHz 2: 800.00 MHz 3: 800.00 MHz 4: 800.00 MHz 5: 1800.00 MHz 6: 800.00 MHz 7: 800.00 MHz 8: 2800.00 MHz
Graphics:  Card-1: Intel Xeon E3-1200 v3/4th Gen Core Processor Integrated Graphics Controller bus-ID: 00:02.0 
           Card-2: NVIDIA GF119 [GeForce GT 610] bus-ID: 01:00.0 
           X.Org: 1.15.1 drivers: nvidia,intel (unloaded: fbdev,vesa,nouveau) Resolution: 1280x1024@60.0hz 
           GLX Renderer: GeForce GT 610/PCIe/SSE2 GLX Version: 4.4.0 NVIDIA 331.113 Direct Rendering: Yes
Audio:     Card-1: Intel Xeon E3-1200 v3/4th Gen Core Processor HD Audio Controller driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:03.0
           Card-2: C-Media CMI8788 [Oxygen HD Audio] driver: snd_virtuoso port: d000 bus-ID: 04:01.0
           Card-3: NVIDIA GF119 HDMI Audio Controller driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 01:00.1
           Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture ver: k3.13.0-37-generic
Network:   Card: Intel Ethernet Connection I217-V driver: e1000e ver: 2.3.2-k port: f080 bus-ID: 00:19.0
           IF: eth0 state: up speed: 100 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter>
Drives:    HDD Total Size: 1000.2GB (0.8% used) 1: id: /dev/sda model: ST1000DX001 size: 1000.2GB 
Partition: ID: / size: 28G used: 6.7G (26%) fs: ext4 ID: /home size: 875G used: 782M (1%) fs: ext4 
           ID: swap-1 size: 16.00GB used: 0.00GB (0%) fs: swap 
RAID:      No RAID devices detected - /proc/mdstat and md_mod kernel raid module present
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 29.8C mobo: 27.8C gpu: 0.0:54C 
           Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A 
Info:      Processes: 229 Uptime: 3:50 Memory: 1463.4/15909.2MB Runlevel: 2 Gcc sys: 4.8.2 Client: Shell inxi: 1.8.4 
alex@desktop:~ > aplay -L
default
    Playback/recording through the PulseAudio sound server
null
    Discard all samples (playback) or generate zero samples (capture)
pulse
    PulseAudio Sound Server                                                                                                         
sysdefault:CARD=D2                                                                                                                  
    Xonar D2, Multichannel                                                                                                          
    Default Audio Device                                                                                                            
front:CARD=D2,DEV=0                                                                                                                 
    Xonar D2, Multichannel                                                                                                          
    Front speakers                                                                                                                  
surround40:CARD=D2,DEV=0                                                                                                            
    Xonar D2, Multichannel                                                                                                          
    4.0 Surround output to Front and Rear speakers                                                                                  
surround41:CARD=D2,DEV=0                                                                                                            
    Xonar D2, Multichannel                                                                                                          
    4.1 Surround output to Front, Rear and Subwoofer speakers                                                                       
surround50:CARD=D2,DEV=0                                                                                                            
    Xonar D2, Multichannel                                                                                                          
    5.0 Surround output to Front, Center and Rear speakers                                                                          
surround51:CARD=D2,DEV=0                                                                                                            
    Xonar D2, Multichannel                                                                                                          
    5.1 Surround output to Front, Center, Rear and Subwoofer speakers                                                               
surround71:CARD=D2,DEV=0                                                                                                            
    Xonar D2, Multichannel                                                                                                          
    7.1 Surround output to Front, Center, Side, Rear and Woofer speakers
iec958:CARD=D2,DEV=0
    Xonar D2, Multichannel
    IEC958 (S/PDIF) Digital Audio Output
dmix:CARD=D2,DEV=0
    Xonar D2, Multichannel
    Direct sample mixing device
dmix:CARD=D2,DEV=1
    Xonar D2, Digital
    Direct sample mixing device
dsnoop:CARD=D2,DEV=0
    Xonar D2, Multichannel
    Direct sample snooping device
dsnoop:CARD=D2,DEV=1
    Xonar D2, Digital
    Direct sample snooping device
hw:CARD=D2,DEV=0
    Xonar D2, Multichannel
    Direct hardware device without any conversions
hw:CARD=D2,DEV=1
    Xonar D2, Digital
    Direct hardware device without any conversions
plughw:CARD=D2,DEV=0
    Xonar D2, Multichannel
    Hardware device with all software conversions
plughw:CARD=D2,DEV=1
    Xonar D2, Digital
    Hardware device with all software conversions
hdmi:CARD=HDMI,DEV=0
    HDA Intel HDMI, HDMI 0
    HDMI Audio Output
hdmi:CARD=HDMI,DEV=1
    HDA Intel HDMI, HDMI 1
    HDMI Audio Output
hdmi:CARD=HDMI,DEV=2
    HDA Intel HDMI, HDMI 2
    HDMI Audio Output
dmix:CARD=HDMI,DEV=3
    HDA Intel HDMI, HDMI 0
    Direct sample mixing device
dmix:CARD=HDMI,DEV=7
    HDA Intel HDMI, HDMI 1
    Direct sample mixing device
dmix:CARD=HDMI,DEV=8
    HDA Intel HDMI, HDMI 2
    Direct sample mixing device
dsnoop:CARD=HDMI,DEV=3
    HDA Intel HDMI, HDMI 0
    Direct sample snooping device
dsnoop:CARD=HDMI,DEV=7
    HDA Intel HDMI, HDMI 1
    Direct sample snooping device
dsnoop:CARD=HDMI,DEV=8
    HDA Intel HDMI, HDMI 2
    Direct sample snooping device
hw:CARD=HDMI,DEV=3
    HDA Intel HDMI, HDMI 0
    Direct hardware device without any conversions
hw:CARD=HDMI,DEV=7
    HDA Intel HDMI, HDMI 1
    Direct hardware device without any conversions
hw:CARD=HDMI,DEV=8
    HDA Intel HDMI, HDMI 2
    Direct hardware device without any conversions
plughw:CARD=HDMI,DEV=3
    HDA Intel HDMI, HDMI 0
    Hardware device with all software conversions
plughw:CARD=HDMI,DEV=7
    HDA Intel HDMI, HDMI 1
    Hardware device with all software conversions
plughw:CARD=HDMI,DEV=8
    HDA Intel HDMI, HDMI 2
    Hardware device with all software conversions
hdmi:CARD=NVidia,DEV=0
    HDA NVidia, HDMI 0
    HDMI Audio Output
hdmi:CARD=NVidia,DEV=1
    HDA NVidia, HDMI 1
    HDMI Audio Output
dmix:CARD=NVidia,DEV=3
    HDA NVidia, HDMI 0
    Direct sample mixing device
dmix:CARD=NVidia,DEV=7
    HDA NVidia, HDMI 1
    Direct sample mixing device
dsnoop:CARD=NVidia,DEV=3
    HDA NVidia, HDMI 0
    Direct sample snooping device
dsnoop:CARD=NVidia,DEV=7
    HDA NVidia, HDMI 1
    Direct sample snooping device
hw:CARD=NVidia,DEV=3
    HDA NVidia, HDMI 0
    Direct hardware device without any conversions
hw:CARD=NVidia,DEV=7
    HDA NVidia, HDMI 1
    Direct hardware device without any conversions
plughw:CARD=NVidia,DEV=3
    HDA NVidia, HDMI 0
    Hardware device with all software conversions
plughw:CARD=NVidia,DEV=7
    HDA NVidia, HDMI 1
    Hardware device with all software conversions
alex@desktop:~ > arecord -L
default
    Playback/recording through the PulseAudio sound server
null
    Discard all samples (playback) or generate zero samples (capture)
pulse
    PulseAudio Sound Server
sysdefault:CARD=D2
    Xonar D2, Multichannel
    Default Audio Device
front:CARD=D2,DEV=0
    Xonar D2, Multichannel
    Front speakers
surround40:CARD=D2,DEV=0
    Xonar D2, Multichannel
    4.0 Surround output to Front and Rear speakers
surround41:CARD=D2,DEV=0
    Xonar D2, Multichannel
    4.1 Surround output to Front, Rear and Subwoofer speakers
surround50:CARD=D2,DEV=0
    Xonar D2, Multichannel
    5.0 Surround output to Front, Center and Rear speakers
surround51:CARD=D2,DEV=0
    Xonar D2, Multichannel
    5.1 Surround output to Front, Center, Rear and Subwoofer speakers
surround71:CARD=D2,DEV=0
    Xonar D2, Multichannel
    7.1 Surround output to Front, Center, Side, Rear and Woofer speakers
iec958:CARD=D2,DEV=0
    Xonar D2, Multichannel
    IEC958 (S/PDIF) Digital Audio Output
dmix:CARD=D2,DEV=0
    Xonar D2, Multichannel
    Direct sample mixing device
dmix:CARD=D2,DEV=1
    Xonar D2, Digital
    Direct sample mixing device
dsnoop:CARD=D2,DEV=0
    Xonar D2, Multichannel
    Direct sample snooping device
dsnoop:CARD=D2,DEV=1
    Xonar D2, Digital
    Direct sample snooping device
hw:CARD=D2,DEV=0
    Xonar D2, Multichannel
    Direct hardware device without any conversions
hw:CARD=D2,DEV=1
    Xonar D2, Digital
    Direct hardware device without any conversions
plughw:CARD=D2,DEV=0
    Xonar D2, Multichannel
    Hardware device with all software conversions
plughw:CARD=D2,DEV=1
    Xonar D2, Digital
    Hardware device with all software conversions
sysdefault:CARD=SAA7134
    SAA7134, SAA7134 PCM
    Default Audio Device
dmix:CARD=SAA7134,DEV=0
    SAA7134, SAA7134 PCM
    Direct sample mixing device
dsnoop:CARD=SAA7134,DEV=0
    SAA7134, SAA7134 PCM
    Direct sample snooping device
hw:CARD=SAA7134,DEV=0
    SAA7134, SAA7134 PCM
    Direct hardware device without any conversions
plughw:CARD=SAA7134,DEV=0
    SAA7134, SAA7134 PCM
    Hardware device with all software conversions

Mintonite · May 22, 2015, 4:51am

As no Audacity expert on this forum (or elsewhere) has come up with a fix to the problem of it not recording from an external DAC-tuner, I tried ocenaudio. Without any set-up, 2 mouse clicks and it started recording the external audio. Ocenaudio has all the capabilities I require, so goodbye Audacity.

steve · May 22, 2015, 7:30am

How is it doing that? Through PulseAudio or through ALSA?
If the device is working with PulseAudio as it should, then it will now work with Audacity.
If the Virtuoso ALSA drivers are present and working, then it should now work with Audacity.
If neither of those are working then oceanaudio will not work.
For the sake of other users it would be nice to get to the bottom of this whether or not you decide to use Audacity.