I registered on the forum just so I could jump in on this issue. This exact problem has been happening to me too ever since I got a new motherboard: ASUS PRIME X370-PRO with a Starship/Matisse HD Audio Controller. It’s been two frustrating years since I’m trying to understand the issue with little success. What makes it all the more annoying is I couldn’t find anyone else describing the problem… until stumbling upon this thread by sheer luck, this is literally the only place where someone other than me talks about this one. I did so much debugging I’m not sure where to even begin.
First of all I caught the issue under two Linux distributions: openSUSE Tumbleweed was the first, early this year I switched to Manjaro and it persists… both are the KDE / Plasma versions (X11 not Wayland). The issue is exactly as described here: My microphone normally works well when I start up my computer, I can use it just fine in Discord or Firefox. The moment I open Audacity however, the microphone is permanently lagged, causing recording to work extremely slowly and the produced result to be a sped up mess (as if 20 seconds are condensed into 1) in any application I use. Nothing will fix the microphone past this point except for a full system restart: Not logging out and back in, plugging the mic into another port (front panel or back), changing device profiles, restarting pulseaudio, not even restarting alsa itself with the alsactl command.
The first thing I’ve been trying to understand is which daemon or module gets broken: The issue is clearly occurring beyond ALSA and PA close to hardware level, there must be a component that can be restarted at runtime but which one? Right now I can’t test how settings in Audacity influence the problem: I need to restart the whole machine to try any change, as once Audacity is open the whole thing’s broken forever… once I find a way to fix it at runtime I can better verify which settings may or may not influence the problem.
One thing worth adding: Only the onboard audio device ever gets broken! I can still record fine using my USB webcam, both in Audacity and any other application… currently I’m using this as a workaround where I can. Playback itself is never affected on any device.
Help would be greatly appreciated to finally nail this down. Let me know what other info you need from me. Here are some outputs I thought might be relevant: The first is what gets printed when I run Audacity from a console, record with the broken microphone, then exit.
[mircea@linux-qz0r ~]$ audacity
Gtk-Message: 17:14:46.441: Failed to load module "appmenu-gtk-module"
ALSA lib pcm_dsnoop.c:600:(snd_pcm_dsnoop_open) unable to open slave
ALSA lib pcm_dmix.c:1035:(snd_pcm_dmix_open) unable to open slave
ALSA lib pcm.c:2660:(snd_pcm_open_noupdate) Unknown PCM cards.pcm.rear
ALSA lib pcm.c:2660:(snd_pcm_open_noupdate) Unknown PCM cards.pcm.center_lfe
ALSA lib pcm.c:2660:(snd_pcm_open_noupdate) Unknown PCM cards.pcm.side
Cannot connect to server socket err = No such file or directory
Cannot connect to server request channel
jack server is not running or cannot be started
JackShmReadWritePtr::~JackShmReadWritePtr - Init not done for -1, skipping unlock
JackShmReadWritePtr::~JackShmReadWritePtr - Init not done for -1, skipping unlock
Cannot connect to server socket err = No such file or directory
Cannot connect to server request channel
jack server is not running or cannot be started
JackShmReadWritePtr::~JackShmReadWritePtr - Init not done for -1, skipping unlock
JackShmReadWritePtr::~JackShmReadWritePtr - Init not done for -1, skipping unlock
ALSA lib pcm_oss.c:397:(_snd_pcm_oss_open) Cannot open device /dev/dsp
ALSA lib pcm_oss.c:397:(_snd_pcm_oss_open) Cannot open device /dev/dsp
ALSA lib confmisc.c:160:(snd_config_get_card) Invalid field card
ALSA lib pcm_usb_stream.c:482:(_snd_pcm_usb_stream_open) Invalid card 'card'
ALSA lib confmisc.c:160:(snd_config_get_card) Invalid field card
ALSA lib pcm_usb_stream.c:482:(_snd_pcm_usb_stream_open) Invalid card 'card'
ALSA lib pcm_dmix.c:1035:(snd_pcm_dmix_open) unable to open slave
Cannot connect to server socket err = No such file or directory
Cannot connect to server request channel
jack server is not running or cannot be started
JackShmReadWritePtr::~JackShmReadWritePtr - Init not done for -1, skipping unlock
JackShmReadWritePtr::~JackShmReadWritePtr - Init not done for -1, skipping unlock
17:14:48: Debug: ScreenToClient cannot work when toplevel window is not shown
17:14:48: Debug: ScreenToClient cannot work when toplevel window is not shown
17:14:48: Debug: ScreenToClient cannot work when toplevel window is not shown
17:14:48: Debug: ScreenToClient cannot work when toplevel window is not shown
17:14:48: Debug: ScreenToClient cannot work when toplevel window is not shown
17:14:48: Debug: ScreenToClient cannot work when toplevel window is not shown
17:14:48: Debug: ScreenToClient cannot work when toplevel window is not shown
17:14:48: Debug: ScreenToClient cannot work when toplevel window is not shown
17:14:48: Debug: ScreenToClient cannot work when toplevel window is not shown
17:14:48: Debug: ScreenToClient cannot work when toplevel window is not shown
17:14:48: Debug: ScreenToClient cannot work when toplevel window is not shown
17:14:48: Debug: ScreenToClient cannot work when toplevel window is not shown
17:14:48: Debug: ScreenToClient cannot work when toplevel window is not shown
Expression 'ret' failed in 'src/hostapi/alsa/pa_linux_alsa.c', line: 1736
Expression 'AlsaOpen( &alsaApi->baseHostApiRep, params, streamDir, &self->pcm )' failed in 'src/hostapi/alsa/pa_linux_alsa.c', line: 1904
Expression 'PaAlsaStreamComponent_Initialize( &self->capture, alsaApi, inParams, StreamDirection_In, NULL != callback )' failed in 'src/hostapi/alsa/pa_linux_alsa.c', line: 2171
Expression 'PaAlsaStream_Initialize( stream, alsaHostApi, inputParameters, outputParameters, sampleRate, framesPerBuffer, callback, streamFlags, userData )' failed in 'src/hostapi/alsa/pa_linux_alsa.c', line: 2839
Expression 'stream->playback.pcm' failed in 'src/hostapi/alsa/pa_linux_alsa.c', line: 4628
Expression 'stream->playback.pcm' failed in 'src/hostapi/alsa/pa_linux_alsa.c', line: 4628
Expression 'stream->playback.pcm' failed in 'src/hostapi/alsa/pa_linux_alsa.c', line: 4628
Expression 'stream->playback.pcm' failed in 'src/hostapi/alsa/pa_linux_alsa.c', line: 4628
17:14:50: Debug: ScreenToClient cannot work when toplevel window is not shown
17:14:50: Debug: ScreenToClient cannot work when toplevel window is not shown
17:14:50: Debug: ScreenToClient cannot work when toplevel window is not shown
17:14:50: Debug: ScreenToClient cannot work when toplevel window is not shown
17:14:50: Debug: ScreenToClient cannot work when toplevel window is not shown
17:14:50: Debug: ScreenToClient cannot work when toplevel window is not shown
17:14:50: Debug: ScreenToClient cannot work when toplevel window is not shown
17:14:50: Debug: ScreenToClient cannot work when toplevel window is not shown
17:14:50: Debug: ScreenToClient cannot work when toplevel window is not shown
17:14:50: Debug: ScreenToClient cannot work when toplevel window is not shown
17:14:50: Debug: ScreenToClient cannot work when toplevel window is not shown
17:14:50: Debug: ScreenToClient cannot work when toplevel window is not shown
17:14:50: Debug: ScreenToClient cannot work when toplevel window is not shown
17:14:50: Debug: ScreenToClient cannot work when toplevel window is not shown
17:14:50: Debug: ScreenToClient cannot work when toplevel window is not shown
17:14:50: Debug: ScreenToClient cannot work when toplevel window is not shown
17:14:50: Debug: ScreenToClient cannot work when toplevel window is not shown
17:14:50: Debug: ScreenToClient cannot work when toplevel window is not shown
17:14:50: Debug: ScreenToClient cannot work when toplevel window is not shown
17:14:50: Debug: ClientToScreen cannot work when toplevel window is not shown
17:14:50: Debug: ClientToScreen cannot work when toplevel window is not shown
17:14:50: Debug: ClientToScreen cannot work when toplevel window is not shown
17:14:50: Debug: ClientToScreen cannot work when toplevel window is not shown
17:14:50: Debug: ClientToScreen cannot work when toplevel window is not shown
17:14:50: Debug: ClientToScreen cannot work when toplevel window is not shown
17:14:50: Debug: ClientToScreen cannot work when toplevel window is not shown
17:14:50: Debug: ClientToScreen cannot work when toplevel window is not shown
17:14:50: Debug: ClientToScreen cannot work when toplevel window is not shown
17:14:50: Debug: ClientToScreen cannot work when toplevel window is not shown
17:14:50: Debug: ClientToScreen cannot work when toplevel window is not shown
17:14:50: Debug: ClientToScreen cannot work when toplevel window is not shown
17:14:50: Debug: ClientToScreen cannot work when toplevel window is not shown
17:14:50: Debug: ClientToScreen cannot work when toplevel window is not shown
17:14:50: Debug: ClientToScreen cannot work when toplevel window is not shown
17:14:50: Debug: ClientToScreen cannot work when toplevel window is not shown
17:14:50: Debug: ClientToScreen cannot work when toplevel window is not shown
17:14:50: Debug: ClientToScreen cannot work when toplevel window is not shown
17:14:50: Debug: ClientToScreen cannot work when toplevel window is not shown
17:14:50: Debug: ClientToScreen cannot work when toplevel window is not shown
17:14:50: Debug: ClientToScreen cannot work when toplevel window is not shown
17:14:50: Debug: ClientToScreen cannot work when toplevel window is not shown
17:14:50: Debug: Unrecognized accel key 'backspace', accel string ignored.
17:14:50: Debug: Unrecognized accel key 'backspace', accel string ignored.
17:14:50: Debug: Unrecognized accel key 'numpad_enter', accel string ignored.
17:14:50: Debug: Unrecognized accel key 'numpad_enter', accel string ignored.
[mircea@linux-qz0r ~]$ alsactl init
alsa-lib parser.c:242:(error_node) UCM is not supported for this HDA model (HDA ATI HDMI at 0xfce60000 irq 109)
alsa-lib main.c:1405:(snd_use_case_mgr_open) error: failed to import hw:0 use case configuration -6
Found hardware: "HDA-Intel" "ATI R6xx HDMI" "HDA:1002aa01,00aa0100,00100500" "0x1682" "0xaac8"
Hardware is initialized using a generic method
alsa-lib parser.c:242:(error_node) UCM is not supported for this HDA model (HD-Audio Generic at 0xfc800000 irq 111)
alsa-lib main.c:1405:(snd_use_case_mgr_open) error: failed to import hw:1 use case configuration -6
Found hardware: "HDA-Intel" "Realtek ALC1220" "HDA:10ec1168,10438733,00100003" "0x1043" "0x8733"
Hardware is initialized using a generic method
alsa-lib main.c:1405:(snd_use_case_mgr_open) error: failed to import hw:2 use case configuration -2
Found hardware: "USB-Audio" "USB Mixer" "USB045e:076d" "" ""
Hardware is initialized using a generic method
[mircea@linux-qz0r ~]$ arecord -l
**** List of CAPTURE Hardware Devices ****
card 1: Generic [HD-Audio Generic], device 0: ALC1220 Analog [ALC1220 Analog]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: Generic [HD-Audio Generic], device 2: ALC1220 Alt Analog [ALC1220 Alt Analog]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 2: HD5000 [Microsoft® LifeCam HD-5000], device 0: USB Audio [USB Audio]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
[mircea@linux-qz0r ~]$ aplay -l
**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 0: HDMI [HDA ATI HDMI], device 3: HDMI 0 [HDMI 0]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: HDMI [HDA ATI HDMI], device 7: HDMI 1 [HDMI 1]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: HDMI [HDA ATI HDMI], device 8: HDMI 2 [HDMI 2]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: HDMI [HDA ATI HDMI], device 9: HDMI 3 [HDMI 3]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: HDMI [HDA ATI HDMI], device 10: HDMI 4 [HDMI 4]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: HDMI [HDA ATI HDMI], device 11: HDMI 5 [HDMI 5]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: Generic [HD-Audio Generic], device 0: ALC1220 Analog [ALC1220 Analog]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: Generic [HD-Audio Generic], device 1: ALC1220 Digital [ALC1220 Digital]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0