Recording with C Media USB Mic

[Kylerickards]

Hi all

I am trying to record a podcast but am having huge trouble with the above microphone.

If I am able to post my sound settings here, could someone advise where the problem may be? I am getting the same sound issues if I am using Linux mint 13 or Linux puppy, so I am thinking it's a hardware issue?

Alternatively am I better getting an XLR mic and some form of interface for my desktop?

Thanks
Kyle

[Gale Andrews]

Please see the pink panel at the top of the page and give us your Audacity details.

Please give the exact model number of the mic. Please describe what the symptoms of the mic problems are.

Is the mic standards compliant (plug and play) on Windows? If it requires drivers on Windows it may not work on Linux.

Help > Audio Device Info... top right of Audacity will give us some information to go on. Click "Upload attachment" under the message editing window to attach a file.


Gale

[Kylerickards]

Please see the pink panel at the top of the page and give us your Audacity details.

Please give the exact model number of the mic. Please describe what the symptoms of the mic problems are.

Is the mic standards compliant (plug and play) on Windows? If it requires drivers on Windows it may not work on Linux.

Help > Audio Device Info... top right of Audacity will give us some information to go on. Click "Upload attachment" under the message editing window to attach a file.


Gale

Hi

It's C Media USB Headphone Set (the microphone is branded Alessi)

The mic is plug n play compliant - I have managed to record some links and things using my set up, it just doesn't seem to work at the moment - or work well in any case.

My Audacity is version 2, and I am using Linux Mint 13. However, if I boot up Linux Puppy, using the same version of Audacity, I get the same audio errors - so perhaps it is hardware based?

This is what the Audio Info screen gives me:

Thanks again
Kyle

Code: Select all

==============================
Default capture device number: 16
Default playback device number: 16
==============================
Device ID: 0
Device name: HDA Intel: ALC888 Analog (hw:0,0)
Host name: ALSA
Input channels: 2
Output channels: 8
Low Input Latency: 0.011610
Low Output Latency: 0.011610
High Input Latency: 0.046440
High Output Latency: 0.046440
Supported Rates:
    44100
    48000
    96000
    192000
==============================
Device ID: 1
Device name: HDA Intel: ALC888 Digital (hw:0,1)
Host name: ALSA
Input channels: 2
Output channels: 2
Low Input Latency: 0.011610
Low Output Latency: 0.011610
High Input Latency: 0.046440
High Output Latency: 0.046440
Supported Rates:
    44100
    48000
    88200
    96000
    192000
==============================
Device ID: 2
Device name: HDA Intel: ALC888 Analog (hw:0,2)
Host name: ALSA
Input channels: 2
Output channels: 0
Low Input Latency: 0.011610
Low Output Latency: -1.000000
High Input Latency: 0.046440
High Output Latency: -1.000000
Supported Rates:
==============================
Device ID: 3
Device name: USB Camera: USB Audio (hw:1,0)
Host name: ALSA
Input channels: 1
Output channels: 0
Low Input Latency: 0.011610
Low Output Latency: -1.000000
High Input Latency: 0.046440
High Output Latency: -1.000000
Supported Rates:
==============================
Device ID: 4
Device name: C-Media USB Headphone Set: USB Audio (hw:2,0)
Host name: ALSA
Input channels: 1
Output channels: 2
Low Input Latency: 0.011610
Low Output Latency: 0.011610
High Input Latency: 0.046440
High Output Latency: 0.046440
Supported Rates:
    44100
    48000
==============================
Device ID: 5
Device name: sysdefault
Host name: ALSA
Input channels: 128
Output channels: 128
Low Input Latency: 0.042653
Low Output Latency: 0.042653
High Input Latency: 0.046440
High Output Latency: 0.046440
Supported Rates:
    8000
    9600
    11025
    16000
    22050
    32000
    44100
    48000
    88200
==============================
Device ID: 6
Device name: front
Host name: ALSA
Input channels: 0
Output channels: 8
Low Input Latency: -1.000000
Low Output Latency: 0.011610
High Input Latency: -1.000000
High Output Latency: 0.046440
Supported Rates:
    44100
    48000
    96000
    192000
==============================
Device ID: 7
Device name: surround40
Host name: ALSA
Input channels: 0
Output channels: 8
Low Input Latency: -1.000000
Low Output Latency: 0.011610
High Input Latency: -1.000000
High Output Latency: 0.046440
Supported Rates:
    44100
    48000
    96000
    192000
==============================
Device ID: 8
Device name: surround41
Host name: ALSA
Input channels: 0
Output channels: 128
Low Input Latency: -1.000000
Low Output Latency: 0.011610
High Input Latency: -1.000000
High Output Latency: 0.046440
Supported Rates:
    44100
    48000
    96000
    192000
==============================
Device ID: 9
Device name: surround50
Host name: ALSA
Input channels: 0
Output channels: 128
Low Input Latency: -1.000000
Low Output Latency: 0.011610
High Input Latency: -1.000000
High Output Latency: 0.046440
Supported Rates:
    44100
    48000
    96000
    192000
==============================
Device ID: 10
Device name: surround51
Host name: ALSA
Input channels: 0
Output channels: 8
Low Input Latency: -1.000000
Low Output Latency: 0.011610
High Input Latency: -1.000000
High Output Latency: 0.046440
Supported Rates:
    44100
    48000
    96000
    192000
==============================
Device ID: 11
Device name: surround71
Host name: ALSA
Input channels: 0
Output channels: 8
Low Input Latency: -1.000000
Low Output Latency: 0.011610
High Input Latency: -1.000000
High Output Latency: 0.046440
Supported Rates:
    44100
    48000
    96000
    192000
==============================
Device ID: 12
Device name: iec958
Host name: ALSA
Input channels: 0
Output channels: 2
Low Input Latency: -1.000000
Low Output Latency: 0.011610
High Input Latency: -1.000000
High Output Latency: 0.046440
Supported Rates:
    44100
    48000
    88200
    96000
    192000
==============================
Device ID: 13
Device name: spdif
Host name: ALSA
Input channels: 2
Output channels: 2
Low Input Latency: 0.011610
Low Output Latency: 0.011610
High Input Latency: 0.046440
High Output Latency: 0.046440
Supported Rates:
    44100
    48000
    88200
    96000
    192000
==============================
Device ID: 14
Device name: pulse
Host name: ALSA
Input channels: 32
Output channels: 32
Low Input Latency: 0.011610
Low Output Latency: 0.011610
High Input Latency: 0.046440
High Output Latency: 0.046440
Supported Rates:
    8000
    9600
    11025
    12000
    15000
    16000
    22050
    24000
    32000
    44100
    48000
    88200
    96000
    192000
==============================
Device ID: 15
Device name: dmix
Host name: ALSA
Input channels: 0
Output channels: 2
Low Input Latency: -1.000000
Low Output Latency: 0.042667
High Input Latency: -1.000000
High Output Latency: 0.042667
Supported Rates:
    48000
==============================
Device ID: 16
Device name: default
Host name: ALSA
Input channels: 32
Output channels: 32
Low Input Latency: 0.011610
Low Output Latency: 0.011610
High Input Latency: 0.046440
High Output Latency: 0.046440
Supported Rates:
    8000
    9600
    11025
    12000
    15000
    16000
    22050
    24000
    32000
    44100
    48000
    88200
    96000
    192000
==============================
Selected capture device: 4 - C-Media USB Headphone Set: USB Audio (hw:2,0)
Selected playback device: 16 - default
Supported Rates:
    44100
    48000
==============================
Available mixers:
==============================
Available capture sources:
0 - Rear Mic:0
1 - Front Mic:0
2 - Line:0
3 - Rear Mic:1
4 - Front Mic:1
5 - Line:1
==============================
Available playback volumes:
0 - Master:0
1 - Headphone:0
2 - PCM:0
3 - Front:0
4 - Front Mic:0
5 - Front Mic Boost:0
6 - Surround:0
7 - Center:0
8 - LFE:0
9 - Side:0
10 - Line:0
11 - Rear Mic:0
12 - Rear Mic Boost:0
==============================
Capture volume is native
Playback volume is native

[Gale Andrews]

My Audacity is version 2

There is no such version. As requested please give us all three Audacity numbers from Help > About Audacity... and tell us exactly how you obtained it.

I am using Linux Mint 13. However, if I boot up Linux Puppy, using the same version of Audacity, I get the same audio errors - so perhaps it is hardware based?

Please tell us exactly what the errors say and exactly where they appear. If the mic records sometimes but does not record well, please describe the symptoms of that less than perfect recording.

Do you have the Audacity project rate set to a rate supported by your mic (apparently 44100 Hz or 48000 Hz)?


Gale

[Kylerickards]

My Audacity is version 2

There is no such version. As requested please give us all three Audacity numbers from Help > About Audacity... and tell us exactly how you obtained it.

I am using Linux Mint 13. However, if I boot up Linux Puppy, using the same version of Audacity, I get the same audio errors - so perhaps it is hardware based?

Please tell us exactly what the errors say and exactly where they appear. If the mic records sometimes but does not record well, please describe the symptoms of that less than perfect recording.

Do you have the Audacity project rate set to a rate supported by your mic (apparently 44100 Hz or 48000 Hz)?


Gale

Hi

My Audacity is 2.0.0. I believe I got it from the Repo's (from Sourceforge). The build date is Jun 25 2012 (EDIT: Have just updated to 2.1.0)

Sometimes I get a latency error (which I don't understand). If it does record then I have the hiss like it's picking up another audio track in the background.

The recording rate is 44100 Hz.

I don't understand why all those devices are listed as selectable devices. (Screen shot attached)

Interestingly, if I use my macbook and the mic, and audacity I have no issues recording things?

[Kylerickards]

Hi

I'm sorry, I appreciate you trying to help but I am now so frustrated I may just not bother recording things any more. I have no idea what settings I should be changing in my hardware and no recordings are working now. I appreciate it must be annoying for you when you are trying to help but I have wasted days on this now. I should just go back to using my MacBook.

Thanks
K

[steve]

Sometimes I get a latency error (which I don't understand).

That usually means that the recording has stalled almost immediately and that because it is not the first track in the Audacity project, the "latency correction" settings have pushed the tiny bit of recording that exist before the start of the track. When doing overdubs, "latency correction" is applied automatically to keep all of the tracks synchronised. So in short it means "Oops, the recording has stopped really suddenly".

I don't understand why all those devices are listed as selectable devices. (Screen shot attached)

Basically it's because hardly any hardware manufacturers make drivers for Linux. It's therefore down to the Linux community to develop drivers, which is often hindered by manufacturers withholding technical information about how the device implements the chipset that is being used. Drivers on Linux are therefore usually based on the chipset rather than the specific implementation. In the case of your onboard sound card, the chipset is ALC888, which really does have all of those inputs and outputs, though the way that the motherboard manufacturer has probably only implemented a few of the ins and outs provided by the chip.

You're really not doing yourself any favours by using such an old version of Mint. I'm aware that there were problems with the ALC888 chip on Linux about 3 years ago. I've no idea if that is part of the problem that you are experiencing, but on Linux it is really worth keeping up to date as improving hardware support is continuously ongoing.

[Gale Andrews]

Also should the USB devices in Preferences be showing subdevices like those on the motherboard chip? That does not correspond with Audio Device Info.

Gale

[steve]

I'd suggest closing Audacity, then opening "Pulse Audio Volume Control". If it's not installed, you can install it from the terminal with:

Code: Select all

sudo apt-get install pavucontrol

Pavucontrol is a GUI for the PulseAudio mixer. From there you should be able to select the headset mic as the default recording device and ensure that it is working correctly.
Audacity "should" then be able to use the "default" device for recording, though there is a bug that "may" cause Audacity to sometimes freeze when play/record/stop are rapidly switched - we can deal with that problem if it occurs.

[kozikowski]

Use the Mac.

I can clear the IT office in fifteen seconds by walking in and saying: "Hi. I have a Linux audio problem."

"Was that the fire alarm? Can't take chances"
"Would you look at the time."
"I just remembered a dentist appointment."
"I think I hear me mum calling."

The company once got a series of sound cards that had negative Linux drivers. It would have been better had they not existed at all. They made the soundcards almost work—enough so we couldn't throw them out, but not enough to be useful.

Koz