Audacity Forum

Audacity 2.1.2 Xubuntu 14.04.5

I'm trying to convert vinyl records to CD using an external sound device (Artpro Audio - USB phono Plus)
I've had so much trouble trying to record from this device using audacity that I've given up using audacity for recording.
- error messages like
Expression 'stream->playback.pcm' failed in 'src/hostapi/alsa/pa_linux_alsa.c', line: 4611
Expression 'alsa_snd_pcm_hw_params_set_format( pcm, hwParams, Pa2AlsaFormat( hostFormat ) )' failed in 'src/hostapi/alsa/pa_linux_alsa.c', line: 1789

With these error messages I have no confidence that audacity is recording my audio accurately.
I tried filling a bug report and was told that these error messages were "normal" for Linux.

- other recording issues include failing to start properly, and stalling during recording.

Instead I use the reliable tool arecord to record from the USB device into a single wav file per vinyl record side
and then use audacity to clean up the wav file and split it into tracks.

Much less stressful.

A342WX7 wrote:- error messages like
Expression 'stream->playback.pcm' failed in 'src/hostapi/alsa/pa_linux_alsa.c', line: 4611
Expression 'alsa_snd_pcm_hw_params_set_format( pcm, hwParams, Pa2AlsaFormat( hostFormat ) )' failed in 'src/hostapi/alsa/pa_linux_alsa.c', line: 1789

Those are not error messages. They are just messages that report what Audacity is doing.
Audacity runs on Windows, Mac and Linux and supports a wide range of hardware and sound systems. When Audacity is launched, it has to figure out what hardware, what sound system, and what features are available, It does so by making calls to the sound system and seeing what comes back. If a call fails, then Audacity knows that feature is not available.

A342WX7 wrote: Instead I use the reliable tool arecord

Whatever works for you. arecord is a very lightweight recording application for ALSA, so it's a good choice when computer resources need to be kept to a minimum.