Headphones stopped working, please help

[Frunobulax]

Hi all -

I used to be able to use my USB headset in Mint. Sometimes it was randomly twitchy (had to manually set the device, etc) but usually I could get them to work. Now I can't. All I can think is that some recent update has broken something. The problem is that for some reason something keeps switching the output hardware to my built-in sound card even when I manually select the headphones (which are detected and do show up in the output hardware list).

So, I plug in my headset. Linux seems to recognize them (see syslog entries below). And they show up in the "hardware" list in the Sound Preferences dialog along with my built in sound card (i.e., speakers). If I go into Sound Preferences and manually select the headphones in the Hardware tab, and then press the "test speakers" button, IT WORKS! I can hear the test voice in the headphones. So there does not seem to be a hardware connection problem, and the volume level settings seem OK. BUT when I close/switch away from the Sound Preferences dialog.... no sound in headphones. I can't hear anything no matter what app I use. If I launch Sound Preferences again, for some reason the output device has been switched back to "Built-In Audio." No matter how many times I try this it does the same thing: the speaker tests work, but no other app can play sound, probably because the hardware changes back without me telling it to.

The headphones work perfectly when I boot into my Win10 partition.

Any suggestions would be very welcome - my living situation requires me to use headphones a lot so as to not disturb others.

Below is a little troubleshooting information. I am happy to provide any other diagnostic info you might want.

Thanks!!!

Code: Select all

Linux CB143 4.15.0-34-generic #37~16.04.1-Ubuntu SMP Tue Aug 28 10:44:06 UTC 2018 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

Oct  3 01:31:15 CB143 kernel: [36218.827539] usb 3-3: new full-speed USB device number 2 using xhci_hcd
Oct  3 01:31:15 CB143 kernel: [36218.993789] usb 3-3: New USB device found, idVendor=046d, idProduct=0a44
Oct  3 01:31:15 CB143 kernel: [36218.993793] usb 3-3: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=0
Oct  3 01:31:15 CB143 kernel: [36218.993795] usb 3-3: Product: Logitech USB Headset
Oct  3 01:31:15 CB143 kernel: [36218.993798] usb 3-3: Manufacturer: Logitech
Oct  3 01:31:15 CB143 kernel: [36218.996279] input: Logitech Logitech USB Headset as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:14.0/usb3/3-3/3-3:1.3/0003:046D:0A44.0004/input/input15
Oct  3 01:31:15 CB143 kernel: [36219.055764] hid-generic 0003:046D:0A44.0004: input,hidraw3: USB HID v1.00 Device [Logitech Logitech USB Headset] on usb-0000:00:14.0-3/input3
Oct  3 01:31:15 CB143 mtp-probe: checking bus 3, device 2: "/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:14.0/usb3/3-3"
Oct  3 01:31:15 CB143 mtp-probe: bus: 3, device: 2 was not an MTP device
Oct  3 01:31:15 CB143 kernel: [36219.110967] usbcore: registered new interface driver snd-usb-audio

[MrEen]

Hi Frunobulax.

I think the easiest solution is to install and run PulseAudio Volume Control (pavucontrol.)

I am almost certain that when USB Audio shows up on the Configuration tab where you'll set Stereo Output, and you can select the Headphones on the Output tab, that it'll remember your settings.

Good luck.

[Frunobulax]

Thanks MrEen. I installed that app and it doesn't seem to have fixed it. The only new thing is that when I select the headphones as output, it says "Headphones (Unplugged)" even though they are plugged in. That's a clue, at least. Progress!

[MrEen]

Let's see the output of aplay -l and inxi -Fxz please.

[Frunobulax]

Code: Select all

**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 0: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], device 0: CA0132 Analog [CA0132 Analog]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], device 1: CA0132 Digital [CA0132 Digital]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: NVidia [HDA NVidia], device 3: HDMI 0 [HDMI 0]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: NVidia [HDA NVidia], device 7: HDMI 1 [HDMI 1]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: NVidia [HDA NVidia], device 8: HDMI 2 [HDMI 2]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: NVidia [HDA NVidia], device 9: HDMI 3 [HDMI 3]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 2: Headset [Logitech USB Headset], device 0: USB Audio [USB Audio]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
  
System:    Host: <localhost> Kernel: 4.15.0-34-generic x86_64 (64 bit gcc: 5.4.0)
           Desktop: MATE 1.18.0 (Gtk 3.18.9-1ubuntu3.3) Distro: Linux Mint 18.3 Sylvia
Machine:   System: Gigabyte product: N/A
           Mobo: Gigabyte model: G1.Sniper 3 v: x.x
           Bios: American Megatrends v: F7 date: 08/23/2012
CPU:       Quad core Intel Core i5-3570K (-MCP-) cache: 6144 KB
           flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx) bmips: 27138
           clock speeds: max: 3800 MHz 1: 1596 MHz 2: 1596 MHz 3: 1596 MHz 4: 1596 MHz
Graphics:  Card: NVIDIA GK104 [GeForce GTX 670] bus-ID: 04:00.0
           Display Server: X.Org 1.18.4 drivers: nvidia (unloaded: fbdev,vesa,nouveau)
           Resolution: 1920x1200@59.95hz
           GLX Renderer: GeForce GTX 670/PCIe/SSE2
           GLX Version: 4.5.0 NVIDIA 384.130 Direct Rendering: Yes
Audio:     Card-1 Intel 7 Series/C210 Series Family High Definition Audio Controller
           driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:1b.0
           Card-2 NVIDIA GK104 HDMI Audio Controller driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 04:00.1
           Card-3 Logitech Headset H390 driver: USB Audio usb-ID: 003-002
           Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture v: k4.15.0-34-generic
Network:   Card-1: Intel 82579V Gigabit Network Connection
           driver: e1000e v: 3.2.6-k port: f040 bus-ID: 00:19.0
           IF: eno1 state: up speed: 100 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter>
           Card-2: Qualcomm Atheros AR9462 Wireless Network Adapter driver: ath9k bus-ID: 07:00.0
           IF: wlp7s0 state: down mac: <filter>
           Card-3: Qualcomm Atheros Killer E220x Gigabit Ethernet Controller
           driver: alx port: b000 bus-ID: 0a:00.0
           IF: enp10s0 state: down mac: <filter>
Drives:    HDD Total Size: 2562.6GB (80.9% used)
           ID-1: /dev/sda model: Samsung_SSD_840 size: 500.1GB
           ID-2: /dev/sdb model: WDC_WD2002FAEX size: 2000.4GB
           ID-3: USB /dev/sdh model: Ultra size: 62.1GB
Partition: ID-1: / size: 273G used: 225G (87%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda6
           ID-2: swap-1 size: 17.14GB used: 0.00GB (0%) fs: swap dev: /dev/sda7
RAID:      No RAID devices: /proc/mdstat, md_mod kernel module present
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 29.8C mobo: 27.8C gpu: 0.0:54C
           Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A
Info:      Processes: 213 Uptime: 7:34 Memory: 4477.8/16001.6MB
           Init: systemd runlevel: 5 Gcc sys: 5.4.0 Client: Shell (bash 4.3.481) inxi: 2.2.35 

[MrEen]

Hi Frunobulax.

I misread your original post thinking these were headphones, not a headset. Go back to the Configuration tab of pavucontrol and for the USB profile select Analog Stereo Duplex.

Also, have you tried another USB port?

[Frunobulax]

Hi MrEen -

When I click the dropdown for the headset in Pavucontrol, I see three options: "Analog Stereo Output + Analog Mono Input", "Analog Stereo Output", and "analog Mono Input." No Duplex. I assume I should continue to use the first one if I want to use both headphones and mic.

I ahven't tried another port since this oen works fine under Windows and also with the "test speakers" feature, but I'll give that a try just for fun. Thanks!

[MrEen]

Yeah, that was the correct choice. Good luck on trying another port.

Another thing worth trying is to delete the files in ~/.config/pulse then run pulseaudio -k in the terminal and wait a few seconds before testing.