Microphone in headset not working since kernel update

[LM19point3Lover]

I'm using Linux Mint Mate 19.3 and on Saturday made the mistake of letting the latest kernel install itself; since then the microphone on my headset does not work!

Can someone please point me either at a way of reverting to the previous kernel, with which everything worked, or look at
http://alsa-project.org/db/?f=9a3df6bad ... 1b07848a75, and kindly provide me with suggestions for
other options I might have to fix things?

I'm not set on using the latest kernel, but everything else seems to work okay on 19.3 with the latest kernel...

Many thanks for any helpful hints you may be able to give me.
LinuxMint19point3Lover

[MrEen]

Hi LM19point3Lover,

I'm suspecting the input is not properly selected. And I'm assuming you're talking about the USB headset, correct?

Try recording from the mic in any fashion, and at the same time run pacmd list-sources in the terminal and paste the output. The index with the asterisk next to it is probably where the system is trying to record from.

[LM19point3Lover]

Hi MrEen,

Yes, it is a USB headset; sorry, I should have mentioned that.

I ran pacmd list-sources, whilst trying to record something, and the output is

4 source(s) available.
index: 0
name: <alsa_output.usb-C-Media_Electronics_Inc._USB_PnP_Sound_Device-00.iec958-stereo.monitor>
driver: <module-alsa-card.c>
flags: DECIBEL_VOLUME LATENCY DYNAMIC_LATENCY
state: RUNNING
suspend cause:
priority: 1040
volume: front-left: 65536 / 100% / 0.00 dB, front-right: 65536 / 100% / 0.00 dB
balance 0.00
base volume: 65536 / 100% / 0.00 dB
volume steps: 65537
muted: no
current latency: 0.00 ms
max rewind: 344 KiB
sample spec: s16le 2ch 44100Hz
channel map: front-left,front-right
Stereo
used by: 1
linked by: 1
configured latency: 10.00 ms; range is 1.00 .. 2000.00 ms
monitor_of: 0
card: 0 <alsa_card.usb-C-Media_Electronics_Inc._USB_PnP_Sound_Device-00>
module: 7
properties:
device.description = "Monitor of CM108 Audio Controller Digital Stereo (IEC958)"
device.class = "monitor"
alsa.card = "1"
alsa.card_name = "USB PnP Sound Device"
alsa.long_card_name = "C-Media Electronics Inc. USB PnP Sound Device at usb-0000:00:1a.0-1.4, full spe"
alsa.driver_name = "snd_usb_audio"
device.bus_path = "pci-0000:00:1a.0-usb-0:1.4:1.0"
sysfs.path = "/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.0/usb1/1-1/1-1.4/1-1.4:1.0/sound/card1"
udev.id = "usb-C-Media_Electronics_Inc._USB_PnP_Sound_Device-00"
device.bus = "usb"
device.vendor.id = "0d8c"
device.vendor.name = "C-Media Electronics, Inc."
device.product.id = "013c"
device.product.name = "CM108 Audio Controller"
device.serial = "C-Media_Electronics_Inc._USB_PnP_Sound_Device"
device.string = "1"
module-udev-detect.discovered = "1"
device.icon_name = "audio-card-usb"
* index: 1
name: <alsa_input.usb-C-Media_Electronics_Inc._USB_PnP_Sound_Device-00.analog-mono>
driver: <module-alsa-card.c>
flags: HARDWARE HW_MUTE_CTRL HW_VOLUME_CTRL DECIBEL_VOLUME LATENCY DYNAMIC_LATENCY
state: SUSPENDED
suspend cause: IDLE
priority: 9049
volume: mono: 65536 / 100% / 0.00 dB
balance 0.00
base volume: 26281 / 40% / -23.81 dB
volume steps: 65537
muted: no
current latency: 0.00 ms
max rewind: 0 KiB
sample spec: s16le 1ch 44100Hz
channel map: mono
Mono
used by: 0
linked by: 0
configured latency: 0.00 ms; range is 0.50 .. 2000.00 ms
card: 0 <alsa_card.usb-C-Media_Electronics_Inc._USB_PnP_Sound_Device-00>
module: 7
properties:
alsa.resolution_bits = "16"
device.api = "alsa"
device.class = "sound"
alsa.class = "generic"
alsa.subclass = "generic-mix"
alsa.name = "USB Audio"
alsa.id = "USB Audio"
alsa.subdevice = "0"
alsa.subdevice_name = "subdevice #0"
alsa.device = "0"
alsa.card = "1"
alsa.card_name = "USB PnP Sound Device"
alsa.long_card_name = "C-Media Electronics Inc. USB PnP Sound Device at usb-0000:00:1a.0-1.4, full spe"
alsa.driver_name = "snd_usb_audio"
device.bus_path = "pci-0000:00:1a.0-usb-0:1.4:1.0"
sysfs.path = "/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.0/usb1/1-1/1-1.4/1-1.4:1.0/sound/card1"
udev.id = "usb-C-Media_Electronics_Inc._USB_PnP_Sound_Device-00"
device.bus = "usb"
device.vendor.id = "0d8c"
device.vendor.name = "C-Media Electronics, Inc."
device.product.id = "013c"
device.product.name = "CM108 Audio Controller"
device.serial = "C-Media_Electronics_Inc._USB_PnP_Sound_Device"
device.string = "hw:1"
device.buffering.buffer_size = "176400"
device.buffering.fragment_size = "88200"
device.access_mode = "mmap+timer"
device.profile.name = "analog-mono"
device.profile.description = "Analogue Mono"
device.description = "CM108 Audio Controller Analogue Mono"
alsa.mixer_name = "USB Mixer"
alsa.components = "USB0d8c:013c"
module-udev-detect.discovered = "1"
device.icon_name = "audio-card-usb"
ports:
analog-input-mic: Microphone (priority 8700, latency offset 0 usec, available: unknown)
properties:
device.icon_name = "audio-input-microphone"
active port: <analog-input-mic>
index: 2
name: <alsa_output.pci-0000_00_1b.0.analog-stereo.monitor>
driver: <module-alsa-card.c>
flags: DECIBEL_VOLUME LATENCY DYNAMIC_LATENCY
state: SUSPENDED
suspend cause: IDLE
priority: 1030
volume: front-left: 91960 / 140% / 8.83 dB, front-right: 91960 / 140% / 8.83 dB
balance 0.00
base volume: 65536 / 100% / 0.00 dB
volume steps: 65537
muted: no
current latency: 0.00 ms
max rewind: 0 KiB
sample spec: s16le 2ch 44100Hz
channel map: front-left,front-right
Stereo
used by: 0
linked by: 0
configured latency: 0.00 ms; range is 0.50 .. 371.52 ms
monitor_of: 1
card: 1 <alsa_card.pci-0000_00_1b.0>
module: 8
properties:
device.description = "Monitor of Built-in Audio Analogue Stereo"
device.class = "monitor"
alsa.card = "0"
alsa.card_name = "HDA Intel PCH"
alsa.long_card_name = "HDA Intel PCH at 0xf7c30000 irq 31"
alsa.driver_name = "snd_hda_intel"
device.bus_path = "pci-0000:00:1b.0"
sysfs.path = "/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1b.0/sound/card0"
device.bus = "pci"
device.vendor.id = "8086"
device.vendor.name = "Intel Corporation"
device.product.id = "1e20"
device.product.name = "7 Series/C216 Chipset Family High Definition Audio Controller"
device.form_factor = "internal"
device.string = "0"
module-udev-detect.discovered = "1"
device.icon_name = "audio-card-pci"
index: 3
name: <alsa_input.pci-0000_00_1b.0.analog-stereo>
driver: <module-alsa-card.c>
flags: HARDWARE HW_MUTE_CTRL HW_VOLUME_CTRL DECIBEL_VOLUME LATENCY DYNAMIC_LATENCY
state: SUSPENDED
suspend cause: IDLE
priority: 9039
volume: front-left: 26092 / 40% / -24.00 dB, front-right: 26092 / 40% / -24.00 dB
balance 0.00
base volume: 5206 / 8% / -66.00 dB
volume steps: 65537
muted: no
current latency: 0.00 ms
max rewind: 0 KiB
sample spec: s16le 2ch 44100Hz
channel map: front-left,front-right
Stereo
used by: 0
linked by: 0
configured latency: 0.00 ms; range is 0.50 .. 371.52 ms
card: 1 <alsa_card.pci-0000_00_1b.0>
module: 8
properties:
alsa.resolution_bits = "16"
device.api = "alsa"
device.class = "sound"
alsa.class = "generic"
alsa.subclass = "generic-mix"
alsa.name = "ALC269VB Analog"
alsa.id = "ALC269VB Analog"
alsa.subdevice = "0"
alsa.subdevice_name = "subdevice #0"
alsa.device = "0"
alsa.card = "0"
alsa.card_name = "HDA Intel PCH"
alsa.long_card_name = "HDA Intel PCH at 0xf7c30000 irq 31"
alsa.driver_name = "snd_hda_intel"
device.bus_path = "pci-0000:00:1b.0"
sysfs.path = "/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1b.0/sound/card0"
device.bus = "pci"
device.vendor.id = "8086"
device.vendor.name = "Intel Corporation"
device.product.id = "1e20"
device.product.name = "7 Series/C216 Chipset Family High Definition Audio Controller"
device.form_factor = "internal"
device.string = "front:0"
device.buffering.buffer_size = "65536"
device.buffering.fragment_size = "32768"
device.access_mode = "mmap+timer"
device.profile.name = "analog-stereo"
device.profile.description = "Analogue Stereo"
device.description = "Built-in Audio Analogue Stereo"
alsa.mixer_name = "Realtek ALC269VB"
alsa.components = "HDA:10ec0269,10280577,00100100 HDA:80862806,80860101,00100000"
module-udev-detect.discovered = "1"
device.icon_name = "audio-card-pci"
ports:
analog-input-front-mic: Front Microphone (priority 8500, latency offset 0 usec, available: no)
properties:
device.icon_name = "audio-input-microphone"
analog-input-rear-mic: Rear Microphone (priority 8200, latency offset 0 usec, available: no)
properties:
device.icon_name = "audio-input-microphone"
active port: <analog-input-front-mic>

I cannot seem to convince LM to default my preference to the USB microphone, it is always greyed-out, and even when I select it via sound preference it doesn't have any effect.

Does the above make any sense to you?

Any hints for fixing this will be greatly appreciated.

Best wishes,
LM19point3Lover

[MrEen]

Well, I can say that I don't know why this is the case, but I'm pretty sure these are the issues:

Code: Select all

base volume: 26281 / 40% / -23.81 dB

Code: Select all

analog-input-mic: Microphone (priority 8700, latency offset 0 usec, available: unknown)

There's some sort of detection issue, I believe. Have you tried just unplugging it, then plugging it back in? Also try these two commands while it's plugged in:

Code: Select all

sudo modprobe -r snd-usb-audio

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sudo modprobe snd-usb-audio

If those don't work, and you don't want to spend time trying to sort it out, you can boot to a previous kernel by choosing Advanced options in the grub menu when you boot into Mint. If the grub menu doesn't show when you boot, you can force it this way. Don't forget to run sudo update-grub when done. After booting to a previous kernel, you can then uninstall the offending kernel from the Update Manager via View > Linux kernels

[LM19point3Lover]

Thank Mr. Een for looking into this. I do very much appreciate it.

1. I tried unplugging the headset, and plugging it in again. Does not seem to make any difference. Sorry.

2. For "sudo modprobe -r snd-usb-audio", the system responded with

Code: Select all

modprobe: FATAL: Module snd_usb_audio is in use.

3. For "sudo modprobe snd-usb-audio", the code was accepted without me being prompted
for the admin password, and nothing happens (the terminal window just moves to another command line).

Thanks to COVID19 I need the microphone to work on a daily basis, so I will now revert to the previous kernel. Thank you for explaining how to do this.
I will confirm whether reverting to the previous kernel works.

Many thanks, again, MrEen for trying to find the cause, and a fix for my microphone problems.

Best wishes,
LM19point3Lover

[MrEen]

The lack of sudo password is normal. A timer started when you ran the first one, and I think anything after that within 10 minutes doesn't require the password.

I do hope the older kernel gets it working again. If not, we can try some other things.