Auto Switch between Stereo and 5.1 Surround Sound Depending on Source

[Confabulated]

I am running Mint 19.1 in a stock audio set up, except for the addition of Pavucontrol. My sound card is a Creative Sound Blaster Audigy model: SB0090. I take the analogue signals from the 3.5mm jacks to my various amps and speakers.

Under Windows 7, without any configuration, the output for stereo music or video was through my two front speakers only, in stereo. Surround sound sources were played through all the speakers. Irrespective of the software used (VLC, Media Monkey, WMP, MPC-HC, Firefox etc) this was the case.

In Mint all sources are played through all speakers. Surround sound sources sound great, but I don’t like the sound at all of stereo music coming from all directions. I know I can manually switch the output to stereo using Pavcontrol but not only is this inconvenient (especially for other, less technical users here), it also caused a signal spike so strong I thought the speaker driver was going to fire out of the cabinet. I’ve tried VLC, Clementine, MPV, Rhythmbox and Firefox.

I’m quite new to Linux Mint and love it so far. With the end of support for Windows 7 looming, I intend to make the switch entirely to Mint soon.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[deepakdeshp]

Welcome to the forums:

[MrEen]

Hi Confabulated, and welcome to the forum.

I've never heard of doing something like what you're looking for, but off the top of my head, this might accomplish it.

In the terminal enter xed admin:///etc/pulse/daemon.conf then enter your password and ignore the warnings.

Find this line:

Code: Select all

; enable-remixing = yes

Change it to this:

Code: Select all

enable-remixing = no

Save the file, then run pulseaudio -k in the terminal and restart your sound apps.

Good luck.

[Confabulated]

Thank you for your messages.
MrEen, sadly the process you suggested didn't work although I can see the logic there.

Anyone got any other ideas?

[MrEen]

I wonder if this would work. Scroll down on this page to Independent analog and digital outputs on the same card. Just use a surround profile instead of digital profile.

Actually, speaking of surround profile, let's see the output of cat /etc/pulse/daemon.conf to see if a tweak there might help.

[Confabulated]

Hello again, the output is:

## Configuration file for the PulseAudio daemon. See pulse-daemon.conf(5) for
## more information. Default values are commented out. Use either ; or # for
## commenting.

; daemonize = no
; fail = yes
; allow-module-loading = yes
; allow-exit = yes
; use-pid-file = yes
; system-instance = no
; local-server-type = user
; enable-shm = yes
; enable-memfd = yes
; shm-size-bytes = 0 # setting this 0 will use the system-default, usually 64 MiB
; lock-memory = no
; cpu-limit = no

; high-priority = yes
; nice-level = -11

; realtime-scheduling = yes
; realtime-priority = 5

; exit-idle-time = 20
; scache-idle-time = 20

; dl-search-path = (depends on architecture)

; load-default-script-file = yes
; default-script-file = /etc/pulse/default.pa

; log-target = auto
; log-level = notice
; log-meta = no
; log-time = no
; log-backtrace = 0

; resample-method = speex-float-1
; avoid-resampling = false
; enable-remixing = no
; remixing-use-all-sink-channels = yes
; enable-lfe-remixing = no
; lfe-crossover-freq = 0

flat-volumes = no

; rlimit-fsize = -1
; rlimit-data = -1
; rlimit-stack = -1
; rlimit-core = -1
; rlimit-as = -1
; rlimit-rss = -1
; rlimit-nproc = -1
; rlimit-nofile = 256
; rlimit-memlock = -1
; rlimit-locks = -1
; rlimit-sigpending = -1
; rlimit-msgqueue = -1
; rlimit-nice = 31
; rlimit-rtprio = 9
; rlimit-rttime = 200000

; default-sample-format = s16le
; default-sample-rate = 44100
; alternate-sample-rate = 48000
; default-sample-channels = 2
; default-channel-map = front-left,front-right

; default-fragments = 4
; default-fragment-size-msec = 25

; enable-deferred-volume = yes
deferred-volume-safety-margin-usec = 1
; deferred-volume-extra-delay-usec = 0


[MrEen]

Ahh, you didn't remove the semicolon from the line you changed earlier:

Code: Select all

; enable-remixing = no

See if that's enough to fix it.

[Confabulated]

Ok, so I removed the semicolon with mixed results:

Stereo played stereo through the front L & R speakers, great.
A 5.1 source played only through the front L & R, the LFE speaker and the centre speaker, i.e. the rear speakers were silent.

I should also note that the rear speakers worked with the volume speaker test, just not with the 5.1 film I tried.

So, partial success.

Thanks.

[MrEen]

We're getting close. Play a 5.1 source and while it's playing run pacmd list-sinks in the terminal then paste the output back here.

[Confabulated]

pacmd list-sinks
3 sink(s) available.
index: 0
name: <alsa_output.pci-0000_01_00.1.hdmi-stereo-extra3>
driver: <module-alsa-card.c>
flags: HARDWARE DECIBEL_VOLUME LATENCY DYNAMIC_LATENCY
state: SUSPENDED
suspend cause: IDLE
priority: 9030
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 request: 0 KiB
max rewind: 0 KiB
monitor source: 0
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: 0 <alsa_card.pci-0000_01_00.1>
module: 7
properties:
alsa.resolution_bits = "16"
device.api = "alsa"
device.class = "sound"
alsa.class = "generic"
alsa.subclass = "generic-mix"
alsa.name = "HDMI 0"
alsa.id = "HDMI 0"
alsa.subdevice = "0"
alsa.subdevice_name = "subdevice #0"
alsa.device = "9"
alsa.card = "1"
alsa.card_name = "HDA NVidia"
alsa.long_card_name = "HDA NVidia at 0xfcffc000 irq 19"
alsa.driver_name = "snd_hda_intel"
device.bus_path = "pci-0000:01:00.1"
sysfs.path = "/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:02.0/0000:01:00.1/sound/card1"
device.bus = "pci"
device.vendor.id = "10de"
device.vendor.name = "NVIDIA Corporation"
device.product.id = "0bea"
device.product.name = "GF108 High Definition Audio Controller"
device.string = "hdmi:1,3"
device.buffering.buffer_size = "65536"
device.buffering.fragment_size = "32768"
device.access_mode = "mmap+timer"
device.profile.name = "hdmi-stereo-extra3"
device.profile.description = "Digital Stereo (HDMI 4)"
device.description = "GF108 High Definition Audio Controller Digital Stereo (HDMI 4)"
alsa.mixer_name = "Nvidia GPU 14 HDMI/DP"
alsa.components = "HDA:10de0014,10de0101,00100100"
module-udev-detect.discovered = "1"
device.icon_name = "audio-card-pci"
ports:
hdmi-output-3: HDMI / DisplayPort 4 (priority 5600, latency offset 0 usec, available: yes)
properties:
device.icon_name = "video-display"
device.product.name = "SAMSUNG
"
active port: <hdmi-output-3>
index: 1
name: <alsa_output.pci-0000_00_14.2.iec958-stereo>
driver: <module-alsa-card.c>
flags: HARDWARE HW_MUTE_CTRL DECIBEL_VOLUME LATENCY DYNAMIC_LATENCY
state: SUSPENDED
suspend cause: IDLE
priority: 9038
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 request: 0 KiB
max rewind: 0 KiB
monitor source: 1
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_14.2>
module: 8
properties:
alsa.resolution_bits = "16"
device.api = "alsa"
device.class = "sound"
alsa.class = "generic"
alsa.subclass = "generic-mix"
alsa.name = "VT2020 Digital"
alsa.id = "VT2020 Digital"
alsa.subdevice = "0"
alsa.subdevice_name = "subdevice #0"
alsa.device = "1"
alsa.card = "0"
alsa.card_name = "HDA ATI SB"
alsa.long_card_name = "HDA ATI SB at 0xfe024000 irq 16"
alsa.driver_name = "snd_hda_intel"
device.bus_path = "pci-0000:00:14.2"
sysfs.path = "/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:14.2/sound/card0"
device.bus = "pci"
device.vendor.id = "1002"
device.vendor.name = "Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI]"
device.product.id = "4383"
device.product.name = "SBx00 Azalia (Intel HDA)"
device.form_factor = "internal"
device.string = "iec958:0"
device.buffering.buffer_size = "65536"
device.buffering.fragment_size = "32768"
device.access_mode = "mmap+timer"
device.profile.name = "iec958-stereo"
device.profile.description = "Digital Stereo (IEC958)"
device.description = "Built-in Audio Digital Stereo (IEC958)"
alsa.mixer_name = "VIA VT2020"
alsa.components = "HDA:11060441,1458a014,00100100"
module-udev-detect.discovered = "1"
device.icon_name = "audio-card-pci"
ports:
iec958-stereo-output: Digital Output (S/PDIF) (priority 0, latency offset 0 usec, available: unknown)
properties:

active port: <iec958-stereo-output>
* index: 2
name: <alsa_output.pci-0000_04_06.0.analog-surround-51>
driver: <module-alsa-card.c>
flags: HARDWARE HW_VOLUME_CTRL DECIBEL_VOLUME LATENCY
state: RUNNING
suspend cause:
priority: 9039
volume: front-left: 10342 / 16% / -48.11 dB, front-right: 10342 / 16% / -48.11 dB, rear-left: 10342 / 16% / -48.11 dB, rear-right: 10342 / 16% / -48.11 dB, front-center: 10342 / 16% / -48.11 dB, lfe: 10361 / 16% / -48.06 dB
balance 0.00
base volume: 65536 / 100% / 0.00 dB
volume steps: 65537
muted: no
current latency: 68.67 ms
max request: 56 KiB
max rewind: 56 KiB
monitor source: 3
sample spec: s16le 6ch 48000Hz
channel map: front-left,front-right,rear-left,rear-right,front-center,lfe
Surround 5.1
used by: 1
linked by: 1
fixed latency: 99.94 ms
card: 2 <alsa_card.pci-0000_04_06.0>
module: 9
properties:
alsa.resolution_bits = "16"
device.api = "alsa"
device.class = "sound"
alsa.class = "generic"
alsa.subclass = "generic-mix"
alsa.name = "ADC Capture/Standard PCM Playback"
alsa.id = "emu10k1"
alsa.subdevice = "0"
alsa.subdevice_name = "subdevice #0"
alsa.device = "0"
alsa.card = "2"
alsa.card_name = "SB Audigy 1 [SB0092]"
alsa.long_card_name = "SB Audigy 1 [SB0092] (rev.3, serial:0x531102) at 0xbf00, irq 20"
alsa.driver_name = "snd_emu10k1"
device.bus_path = "pci-0000:04:06.0"
sysfs.path = "/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:14.4/0000:04:06.0/sound/card2"
device.bus = "pci"
device.vendor.id = "1102"
device.vendor.name = "Creative Labs"
device.product.id = "0004"
device.product.name = "EMU10k2/CA0100/CA0102/CA10200 [Sound Blaster Audigy Series] (CT0090/SB0092 Audigy Player/OEM)"
device.string = "surround51:2"
device.buffering.buffer_size = "57564"
device.buffering.fragment_size = "19188"
device.access_mode = "serial"
device.profile.name = "analog-surround-51"
device.profile.description = "Analogue Surround 5.1"
device.description = "EMU10k2/CA0100/CA0102/CA10200 [Sound Blaster Audigy Series] (CT0090/SB0092 Audigy Player/OEM) Analogue Surround 5.1"
alsa.mixer_name = "SigmaTel STAC9721,23"
alsa.components = "AC97a:83847609"
module-udev-detect.discovered = "1"
device.icon_name = "audio-card-pci"
ports:
analog-output: Analogue Output (priority 9900, latency offset 0 usec, available: unknown)
properties:

active port: <analog-output>


[MrEen]

Code: Select all

pacmd list-sinks
3 sink(s) available.
    index: 0
	name: <alsa_output.pci-0000_01_00.1.hdmi-stereo-extra3>
	driver: <module-alsa-card.c>
	flags: HARDWARE DECIBEL_VOLUME LATENCY DYNAMIC_LATENCY
	state: SUSPENDED
	suspend cause: IDLE 
	priority: 9030
	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 request: 0 KiB
	max rewind: 0 KiB
	monitor source: 0
	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: 0 <alsa_card.pci-0000_01_00.1>
	module: 7
	properties:
		alsa.resolution_bits = "16"
		device.api = "alsa"
		device.class = "sound"
		alsa.class = "generic"
		alsa.subclass = "generic-mix"
		alsa.name = "HDMI 0"
		alsa.id = "HDMI 0"
		alsa.subdevice = "0"
		alsa.subdevice_name = "subdevice #0"
		alsa.device = "9"
		alsa.card = "1"
		alsa.card_name = "HDA NVidia"
		alsa.long_card_name = "HDA NVidia at 0xfcffc000 irq 19"
		alsa.driver_name = "snd_hda_intel"
		device.bus_path = "pci-0000:01:00.1"
		sysfs.path = "/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:02.0/0000:01:00.1/sound/card1"
		device.bus = "pci"
		device.vendor.id = "10de"
		device.vendor.name = "NVIDIA Corporation"
		device.product.id = "0bea"
		device.product.name = "GF108 High Definition Audio Controller"
		device.string = "hdmi:1,3"
		device.buffering.buffer_size = "65536"
		device.buffering.fragment_size = "32768"
		device.access_mode = "mmap+timer"
		device.profile.name = "hdmi-stereo-extra3"
		device.profile.description = "Digital Stereo (HDMI 4)"
		device.description = "GF108 High Definition Audio Controller Digital Stereo (HDMI 4)"
		alsa.mixer_name = "Nvidia GPU 14 HDMI/DP"
		alsa.components = "HDA:10de0014,10de0101,00100100"
		module-udev-detect.discovered = "1"
		device.icon_name = "audio-card-pci"
	ports:
		hdmi-output-3: HDMI / DisplayPort 4 (priority 5600, latency offset 0 usec, available: yes)
			properties:
				device.icon_name = "video-display"
				device.product.name = "SAMSUNG
     "
	active port: <hdmi-output-3>
    index: 1
	name: <alsa_output.pci-0000_00_14.2.iec958-stereo>
	driver: <module-alsa-card.c>
	flags: HARDWARE HW_MUTE_CTRL DECIBEL_VOLUME LATENCY DYNAMIC_LATENCY
	state: SUSPENDED
	suspend cause: IDLE 
	priority: 9038
	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 request: 0 KiB
	max rewind: 0 KiB
	monitor source: 1
	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_14.2>
	module: 8
	properties:
		alsa.resolution_bits = "16"
		device.api = "alsa"
		device.class = "sound"
		alsa.class = "generic"
		alsa.subclass = "generic-mix"
		alsa.name = "VT2020 Digital"
		alsa.id = "VT2020 Digital"
		alsa.subdevice = "0"
		alsa.subdevice_name = "subdevice #0"
		alsa.device = "1"
		alsa.card = "0"
		alsa.card_name = "HDA ATI SB"
		alsa.long_card_name = "HDA ATI SB at 0xfe024000 irq 16"
		alsa.driver_name = "snd_hda_intel"
		device.bus_path = "pci-0000:00:14.2"
		sysfs.path = "/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:14.2/sound/card0"
		device.bus = "pci"
		device.vendor.id = "1002"
		device.vendor.name = "Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI]"
		device.product.id = "4383"
		device.product.name = "SBx00 Azalia (Intel HDA)"
		device.form_factor = "internal"
		device.string = "iec958:0"
		device.buffering.buffer_size = "65536"
		device.buffering.fragment_size = "32768"
		device.access_mode = "mmap+timer"
		device.profile.name = "iec958-stereo"
		device.profile.description = "Digital Stereo (IEC958)"
		device.description = "Built-in Audio Digital Stereo (IEC958)"
		alsa.mixer_name = "VIA VT2020"
		alsa.components = "HDA:11060441,1458a014,00100100"
		module-udev-detect.discovered = "1"
		device.icon_name = "audio-card-pci"
	ports:
		iec958-stereo-output: Digital Output (S/PDIF) (priority 0, latency offset 0 usec, available: unknown)
			properties:
				
	active port: <iec958-stereo-output>
  * index: 2
	name: <alsa_output.pci-0000_04_06.0.analog-surround-51>
	driver: <module-alsa-card.c>
	flags: HARDWARE HW_VOLUME_CTRL DECIBEL_VOLUME LATENCY 
	state: RUNNING
	suspend cause: 
	priority: 9039
	volume: front-left: 10342 /  16% / -48.11 dB,   front-right: 10342 /  16% / -48.11 dB,   rear-left: 10342 /  16% / -48.11 dB,   rear-right: 10342 /  16% / -48.11 dB,   front-center: 10342 /  16% / -48.11 dB,   lfe: 10361 /  16% / -48.06 dB
	        balance 0.00
	base volume: 65536 / 100% / 0.00 dB
	volume steps: 65537
	muted: no
	current latency: 68.67 ms
	max request: 56 KiB
	max rewind: 56 KiB
	monitor source: 3
	sample spec: s16le 6ch 48000Hz
	channel map: front-left,front-right,rear-left,rear-right,front-center,lfe
	             Surround 5.1
	used by: 1
	linked by: 1
	fixed latency: 99.94 ms
	card: 2 <alsa_card.pci-0000_04_06.0>
	module: 9
	properties:
		alsa.resolution_bits = "16"
		device.api = "alsa"
		device.class = "sound"
		alsa.class = "generic"
		alsa.subclass = "generic-mix"
		alsa.name = "ADC Capture/Standard PCM Playback"
		alsa.id = "emu10k1"
		alsa.subdevice = "0"
		alsa.subdevice_name = "subdevice #0"
		alsa.device = "0"
		alsa.card = "2"
		alsa.card_name = "SB Audigy 1 [SB0092]"
		alsa.long_card_name = "SB Audigy 1 [SB0092] (rev.3, serial:0x531102) at 0xbf00, irq 20"
		alsa.driver_name = "snd_emu10k1"
		device.bus_path = "pci-0000:04:06.0"
		sysfs.path = "/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:14.4/0000:04:06.0/sound/card2"
		device.bus = "pci"
		device.vendor.id = "1102"
		device.vendor.name = "Creative Labs"
		device.product.id = "0004"
		device.product.name = "EMU10k2/CA0100/CA0102/CA10200 [Sound Blaster Audigy Series] (CT0090/SB0092 Audigy Player/OEM)"
		device.string = "surround51:2"
		device.buffering.buffer_size = "57564"
		device.buffering.fragment_size = "19188"
		device.access_mode = "serial"
		device.profile.name = "analog-surround-51"
		device.profile.description = "Analogue Surround 5.1"
		device.description = "EMU10k2/CA0100/CA0102/CA10200 [Sound Blaster Audigy Series] (CT0090/SB0092 Audigy Player/OEM) Analogue Surround 5.1"
		alsa.mixer_name = "SigmaTel STAC9721,23"
		alsa.components = "AC97a:83847609"
		module-udev-detect.discovered = "1"
		device.icon_name = "audio-card-pci"
	ports:
		analog-output: Analogue Output (priority 9900, latency offset 0 usec, available: unknown)
			properties:
				
	active port: <analog-output>

The settings look good from pulseaudio's perspective. Check alsa with alsamixer in the terminal. Press F6 to select the SB card then see if the rear channel is muted which will show MM at the bottom of the column. If so, move to that column then press the m key to toggle mute.

[Confabulated]

Hi,
The only one I could see in MM state was Surround Phase Inversion, which when un-muted wouldn't let me adjust its level from zero. There was no sound from the rear speakers.

I cannot see a "Rear" channel at all, here's a screenshot:

[MrEen]

I imagine Surround is rear in this case. I honestly don't know if PCM Surround or Surround is the working column in your case. I also have no idea what Surround Phase Inversion is.

I'm struggling to figure out what could be wrong as you say the Speaker Test plays them fine.

Maybe the config got messed up. Delete the files in /home/YourUserName/.config/pulse then run pulseaudio -k in the terminal. Restart the player/browser if necessary. Or run speaker-test -t wav -c 6 in the terminal. Use Ctrl+C to stop the test.

[Confabulated]

Thanks for your efforts MrEen, much appreciated. Let me know if anything else pops into your head.

I did notice one thing, the default sound card in AlsaMixer is a motherboard, built in Via card. The Audigy one I use (and which the system recognises as the one to use) is not listed as the default in AlsaMixer. Don't know if that is relevant.

[MrEen]

That's normal for alsamixer. It opens based on card numbers with the default card having no relevance. You can take a shortcut when opening it by using alsamixer -c2 to get right to the SB card.

Does speaker-test -t wav -c 6 function correctly?

Ahh, I'll bet you need to change daemon.conf to kick pulseaudio into gear. Change this section:

Code: Select all

; default-sample-channels = 2
; default-channel-map = front-left,front-right

to this:

Code: Select all

default-sample-channels = 6
default-channel-map = front-left,front-right,rear-left,rear-right,front-center,lfe

Again, remember to remove the semicolons. Finish with a pulseaudio -k and hopefully everything will be working as you'd like.

[Confabulated]

I have put everything back to how it was before we started our experiments.

Code: Select all

speaker-test -t wav -c 6

is working fine. Should I still change the defaults as you suggest?

[MrEen]

If there's still an issue with the rear outputs on 5.1 sources, yes, give it a shot. Make sure you try a few different sources in case the one you were testing with has an issue in the file itself.

EDIT: The change is to pulseaudio. The speaker-test I'm pretty sure bypasses pulseaudio. That's why I'm having you try that.