[asdf]

First a disclosure: I run linux (several different distros) and I love it, and I love tinkering with it (often recklessly). I am not a techie, though.

Anyway, if I have a USB dac up and running in linux, is it reasonable to expect that other USB dacs should work under linux as well?

Also, is the USB option "bit perfect" (whatever that really means) under linux? Does this vary depending upon distribution, settings, or hardware?

Thanks for your input.

--asdf

 

[mglaudiolabs]

Any modern Linux distribution should handle USB audio.
Your files are simply sent to the USB receiver chip where they are
decoded. As for tweaking it doesn't really depend only on
the distribution but on parameters like CPU/swapfile usage etc.
We haven't tested yet how audible these tweaks are but the
bottom line is you could plug in your USB DAC and enjoy the music.

Regards,

Michael

 

[asdf]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mglaudiolabs /img/forum/go_quote.gif Any modern Linux distribution should handle USB audio. Your files are simply sent to the USB receiver chip where they are decoded. As for tweaking it doesn't really depend only on the distribution but on parameters like CPU/swapfile usage etc. We haven't tested yet how audible these tweaks are but the bottom line is you could plug in your USB DAC and enjoy the music. Regards, Michael

Thank you. This is good news. Now, it's time to experiment with a new source

 

[KyPeN]

I'm using an M-Audio Transit on Linux. You have to load the firmware every time is is plugged in/PC is booted. Once I got it working, it is bit perfect, but I get static/pops/clicks on high cpu usage. I have yet to find a solution for this. From forum posts that I've read, it is due to the CPU scaling UP, not down.

I'm using the optical out, but I get the same from the analog out.

Just a fair warning (or hoping that someone has a solution).

 

[Lowfront]

I run ubuntu edgy with my corda aria and have no problems at all.

Just plug it in and it goes, unplug it and it goes back to default sound settings.

 

[asdf]

Quote:

Originally Posted by KyPeN /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm using an M-Audio Transit on Linux. You have to load the firmware every time is is plugged in/PC is booted. Once I got it working, it is bit perfect, but I get static/pops/clicks on high cpu usage. I have yet to find a solution for this. From forum posts that I've read, it is due to the CPU scaling UP, not down. I'm using the optical out, but I get the same from the analog out. Just a fair warning (or hoping that someone has a solution).

Is your music on the same harddrive as the OS? I had the same problems before I added a second drive just for my music. The only time I have problems, now, is when I'm doing something processor intensive. BTW, I'm using a Micro Dac.

 

[Malus]

I use a MicroDAC under FreeBSD (I know, I know, it isn't Linux) without any issues. It was as easy as plug and play. Should be the same for Linux.

 

[KyPeN]

Quote:

Originally Posted by asdf /img/forum/go_quote.gif Is your music on the same harddrive as the OS? I had the same problems before I added a second drive just for my music. The only time I have problems, now, is when I'm doing something processor intensive. BTW, I'm using a Micro Dac.

Nope, external drive.

Also, notice I said I'm getting problems only on high CPU usage.

 

[error401]

Quote:

Originally Posted by KyPeN /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm using an M-Audio Transit on Linux. You have to load the firmware every time is is plugged in/PC is booted. Once I got it working, it is bit perfect, but I get static/pops/clicks on high cpu usage. I have yet to find a solution for this. From forum posts that I've read, it is due to the CPU scaling UP, not down. I'm using the optical out, but I get the same from the analog out. Just a fair warning (or hoping that someone has a solution).

You might take a look at this wiki page that covers setting up dmix for ALSA. If you configure this, you can configure the software buffer in the usb-audio driver (you can probably do this without dmix too, if you want to figure the configuration out yourself). You'd take the 'complex approach' config and adjust the slave block to increase the buffer - there's an example of this near the bottom of the page. Note that if you enable dmix all sounds will be resampled to the rate configured for the dmix plugin, so you should probably set the rate to whatever most of your source material is, or accept the resampling.

 

[Packgrog]

I recently purchased an M-Audio Transit from dkjohnso. While I haven't been able to get it working on Windows XP without deafening pops multiple times per second, I managed to get it working on Ubuntu 6.06 beautifully.

1) Download madfuload-1.2.

2) Extract the tarball, open a root xterm, and follow the extremely simple directions in the README file to build and install the driver.

3) Plug in the Transit. If you're in one of the default window managers, you should see some little popup in the lower right hand corner saying that there's a new device. Click on it to configure the default sound device.

That should do it. Now launch Amarok and you should be able to play your tunes.

The only thing that bugs me (other than the crap Windows support) is that the combination of my Tomahawk and Beyerdynamics DT250-80 are painfully bright when using the Transit as a source. Given that I eventually plan to just use the Transit for the optical output to a DAC, this isn't a big deal. Also, I'm praying that my Future Sonics EM3 come back from the manufacturer soon (I sent them back for repair), since I never had fatigue issues with those.

As far as issues with the Transit itself, I have no idea how to configure the bit depth of the output, or do anything at all with the input. The basic output should be adequate once I manage to get ahold of a decent DAC. I hope.

-Packgrog

 

[geardoc]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lowfront /img/forum/go_quote.gif I run ubuntu edgy with my corda aria and have no problems at all. Just plug it in and it goes, unplug it and it goes back to default sound settings.

I'm thinking of getting an Aria but was worried about running it under linux. What player do you use in ubuntu? Do you have to configure it to output from the usb port instead of the existing soundcard?

 

[diego]

I use the Trends Audio UD-10 with ubuntu 6.10 and it works perfectly. I didn't have to configure anything and it sounds very good.

Regards

 

[geardoc]

Quote:

Originally Posted by diego /img/forum/go_quote.gif I use the Trends Audio UD-10 with ubuntu 6.10 and it works perfectly. I didn't have to configure anything and it sounds very good. Regards

So, just plug it in and sound appears out? Thats hard to imagine, considering all the struggles I've had in configuring sound in linux.

BTW, that Trends Audio UD-10 looks amazing for the price.

 

[Lowfront]

Quote:

Originally Posted by geardoc /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm thinking of getting an Aria but was worried about running it under linux. What player do you use in ubuntu? Do you have to configure it to output from the usb port instead of the existing soundcard?

I use amarok

You just need to go to the sound settings in ubuntu and have everything set to usb dac when you have it plugged in.

And once you do that its plug and play

 

[lippyjka]

Anyone know if the EMU 0404 usb works well with linux? After googling some time, I really couldn't find any concrete information; first hand accounts would be appreciated!