Sound Blaster Audigy MP3+ Not Working in Ubuntu

Asked by coldfire141

Upon installation of Ubuntu (Version 8.10), the Sound Blaster Audigy did not work. This was a Win XP install. The sound card does work in Win XP so I know the speakers and other hardware work.

I am unsure if the issue is due to the fact that I have a Sound Blaster Audigy MP3+. This device does not seem to be supported by the Alsa drivers. Also, I do have an on-board sound card but I disabled it in the Bios Setup. Linux recognizes the card, and I have the Alsa driver installed.

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marcobra (Marco Braida) (marcobra) said :
#1

How many audio cards do you have on your pc...?

If you have two audio cards - please disable the on board audio card using BIOS setting, please check with this terminal command:

lspci | grep -i audio

Hope this helps

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marcobra (Marco Braida) (marcobra) said :
#2

Sorry, i read better your original question you have already done this...

Can you copy and paste here the result of:

lspci

command, thank you.

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coldfire141 (mikeb528) said :
#3

I ran that command in the terminal and got this as an output:
@ubuntu:~$ lspci | grep -i audio

02:01.0 Multimedia audio controller: Creative Labs SB Audigy (rev 03)

I also double checked the BIOS Settings for the On-Board sound and verified that it is disabled.

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coldfire141 (mikeb528) said :
#4

Heres the result of that command:
@ubuntu:~$ lspci

00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation 82850 850 (Tehama) Chipset Host Bridge (MCH) (rev 02)
00:01.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82850 850 (Tehama) Chipset AGP Bridge (rev 02)
00:1e.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801 PCI Bridge (rev 04)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation 82801BA ISA Bridge (LPC) (rev 04)
00:1f.1 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82801BA IDE U100 Controller (rev 04)
00:1f.2 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801BA/BAM USB Controller #1 (rev 04)
00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corporation 82801BA/BAM SMBus Controller (rev 04)
00:1f.4 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801BA/BAM USB Controller #1 (rev 04)
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: nVidia Corporation NV34 [GeForce FX 5200] (rev a1)
02:01.0 Multimedia audio controller: Creative Labs SB Audigy (rev 03)
02:01.1 Input device controller: Creative Labs SB Audigy Game Port (rev 03)
02:01.2 FireWire (IEEE 1394): Creative Labs SB Audigy FireWire Port
02:02.0 USB Controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82xxxxx UHCI USB 1.1 Controller (rev 61)
02:02.1 USB Controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82xxxxx UHCI USB 1.1 Controller (rev 61)
02:02.2 USB Controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. USB 2.0 (rev 63)
02:03.0 Ethernet controller: D-Link System Inc RTL8139 Ethernet (rev 10)
02:06.0 Mass storage controller: HighPoint Technologies, Inc. HPT366/368/370/370A/372/372N (rev 04)

Thanks for your help!

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Andre Mangan (kyphi) said :
#5

I cannot see any reason as to why your soundcard does not work. The Soundblaster Audigy MP3+ should work out of the box - it uses the same chip as the Soundblaster Live which is supported. There is nothing gained by asking you to lspci -v since you have provided that information before and have not achieved a solution.

I can only assume that there is a configuration error in your sound preferences in Ubuntu.
Is the card identified in "Sound Preferences"?

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coldfire141 (mikeb528) said :
#6

Yes it is detected in the Sound Preferences as Audigy 1 [SB0090] butI have the playback set to Autodetect

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marcobra (Marco Braida) (marcobra) said :
#7

Not the solution but it might be useful, as a temporary solution, to enable and use the embedded audio cards...
read this https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/yelp/+question/25342

Keep this question open so we look for an answer...

Hope this helps

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Andre Mangan (kyphi) said :
#8

What happens when you click on "Test" in Sound Preferences? Is there a sound?
I have mine set to Pulse Audio Sound Server.

On the next tab, is there a tick in "Enable software sound mixing" and "Play system sounds"?

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coldfire141 (mikeb528) said :
#9

When I click on the "Test" Button on any of the Sections on the first tab the testing window appears but no sound. The only other tab that is in that window is called "Sounds" and I didn't see either of those options there to check.
On the "Sounds" Tab is:
    "Play Alerts and Sound Effects" - Checked
           "Play Sound Effects When Buttons are Clicked" - Unchecked
           "Play Alert Sound" - Checked

    Sound Theme
         Ubuntu is Selected

   Alerts and Sound Effects
         List of all Sounds and Alerts

Thanks

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Andre Mangan (kyphi) said :
#10

Don't worry if your screens do not show the same information as mine - I am using Hardy Heron.

Would you check your volume control on the top panel.

Right click on the loudspeaker icon and open Volume Control.

No red x anywhere and controls set to near maximum?

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coldfire141 (mikeb528) said :
#11

Yea I checked the Volume Control and the only lines that are low are the "Line-In" and the "Microphone". I just also tested pressing backspace in the Terminal too many times to get the system sound and the sound came from the system speaker on my computer. I think that this means that the sound card is not recognized correctly ( I know that happens in windows xp when the sound card is not installed ). But i don't know what causes this in ubuntu.

Thanks for your help

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Andre Mangan (kyphi) said :
#12

After a lot of net trawling, I have come across a few instances where this card just works as well as a few where it does not.

The most encouraging news is that the problem may perhaps be resolved with the installation of the newest (12 Nov, 2008) alsa driver v1.0.18a available here: http://www.alsa-project.org/main/index.php/Main_Page

Other than that, I am out of ideas, except to place the card into a different slot on your computer or replacing it altogether.

I am only suggesting the latter because this has been an ongoing problem for you for quite some time.

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coldfire141 (mikeb528) said :
#13

Ok,
After toying with the Volume Control and a few other things, I finally got sound to work. It had to do with a Audigy Analog/Digital Output Jack Switch in the Volume Control. Now I just a little confused as to why only my front 2 speakers are working and no sound is coming out of my surround sound speakers. I tried looking at the controls for the surround volumes and they are all at about 80% so I should hear it if its working.

Thanks for all your help!

Revision history for this message
Andre Mangan (kyphi) said :
#14

Good to read that your soundcard does work.

There are a lot of configuration options accessible via "Edit" (right click on loudspeaker on top panel, Open Volume Control, Edit), go to "Preferences" and place tick into the boxes as needed. Your selections will then appear in Volume Control.

Keep in mind that "surround sound" is synthesised - it is not like quadraphonic sound.

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coldfire141 (mikeb528) said :
#15

I tried all of the different controls available in the Volume Control and all were at a reasonable volume, around 80%, but the Surround speakers still did not output any sound. All of this still works in win xp, so I know that its not anything to do with the speakers or subwoofer.

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Andre Mangan (kyphi) said :
#16
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Adam (readnower) said :
#17

I had a similar problem with my Sound Blaster Audigy SE. I downloaded the ALSA mixer from add/remove programs, and played with that and got it to work.

Can you help with this problem?

Provide an answer of your own, or ask coldfire141 for more information if necessary.

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