Many Linux 5.6 Sound Driver Updates Especially On The Intel / Sound Open Firmware Front

[phoronix]

Phoronix: Many Linux 5.6 Sound Driver Updates Especially On The Intel / Sound Open Firmware Front

Linux sound subsystem maintainer Takashi Iwai of SUSE today sent in all of the sound driver updates for this next version of the Linux kernel...

http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?pag...inux-5.6-Sound

[Guest]

Please, what is the minimum configuration for using Alsa alone?

[FireBurn]

Please, what is the minimum configuration for using Alsa alone?

Kernel config? Can you be more specific?

[Guest]

Kernel config? Can you be more specific?

Yes, you are right. I'm talking about the asoundrc file to put in the home dir. I have one, it works fine, but I'm not sure whether it is the best configure file for alsa.

[schmidtbag]

Ooooh this is exciting!!! I think that might mean sound for the Snapdragon 835/845/855 laptops will work!

[rogerx]

Please, what is the minimum configuration for using Alsa alone?

I think the default just has dmix plugin resampling everything to 16bit 44100hz. This is likely fine if you're on a limited computer resource platform and using some computer speakers.

If you have a S/PDIF or TosLink output to a stereo system, or using HDMI cables linked to a stereo/theater system, best to have, at the least, specify within the .asoundrc file to dmix to 24bit/32bit 48000hz bit/rates.

DMix plugin is like MS Windows audio/sound, the dmix plugin allows playing two sound sources at once. Without the plugin, only one audio stream at one time is allowed to be played/heard.

I currently use DMix plugin with 24/32bit @ 48000hz rate.

If you have some high resolution sound files (eg. DSD, 192kHz albums/streams, Dolby/DTS Master BluRays, ...), then you really want to configure your media player of choice to use the ALSA S/PDIF, TosLink, or HDMI device. You can see your possible ALSA devices using "aplay --list-devices". If you have a video card with HDMI, you'll likely see some S/PDIF, Toslink, HDMI digital devices listed.

Config file asoundrc for a sound card with S/PDIF or preferably TosLink:
Use dmix.
Change "pcm "hw:0,1" to reflect your S/PDIF or Toslink device
"format S32_LE" or "format S24_LE"
"rate 48000"
Do a search on the Internet for how to setup your asoundrc file.

NVIDIA HDMI card with possible bitstreaming a video or bluray device:
mpv -fs -nosub -vo vdpau -vc ffmpeg12vdpau, ffwmv3vdpau, ffvc1vdpau,ffh264vdau,ffodivxvdpau,ffh264, -ao alsa:device=hw1.7 -quiet YOUR_VIDEO_FILE.MKV

Minimum requirements, Linux kernel with ALSA enabled with the following packages: alsa-lib, alsa-utils with optional alsa-plugins. A lot simpler than pulse audio.

If you have a stereo system, you'll likely definitely hear a difference between the tin-sounding 16bit 44100hz and 24bit 48000hz audio qualities. Higher than 48000hz requires a good ear, or some really high resolution classical/orchestra/jazz recordings. Other genre tend to include too much additional noise. Higher resolutions are more commonly recorded from then resampled to lower quality audio, similar to taking photos in raw and converting to JPEG images.

A good Linux compatible sound card, ASUS STX 1 or 2 pcie card, or anything providing a recent quality S/PDIF or TosLink port. Anything providing a HDMI port will likely suffice for most.

Can't get much better than the above unless you're recording, then I hear alot about JACK.