Hi,
My (admittedly old) Maudio Quattro usb1, compliant audio interface is working fine with my OS (Ubuntu 16.04): I can use it instead of built in sound. It also worked out of the box with LMMS, via ALSA.
However, when firing up Ardour (4.6), with ALSA, and selecting the Quattro for input and output device, I get the error: ‘failed to open audio device.’
What am I missing, please?
(Or is it just a matter of getting a newer version of Ardour?)
Thanks!
Ardour will attempt to open the ALSA device for exclusive access, so make sure you do not have another software running which also uses exclusive access. For example, I would expect LMMS and Ardour cannot both run simultaneously while using ALSA, you would either need to use one, close it, then start the other, or use jackd to manage routing to the ALSA device.
I start jack using qjackctl or cadence,
from within either qjjackctl or cadence, I select an input device from the jack settings / configuration section,
(do you see your audio interface and can select it as input device)?
if so, then from the same location (jack configuration block) select how many channels you want to use,
if your device has two, select two for in,
for channels out, I leave default so I can play the recorded sound back through my laptop for testing,
if I wanted to hear the playback through monitors connected to my external audio device I would select the device as output
and again select the correct number of channels to use.
Then I start Ardour, which gives me the choice of JACK AlSA and I think pulseaudio, I Select JACK,
Is this how you are approaching setting up Ardour.
Once Ardour is running, then you need to add a track, mono for a mic,
then go to mixer on the far top right, open mixer, select input for the track you created,
and select one of the channels from you audio device, if all went ok, there will be listings there such
as in 1, in 2, in 3 etc, so select the one your mic or instrument is connected to,
arm your track, arm record in the top bar, if the levels from you audio interface are set high enough
you will see the track meter moving because of local noises, speak or play your instrument and the meter will
of course rise accordingly, now hit play, and recording will start.
I can either start my laptop with the usb interface connected, or connect the usb interface after I start the computer,
either way, I have the interface connected to my laptop before I start jack, or Ardour.
In some cases I have heard of people need to reboot with the interface connected, I never have to.
Hope this helps
Are you starting Ardour up and selecting ALSA or jack, and where have you configured
which sound device to use for Ardour.
Thanks for all the advice Greenerpastures.
I should clarify that it works on my Ubuntu 16.04 operating system. I can plug in the Quattro and use it instead of built in soundcard, I can run LMMS (another Linux DAW) and it happily uses the Quattro via ALSA. So based on all this, and the description of Ardour, it should work. But when I start up Ardour, it is ‘not able to open audio device’. I do not know how to find out any specific limitations of the various Ardour versions, I am only going by the description on https://ardour.org/requirements.html i.e. any ALSA supported device should work, in particular if it is already working with the host OS (which it is).
Thanks!
p.s. I have tried a full reboot with Quattro USB connected.
From here, ubuntuforums.org/showthread DOT php?t=2188370 rReplace the DOT and pre-pend the usual
Here is an example of how someone got ports working,
Re: GA-970A-DS3P revision 1 no usb 3.0
Here is my updated fix
First enable iommu in the uefi by restarting your computer and pressing delete to enter the uefi
plug your usb mouse, keyboard and thumbdrive in usb 2 ports.
save and exit the uefi
Then In Ubuntu:
press Ctrl+Alt+T to open up a terminal
run the following command: sudo gedit /etc/default/grub
Only edit the empty quotes in this line to read: GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX="iommu=soft"
save changes to grub and exit gedit and the terminal
Open up a new terminal with ctrl+alt+t
run the following command: sudo update-grub
then exit the terminal using this command: exit
Restart your computer press delete to get back into the uefi
Disable iommu in bios, load optimized defaults and restart.
usb, 2.0 usb 3.0 and networking all work now in Ubuntu, and disabling iommu in bios may also help improve your boot times.
If the above post helps anyone I am happyJust did a google search for usb 1 problem on Ubuntu 16.04 and
see other have same problem with usb 1 not working.
What version of Ardour does your Maudio Quattro work with under Ubuntu and LMMS.
Are are all those operating systems on the same computer.
Are there any security / permission issues, like adding yourself to the audio group.
Some times people need to reboot the computer with the interface plugged in, and
second time around it works, also try another usb port, obvious, make sure the usb
cord is plugged in / pushed all the way in at both ends.
Thanks ccaudle, but I do not have any other software running simultaneously. Ardour simply ‘cannot open audio device’ even though I can use it fine in other DAW software or even use it instead of built in sound. I have tried many reboots and different USB ports. It is a mystery.
When Ardour cannot access the device, run this command: cd /tmp && wget http://jackaudio.org/downloads/adevices.sh && bash ./adevices.sh
Show us the output. I tiwll not modify your system.
Paul: Just now saw your comment - thank you. Here is the output from command:
========================================
Part I: ALSA
Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Driver Version k4.10.0-37-generic.
Card 0 (PCH):
Playback Device 0 (ALC3246 Analog):
Playback Device 3 (HDMI 0):
Playback Device 7 (HDMI 1):
Playback Device 8 (HDMI 2):
Recording Device 0 (ALC3246 Analog):
Card 1 (Quattrotm):
Playback Device 0 (USB Audio):
Playback Device 1 (USB Audio #1):
Recording Device 0 (USB Audio):
Recording Device 1 (USB Audio #1):
========================================
Part II: jack processes
FYI if I instead use the built audio (intel), output is as follows:
=======================================
Part I: ALSA
Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Driver Version k4.10.0-37-generic.
Card 0 (PCH):
Playback Device 0 (ALC3246 Analog):
Playback Device 3 (HDMI 0):
Playback Device 7 (HDMI 1):
Playback Device 8 (HDMI 2):
Recording Device 0 (ALC3246 Analog):
Card 1 (Quattrotm):
Playback Device 0 (USB Audio):
Playback Device 1 (USB Audio #1):
Recording Device 0 (USB Audio):
Recording Device 1 (USB Audio #1):
========================================
Part II: jack processes
Many thanks for any help.
@mongoose, have you already tried to run Ardour with M-Audio card using JACK backend? I also have a multichannel USB audio card by M-Audio, much older Fast Track Ultra 8R. It is probably very different piece of gear but it is built by the same company and it also behaves the same way: it cannot start Ardour with ALSA backend. It runs with the other ALSA applications just fine (Audacity, Ecasound, Reaper through wine…) and it connects to JACK (via qjackctl) without problems and that way it is also usable with Ardour and with all 8 ins, 8 outs too.
When I try to start Artour with M-Audio using ALSA it also sends message “failed to open audio device” but when I switch backend to JACK (WITHOUT shutting the dialog) and Ardour starts I get this in message window:
“[ERROR]: AlsaAudioBackend: failed to allocate parameters.”
Obviously, this message comes from failed attempt to use ALSA backend. Ardour with JACK continues to function normally.
I hope this gives some clue to the developers and I hope you get your device start working with Ardour.
@vasakq, thanks for taking the time to share. it’s very useful to know this error has occurred with other (old-ish) M-Audio gear, even if I am not sure how to fix as yet. Cheers!
@ Paul: did that output give you any clues?
Thanks
Something is probably wrong with the device driver that means it will not accept the hardware parameters you are trying to use. Normally the only way to fully diagnose this is to mess around and try many different possible hardware parameter combinations. There’s no simple way to suggest what to change.