ALSA/Pulse audio conflict?

[Fester Bestertester]

15.10 amd64: Looking for a means of piping (rear) mic audio out the Line-Out port. Noticed Volume widget in System Tray (when/if present!) is ALSA and I can't find anything there. Also noticed in History that Pulse Volume Control is multi-entry: Is it in conflict, trying and failing?
WinXP was easy to configure for this, Win10 not so ... and now Linux a total abortion!
I'm largely deaf, and BOTH my 'hairy maids' have failed - and servicing could take weeks
Any help greatly appreciated!

[GreyGeek]

Have you tried
sudo alsamixer
?
The following command will save your settings
sudo alsactl store

[Fester Bestertester]

Probably something there, but not intuitive. The idea is to pipe from rear mic to line out. Any config file and settings? Or a GUI version?
The standard System Tray "Audio Volume" widget (*IF* present) gets you Playback and Capture Device sliders and enable/mute, but no audio gets from one to the other. It seems they give/get audio to/from an application, but nothing happens unless they're being used. I need a path (through the main mix?) by default. WinXP did this. I tried it in a VirtualBox VM of XP, but no go - it probably gets its behaviour (yes, EN_NZ = EN_UK) from the host.

[GreyGeek]

What does your "Input" devices tab on PulseAudio Volume Control app show as available input devices? If you plug something into LineOut (or other jacks) do they appear on that tab?

[Fester Bestertester]

All present and correct. Rear mic shows activity in Pulse Volume Control > Input Devices tab (It has a VU meter ), and Line Out appears *in Output Devices tab*. There's just no default/configurable path between. Can't select mic _as a source_ for line out.
I use line out _instead of_ headphones via an amp to headphones to give me tailored response (treble boost, bass cut) to sub for hairy maids. I could use the Headphone output IF there was a decent Graphic EQ in the kit (VLC has one - a good basis for development?). -The aids have bluetooth, but that's totally distorted unless direct wired from head[phone jack to the aids' bluetooth-to-near-field 'Streamer' pendant. That ties me to the computer - why bother with bluetooth at all? It's also an abortion to configure - Need to SELECT it at the keyboard (existing 'Mixers' are SELECTORS!), and that cuts off any other use, including Line Out! Should be permanently enabled, just use it. I battled that _here_ in July last year (https://www.kubuntuforums.net/showth...Bluetooth-woes). Gave up ... am I going to have to give up here too? Resolution to these could help ALL deaf old coots like me!

[GreyGeek]

The only alternative to Alsa or PulseAudio sound control for Linux is here. I used 4Front drivers years ago when I had a computer with Line In and Line Out, etc...
How to adjust Pulseaudio to work with OSSv4 is here. Adjustments for specific apps are also listed there. Notice that OSSv4 binaries are not free but the source is. The binaries include drivers which are proprietary. The deb package can be downloaded here. 4Front EQ10 equalizers for various apps are available from many locations.


Sadly, now, the user is isolated from fine control of sound because of the limitations of the GUI and the complexity of the drivers.

[Fester Bestertester]

Looking good - thanks! Does require some work, so will investigate. Could be a while ...