Bizarre audio output switching! Output profile changing by itself...

[oshunluvr]

I have commented about my audio problems on another thread, but this desires it's own conversation. This might be the weirdest thing I've ever seen:

Using the built-in audio, the Profile changes from Analog Stereo (which is connected to speaker) to Digital Stereo (IEC958) Output (not connected) and back again randomly. No action being taken on the system at all. I have attempted to time this, but the timing appears random - ranges from several minutes to a couple seconds. I'm watching it happen right now before my eyes while I'm typing.

First, the system:

System: Circa 2006 Asus Maximus Formula SE
On-Board audio: Intel AC1988B
Video Card w/audio: EVGA nVidia GTX780

aplay -a output:

**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 0: Intel [HDA Intel], device 0: AD1988B Analog [AD1988B Analog]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: Intel [HDA Intel], device 1: AD1988B Digital [AD1988B Digital]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: Intel [HDA Intel], device 2: AD1988B Alt Analog [AD1988B Alt Analog]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: NVidia [HDA NVidia], device 3: HDMI 0 [HDMI 0]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: NVidia [HDA NVidia], device 7: HDMI 1 [HDMI 1]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: NVidia [HDA NVidia], device 8: HDMI 2 [HDMI 2]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: NVidia [HDA NVidia], device 9: HDMI 3 [HDMI 3]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0

nVidia card supplies video to three monitors using the DP, HDMI, and DVI ports. The HDMI audio is not being used (no speakers on the monitor) and I have it set to OFF in Audio Hardware Setup.
Audio is an external speaker set connected to the analog lineout (card 0/ device 0).
Digital out is not connected (it has three possible connections - optical, digital RCA, separate speaker RCA).

amixer output showing "live" connections:

amixer -c 0 contents
numid=47,iface=CARD,name='CD Phantom Jack'
; type=BOOLEAN,access=r-------,values=1
: values=on
numid=52,iface=CARD,name='Front Headphone Jack'
; type=BOOLEAN,access=r-------,values=1
: values=off
numid=44,iface=CARD,name='Front Mic Jack'
; type=BOOLEAN,access=r-------,values=1
: values=on
numid=46,iface=CARD,name='Line Jack'
; type=BOOLEAN,access=r-------,values=1
: values=on
numid=50,iface=CARD,name='Line Out CLFE Jack'
; type=BOOLEAN,access=r-------,values=1
: values=off
numid=48,iface=CARD,name='Line Out Front Jack'
; type=BOOLEAN,access=r-------,values=1
: values=off
numid=51,iface=CARD,name='Line Out Side Jack'
; type=BOOLEAN,access=r-------,values=1
: values=off
numid=49,iface=CARD,name='Line Out Surround Jack'
; type=BOOLEAN,access=r-------,values=1
: values=off
numid=45,iface=CARD,name='Rear Mic Jack'
; type=BOOLEAN,access=r-------,values=1
: values=off
numid=53,iface=CARD,name='SPDIF Phantom Jack'
; type=BOOLEAN,access=r-------,values=1
: values=on
numid=43,iface=MIXER,name='Master Playback Switch'
; type=BOOLEAN,access=rw------,values=1
: values=on
numid=42,iface=MIXER,name='Master Playback Volume'
; type=INTEGER,access=rw---R--,values=1,min=0,max=39,step=0
: values=35
| dBscale-min=-58.50dB,step=1.50dB,mute=0
numid=12,iface=MIXER,name='Headphone Playback Switch'
; type=BOOLEAN,access=rw------,values=2
: values=on,on
numid=11,iface=MIXER,name='Headphone Playback Volume'
; type=INTEGER,access=rw---R--,values=2,min=0,max=39,step=0
: values=39,39
| dBscale-min=-58.50dB,step=1.50dB,mute=0
numid=62,iface=MIXER,name='PCM Playback Volume'
; type=INTEGER,access=rw---RW-,values=2,min=0,max=255,step=0
: values=254,254
| dBscale-min=-51.00dB,step=0.20dB,mute=0
numid=33,iface=MIXER,name='Front Mic Boost Volume'
; type=INTEGER,access=rw---R--,values=2,min=0,max=3,step=0
: values=0,0
| dBscale-min=0.00dB,step=10.00dB,mute=0
numid=16,iface=MIXER,name='Front Mic Playback Switch'
; type=BOOLEAN,access=rw------,values=2
: values=off,off
numid=15,iface=MIXER,name='Front Mic Playback Volume'
; type=INTEGER,access=rw---R--,values=2,min=0,max=31,step=0
: values=0,0
| dBscale-min=-34.50dB,step=1.50dB,mute=0
numid=2,iface=MIXER,name='Front Playback Switch'
; type=BOOLEAN,access=rw------,values=2
: values=on,on
numid=1,iface=MIXER,name='Front Playback Volume'
; type=INTEGER,access=rw---R--,values=2,min=0,max=39,step=0
: values=39,39
| dBscale-min=-58.50dB,step=1.50dB,mute=0
numid=4,iface=MIXER,name='Surround Playback Switch'
; type=BOOLEAN,access=rw------,values=2
: values=off,off
numid=3,iface=MIXER,name='Surround Playback Volume'
; type=INTEGER,access=rw---R--,values=2,min=0,max=39,step=0
: values=0,0
| dBscale-min=-58.50dB,step=1.50dB,mute=0
numid=7,iface=MIXER,name='Center Playback Switch'
; type=BOOLEAN,access=rw------,values=1
: values=off
numid=5,iface=MIXER,name='Center Playback Volume'
; type=INTEGER,access=rw---R--,values=1,min=0,max=39,step=0
: values=0
| dBscale-min=-58.50dB,step=1.50dB,mute=0
numid=8,iface=MIXER,name='LFE Playback Switch'
; type=BOOLEAN,access=rw------,values=1
: values=off
numid=6,iface=MIXER,name='LFE Playback Volume'
; type=INTEGER,access=rw---R--,values=1,min=0,max=39,step=0
: values=0
| dBscale-min=-58.50dB,step=1.50dB,mute=0
numid=35,iface=MIXER,name='Line Boost Volume'
; type=INTEGER,access=rw---R--,values=2,min=0,max=3,step=0
: values=2,2
| dBscale-min=0.00dB,step=10.00dB,mute=0
numid=20,iface=MIXER,name='Line Playback Switch'
; type=BOOLEAN,access=rw------,values=2
: values=off,off
numid=19,iface=MIXER,name='Line Playback Volume'
; type=INTEGER,access=rw---R--,values=2,min=0,max=31,step=0
: values=0,0
| dBscale-min=-34.50dB,step=1.50dB,mute=0
numid=22,iface=MIXER,name='CD Playback Switch'
; type=BOOLEAN,access=rw------,values=2
: values=off,off
numid=21,iface=MIXER,name='CD Playback Volume'
; type=INTEGER,access=rw---R--,values=2,min=0,max=31,step=0
: values=0,0
| dBscale-min=-34.50dB,step=1.50dB,mute=0
numid=28,iface=MIXER,name='Capture Switch'
; type=BOOLEAN,access=rw------,values=2
: values=on,on
numid=30,iface=MIXER,name='Capture Switch',index=1
; type=BOOLEAN,access=rw------,values=2
: values=off,off
numid=32,iface=MIXER,name='Capture Switch',index=2
; type=BOOLEAN,access=rw------,values=2
: values=off,off
numid=27,iface=MIXER,name='Capture Volume'
; type=INTEGER,access=rw---R--,values=2,min=0,max=54,step=0
: values=54,54
| dBscale-min=-58.50dB,step=1.50dB,mute=0
numid=29,iface=MIXER,name='Capture Volume',index=1
; type=INTEGER,access=rw---R--,values=2,min=0,max=54,step=0
: values=0,0
| dBscale-min=-58.50dB,step=1.50dB,mute=0
numid=31,iface=MIXER,name='Capture Volume',index=2
; type=INTEGER,access=rw---R--,values=2,min=0,max=54,step=0
: values=0,0
| dBscale-min=-58.50dB,step=1.50dB,mute=0
numid=14,iface=MIXER,name='Loopback Mixing'
; type=ENUMERATED,access=rw------,values=1,items=2
; Item #0 'Disabled'
; Item #1 'Enabled'
: values=1
numid=41,iface=MIXER,name='IEC958 Default PCM Playback Switch'
; type=BOOLEAN,access=rw------,values=1
: values=on
numid=37,iface=MIXER,name='IEC958 Playback Con Mask'
; type=IEC958,access=r-------,values=1
: values=[AES0=0x0f AES1=0xff AES2=0x00 AES3=0x00]
numid=38,iface=MIXER,name='IEC958 Playback Pro Mask'
; type=IEC958,access=r-------,values=1
: values=[AES0=0x0f AES1=0x00 AES2=0x00 AES3=0x00]
numid=39,iface=MIXER,name='IEC958 Playback Default'
; type=IEC958,access=rw------,values=1
: values=[AES0=0x04 AES1=0x00 AES2=0x00 AES3=0x00]
numid=36,iface=MIXER,name='IEC958 Playback Source'
; type=ENUMERATED,access=rw------,values=1,items=4
; Item #0 'PCM'
; Item #1 'ADC1'
; Item #2 'ADC2'
; Item #3 'ADC3'
: values=0
numid=40,iface=MIXER,name='IEC958 Playback Switch'
; type=BOOLEAN,access=rw------,values=1
: values=on
numid=23,iface=MIXER,name='Auto-Mute Mode'
; type=ENUMERATED,access=rw------,values=1,items=2
; Item #0 'Disabled'
; Item #1 'Enabled'
: values=1
numid=55,iface=MIXER,name='Beep Playback Switch'
; type=BOOLEAN,access=rw------,values=1
: values=off
numid=54,iface=MIXER,name='Beep Playback Volume'
; type=INTEGER,access=rw---R--,values=1,min=0,max=15,step=0
: values=15
| dBscale-min=-45.00dB,step=3.00dB,mute=0
numid=13,iface=MIXER,name='Independent HP'
; type=ENUMERATED,access=rw------,values=1,items=2
; Item #0 'Disabled'
; Item #1 'Enabled'
: values=0
numid=24,iface=MIXER,name='Input Source'
; type=ENUMERATED,access=rw------,values=1,items=5
; Item #0 'Front Mic'
; Item #1 'Rear Mic'
; Item #2 'Line'
; Item #3 'CD'
; Item #4 'Stereo Mix'
: values=2
numid=25,iface=MIXER,name='Input Source',index=1
; type=ENUMERATED,access=rw------,values=1,items=5
; Item #0 'Front Mic'
; Item #1 'Rear Mic'
; Item #2 'Line'
; Item #3 'CD'
; Item #4 'Stereo Mix'
: values=0
numid=26,iface=MIXER,name='Input Source',index=2
; type=ENUMERATED,access=rw------,values=1,items=5
; Item #0 'Front Mic'
; Item #1 'Rear Mic'
; Item #2 'Line'
; Item #3 'CD'
; Item #4 'Stereo Mix'
: values=0
numid=34,iface=MIXER,name='Rear Mic Boost Volume'
; type=INTEGER,access=rw---R--,values=2,min=0,max=3,step=0
: values=0,0
| dBscale-min=0.00dB,step=10.00dB,mute=0
numid=18,iface=MIXER,name='Rear Mic Playback Switch'
; type=BOOLEAN,access=rw------,values=2
: values=off,off
numid=17,iface=MIXER,name='Rear Mic Playback Volume'
; type=INTEGER,access=rw---R--,values=2,min=0,max=31,step=0
: values=0,0
| dBscale-min=-34.50dB,step=1.50dB,mute=0
numid=10,iface=MIXER,name='Side Playback Switch'
; type=BOOLEAN,access=rw------,values=2
: values=off,off
numid=9,iface=MIXER,name='Side Playback Volume'
; type=INTEGER,access=rw---R--,values=2,min=0,max=39,step=0
: values=0,0
| dBscale-min=-58.50dB,step=1.50dB,mute=0
numid=57,iface=PCM,name='Capture Channel Map'
; type=INTEGER,access=r----R--,values=2,min=0,max=36,step=0
: values=0,0
| container
| chmap-fixed=FL,FR

numid=56,iface=PCM,name='Playback Channel Map'
; type=INTEGER,access=r----R--,values=8,min=0,max=36,step=0
: values=0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0
| container
| chmap-fixed=FL,FR
| chmap-fixed=FL,FR,RL,RR
| chmap-fixed=FL,FR,RL,RR,FC,LFE
| chmap-fixed=FL,FR,RL,RR,FC,LFE,SL,SR

numid=58,iface=PCM,name='Playback Channel Map',device=1
; type=INTEGER,access=r----R--,values=2,min=0,max=36,step=0
: values=0,0
| container
| chmap-fixed=FL,FR

numid=60,iface=PCM,name='Capture Channel Map',device=2
; type=INTEGER,access=r----R--,values=2,min=0,max=36,step=0
: values=0,0
| container
| chmap-fixed=FL,FR

numid=61,iface=PCM,name='Capture Channel Map',index=1,device=2
; type=INTEGER,access=r----R--,values=2,min=0,max=36,step=0
: values=0,0
| container
| chmap-fixed=FL,FR

numid=59,iface=PCM,name='Playback Channel Map',device=2
; type=INTEGER,access=r----R--,values=2,min=0,max=36,step=0
: values=0,0
| container
| chmap-fixed=FL,FR

I presume automatically changing outputs would be great if you have a laptop and you plug in headphones, but clearly this random behavior makes audio unusable for me.

I am attempting to alter this behavior by editing /etc/pulse/default.pa and commenting out the line load-module module-switch-on-port-available to see if this helps. I will report back in any case, but I wondered if anyone had any other ideas?

[Snowhog]

Seems to me that this is worthy of reporting to KDE neon. Join their mailing list at https://mail.kde.org/mailman/listinfo/neon

[oshunluvr]

As I suspected, editing /etc/pulse/default.pa and commenting out the line load-module module-switch-on-port-available stopped the odd behavior.

[jlittle]

That sounds like a dodgy switch on a jack. They can get gunged up as they're open to the outside. If you vigorously push a plug in and out each jack several times does that affect the behaviour?

Regards, John Little

[oshunluvr]

John, that's not a bad idea, except I've never seen this behavior before. Also, of the two actions that occur, switching from LineOut to Headphones might be explained this way but switching to Digital? Not really the sort of plug that is subject to dirtiness.

When I get a chance I boot back into 16.04 and see if it happens there or if it's just in Neon.

Might just be that this mobo has seen 10 years of daily use.

[oshunluvr]

Final issue with regard to this problem: The darn mute would automatically go on. This is solvable by running alsamixer, disabling Auto-Mute Mode, and then saving it with sudo alsactl store