What's your sound card?

[kodachi]

Hello,

I think this would be a nice start for the Open Discussion forum; the idea is that you post information of your current sound card and tell us what makes you feel it is the perfect one for you and how satisfied are you with it (or is it up to your expectations), et cetera et cetera. Let me begin...

ASUS Xonar D1 (audio production PC); it helps me get that inspiration to mix music and I am very satisfied with it, almost perfect.
Intel HDA (Linux PC); I know it's built into the motherboard, but I am saving up for a real card. No I am not satisfied with this one

- kodachi

[plmegalo]

Hi,

First, sorry if my english is not always on top, it's not my mother tongue.

I take this opportunity to introduce myself on this forum. I'm a fresh user of OSS V4, glad to have got rid of Alsa thanks to 4Front developpers.

Also glad not to have to use Pulse Audio which seems to be even worst than Alsa.

Got an ICH9 Intel HD audio on ASUS and i'm fully satisfied of it.
In fact, I only use SPDIF output and numeric inputs from audio external materials (Benchmark DAC and Olympus LS10).
I'm just beginning to use line in for recording mix, so not getting yet any comment to make on it...
I'm not convinced anyway of the quality of analog input/output from any existing computer soundcard and prefer to use external dedicated digital interfaces and, to my sense, for SPDIF output on Linux, OSS is far the best driving software (even before V4, I was already using it instead of ALSA - does ALSA mean All Linux Sounds Awful? ).

If I can ask here : where and how can I make some comments about last OSSV4 version (4.2-2000) because I'm having some problems with it that aren't there with 4.1-1052...and so not using it. In fact, the question is more how can I give information as a simple user in a relevant way?
PC environnement :
ASUSTEK P5E-VM HDMI motherboard.
ðebian lenny 5.03 with mostly KDE 3.5.10 and/or Gnome sometimes for testing

Sorry also to be a bit too talkative... I'm french..
Thank's for this forum and the good work from 4Front.

Pierre

[kodachi]

Hi Pierre,

Currently the idea is that in the Announcements forum only the newest OSS version thread is unlocked; there you can quickly point out potential or critical problems in the newest version of OSS (viewforum.php?f=19). If your issue is not critical, please start a new topic in General Discussion or in one of the operating system specific forums (Linux/Solaris/BSD). Probably the best way however is simply to use Bugzilla: http://bugzilla.opensound.com/

- kodachi

[Temüjin]

M-Audio Revolution 5.1 (Envy24ht chipset)

Pros: Audio quality, dedicated headphone jack, 5.1 surround, hardware mixer

Cons: The analog audio quality with vmix isn't quite as good as disabling vmix and using the hardware mixer, but I think that's to be expected, and I use the hardware mixer on the card most of the time anyway. I would use the hardware mixer all of the time, but it can't play multiple sound streams. I don't know if that is an OSS4 limitation, or whether I don't have it configured correctly.

Haven't tested: Input

[SeaJey]

M-Audio Revolution 5.1

And I love it for audio quality (and I had to update my audio collection because now I could hear the difference between mp3 and flac) and dedicated headphone jack - it properly suits for my 64Ω Headphone (Sennheiser HD280 pro).

The main problem are Phonon applications - at the end of playback there is some distortion and it specially annoying on short sounds like notifications or game sounds in KDiamond.

[kayman]

Terratec Aureon 7.1 Space

Pro: Great sound

Con: I had to reconvert my CD again to flac (mp3 before , analog input is not working right now (I am not sure if it's OSS problem or mine .-)

[RealNC]

Soundblaster Live 24-bit (uses oss_audigyls)

Pros:

• Just works. Sound quality is OK.

Cons:

• Microphone input volume for things like VoIP is a bit low (not a driver problem, same happens in Windows), but fortunately most VoIP software can amplify it (which results in a few distortions here and there.)
• ossmix is unable to determine the hardware's output aplification level for this card, so it's impossible to set 0db on it so some signal is always lost, unfortunately (ALSA is able to read the hardware db levels.)

[kedaha]

My first post here so hello everyone.
According to the hardware information on my main desktop Debian Squeeze system:
Creative Labs CA0106 Soundblaster
Subsystem: Creative Labs SB0570 [SB Audigy SE]
5.1 surround sound Creative Inspire A500 speakers.
OSS was installed from Debian's main repository.

Code: Select all

$ ossinfo
Version info: OSS 4.2 (b 2003/201007150434) (0x00040100) GPL
Platform: Linux/x86_64 2.6.32-5-amd64 #1 SMP Mon Oct 3 03:59:20 UTC 2011 (debian)

Number of audio devices:   4
Number of audio engines:   8
Number of MIDI devices:      0
Number of mixer devices:   1



Device objects
 0: osscore0 OSS core services
 1: oss_audigyls0 AudigyLS interrupts=767 (767)
 2: oss_usb0 USB audio core services

MIDI devices (/dev/midi*)

Mixer devices
 0: AudigyLS Mixer (Mixer 0 of device object 1)

Audio devices
AudigyLS front                    /dev/oss/oss_audigyls0/pcm0  (device index 0)
AudigyLS center/lfe               /dev/oss/oss_audigyls0/pcm1  (device index 1)
AudigyLS surround                 /dev/oss/oss_audigyls0/pcm2  (device index 2)
AudigyLS 5.1 output               /dev/oss/oss_audigyls0/pcm3  (device index 3)

Nodes
  /dev/dsp -> /dev/oss/oss_audigyls0/pcm0
  /dev/dsp_in -> /dev/oss/oss_audigyls0/pcm0
  /dev/dsp_out -> /dev/oss/oss_audigyls0/pcm0
  /dev/dsp_ac3 -> /dev/oss/oss_audigyls0/pcm0
  /dev/dsp_mmap -> /dev/oss/oss_audigyls0/pcm0
  /dev/dsp_multich -> /dev/oss/oss_audigyls0/pcm3


Great sound!

[cvnmjs]

Just integrated audio, a Realtek chip.

Code: Select all

 HD Audio controller ATI HD Audio
    Vendor ID    0x10024383
    Subvendor ID 0x14627641
     Codec  0: ALC887 (0x10ec0887/0x14627641)


Cheers!

[ossuserr]

esi juli@, audigy2zs platinum

[Dimi]

Hello!
At first, when I get acknowledged with sound systems on linux, I was using Realtek Intel HDA. Sound got better when I changed ALSA (which made some clicks and other distortions, while I'm watching a movie) to OSS (which perfectly utilizes program outputs).
After while, I bought a PCI audio card called Asus Xonar D1. Since then I can hear bass when it should be heard.

ossinfo -v9 :

Code: Select all

Version info: OSS 4.2 (b 2011/201502200707) (0x00040100) OSS_HG
Platform: Linux/x86_64 3.17.8-gentoo-r1 #5 SMP Sat Mar 14 17:17:39 GMT-3 2015

Number of audio devices:   4
Number of audio engines:   10
Number of MIDI devices:      1
Number of mixer devices:   3


Device objects
 0: osscore0 OSS core services
 1: oss_cmi878x0 Asus Xonar D1 (AV100) interrupts=0 (1)
 2: oss_usb0 USB audio core services
 3: usb0c456340-0 USB sound device
 4: usb0c456340-1 USB sound device

MIDI devices (/dev/midi*)
0: CMI8788 UART (MIDI port 1 of device object 1)
    Device file /dev/oss/oss_cmi878x0/mid0, Legacy device /dev/midi00
    Modes: IN/OUT , Available for use
    Caps:
    Minimum latency: Not indicated
    Device handle: PCI834f1043-0000:04:00.0-md01


Mixer devices
 0: CMedia CMI8788 (Mixer 0 of device object 1)
    Device file /dev/oss/oss_cmi878x0/mix0, Legacy device /dev/mixer2
    Priority: 10
    Caps:
    Device handle: PCI834f1043-0000:04:00.0-mx01
    Device priority: 10

 1: AC97 Input Mixer (CMI9780) (Mixer 1 of device object 1)
    Device file /dev/oss/oss_cmi878x0/mix1, Legacy device /dev/mixer3
    Priority: 2
    Caps:
    Device handle: PCI834f1043-0000:04:00.0-mx02
    Device priority: 2

 2: USB sound device (Mixer 0 of device object 3)
    Device file /dev/oss/usb0c456340-0/mix0, Legacy device /dev/mixer1
    Priority: 0
    Caps:
    Device handle: USB-usb0c456340-0-mx01
    Device priority: 0


Audio devices
Asus Xonar D1 (AV100) (MultiChannel)  /dev/oss/oss_cmi878x0/pcm0  (device index 0)
    Legacy device /dev/dsp9
    Caps: DUPLEX TRIGGER MMAP
    Modes: IN/OUT
      Engine      1: 0/Asus Xonar D1 (AV100) (MultiChannel)
                     Available for use
      Engine      2: 4/Asus Xonar D1 (AV100) (MultiChannel) (vmix)
                     Available for use
      Engine      3: 5/Asus Xonar D1 (AV100) (MultiChannel) (vmix)
                     Available for use
      Engine      4: 6/Asus Xonar D1 (AV100) (MultiChannel) (vmix)
                     Available for use
      Engine      5: 7/Asus Xonar D1 (AV100) (MultiChannel) (vmix)
                     Available for use
    Input formats (0x00001010):
      AFMT_S16_LE   - 16 bit signed little endian
      AFMT_S32_LE   - 32 bit signed little endian
    Output formats (0x00001010):
      AFMT_S16_LE   - 16 bit signed little endian
      AFMT_S32_LE   - 32 bit signed little endian
    Device handle: PCI834f1043-0000:04:00.0-au01
    Related mixer dev: -1
    Sample rate source: 0
    Preferred channel configuration: Not indicated
    Supported number of channels (min - max): 2 - 8
    Native sample rates (min - max): 32000 - 192000
    HW Type: Not indicated.
    Minimum latency: Not indicated

Asus Xonar D1 (AV100) (SPDIF)     /dev/oss/oss_cmi878x0/pcm1  (device index 1)
    Legacy device /dev/dsp10
    Caps: DUPLEX TRIGGER MMAP
    Modes: IN/OUT
      Engine      1: 2/Asus Xonar D1 (AV100) (SPDIF)
                     Available for use
    Input formats (0x00001410):
      AFMT_S16_LE   - 16 bit signed little endian
      AFMT_AC3      - AC3 (Dolby Digital) encoded audio
      AFMT_S32_LE   - 32 bit signed little endian
    Output formats (0x00001410):
      AFMT_S16_LE   - 16 bit signed little endian
      AFMT_AC3      - AC3 (Dolby Digital) encoded audio
      AFMT_S32_LE   - 32 bit signed little endian
    Device handle: PCI834f1043-0000:04:00.0-au02
    Related mixer dev: -1
    Sample rate source: 0
    Preferred channel configuration: Not indicated
    Supported number of channels (min - max): 2 - 2
    Native sample rates (min - max): 32000 - 192000
    HW Type: Not indicated.
    Minimum latency: Not indicated

USB sound device rec              /dev/oss/usb0c456340-1/pcmin0  (device index 2)
    Legacy device /dev/dsp8
    Caps: TRIGGER MMAP
    Modes: INPUT 
      In engine   1: 3/USB sound device rec
                     Available for use
    Input formats (0x00000010):
      AFMT_S16_LE   - 16 bit signed little endian
    Output formats (0x00000010):
      AFMT_S16_LE   - 16 bit signed little endian
    Device handle: USB-usb0c456340-1-au01
    Related mixer dev: 2
    Sample rate source: 3
    Preferred channel configuration: MONO
    Supported number of channels (min - max): 1 - 1
    Native sample rates (min - max): 8000 - 48000 (8000,11025,16000,22050,24000,44100,48000)
    HW Type: Not indicated.
    Minimum latency: Not indicated

Asus Xonar D1 (AV100) (MultiChannel) (vmix) loopback record  /dev/oss/oss_cmi878x0/loop0  (device index 3)
    Legacy device /dev/dsp3
    Caps: BATCH TRIGGER MMAP MULTI VIRTUAL HIDDEN
    Modes: INPUT 
      In engine   1: 8/Asus Xonar D1 (AV100) (MultiChannel) (vmix) loopback record
                     Available for use
      In engine   2: 9/Asus Xonar D1 (AV100) (MultiChannel) (vmix) loopback record
                     Available for use
    Input formats (0x00000000):
    Output formats (0x00000000):
    Device handle: PCI834f1043-0000:04:00.0-au03
    Related mixer dev: 0
    Sample rate source: 8
    Preferred channel configuration: Not indicated
    Supported number of channels (min - max): 0 - 0
    Native sample rates (min - max): 0 - 0
    HW Type: Not indicated.
    Minimum latency: Not indicated


Nodes
  /dev/dsp -> /dev/oss/oss_cmi878x0/pcm0
  /dev/dsp_in -> /dev/oss/oss_cmi878x0/pcm0
  /dev/dsp_out -> /dev/oss/oss_cmi878x0/pcm0
  /dev/dsp_ac3 -> /dev/oss/oss_cmi878x0/pcm0
  /dev/dsp_mmap -> /dev/oss/oss_cmi878x0/pcm0
  /dev/dsp_multich -> /dev/oss/oss_cmi878x0/pcm0

[uuu]

You better switch to windows

[uuu]

Linux is a shithole, mate. You can't run vsts without a bridge. At least half of vsts won't work normally. Oss is not being developed. Linux is controlled by corporations and etc. To get rid of any pain and waste of time you should use windows7 which is the best os currently. Besides oss is kind of a hack and not fully functional driver. For example you can't set latency to your esi juli@ card via oss or alsa drivers. You can do it only on windows. And by the way you are also being tracked via linux distros the same way as on windows - you won't escape internet spying. No need to use linuxes. I regret to have wasted much time on that crap. The only thing which could make me return to oss driver is if oss developers create a hack where you can have large buffers like 2048 with minimal latencies smaller than 5ms. I have read it's technically possible but politically would be incorrect before the will of corporations. So no more linux crap. Cheers.

[noldar]

Monitora with Berillium tweeters or square ones cost higher and produce better sound than cloth or paper ones but corps won't tell you that secret. All monitors are claimed to sound flat and true like. But that is complete bullshit. They may measure just level of noise. If noise sounds the same volume level within the standard range of 50-20000 hz they call a speaker a monitor. But hey do we listen noise or music on the speakers? Evidently each monitor model has own peculiar harmonics and coloration. It's not possible to avoid coloration because a speakers are imitation instruments. They try to imitate nature.
Electrostatic speakers are the best ones and cost about 25000$ per pair. Hell a lot for a wooden frame with some thin film.

[mystery]

Sound on microsoft's oses based on nt (successor of os\2) is spoiled by limiting access to interrupts\irq. So whatever you do to improve sound quality and minimize midi input latency you fail. The enlightenment concerning this problem came from seersystems developer of synths for windows 9x\me: Briefly, from 1993 when we invented the 486 synthesizer for Intel (within Win 3.1), and Pentium-rewritten for Win95 and Win 98, we utilized unique interrupt techniques to operate ‘outside’ the standard OS, if you will. Windows NT blocked our ability to do this. So, even were we to shoehorn Reality into a 64-bit system like Vista, it could not deliver the distinct audible results you appreciate in Win 98! (By the way, 80 vs. 64 bits is an entire CD’s worth of extra filter precision from 1999’s Reality, compared to virtually all other contemporary host-based systems.)
First, supporting Microsoft Windows NT and 2000 was impractical. Seer’s line of professional software synthesizers used 80-bit processing and relied on access to the CPU interrupt, to which they had access until Microsoft released Windows NT. In other words, an upgrade of Reality would require more than an upgrade, it would require a rewrite with no guaranty that it would provide the same sound quality as the 80-bit resolution their customers had enjoyed. Seer considered releasing Reality as an open source product, but legal issues have complicated that path as well.

So, it's impossible to get pro quality on windows oses based on nt and all windows since xp are nt-based... But if you install windows 98se\me your maximum ram will be 3gb with rudolf's patch if you are lucky to find it.
If you buy expensive hw it won;t help...