No sound after crash (focusrite 18i20)

Hey,

I’m using ubuntu studio 16.04 with the preinstalled ardour and Qjackctl versions. but had the same problem on previous releases:

Everything works out of the box, but then at some point during use (sometimes months after install) qjackct crashes. When i restart the program everything works - i see the levels in ardour, can record etc. - but there is no sound coming out of the focusrite. I tried ardour with alsa only but with the same results. I reinstalled alsa, jack and even pulseaudio but no change.

What bugs me is the lack of error messages. Qjackctl just runs without any complaint.

I know this is all very vague but i’m just a total newb.

Thanks in advance for any help,

A

This would likely be a problem with the device driver interactions with your Focusrite device, rather than anything to do with Ardour or JACK.

Try using the builtin audio device to verify that Ardour still works.

Thanks Paul,
Using the internal sound card works, i hear sound again. I also put the focusrite on factory reset (using mix control on windows) but no help there. So where do i go from here?

There are reports of USB audio devices not working properly on Ubuntu 16.04. This is from a post on linuxmusicians.com:

Looks like this bug is present only in regular Ubuntu
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+sour … ug/1574079
Here is workaround
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php? … st13479525

To sum up, kill the process fwupd and remove the package by typing ‘sudo apt-get remove fwupd’. I have no first-hand experience with this. I’m just passing along information, but it is probably worth a shot to see if this fixes your issue given there have been a number of people reporting similar problems.

Hey GuntherT,

Sorry, your idea didnt work. I had the problem with previous versions aswell. But now i have a few error messages (/var/log/syslog):

pulseaudio[1408]: [pulseaudio] module-jack-sink.c: JACK error >Cannot use real-time scheduling (RR/5)(1: Operation not permitted)<
pulseaudio[1408]: [pulseaudio] module-jack-sink.c: JACK error >JackClient::AcquireSelfRealTime error<
pulseaudio[1408]: [pulseaudio] module-jack-source.c: JACK error >Cannot use real-time scheduling (RR/5)(1: Operation not permitted)<
pulseaudio[1408]: [pulseaudio] module-jack-source.c: JACK error >JackClient::AcquireSelfRealTime error<

I will try a few solutions posted on other forums and then report back here.

Your current system is not properly configured. http://jackaudio.org/faq/linux_rt_config.html

Add your user to the group ‘audio’.

Hey guys,

Thanks for the suggestions, but it just isn’t working. As i mentioned everything worked before the crash, so everything was and is seemingly configured correctly.
i and pulseaudio are members of the group “audio” (/etc/group), which is properly, following the guide on jackaudio.org, configured in /etc/security/limits.d/audio.conf.

Have you tried disabling pulseaudio,man pasuspender, just using qjackctl? This might help identify where the problem occurs.

i even purged pulseaudio altogether, but still no sound. Pasuspender is much less work, so thanks for the tip anyway. Seems like i’m wasting anyones time here…

I own a 18i20 great usb 2.0 interface however… Focusrite kept telling me no support for it in linux… barderdash poppycock!
It seems as though Focusrite 18i20 and all of the interfaces have a habit of shutting down all outputs if there is any thing it doesn’t like about your particular set up . My new 2i2 is a dead duck no sound… the skull canyon PC does not even see it as a usb device. I’ll have to set it up in windows first but thats not the end of the world. In particular I am getting useful studio work done with KX-Studio running The new improved Ardour 4.7.0. Really professional recording equipment works perfectly almost. I need to learn much more still about Ardour. Get the ISO and boot up the 18i20 with that first , of course shut it off first then boot to KX-Studio it will work!
Tom Peterson recommending it for me and it works. When I start Jack from CADENCE it will start after a few tries at most. It sees all 18 ins and 20 outs and maps it all. It all works and you can see how it’s all internally wired through jack and alsa. The one thing is you will never get the speakers in your monitor to work it’s an all or nothing kind of deal I think. Pulse Audio is not installed. Why would you even want pulse audio when you have a fantastic interface like the 18i20.
They seem to require a configuration in windows first using mix controll , I get all the inputs I want turned on like SPDIF and such. Wish Focusrite would support their boxes with linux drivers

I own a 18i20 great usb 2.0 interface however… Focusrite kept telling me no support for it in linux… barderdash poppycock!
It seems as though Focusrite 18i20 and all of the interfaces have a habit of shutting down all outputs if there is any thing it doesn’t like about your particular set up . My new 2i2 is a dead duck no sound… the skull canyon PC does not even see it as a usb device. I’ll have to set it up in windows first but thats not the end of the world. In particular I am getting useful studio work done with KX-Studio running The new improved Ardour 4.7.0. Really professional recording equipment works perfectly almost. I need to learn much more still about Ardour. Get the ISO and boot up the 18i20 with that first , of course shut it off first then boot to KX-Studio it will work!
Tom Peterson recommending it for me and it works. When I start Jack from CADENCE it will start after a few tries at most. It sees all 18 ins and 20 outs and maps it all. It all works and you can see how it’s all internally wired through jack and alsa. The one thing is you will never get the speakers in your monitor to work it’s an all or nothing kind of deal I think. Pulse Audio is not installed. Why would you even want pulse audio when you have a fantastic interface like the 18i20.
They seem to require a configuration in windows first using mix controll , I get all the inputs I want turned on like SPDIF and such. Wish Focusrite would support their boxes with linux drivers

Yea dude I wish I had the updated LTS 16.04 but KX Studio is still at 14 .04. It has a Ubuntu underneath it. Focusrite has sweet input pres just graet and smooth. I use the Word clock to sync my Joe Meek Twin Q. It was really frustrating I know man. I was told by my (friends you blew it send it back). I found Tom Perterson was using the exact interface and looked him up and gave him a call. Real nice took out and hour or so of his time last winter to help me from Idaho. Happy to be of help then. There is a conflict with the sound devices with Pulse installed, its really amazing to me that window. I have a video or two on my you tube channel showing it all. Keep the faith man you picked a top notch English sound device. IIt will just shut down everything at boot if it sniffs any kind of trouble. Conflicts…
Mahalo, Thanks,
Franklin

if you joined the linux audio users group it may help you.
Franklin