No sound playback

[Alistair Buxton]

I can record sound (I can see the waveform) but when I try to play it back there is no sound output and audacity moves through the audio very quickly. If I press play repeatedly eventually the entire GUI freezes.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 13.10
Package: audacity 2.0.3-1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.11.0-4.9-generic 3.11.0-rc7
Uname: Linux 3.11.0-4-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
ApportVersion: 2.12.1-0ubuntu3
Architecture: amd64
Date: Tue Sep 10 21:05:47 2013
InstallationDate: Installed on 2013-08-27 (13 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Xubuntu 13.10 "Saucy Salamander" - Alpha amd64 (20130827)
MarkForUpload: True
SourcePackage: audacity
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

[Alistair Buxton (a-j-buxton)]

Terminal log:

al@al-desktop:~$ audacity
ALSA lib pcm_dsnoop.c:618:(snd_pcm_dsnoop_open) unable to open slave
ALSA lib pcm_dmix.c:1022:(snd_pcm_dmix_open) unable to open slave
ALSA lib pcm.c:2239:(snd_pcm_open_noupdate) Unknown PCM cards.pcm.rear
ALSA lib pcm.c:2239:(snd_pcm_open_noupdate) Unknown PCM cards.pcm.center_lfe
ALSA lib pcm.c:2239:(snd_pcm_open_noupdate) Unknown PCM cards.pcm.side
bt_audio_service_open: connect() failed: Connection refused (111)
bt_audio_service_open: connect() failed: Connection refused (111)
bt_audio_service_open: connect() failed: Connection refused (111)
bt_audio_service_open: connect() failed: Connection refused (111)
ALSA lib pcm_dmix.c:961:(snd_pcm_dmix_open) The dmix plugin supports only playback stream
ALSA lib pcm_dmix.c:1022:(snd_pcm_dmix_open) unable to open slave
Cannot connect to server socket err = No such file or directory
Cannot connect to server request channel
jack server is not running or cannot be started
Expression 'stream->playback.pcm' failed in 'src/hostapi/alsa/pa_linux_alsa.c', line: 4541
Expression 'stream->playback.pcm' failed in 'src/hostapi/alsa/pa_linux_alsa.c', line: 4541
ALSA lib pcm.c:7843:(snd_pcm_recover) underrun occurred
ALSA lib pcm.c:7843:(snd_pcm_recover) underrun occurred
ALSA lib pcm.c:7843:(snd_pcm_recover) underrun occurred
ALSA lib pcm.c:7843:(snd_pcm_recover) underrun occurred
ALSA lib pcm.c:7843:(snd_pcm_recover) underrun occurred
ALSA lib pcm.c:7843:(snd_pcm_recover) underrun occurred
ALSA lib pcm.c:7843:(snd_pcm_recover) underrun occurred

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

[Daniel Morris (d-j-n-morris)]

I have a similar set up and the same problem . My Ubuntu was an upgrade from 13.04.
Below my output if it is of any help.

Daniel

$ audacity

(process:9551): GLib-GObject-WARNING **: Attempt to add property GnomeProgram::sm-connect after class was initialised

(process:9551): GLib-GObject-WARNING **: Attempt to add property GnomeProgram::show-crash-dialog after class was initialised

(process:9551): GLib-GObject-WARNING **: Attempt to add property GnomeProgram::display after class was initialised

(process:9551): GLib-GObject-WARNING **: Attempt to add property GnomeProgram::default-icon after class was initialised
ALSA lib pcm.c:2239:(snd_pcm_open_noupdate) Unknown PCM cards.pcm.rear
ALSA lib pcm.c:2239:(snd_pcm_open_noupdate) Unknown PCM cards.pcm.center_lfe
ALSA lib pcm.c:2239:(snd_pcm_open_noupdate) Unknown PCM cards.pcm.side
bt_audio_service_open: connect() failed: Connection refused (111)
bt_audio_service_open: connect() failed: Connection refused (111)
bt_audio_service_open: connect() failed: Connection refused (111)
bt_audio_service_open: connect() failed: Connection refused (111)
ALSA lib pcm_dmix.c:961:(snd_pcm_dmix_open) The dmix plugin supports only playback stream
Cannot connect to server socket err = No such file or directory
Cannot connect to server request channel
jack server is not running or cannot be started
Expression 'stream->playback.pcm' failed in 'src/hostapi/alsa/pa_linux_alsa.c', line: 4541
Expression 'stream->playback.pcm' failed in 'src/hostapi/alsa/pa_linux_alsa.c', line: 4541
Expression 'stream->playback.pcm' failed in 'src/hostapi/alsa/pa_linux_alsa.c', line: 4541
Expression 'ret' failed in 'src/hostapi/alsa/pa_linux_alsa.c', line: 1670
Expression 'AlsaOpen( &alsaApi->baseHostApiRep, params, streamDir, &self->pcm )' failed in 'src/hostapi/alsa/pa_linux_alsa.c', line: 1830
Expression 'PaAlsaStreamComponent_Initialize( &self->capture, alsaApi, inParams, StreamDirection_In, NULL != callback )' failed in 'src/hostapi/alsa/pa_linux_alsa.c', line: 2092
Expression 'PaAlsaStream_Initialize( stream, alsaHostApi, inputParameters, outputParameters, sampleRate, framesPerBuffer, callback, streamFlags, userData )' failed in 'src/hostapi/alsa/pa_linux_alsa.c', line: 2764
Expression 'stream->playback.pcm' failed in 'src/hostapi/alsa/pa_linux_alsa.c', line: 4541
Expression 'stream->playback.pcm' failed in 'src/hostapi/alsa/pa_linux_alsa.c', line: 4541
Expression 'stream->playback.pcm' failed in 'src/hostapi/alsa/pa_linux_alsa.c', line: 4541

[Nicolay Giraldo (nicolay-g)]

The fix is the same as the fix for the sound issues in Skype:

sudo sed -i 's/^Exec=.*/Exec=env PULSE_LATENCY_MSEC=30 audacity %U/' /usr/share/applications/audacity.desktop

[Chris Martin (chris-martin-cc)]

Thanks for the fix... It works but not if you launch from the command line or by selecting an icon.
I added:

PULSE_LATENCY_MSEC=30
export PULSE_LATENCY_MSEC

to my .profile

[RobinJ (robinj)]

Also on Debian Testing. Still present 22 april 2014.

[Jeffery Wilkins (djcanadianjeff)]

fix would be awesome

[aizquier (aizquier)]

Problem present in Mint 17. Fixes suggested by Nicolay and Chris worked.