Microphone issue - newbie on KDE

Support Audio
1

Hi,

after some years of habit of using Manjaro XFCE, I’ve migrated to KDE in order to try on wayland, running latest KDE update(2026-05-19).

I want to record audio from my internal microphone on laptop.
When I lauch Audacity(freshly installed), I immediatly get error -9997: invalid sample rate.
According to me is a wrong error and it’s an issue with the mic.

Otherwise, how to test the microphone on KDE?
Should I install pavucontrol ?

If I go into the system configuration and search on sound, I only see play from HDMI(external hdmi monitor).

extract of running inxi -F:

Audio:
Device-1: Intel 7 Series/C216 Family High Definition Audio
driver: snd_hda_intel
API: ALSA v: k6.18.32-1-MANJARO status: kernel-api
Server-1: PipeWire v: 1.6.5 status: active

Thanks for helping.

I tried to lauch from

2

Please post more information about ALSA audio device(s)

sudo alsa-info.sh --upload

and PipeWire capture sources

pactl list sources

For KDE it would be better to install the QT version pavucontrol-qt instead of the GTK version pavucontrol

1 Like
3 
sudo alsa-info.sh --upload

Your ALSA information is located at http://alsa-project.org/db/?f=e293627e1f9b4492be7044cbcb65ba476b135269
Please inform the person helping you.

pactl list sources
Source #187
        State: SUSPENDED
        Name: alsa_output.pci-0000_00_1b.0.hdmi-stereo.monitor
        Description: Monitor of Audio interne Stéréo numérique (HDMI)
        Driver: PipeWire
        Sample Specification: s32le 2ch 48000Hz
        Channel Map: front-left,front-right
        Owner Module: 4294967295
        Mute: no
        Volume: front-left: 65536 / 100% / 0,00 dB,   front-right: 65536 / 100% / 0,00 dB
                balance 0,00
        Base Volume: 65536 / 100% / 0,00 dB
        Monitor of Sink: alsa_output.pci-0000_00_1b.0.hdmi-stereo
        Latency: 0 usec, configured 0 usec
        Flags: HARDWARE DECIBEL_VOLUME LATENCY 
        Properties:
                object.path = "alsa:acp:PCH:5:playback"
                api.alsa.path = "hdmi:0"
                api.alsa.pcm.card = "0"
                api.alsa.pcm.stream = "playback"
                port.group = "playback"
                device.icon_name = "audio-card-analog"
                device.bus = "pci"
                audio.channels = "2"
                audio.position = "[ FL, FR ]"
                iec958.codecs = "[\"PCM\"]"
                device.routes = "1"
                alsa.resolution_bits = "16"
                alsa.card = "0"
                alsa.card_name = "HDA Intel PCH"
                alsa.long_card_name = "HDA Intel PCH at 0xc2510000 irq 29"
                alsa.driver_name = "snd_hda_intel"
                alsa.mixer_name = "Realtek ALC269VC"
                alsa.components = "HDA:10ec0269,1179fb31,00100202 HDA:80862806,1179fb41,00100000"
                alsa.id = "PCH"
                device.api = "alsa"
                device.class = "monitor"
                alsa.class = "generic"
                alsa.subclass = "generic-mix"
                alsa.name = "PL2875UH"
                alsa.subdevice = "0"
                alsa.subdevice_name = "subdevice #0"
                alsa.device = "3"
                alsa.sync.id = "00000000:00000000:00000000:00000000"
                device.profile.name = "hdmi-stereo"
                device.profile.description = "Stéréo numérique (HDMI)"
                card.profile.device = "5"
                device.id = "42"
                factory.name = "api.alsa.pcm.sink"
                node.pause-on-idle = "false"
                priority.driver = "696"
                priority.session = "696"
                media.class = "Audio/Sink"
                node.name = "alsa_output.pci-0000_00_1b.0.hdmi-stereo"
                node.nick = "PL2875UH"
                device.description = "Audio interne"
                api.alsa.card.name = "HDA Intel PCH"
                api.alsa.card.longname = "HDA Intel PCH at 0xc2510000 irq 29"
                factory.id = "19"
                clock.quantum-limit = "8192"
                client.id = "41"
                node.driver = "true"
                node.loop.name = "data-loop.0"
                library.name = "audioconvert/libspa-audioconvert"
                object.id = "70"
                object.serial = "187"
                device.enum.api = "udev"
                api.alsa.card = "0"
                device.plugged.usec = "15806129"
                device.bus_path = "pci-0000:00:1b.0"
                sysfs.path = "/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1b.0/sound/card0"
                device.subsystem = "sound"
                device.vendor.id = "0x8086"
                device.vendor.name = "Intel Corporation"
                device.product.id = "0x1e20"
                device.product.name = "7 Series/C216 Chipset Family High Definition Audio Controller"
                device.form_factor = "internal"
                device.name = "alsa_card.pci-0000_00_1b.0"
                device.nick = "HDA Intel PCH"
                api.alsa.use-acp = "true"
                api.acp.auto-profile = "false"
                api.acp.auto-port = "false"
                api.dbus.ReserveDevice1.Priority = "-20"
                api.alsa.split-enable = "true"
                api.dbus.ReserveDevice1 = "Audio0"
                spa.object.id = "2"
                device.string = "0"
        Ports:
                hdmi-output-0: HDMI / DisplayPort (type: HDMI, priority: 5900, availability group: Legacy 5, available)
        Active Port: hdmi-output-0
        Formats:
                pcm

Mod edit: Corrected formatting.

5

ALSA data looks OK but there is no microphone source listed for PipeWire, just a sink monitor to record audio playing to HDMI output

Name: alsa_output.pci-0000_00_1b.0.hdmi-stereo.monitor
Description: Monitor of Audio interne Stéréo numérique (HDMI)

Monitor of Sink: alsa_output.pci-0000_00_1b.0.hdmi-stereo

Please post more information about PipeWire card profiles:

pactl list cards

Testing the internal microphone might be possible if Loopback Mixing is enabled in ALSA mixer controls

alsamixer --card=PCH --view=all

:warning: Loopback Mixing should be used with Headphones only; not Speakers.
Using this with Speakers is likely to create a feedback loop (a loud, high-pitched noise :scream:)

ALSA Loopback Mixing has been confirmed to work with analog microphones, but not with an internal digital microphone (as far as I know)

1 Like
6

alsamixer --card=PCH --view=all

Mic was at 0, but didn’t solve issue of error with Audacity/Tenacity


Card #42
        Name: alsa_card.pci-0000_00_1b.0
        Driver: alsa
        Owner Module: n/a
        Properties:
                device.enum.api = "udev"
                device.api = "alsa"
                media.class = "Audio/Device"
                api.alsa.path = "hw:0"
                api.alsa.card = "0"
                api.alsa.card.name = "HDA Intel PCH"
                api.alsa.card.longname = "HDA Intel PCH at 0xc2510000 irq 29"
                device.plugged.usec = "15806129"
                device.bus_path = "pci-0000:00:1b.0"
                sysfs.path = "/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1b.0/sound/card0"
                device.bus = "pci"
                device.subsystem = "sound"
                device.vendor.id = "0x8086"
                device.vendor.name = "Intel Corporation"
                device.product.id = "0x1e20"
                device.product.name = "7 Series/C216 Chipset Family High Definition Audio Controller"
                device.form_factor = "internal"
                device.name = "alsa_card.pci-0000_00_1b.0"
                device.description = "Audio interne"
                device.nick = "HDA Intel PCH"
                device.icon_name = "audio-card-analog-pci"
                api.alsa.use-acp = "true"
                api.acp.auto-profile = "false"
                api.acp.auto-port = "false"
                api.dbus.ReserveDevice1.Priority = "-20"
                api.alsa.split-enable = "true"
                api.dbus.ReserveDevice1 = "Audio0"
                spa.object.id = "2"
                factory.id = "15"
                client.id = "41"
                object.id = "42"
                object.serial = "42"
                object.path = "alsa:acp:PCH"
                alsa.card = "0"
                alsa.card_name = "HDA Intel PCH"
                alsa.long_card_name = "HDA Intel PCH at 0xc2510000 irq 29"
                alsa.driver_name = "snd_hda_intel"
                alsa.mixer_name = "Realtek ALC269VC"
                alsa.components = "HDA:10ec0269,1179fb31,00100202 HDA:80862806,1179fb41,00100000"
                alsa.id = "PCH"
                device.string = "0"
        Profiles:
                off: Éteint (sinks: 0, sources: 0, priority: 0, available: yes)
                output:analog-stereo+input:analog-stereo: Duplex stéréo analogique (sinks: 1, sources: 1, priority: 6565, available: yes)
                output:analog-stereo: Sortie Stéréo analogique (sinks: 1, sources: 0, priority: 6500, available: yes)
                output:hdmi-stereo+input:analog-stereo: Sortie Stéréo numérique (HDMI) + Entrée Stéréo analogique (sinks: 1, sources: 1, priority: 5965, available: yes)
                output:hdmi-stereo: Sortie Stéréo numérique (HDMI) (sinks: 1, sources: 0, priority: 5900, available: yes)
                input:analog-stereo: Entrée Stéréo analogique (sinks: 0, sources: 1, priority: 65, available: yes)
                pro-audio: Pro Audio (sinks: 2, sources: 1, priority: 1, available: yes)
        Active Profile: output:hdmi-stereo
        Ports:
                analog-input-internal-mic: Microphone interne (type: Mic, priority: 8900, latency offset: 0 usec, availability group: Legacy 1, availability unknown)
                        Properties:
                                port.type = "mic"
                                port.availability-group = "Legacy 1"
                                device.icon_name = "audio-input-microphone"
                                card.profile.port = "0"
                        Part of profile(s): input:analog-stereo, output:analog-stereo+input:analog-stereo, output:hdmi-stereo+input:analog-stereo
                analog-input-mic: Microphone (type: Mic, priority: 8700, latency offset: 0 usec, availability group: Legacy 2, not available)
                        Properties:
                                port.type = "mic"
                                port.availability-group = "Legacy 2"
                                device.icon_name = "audio-input-microphone"
                                card.profile.port = "1"
                        Part of profile(s): input:analog-stereo, output:analog-stereo+input:analog-stereo, output:hdmi-stereo+input:analog-stereo
                analog-output-speaker: Haut-parleurs (type: Speaker, priority: 10000, latency offset: 0 usec, availability group: Legacy 3, availability unknown)
                        Properties:
                                port.type = "speaker"
                                port.availability-group = "Legacy 3"
                                device.icon_name = "audio-speakers"
                                card.profile.port = "2"
                        Part of profile(s): output:analog-stereo, output:analog-stereo+input:analog-stereo
                analog-output-headphones: Casque audio (type: Headphones, priority: 9900, latency offset: 0 usec, availability group: Legacy 4, not available)
                        Properties:
                                port.type = "headphones"
                                port.availability-group = "Legacy 4"
                                device.icon_name = "audio-headphones"
                                card.profile.port = "3"
                        Part of profile(s): output:analog-stereo, output:analog-stereo+input:analog-stereo
                hdmi-output-0: HDMI / DisplayPort (type: HDMI, priority: 5900, latency offset: 0 usec, availability group: Legacy 5, available)
                        Properties:
                                port.type = "hdmi"
                                port.availability-group = "Legacy 5"
                                device.icon_name = "video-display"
                                card.profile.port = "4"
                                device.product.name = "PL2875UH"
                                iec958.codecs.detected = "[\"PCM\"]"
                                audio.channels.detected = "2"
                                audio.position.detected = "[FL,FR]"
                        Part of profile(s): output:hdmi-stereo, output:hdmi-stereo+input:analog-stereo
7

Data shows Active Profile: output:hdmi-stereo – Sortie Stéréo numérique (HDMI) in GUI controls

To use HDMI for playback and microphone for capture, change the profile to:
output:hdmi-stereo+input:analog-stereo – Sortie Stéréo numérique (HDMI) + Entrée Stéréo analogique

pactl set-card-profile alsa_card.pci-0000_00_1b.0 output:hdmi-stereo+input:analog-stereo

To use speakers/headphones for playback with microphone for capture, change the profile to:
output:analog-stereo+input:analog-stereo – Duplex stéréo analogique

1 Like
8

After executing:
pactl set-card-profile alsa_card.pci-0000_00_1b.0 output:hdmi-stereo+input:analog-stereo

Audacity does not report an error anymore, but still no sound recording, I only have a “blank noise” sound recording.

Re-running pactl list cards:

Ports:
		analog-input-internal-mic: Microphone interne (type: Mic, priority: 8900, availability group: Legacy 1, availability unknown)
		analog-input-mic: Microphone (type: Mic, priority: 8700, availability group: Legacy 2, not available)
	Active Port: analog-input-internal-mic```