# USB Audio device not working

## Niko of Death

I use a Sound Blaster X7 usb dac/amp for my speakers and headphones on my PC, however it is currently not working with my Gentoo installation, using ALSA/Pulseaudio. If I have it powered on/connected, on boot I get stuck on "restoring mixer levels" with various alsactl errors popping up. If I wait for those to finish, or reenable the device after turning it off, in X11 terminals and most programs do not load. Here are the relevant parts of dmesg:

```
[    2.517285] usb 5-1.4: Product: Sound Blaster X7

[    2.517286] usb 5-1.4: Manufacturer: Creative Technology Ltd

[    2.530761] usb 5-1.4: cannot get ctl value: req = 0x83, wValue = 0x505, wIndex = 0x1500, type = 4

[    2.530762] usb 5-1.4: 21:0: cannot get min/max values for control 5 (id 21)

[    2.531261] usb 5-1.4: cannot get ctl value: req = 0x83, wValue = 0x602, wIndex = 0x1500, type = 4

[    2.531262] usb 5-1.4: 21:0: cannot get min/max values for control 6 (id 21)

[    2.532727] usb 5-1.4: cannot get ctl value: req = 0x83, wValue = 0x702, wIndex = 0x1500, type = 4

[    2.532727] usb 5-1.4: 21:0: cannot get min/max values for control 7 (id 21)

[    2.533349] usb 5-1.4: cannot get ctl value: req = 0x83, wValue = 0x804, wIndex = 0x1500, type = 4

[    2.533349] usb 5-1.4: 21:0: cannot get min/max values for control 8 (id 21)

[    2.534818] usb 5-1.4: cannot get ctl value: req = 0x83, wValue = 0x904, wIndex = 0x1500, type = 4

[    2.534819] usb 5-1.4: 21:0: cannot get min/max values for control 9 (id 21)

[    2.535484] usb 5-1.4: cannot get ctl value: req = 0x83, wValue = 0xa01, wIndex = 0x1500, type = 4

[    2.535485] usb 5-1.4: 21:0: cannot get min/max values for control 10 (id 21)

[    2.537086] usb 5-1.4: cannot get ctl value: req = 0x83, wValue = 0xb02, wIndex = 0x1500, type = 4

[    2.537088] usb 5-1.4: 21:0: cannot get min/max values for control 11 (id 21)

[    2.537953] usb 5-1.4: cannot get ctl value: req = 0x83, wValue = 0xc03, wIndex = 0x1500, type = 4

[    2.537955] usb 5-1.4: 21:0: cannot get min/max values for control 12 (id 21)

[    2.539484] usb 5-1.4: cannot get ctl value: req = 0x83, wValue = 0xd05, wIndex = 0x1500, type = 4

[    2.539486] usb 5-1.4: 21:0: cannot get min/max values for control 13 (id 21)

[    2.540109] usb 5-1.4: cannot get ctl value: req = 0x83, wValue = 0xe01, wIndex = 0x1500, type = 4

[    2.540111] usb 5-1.4: 21:0: cannot get min/max values for control 14 (id 21)

[    2.541637] usb 5-1.4: cannot get ctl value: req = 0x83, wValue = 0xf01, wIndex = 0x1500, type = 4

[    2.541639] usb 5-1.4: 21:0: cannot get min/max values for control 15 (id 21)

[    2.542244] usb 5-1.4: cannot get ctl value: req = 0x83, wValue = 0x1003, wIndex = 0x1500, type = 4

[    2.542245] usb 5-1.4: 21:0: cannot get min/max values for control 16 (id 21)

[    2.544265] random: crng init done

[    2.551877] usb 5-1.4: cannot get ctl value: req = 0x83, wValue = 0x505, wIndex = 0x1500, type = 4

[    2.551878] usb 5-1.4: 21:0: cannot get min/max values for control 5 (id 21)
```

It has not always been this way, as it has worked just fine in the past, but there has been no apparent reason for the problem disappearing or reappearing (I.E. no kernel change, program installation etc. seems to affect it either way).

I'm running the latest 4.10.2 kernel with the USB Sound Devices and USB Audio/MIDI driver kernel options selected.

I should also note that a similar device, my sound blaster E5, works perfectly fine (boots properly, sound works through headphones, though volume wheel is not functional)

EDIT: Trying the X7 in the same usb port I used the E5, it now works! Is there any way to tell what is causing this so I can use the old port?

----------

## Roman_Gruber

```
lsusb -tv

```

Check if there is a physical defect? if those ports are the same hardware wise? sometimes you have an additional chipset for extra ports on your mainboard, ...

check your kernel options for usb....

----------

## NeddySeagoon

Niko of Death,

Set up your USB the way you want it to work.

Put lsusb -v onto a pastebin site

Put your kernel .config onto a pastebin site and post both links.

Neither output will fit into a post.

----------

