Bose USB audio problems

[Richard Ryniker]

Progress...

Changes to /etc/pulse/default.pa did not work; the modified file caused
pulseaudio to fail with messages like these in syslog:

  Oct 28 17:15:48 eee pulseaudio[1897]: module.c: Failed to open module "module-detect": file not found
  Oct 28 17:15:48 eee pulseaudio[1897]: main.c: Module load failed.
  Oct 28 17:15:48 eee pulseaudio[1897]: main.c: Failed to initialize daemon.
  Oct 28 17:15:48 eee pulseaudio[1895]: main.c: Daemon startup failed.

Returned to the original /etc/pulse/default.pa.

Restarting pulseaudio is a key step for success.

If I log in with the Bose USB audio device not connected, pulseaudio
starts as usual.  When the USB audio output device is connected, it is
visible in the output from "aplay -l":

  [ryniker at eee ~]$ aplay -l
  **** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
  card 0: Intel [HDA Intel], device 0: ALC662 rev1 Analog [ALC662 rev1 Analog]
    Subdevices: 1/1
    Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
  card 1: Audio [Bose USB Audio], device 0: USB Audio [USB Audio]
    Subdevices: 1/1
    Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
  [ryniker at eee ~]$ 

but it is not shown in System->Preferences->Sound.

Execute "pulseaudio -k" to restart pulseaudio, then the Bose device
appears in the System->Preferences->Sound dialog, and it may be selected
as the output device.

Voila!  Sound from the Bose speakers.

I understand aplay should accept a -D argument to select a specific
output device, but none of the values I tried - even for the built-in
audio hardware - would be accepted.  For example:

  [ryniker at eee ~]$ aplay tingle.wav 
  Playing WAVE 'tingle.wav' : Unsigned 8 bit, Rate 48000 Hz, Mono
  [ryniker at eee ~]$ aplay -l
  **** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
  card 0: Intel [HDA Intel], device 0: ALC662 rev1 Analog [ALC662 rev1 Analog]
    Subdevices: 1/1
    Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
  card 1: Audio [Bose USB Audio], device 0: USB Audio [USB Audio]
    Subdevices: 1/1
    Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
  [ryniker at eee ~]$ aplay -D hw:0,0 tingle.wav 
  Playing WAVE 'tingle.wav' : Unsigned 8 bit, Rate 48000 Hz, Mono
  aplay: set_params:979: Sample format non available
  [ryniker at eee ~]$ 

plays my test file (on the default sound output device), lists both
devices, but fails when asked to use an explicit device.  

If my sound preference output is the external device, and I unplug the
Bose USB device, sound output reverts to the built-in audio system.  If I
then reconnect the Bose device, sound output returns to it automatically.

If I log out, disconnect the Bose system, log in, the whole process
repeats.  When I plug in the Bose USB device, I must restart pulseaudio
in order to make the USB audio output choice in Preferences->Sound.

I doubt things are supposed to work this way, but I am happy to have a
way to work around the rough spots.  If more information is desired, I
shall be happy to run tests and supply it.

When the Bose USB audio device is connected, syslog captures this:

  Oct 28 21:24:21 eee kernel: usb 3-1: new full speed USB device using uhci_hcd and address 2
  Oct 28 21:24:21 eee kernel: usb 3-1: New USB device found, idVendor=05a7, idProduct=1020
  Oct 28 21:24:21 eee kernel: usb 3-1: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=0
  Oct 28 21:24:21 eee kernel: usb 3-1: Product: Bose USB Audio
  Oct 28 21:24:21 eee kernel: usb 3-1: Manufacturer: Bose Corporation
  Oct 28 21:24:21 eee kernel: usb 3-1: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice
  Oct 28 21:24:21 eee kernel: generic-usb 0003:05A7:1020.0001: hiddev96,hidraw0: USB HID v1.10 Device [Bose Corporation Bose USB Audio] on usb-0000:00:1d.1-1/input2
  Oct 28 21:24:21 eee kernel: ALSA sound/usb/usbaudio.c:1295: 2:1:1: cannot get freq at ep 0x1
  Oct 28 21:24:21 eee kernel: usbcore: registered new interface driver snd-usb-audio
  Oct 28 21:24:21 eee pulseaudio[1461]: module-alsa-card.c: Failed to find a working profile.
  Oct 28 21:24:21 eee pulseaudio[1461]: module.c: Failed to load  module "module-alsa-card" (argument: "device_id="1" name="usb-Bose_Corporation_Bose_USB_Audio-00" card_name="alsa_card.usb-Bose_Corporation_Bose_USB_Audio-00" tsched=yes ignore_dB=no card_properties="module-udev-detect.discovered=1""): initialization failed

Last two lines repeated 4 times.

  Oct 28 21:24:22 eee pulseaudio[1461]: module-udev-detect.c: Tried to configure /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1d.1/usb3/3-1/3-1:1.0/sound/card1 (alsa_card.usb-Bose_Corporation_Bose_USB_Audio-00) more often than 5 times in 10s

Every time my test file is played on the Bose device, syslog captures
another line like this:

  Oct 28 22:35:13 eee kernel: ALSA sound/usb/usbaudio.c:1295: 7:1:1: cannot get freq at ep 0x1

but the output sounds good.