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How to use a analog microphone plugged into Realtek ALC1220 chip in PipeWire

I got a microphone connected via a XLR adapter to the rear mic jack of my mainboard. The audio dialog of KDE seems to detect that, as does not mark it as not connected (which it does for the front mic and line in). But selecting the audio device as source does not produce any useful sound. What makes you sure that the mic work, you may ask? If I enable the loopback in alsamixer (and pump up the boost), it works. Unfortunately, that is the only way I can get sound out of that.

It seems, as if the system realizes two possible sources from the audio device. But there is no option GUI wise where I can select the second input to test if that helps.


<span style="color:#323232;">alsactl info
</span><span style="color:#323232;">#
</span><span style="color:#323232;"># Sound card
</span><span style="color:#323232;">#
</span><span style="color:#323232;">- card: 0
</span><span style="color:#323232;">[....]
</span><span style="color:#323232;">#
</span><span style="color:#323232;"># Sound card
</span><span style="color:#323232;">#
</span><span style="color:#323232;">- card: 1
</span><span style="color:#323232;">  id: Generic
</span><span style="color:#323232;">  name: HD-Audio Generic
</span><span style="color:#323232;">  longname: HD-Audio Generic at 0xba600000 irq 68
</span><span style="color:#323232;">  driver_name: HDA-Intel
</span><span style="color:#323232;">  mixer_name: Realtek ALC1220
</span><span style="color:#323232;">  components: HDA:10ec1168,10438724,00100003
</span><span style="color:#323232;">  controls_count: 47
</span><span style="color:#323232;">  pcm:
</span><span style="color:#323232;">    - stream: PLAYBACK
</span><span style="color:#323232;">      devices:
</span><span style="color:#323232;">        - device: 0
</span><span style="color:#323232;">          id: ALC1220 Analog
</span><span style="color:#323232;">          name: ALC1220 Analog
</span><span style="color:#323232;">          subdevices:
</span><span style="color:#323232;">            - subdevice: 0
</span><span style="color:#323232;">              name: subdevice #0
</span><span style="color:#323232;">        - device: 1
</span><span style="color:#323232;">          id: ALC1220 Digital
</span><span style="color:#323232;">          name: ALC1220 Digital
</span><span style="color:#323232;">          subdevices:
</span><span style="color:#323232;">            - subdevice: 0
</span><span style="color:#323232;">              name: subdevice #0
</span><span style="color:#323232;">    - stream: CAPTURE
</span><span style="color:#323232;">      devices:
</span><span style="color:#323232;">        - device: 0
</span><span style="color:#323232;">          id: ALC1220 Analog
</span><span style="color:#323232;">          name: ALC1220 Analog
</span><span style="color:#323232;">          subdevices:
</span><span style="color:#323232;">            - subdevice: 0
</span><span style="color:#323232;">              name: subdevice #0
</span><span style="color:#323232;">        - device: 2
</span><span style="color:#323232;">          id: ALC1220 Alt Analog
</span><span style="color:#323232;">          name: ALC1220 Alt Analog
</span><span style="color:#323232;">          subdevices:
</span><span style="color:#323232;">            - subdevice: 0
</span><span style="color:#323232;">              name: subdevice #0
</span><span style="color:#323232;">  hwdep:
</span><span style="color:#323232;">    - device: 0
</span><span style="color:#323232;">      id: HDA Codec 0
</span><span style="color:#323232;">      name: HDA Codec 0
</span><span style="color:#323232;">      iface: 16
</span><span style="color:#323232;">[...]
</span>


<span style="color:#323232;">arecord -l                                            Do 14 Dez 2023 14:53:16 CET
</span><span style="color:#323232;">**** List of CAPTURE Hardware Devices ****
</span><span style="color:#323232;">[...]
</span><span style="color:#323232;">card 1: Generic [HD-Audio Generic], device 0: ALC1220 Analog [ALC1220 Analog]
</span><span style="color:#323232;">  Subdevices: 1/1
</span><span style="color:#323232;">  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
</span><span style="color:#323232;">card 1: Generic [HD-Audio Generic], device 2: ALC1220 Alt Analog [ALC1220 Alt Analog]
</span><span style="color:#323232;">  Subdevices: 1/1
</span><span style="color:#323232;">  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
</span><span style="color:#323232;">[...]
</span>

Does anyone have any clue what I could do to use that mic?

nickwitha_k ,

I think that I have an answer for you.

From the other comments, it sounds like you’re using a dynamic mic. So, you can very likely rule out phantom power as, while they may exist, I’m not aware of any dynamic mics that use phantom power.

Additionally, from your original post, you note that you are using an XLR to phono adapter to connect and can get some signal, if you crank up the boost.

Are you by chance running direct from the mic to the on-board soundcard?

If so, that is probably your issue. The mic-in on most non-audio production soundcards isn’t designed for this. They are intended for things like electret condensor mics that have built-in pre-amps or others that produce a signal that is closer to line-level.

Most stage and studio mics that use XLR connections produce a very low signal that is intended to run through a pre-amplifier to bring it up to line-level before it goes to tape/DAW/PA power amp.

So, my recommendation would be to take one of two routes:

  1. Obtain a mic pre-amp and add it to your signal chain between the mic and computer.
  2. Obtain an audio interface that contains a decent mic pre-amp.

I would recommend the second, if practical as the ADCs in on-board soundcards are historically mediocre to poor. You will probably be much happier with the result.

MangoPenguin ,
@MangoPenguin@lemmy.blahaj.zone avatar

Given that you have to pump up the boost a lot to hear anything, I suspect the mic is not getting phantom power? XLR is usually 48V, whereas mic jack plug in power is usually only 5V or so.

FUsername OP ,

That might be the case, but despite this, I would like to receive the miniscule signal I can loop back in my system. But do dynamic microphones require phantom power?

MangoPenguin ,
@MangoPenguin@lemmy.blahaj.zone avatar

Hmm good point they generally don’t need it

GreyFalcon ,

depending on the mic you might need en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phantom_power

the yamaha cm500 headsets come with a dongle to supply dc.

what type of mic?

FUsername OP ,

It’s a dynamic mic. I feared the same, but the fact that I can hear something using the loopback suggests that phantom power isn’t the cause, right?

GreyFalcon ,

www.audio-technica.com/…/what-is-bias-voltage/

i think you need some voltage because you can only hear it with the gain cranked up.

FUsername OP ,

Thank you for pointing me at bias voltage, I’ve never heard of that. The text explicitly mentions condenser mics requiring that voltage. Does this also apply to dynamic mics?

Besides, even if the signal is nasty, I would like to receive that in the system. So if this is an issue, it’s currently rather a side quest.

GreyFalcon ,

www.audio-technica.com/…/what-is-bias-voltage/

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