Re: [gentoo-user] Re: ALSA - Still No Sound

[Mark Knecht <markknecht@gmail.com>]

On Fri, Feb 25, 2011 at 4:03 AM, dhk <dhkuhl@optonline.net> wrote:
<SNIP>
> I think I have made some progress.  After getting a new sound card
> (Sound Blaster X-Fi) and building X-Fi in the kernel I have some sound,
> but it sounds terrible.  It's mostly a static noise with a hint of the
> actual audio underneath.  Also the volume is almost all the way up, but
> the volume still sounds low.
>
> The ALSA Soundcard Matrix for this card says:
> Sound Blaster X-Fi emu20k1 Details [PCI] Partially supported on 1.0.21;
> EAX and Advanced sound options like crystalizer not available
>
<SNIP>

I've got one of these X-Fi devices although mine is not a Creative
Labs device.. The device looks like a PCI-Express 1x devices but on my
motherboard it turned out it only works in one specific slot. Check
your MB specs for any similar limitations.

As for the in-kernel/module question, I've done Linux audio for years.
I can almost promise you that the Alsa devs never build the drivers
into the kernel. For that reason alone I never do. I've had a few
problems over the years when they were built in, later fixed by the
devs so that it worked built in, but in my experience it's always
better to start with it as a module, get it working, and then if it's
important to you build it in. I have about 2 dozen sound cards here. I
build all of them as drivers for every machine so that I can move
cards around for special needs and not need to rebuild the kernel.

Good luck,
Mark