Error passing through a USB sound device: doesn't show on list of devices

[richardb]

Hey all, I am trying to connect a USB device to a VM, but I am getting an odd error. The device is a Fiio K1 USB headphone amplifier. When I connect it, it does not appear in the list of USB devices to connect to a VM. When I look in the system log, I see a series of error messages about this device that I am not sure how to interpret (apart from their being a problem :-)

 

Jan 28 13:17:44 Bernard kernel: usb 6-1.4.4.2: USB disconnect, device number 40
Jan 28 13:17:54 Bernard kernel: usb 6-1.4.4.2: new full-speed USB device number 41 using ehci-pci
Jan 28 13:17:54 Bernard kernel: usb 6-1.4.4.2: config 1 has an invalid interface number: 3 but max is 2
Jan 28 13:17:54 Bernard kernel: usb 6-1.4.4.2: config 1 has an invalid interface number: 3 but max is 2
Jan 28 13:17:54 Bernard kernel: usb 6-1.4.4.2: config 1 has an invalid interface number: 3 but max is 2
Jan 28 13:17:54 Bernard kernel: usb 6-1.4.4.2: config 1 has no interface number 2
Jan 28 13:17:54 Bernard kernel: input: FiiO FiiO USB DAC K1 as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1d.0/usb6/6-1/6-1.4/6-1.4.4/6-1.4.4.2/6-1.4.4.2:1.0/0003:262A:100C.0041/input/input53
Jan 28 13:17:54 Bernard kernel: hid-generic 0003:262A:100C.0041: input,hidraw1: USB HID v1.00 Device [FiiO FiiO USB DAC K1] on usb-0000:00:1d.0-1.4.4.2/input0

 

(Bernard is the name of the computer). Any ideas?

[richardb]

Hmmm. Did some more poking and it seems that this device doesn't provide a proper USB dscription. When I do an lsusb I get this (the USB audio device is the one in the middle).

 

Bus 006 Device 005: ID 0bda:2838 Realtek Semiconductor Corp. RTL2838 DVB-T
Bus 006 Device 016: ID 262a:100c  
Bus 006 Device 012: ID 046d:c52b Logitech, Inc. Unifying Receiver

 

So I guess that this device has some sort of odd problem, and it isn't being detected as an audio device.

 

Any ideas how I can use this device?

[jonp]

Hmmm. Did some more poking and it seems that this device doesn't provide a proper USB dscription. When I do an lsusb I get this (the USB audio device is the one in the middle).

 

Bus 006 Device 005: ID 0bda:2838 Realtek Semiconductor Corp. RTL2838 DVB-T
Bus 006 Device 016: ID 262a:100c  
Bus 006 Device 012: ID 046d:c52b Logitech, Inc. Unifying Receiver

 

So I guess that this device has some sort of odd problem, and it isn't being detected as an audio device.

 

Any ideas how I can use this device?

 

6.2 will resolve your issue.  Hoping to have this out soon.

[richardb]

Okay, cool. Is there a timeline for that, and is there an in the meantime workaround?

[jonp]

Okay, cool. Is there a timeline for that, and is there an in the meantime workaround?

Yes, there is a workaround. You need to insert the vendor and device id inside the XML in a <hostdev> tag. 

[richardb]

Okay, so I added a hostdev as follows:

 

<hostdev mode='subsystem' type='usb' managed='yes'>
      <source>
        <vendor id='0x262a'/>
        <product id='0x100c'/>
      </source>
    </hostdev>

 

The VM starts, but no sound card, and in the log is an error:

 

2016-01-30T14:30:28.830860Z qemu-system-x86_64: libusb_claim_interface: -5 [NOT_FOUND]
2016-01-30T14:30:29.326636Z qemu-system-x86_64: libusb_set_configuration: -6 [bUSY]
2016-01-30T14:30:29.824014Z qemu-system-x86_64: libusb_set_configuration: -6 [bUSY]

 

so presumably something else has grabbed it, or I need to use other options in the hostdev tag. Thoughts?

[saarg]

Okay, so I added a hostdev as follows:

 

<hostdev mode='subsystem' type='usb' managed='yes'>
      <source>
        <vendor id='0x262a'/>
        <product id='0x100c'/>
      </source>
    </hostdev>

 

The VM starts, but no sound card, and in the log is an error:

 

2016-01-30T14:30:28.830860Z qemu-system-x86_64: libusb_claim_interface: -5 [NOT_FOUND]
2016-01-30T14:30:29.326636Z qemu-system-x86_64: libusb_set_configuration: -6 [bUSY]
2016-01-30T14:30:29.824014Z qemu-system-x86_64: libusb_set_configuration: -6 [bUSY]

 

so presumably something else has grabbed it, or I need to use other options in the hostdev tag. Thoughts?

Of all the USB sound cards I have tried, none worked as it should with USB pass through. It's usually distorted sound or clicks and pops.

The only way to make it work is to pass through a USB controller.

 

[richardb]

I do have one that works (a M-Audio Micro DAC), but it does have the glitchy sound problem.

 

You are probably right: I think I'll just buy a couple of USB controller cards, throw those in, assign them to the VM and let the OS sort it out.

[saarg]

I do have one that works (a M-Audio Micro DAC), but it does have the glitchy sound problem.

 

You are probably right: I think I'll just buy a couple of USB controller cards, throw those in, assign them to the VM and let the OS sort it out.

I think that is a smart move and will save a lot of problems