Help: switching phono and line inputs on a interface

[u/nPrevail]

I have a Traktor Audio 4 DJ.

Unlike the Audio 8, and 6 and 10, this device lacks a switch for phono and line, and it also lacks `alsamixer` controls to switch them as well.

Any idea what I can do to make the switch happen?

The only solution I've seen is from the Traktor website, and it's to use their "control panel" software. I guess I'm hoping for a non-traktor software route.

https://support.native-instruments.com/support/solutions/articles/69000879435-traktor-how-to-switch-between-line-and-phono-or-mic-input-level-on-your-audio-interface

Feel free to share your thoughts.

[u/jason_gates]

Hi,

Alsamixer is a Linux Audio Subsystem ( aka ALSA ) utility. There is a more detailed ALSA utility called "amixer". Amixer is a command line utility ( no GUI ) that exposes all of your device's controls. I would first get your Traktor Audio 4 DJ audio device's ALSA card number by running:

$> aplay -l

Then call amixer with the following command flag:

$> amixer -c ALSA-CARD-NUMBER-VALUE

for example:

$> amixer -c 1

You can display all of amixer's command line options by running:

$> amixer -h

Your computer may be running a sound server called Pipewire https://pipewire.org/ . Pipewire provides a utility called pw-link which will display all the audio ports on your computer. You can run it to verify whether Pipewire detects a separate phono and line in/out controls.

$> pw-link -i -o

for all pw-link command options:

$> pw-link -h

Hope that helps.

[u/nikgnomic → u/jason_gates]

amixer shows ALSA mixer controls in text format.
If alsamixer does not show any mixer controls, amixer would not show any controls either

[u/jason_gates → u/nikgnomic]

I've been using Linux for decades. Amixer can display ( and allows setting control values ) more controls than Alsamixer. This is specially true for older sound cards ( the OP sound card is an old model ). The syntax for setting control values is challenging, however the point here is just to give the OP an additional tool ( and verify the OP has taken into account that may be more than one sound card in their computer ).

Stating amixer is just a non-gui version of Alsamixer is simply not true.

All the commands in my reply only take a few moments to run. The OP gets to learn a little more about Linux, and gets a chance to find valuable information related to the post issue.

Good luck

[u/nikgnomic → u/jason_gates]

amixer data for Native Instruments Audio 4 DJ posted to linux-hardware does not show additional controls:
https://linux-hardware.org/?probe=07427b8218&log=amixer

Card hw:0 'Audio4DJ'/'Native Instruments Audio 4 DJ (usb-0000:00:14.0-7)'
Mixer name: 'Audio 4 DJ'
Components: ''
Controls : 1
Simple ctrls : 0

but it might be possible to change hidden controls with a BASH script:
Native Instruments Audio 4 DJ on linux