How to Identify Your System's Primary Audio Device

This procedure assumes that you have already connected USB audio devices.

1. Identify the state of your current audio device links.

   For example:

   % ls -lt /dev/audio* lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 7 Jul 23 15:41 /dev/audio -> sound/0 lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 10 Jul 23 15:41 /dev/audioctl -> sound/0ctl % ls -lt /dev/sound/* lrwxrwxrwx 1 root other 66 Jul 23 14:21 /dev/sound/0 -> ../../devices/pci@1f,4000/ebus@1/SUNW,CS4231@14,200000:sound,audio lrwxrwxrwx 1 root other 69 Jul 23 14:21 /dev/sound/0ctl -> ../../devices/pci@1f,4000/ebus@1/SUNW,CS4231@14,200000:sound,audioctl %

   The primary audio device, /dev/audio, is currently pointing to the onboard audio, which is /dev/sound/0.

2. (Optional) Add a new USB audio device.

3. Examine your system's new audio links.

   For example:

   % ls -lt /dev/audio* lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 7 Jul 23 15:46 /dev/audio -> sound/1 lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 10 Jul 23 15:46 /dev/audioctl -> sound/1ctl % ls -lt /dev/sound/* lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 74 Jul 23 15:46 /dev/sound/1 -> ../../devices/pci@1f,4000/usb@5/hub@1/device@3/sound-control@0:sound,audio lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 77 Jul 23 15:46 /dev/sound/1ctl -> ../../devices/pci@1f,4000/usb@5/hub@1/device@3/sound-control@0:sound,aud... lrwxrwxrwx 1 root other 66 Jul 23 14:21 /dev/sound/0 -> ../../devices/pci@1f,4000/ebus@1/SUNW,CS4231@14,200000:sound,audio lrwxrwxrwx 1 root other 69 Jul 23 14:21 /dev/sound/0ctl -> ../../devices/pci@1f,4000/ebus@1/SUNW,CS4231@14,200000:sound,audioctl %

   Notice that the primary audio device, /dev/audio, is pointing to the newly plugged in USB audio device, /dev/sound/1.

   If you remove the USB audio device now, the primary audio device, /dev/audio, does not revert back to the onboard audio. See the following procedure for instructions on changing the primary audio device back to the system's onboard audio.

   You can also examine your system's USB audio devices with the prtconf command and look for the USB device information.

   % prtconf . . . usb, instance #0 hub, instance #0 mouse, instance #0 keyboard, instance #1 device, instance #0 sound-control, instance #0 sound, instance #0 input, instance #0 . . .