No input device selectable for wired headset plugged into TRRS port

MNT Reform
11

Ok, I have been messing with trying to record directly from the Alsa input devices for some time now, but do not get anywhere: basically, arecord fails with the message Sample format non available whatever I do.

This would look like this:

$ arecord --verbose -D "hw:CARD=MNTREFORM2BPICM,DEV=3" mon.wav
Warning: Some sources (like microphones) may produce inaudible results
         with 8-bit sampling. Use '-f' argument to increase resolution
         e.g. '-f S16_LE'.
arecord: set_params:1387: Sample format non available
Available formats:
- S8
- S16_LE
- S24_LE
- S32_LE
- IEC958_SUBFRAME_LE
- S20_LE


$ arecord --verbose -f S16_LE -D "hw:CARD=MNTREFORM2BPICM,DEV=3" mon.wav
arecord: set_params:1456: Unable to install hw params:
ACCESS:  RW_INTERLEAVED
FORMAT:  S16_LE
SUBFORMAT:  STD
SAMPLE_BITS: 16
FRAME_BITS: 16
CHANNELS: 1
RATE: 8000
PERIOD_TIME: 125000
PERIOD_SIZE: 1000
PERIOD_BYTES: 2000
PERIODS: 4
BUFFER_TIME: 500000
BUFFER_SIZE: 4000
BUFFER_BYTES: 8000
TICK_TIME: 0

I have tried different devices (among others hw:0,3, plughw:0,3 as well as 4 or 5 instead for 3), different formats and different rates. I have stopped pipewire-socket, pipewire, pipewire-pulse.socket and pipewire-pulse services, to make sure they don’t interfere. And I have tried to use the info in Record Audio without Pulseaudio/Pipewire - #2 by soulsource but am not sure it is really relevant (though the error seems to be the same). I have even tried sudo in case this is some weird permission problem.

I could not find anything online with respect to this error message that sounded relevant to my problem, either.

If I omit the device, then PipeWire PCM I/O Plugin is used, and a completely silent waveform is recorded.

Maybe (that is to say probably) I am doing something stupid and that is why it is failing… but right now, I don’t quite know where to continue investigating so ideas, hunches and advice are all very much welcome!

If anyone with an A311D (on a Reform2) could confirm that there is no input device visible in pavucontrol, that would also ease my mind that it is not something I messed up when installing some package..

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