> You *are* using the `mic' port rather than the `line in' port,
> right?

Yep - checked that a few times :-) and that the connections weren't
loose.

> And you checked the battery in the mic?

No battery.  But the volume through to the speakers suggests it is
working ok (see later post)

> Try compiling the audio/xmmix package (or using mixerctl(1)) and
> fiddling with the volume control.

Thanks Charles, I hadn't spotted mixerctl.  I read audio and a few
other man pages looking for xrefs.  I did compile xmmix and that got
me to the point where I at least know the connections are right and
the OS is talking to the card etc (see my 2nd or 3rd post on this).

In case anyone is interested, this is mixerctl -a output

: sjg:157; mixerctl -a    
outputs.master=240,240
inputs.fmsynth=128,128
inputs.fmsynth.mute=off
inputs.fmsynth.swap=off
inputs.cd=128,128
inputs.cd.mute=off
inputs.cd.swap=off
outputs.cd.mute=off
inputs.dac=128,128
inputs.mic=96
inputs.mic.mute=off
inputs.mic.swap=off
outputs.mic.mute=off
inputs.line=128,128
inputs.line.mute=off
inputs.line.swap=off
outputs.line.mute=off
record.source=mic
equalization.treble=128,128
equalization.bass=128,128
inputs.pc_speaker=128
inputs.input=128,128
outputs.output=128,128
inputs.AGC=off

I'm not sure what all of those are - man page doesn't say.

--sjg