i cannot figure out how to get sound working, what i am coming up with is its not in the kernel i have? Thank you in advance.

If you decide to use the expermental MAINLINE kernel 4.x , then its possible that it hasnt sound-drivers

If you want to use sound by now please use the Server-Image with the legacy Kernel 3.x

 

On my Opi Zero with legacy kernel audio is useable and alsa-base and alsa-utils (incl. alsamixer) is installed:
 

  ___                               ____  _   _____
 / _ \ _ __ __ _ _ __   __ _  ___  |  _ \(_) |__  /___ _ __ ___
| | | | '__/ _` | '_ \ / _` |/ _ \ | |_) | |   / // _ \ '__/ _ \
| |_| | | | (_| | | | | (_| |  __/ |  __/| |  / /|  __/ | | (_) |
 \___/|_|  \__,_|_| |_|\__, |\___| |_|   |_| /____\___|_|  \___/
                       |___/

Welcome to ARMBIAN 5.31 stable Ubuntu 16.04.3 LTS 3.4.113-sun8i
System load:   0.12 0.06 0.05   Up time:       7 days
Memory usage:  8 % of 494MB     IP:            192.168.x.x
CPU temp:      75°C
Usage of /:    12% of 15G

[ 0 security updates available, 1 updates total: apt upgrade ]
Last check: 2017-09-15 00:00

[ General system configuration: armbian-config ]
Last login: Fri Sep 15 16:07:08 2017 from 192.168.x.x

root@orangepizero:~# aplay -l
**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 0: audiocodec [audiocodec], device 0: SUNXI-CODEC sndcodec-0 []
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: sndhdmi [sndhdmi], device 0: SUNXI-HDMIAUDIO sndhdmi-0 []
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
root@orangepizero:~#

 

Hi

 

I have use Armbian5.31 z mainline kernel 4.11.5   https://dl.armbian.com/orangepizero/Debian_jessie_dev.7z

and I have seen internal sound card

 / _ \ _ __ __ _ _ __   __ _  ___  |  _ \(_) |__  /___ _ __ ___  
| | | | '__/ _` | '_ \ / _` |/ _ \ | |_) | |   / // _ \ '__/ _ \ 
| |_| | | | (_| | | | | (_| |  __/ |  __/| |  / /|  __/ | | (_) |
 \___/|_|  \__,_|_| |_|\__, |\___| |_|   |_| /____\___|_|  \___/ 
                       |___/                                     

Welcome to ARMBIAN 5.31 stable Debian GNU/Linux 8 (jessie) 4.11.5-sun8i   
System load:   0.05 0.03 0.00  	Up time:       11:13 hours		
Memory usage:  13 % of 496MB  	IP:            172.16.1.155
CPU temp:      43°C           	
Usage of /:    20% of 7.2G   	

[ 0 security updates available, 1 updates total: apt upgrade ]
Last check: 2017-09-16 08:21

[ General system configuration: armbian-config ]
Last login: Sat Sep 16 15:02:36 2017 from 172.16.1.2

root@EchoLink:~# cat /proc/asound/cards
 0 [Codec          ]: H3_Audio_Codec - H3 Audio Codec
                      H3 Audio Codec
 1 [Loopback       ]: Loopback - Loopback
                      Loopback 1
## aplay -l
**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 0: Codec [H3 Audio Codec], device 0: CDC PCM Codec-0 []
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
....

 

I forgot to add that if use Armbian with kernel 4.11.5 you must add i /boot/armbianEnv.txt line

 

overlays=analog-codec

 

and reboot Orange PI Zero

 

 

Thanks @geotravel, adding this line to armbianEnv.txt fixed the audio for me on 5.34 stable Debian GNU/Linux 8 (jessie) 4.13.8-sunxi