Disable PulseAudio flat volumes to prevent it from pushing volume level to max

kendell clark coffeekingms at gmail.com
Mon Sep 21 23:13:52 UTC 2015


hi
I don't know, but if there's not, I'll go file one and post the link here.
Thanks
Kendell clark


On 09/21/2015 02:45 PM, Thomas Daede wrote:
> Is there currently a bug open for this? I'd rather it not get lost.
> 
> On 09/17/2015 11:59 AM, Germano Massullo wrote:
>> =======
>> Definition of flat-volumes from [1] : it scales the device-volume with
>> the volume of the "loudest" application. For example, raising the VoIP
>> call volume will raise the hardware volume and adjust the music-player
>> volume so it stays where it was, without having to lower the volume of
>> the music-player manually.
>> =======
>>
>> Today I had a scary experience with the audio of my computer.
>> I was listening to music with Amarok, using my headphones... The KMix
>> volume level was ~ 35%. When I logged into a video conference
>> application, the volume suddenly reached the 100%. I was shocked, having
>> the maximum audio level shooted in your ears is a painful experience.
>> The conference application that triggered PulseAudio pushing volume to
>> maximum level probably should have never asked the system for a 100%
>> audio level, but on the other hand, PulseAudio should never allow an
>> application to make such sudden changes.
>> To avoid that, you have to set
>> flat-volumes = no
>> in /etc/pulse/daemon.conf
>>
>> I found many users stories complaining about this default setting [2]
>> [3] [4] and you can easily find other by searching "pulseaudio flat
>> volumes".
>> I completely agree with user gaggra comment at [3]
>>
>> <<This is an interesting issue because it is one of the rare times
>> misbehaving software can /physically hurt you/. You would think that
>> once that was understood, the design of this sort of behaviour would be
>> treated in a very conservative, careful manner.>>
>>
>> Moreover this default setting can cause sound crackling [5].
>>
>> So I would like to start a discussion about disabling this default
>> behaviour for the mentioned reasons.
>>
>>
>> [1] https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/PulseAudio
>> [2]
>> https://major.io/2015/06/08/pulseaudio-popping-with-multiple-sounds-in-fedora-22/
>> [3]
>> https://www.reddit.com/r/linux/comments/2rjiaa/horrible_decisions_flat_volumes_in_pulseaudio_a/
>> [4]
>> http://awesomelinux.blogspot.it/2013/06/pulseaudios-dynamic-volume-levels-are.html
>> [5] https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1264177
>>
>>


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