PulseAudio: Difference between revisions

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PulseAudio is a popular sound server for Linux. ~~It is now required by a~~ number of applications~~, and should be enabled if~~ audio ~~support is desired on~~ NixOS. ~~Enabling~~ PulseAudio ~~is sufficient~~ to ~~enable audio support on NixOS in most cases~~.

PulseAudio is a popular sound server for Linux. A number of applications now expect a PulseAudio-compatible audio server.

As of NixOS 24.11, [[PipeWire]] is used over PulseAudio for most graphical sessions by default, but it can provide a PulseAudio-compatible server (see that page for more details). This page documents how to use "native" PulseAudio as an alternative.

==Enabling PulseAudio==

Add to your configuration:

services.pipewire.enable = false;

services.pulseaudio.enable = true;

services.pulseaudio.support32Bit = true; # If compatibility with 32-bit applications is desired.

</syntaxhighlight>

You may need to add users to the <tt>audio</tt> group for them to be able to use audio devices:

~~hardware~~.~~pulseaudio~~.~~enable~~ = ~~true;~~

users.extraUsers.alice.extraGroups = [ "audio" ... ];

~~hardware~~.~~pulseaudio~~.~~support32Bit = true~~; ~~## If compatibility with 32-bit applications is desired.~~

</syntaxHighlight>

~~You may need to add users to~~ the <tt>~~audio~~</tt> ~~group for them~~ to be ~~able to use audio devices~~:

== Explicit PulseAudio support in applications ==

Normally, the system-wide ALSA configuration (<tt>/etc/asound.conf</tt>) redirects the audio of applications which use the ALSA API through PulseAudio. For this reason, most applications do not need to be PulseAudio-aware. Some NixOS packages can be built with explicit PulseAudio support which is disabled by default. This support can be enabled in all applicable packages by setting:

nixpkgs.config.pulseaudio = true;

</syntaxHighlight>

== Enabling modules ==

Modules can be loaded manually:

pactl load-module module-combine-sink

</syntaxHighlight>

Or automatically:

services.pulseaudio.extraConfig = "load-module module-combine-sink";

</syntaxHighlight>

== Disabling unwanted modules ==

~~users~~.~~extraUsers~~.~~alice.extraGroups~~ = [ "~~audio~~" ... ];

services.pulseaudio.extraConfig = "unload-module module-suspend-on-idle";

</syntaxHighlight>

== Using Pulseaudio Equalizer ==

Currently (2017-11-29 {{issue|8384}}) the <code>qpaeq</code> command does not work out of the box, use the following commands to get it running:

$ pactl load-module module-equalizer-sink

$ pactl load-module module-dbus-protocol

$ nix-shell -p python27Full python27Packages.pyqt4 python27Packages.dbus-python --command qpaeq

</syntaxHighlight>

== Using Bauer stereophonic-to-binaural DSP library ==

This module re-creates on a headset what you would hear in real-life, improving sound quality and decreasing brain fatigue.

See the description of the project for more details: https://bs2b.sourceforge.net/

The nix package to use is: <code>libbs2b</code>

<b>FIXME</b>: getting an error while running:

$ pactl load-module module-ladspa-sink sink_name=binaural master=bluez_sink.AA_BB_CC_DD_EE_FF.a2dp_sink plugin=bs2b label=bs2b control=700,4.5

</syntaxHighlight>

==Troubleshooting ~~PulseAudio~~==

== Troubleshooting ==

=== General troubleshooting ===

Before troubleshooting PulseAudio, determine that the kernel-level sound APIs (ALSA) are functional; see [[ALSA]].

Line 36:

Line 87:

~~hardware~~.pulseaudio.package = pkgs.pulseaudioFull;

services.pulseaudio.package = pkgs.pulseaudioFull;

</syntaxHighlight>

Line 47:

Line 98:

(The problem is that also also tries to connect to the card that is already used by pulseaudio, so we need a module pulseaudio-alsa on pulseaudio to redirect also calls to pulseaudio)

==~~Explicit PulseAudio support in applications~~==

=== Clicking and Garbled Audio ===

~~Normally,~~ the ~~system~~-~~wide ALSA configuration (<tt>/etc/asound.conf</tt>) redirects the~~ audio of ~~applications which use~~ the ~~ALSA API through PulseAudio. For this reason~~, ~~most applications do not need to be PulseAudio~~-~~aware~~. ~~Some NixOS packages can be built with explicit PulseAudio support which is disabled by default. This support can be enabled in all applicable packages by setting:~~

The newer implementation of the PulseAudio sound server uses timer-based audio scheduling instead of the traditional, interrupt-driven approach.

~~<syntaxHighlight lang="nix">~~

~~nixpkgs.config.pulseaudio = true;~~

~~</syntaxHighlight>~~

~~== Using Pulseaudio Equalizer ==~~

~~Currently (2017-11-29 {{issue|8384}}) the <code>qpaeq</code> command does not work out of the box, use the following commands to get it running:~~

~~<syntaxHighlight lang=console>~~

Timer-based scheduling may expose issues in some ALSA drivers. On the other hand, other drivers might be glitchy without it on, so check to see what works on your system.

~~$ pactl load~~-~~module module-equalizer-sink~~

~~$ pactl load-module module-dbus-protocol~~

~~$ nix-shell -p python27Full python27Packages~~.~~pyqt4 python27Packages~~.~~dbus-python --command qpaeq~~

~~</syntaxHighlight>~~

~~== Clicking and Garbled Audio for Creative Sound Cards ==~~

To turn timer-based scheduling off add this to your configuration:

~~If you own a sound card from Creative like X~~-~~Fi and you notice random clicks during audio playback, then~~ add ~~following~~ to your configuration ~~[https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/issues/788#issuecomment-21707426]~~:

~~hardware~~.pulseaudio.configFile = pkgs.runCommand "default.pa" {} ''

services.pulseaudio.configFile = pkgs.runCommand "default.pa" {} ''

sed 's/module-udev-detect$/module-udev-detect tsched=0/' \

${pkgs.pulseaudio}/etc/pulse/default.pa > $out

'';

</syntaxHighlight>

Then perform <code># nixos-rebuild switch</code>, followed by <code>$ pulseaudio -k</code>.

The difference should be directly noticeable. This is a known issue related to quality of Creative driver [https://guh.me/solving-creative-sound-blaster-x-fi-titanium-crackling-slash-distortion-on-linux].

The difference should be directly noticeable. This is a known issue related to quality of Creative driver [https://guh.me/posts/2013-06-16-solving-creative-sound-blaster-x-fi-titanium-crackling-slash-distortion-on-linux/], but it can also happen with other sound cards.

=== Paprefs doesn't work on KDE ===

If you run KDE (Plasma) and paprefs util doesn't work complaining about dconf, make sure you have <code>programs.dconf.enable = true;</code> in your NixOS configuration. [https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/issues/47938#issuecomment-427520410 Source].

==See also==

* [[Using JACK with PulseAudio]]

* [[PipeWire]]

[[Category:Audio]]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-PulseAudio is a popular sound server for Linux. It is now required by a number of applications, and should be enabled if audio support is desired on NixOS. Enabling PulseAudio is sufficient to enable audio support on NixOS in most cases.
+PulseAudio is a popular sound server for Linux. A number of applications now expect a PulseAudio-compatible audio server.
+As of NixOS 24.11, [[PipeWire]] is used over PulseAudio for most graphical sessions by default, but it can provide a PulseAudio-compatible server (see that page for more details). This page documents how to use "native" PulseAudio as an alternative.
 ==Enabling PulseAudio==
 Add to your configuration:
+<syntaxhighlight lang="nix">
+services.pipewire.enable = false;
+services.pulseaudio.enable = true;
+services.pulseaudio.support32Bit = true;    # If compatibility with 32-bit applications is desired.
+</syntaxhighlight>
+You may need to add users to the <tt>audio</tt> group for them to be able to use audio devices:
 <syntaxHighlight lang="nix">
-hardware.pulseaudio.enable = true;
+users.extraUsers.alice.extraGroups = [ "audio" ... ];
-hardware.pulseaudio.support32Bit = true;    ## If compatibility with 32-bit applications is desired.
 </syntaxHighlight>
-You may need to add users to the <tt>audio</tt> group for them to be able to use audio devices:
+== Explicit PulseAudio support in applications ==
+Normally, the system-wide ALSA configuration (<tt>/etc/asound.conf</tt>) redirects the audio of applications which use the ALSA API through PulseAudio. For this reason, most applications do not need to be PulseAudio-aware. Some NixOS packages can be built with explicit PulseAudio support which is disabled by default. This support can be enabled in all applicable packages by setting:
+<syntaxHighlight lang="nix">
+nixpkgs.config.pulseaudio = true;
+</syntaxHighlight>
+== Enabling modules ==
+Modules can be loaded manually:
+<syntaxHighlight lang="sh">
+pactl load-module module-combine-sink
+</syntaxHighlight>
+Or automatically:
+<syntaxHighlight lang="nix">
+services.pulseaudio.extraConfig = "load-module module-combine-sink";
+</syntaxHighlight>
+== Disabling unwanted modules ==
 <syntaxHighlight lang="nix">
-users.extraUsers.alice.extraGroups = [ "audio" ... ];
+services.pulseaudio.extraConfig = "unload-module module-suspend-on-idle";
+</syntaxHighlight>
+== Using Pulseaudio Equalizer ==
+Currently (2017-11-29 {{issue|8384}}) the <code>qpaeq</code> command does not work out of the box, use the following commands to get it running:
+<syntaxHighlight lang=console>
+$ pactl load-module module-equalizer-sink
+$ pactl load-module module-dbus-protocol
+$ nix-shell -p python27Full python27Packages.pyqt4 python27Packages.dbus-python --command qpaeq
+</syntaxHighlight>
+== Using Bauer stereophonic-to-binaural DSP library ==
+This module re-creates on a headset what you would hear in real-life, improving sound quality and decreasing brain fatigue.
+See the description of the project for more details: https://bs2b.sourceforge.net/
+The nix package to use is: <code>libbs2b</code>
+<b>FIXME</b>: getting an error while running:
+<syntaxHighlight lang=console>
+$ pactl load-module module-ladspa-sink sink_name=binaural master=bluez_sink.AA_BB_CC_DD_EE_FF.a2dp_sink plugin=bs2b label=bs2b control=700,4.5
 </syntaxHighlight>
-==Troubleshooting PulseAudio==
+== Troubleshooting ==
+=== General troubleshooting ===
 Before troubleshooting PulseAudio, determine that the kernel-level sound APIs (ALSA) are functional; see [[ALSA]].
@@ Line 36: / Line 87: @@
 <syntaxHighlight lang="nix">
-hardware.pulseaudio.package = pkgs.pulseaudioFull;
+services.pulseaudio.package = pkgs.pulseaudioFull;
 </syntaxHighlight>
@@ Line 47: / Line 98: @@
 (The problem is that also also tries to connect to the card that is already used by pulseaudio, so we need a module pulseaudio-alsa on pulseaudio to redirect also calls to pulseaudio)
-==Explicit PulseAudio support in applications==
+=== Clicking and Garbled Audio ===
-Normally, the system-wide ALSA configuration (<tt>/etc/asound.conf</tt>) redirects the audio of applications which use the ALSA API through PulseAudio. For this reason, most applications do not need to be PulseAudio-aware. Some NixOS packages can be built with explicit PulseAudio support which is disabled by default. This support can be enabled in all applicable packages by setting:
+The newer implementation of the PulseAudio sound server uses timer-based audio scheduling instead of the traditional, interrupt-driven approach.
-<syntaxHighlight lang="nix">
-nixpkgs.config.pulseaudio = true;
-</syntaxHighlight>
-== Using Pulseaudio Equalizer ==
-Currently (2017-11-29 {{issue|8384}}) the <code>qpaeq</code> command does not work out of the box, use the following commands to get it running:
-<syntaxHighlight lang=console>
+Timer-based scheduling may expose issues in some ALSA drivers. On the other hand, other drivers might be glitchy without it on, so check to see what works on your system.
-$ pactl load-module module-equalizer-sink
-$ pactl load-module module-dbus-protocol
-$ nix-shell -p python27Full python27Packages.pyqt4 python27Packages.dbus-python --command qpaeq
-</syntaxHighlight>
-== Clicking and Garbled Audio for Creative Sound Cards ==
+To turn timer-based scheduling off add this to your configuration:
-If you own a sound card from Creative like X-Fi and you notice random clicks during audio playback, then add following to your configuration [https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/issues/788#issuecomment-21707426]:
 <syntaxHighlight lang="nix">
-  hardware.pulseaudio.configFile = pkgs.runCommand "default.pa" {} ''
+services.pulseaudio.configFile = pkgs.runCommand "default.pa" {} ''
-    sed 's/module-udev-detect$/module-udev-detect tsched=0/' \
+  sed 's/module-udev-detect$/module-udev-detect tsched=0/' \
-      ${pkgs.pulseaudio}/etc/pulse/default.pa > $out
+    ${pkgs.pulseaudio}/etc/pulse/default.pa > $out
-  '';
+'';
 </syntaxHighlight>
 Then perform <code># nixos-rebuild switch</code>, followed by <code>$ pulseaudio -k</code>.
-The difference should be directly noticeable. This is a known issue related to quality of Creative driver [https://guh.me/solving-creative-sound-blaster-x-fi-titanium-crackling-slash-distortion-on-linux].
+The difference should be directly noticeable. This is a known issue related to quality of Creative driver [https://guh.me/posts/2013-06-16-solving-creative-sound-blaster-x-fi-titanium-crackling-slash-distortion-on-linux/], but it can also happen with other sound cards.
+=== Paprefs doesn't work on KDE ===
+If you run KDE (Plasma) and paprefs util doesn't work complaining about dconf, make sure you have <code>programs.dconf.enable = true;</code> in your NixOS configuration. [https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/issues/47938#issuecomment-427520410 Source].
 ==See also==
 * [[Using JACK with PulseAudio]]
+* [[PipeWire]]
 [[Category:Audio]]