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[https://www.pipewire.org/ PipeWire] is a relatively new (first release in 2017) low-level multimedia framework. It aims to offer capture and playback for both audio and video with minimal latency and support for PulseAudio-, JACK-, ALSA- and GStreamer-based applications. PipeWire has a great bluetooth support: because Pulseaudio was [https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/issues/123784 reported to have troubles with bluetooth], PipeWire can be a good alternative.  
[https://www.pipewire.org/ PipeWire] is a relatively new (first release in 2017) low-level multimedia framework. It aims to offer capture and playback for both audio and video with minimal latency and support for PulseAudio-, JACK-, ALSA- and GStreamer-based applications. PipeWire has a great bluetooth support: because Pulseaudio was [https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/issues/123784 reported to have troubles with bluetooth], PipeWire can be a good alternative.


The daemon based on the framework can be configured to be both an audio server (with PulseAudio and JACK features) and a video capture server.
The daemon based on the framework can be configured to be both an audio server (with PulseAudio and JACK features) and a video capture server.


PipeWire also supports containers like Flatpak and does not rely on <code>audio</code> and <code>video</code> user groups, but rather it uses a Polkit-like security model, asking Flatpak or Wayland for permission to record screen or audio.  
PipeWire also supports containers like Flatpak and does not rely on <code>audio</code> and <code>video</code> user groups, but rather it uses a Polkit-like security model, asking Flatpak or Wayland for permission to record screen or audio.


==Enabling PipeWire==
==Enabling PipeWire==
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It is possible change a particular user instead of system-wide, with adding this to <code>~/.config/wireplumber/bluetooth.lua.d</code> instead, manually or using Home-Manager.
It is possible change a particular user instead of system-wide, with adding this to <code>~/.config/wireplumber/bluetooth.lua.d</code> instead, manually or using Home-Manager.
If you're still on 21.11 or enabled <code>pipewire-media-session</code> manually (by setting <code>services.pipewire.media-session.enable = true</code>), them you can use the module to configure it:
<syntaxHighlight lang=nix>
  services.pipewire = {
    media-session.config.bluez-monitor.rules = [
      {
        # Matches all cards
        matches = [ { "device.name" = "~bluez_card.*"; } ];
        actions = {
          "update-props" = {
            "bluez5.reconnect-profiles" = [
              "hfp_hf"
              "hsp_hs"
              "a2dp_sink"
            ];
            # mSBC is not expected to work on all headset + adapter combinations.
            "bluez5.msbc-support" = true;
            # SBC-XQ is not expected to work on all headset + adapter combinations.
            "bluez5.sbc-xq-support" = true;
          };
        };
      }
      {
        matches = [
          # Matches all sources
          { "node.name" = "~bluez_input.*"; }
          # Matches all outputs
          { "node.name" = "~bluez_output.*"; }
        ];
      }
    ];
  };
</syntaxHighlight>


==Graphical tools==
==Graphical tools==
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<strong>Note</strong>: those cards can be set to the "Pro Audio" profile with <code>pavucontrol</code> so PipeWire doesn't try to guess a wrong channel layout for them.
<strong>Note</strong>: those cards can be set to the "Pro Audio" profile with <code>pavucontrol</code> so PipeWire doesn't try to guess a wrong channel layout for them.


For NixOS 24.05 and newer:
<syntaxHighlight lang=nix>
<syntaxHighlight lang=nix>
   services.pipewire.extraConfig.pipewire."91-null-sinks" = {
   services.pipewire.extraConfig.pipewire."91-null-sinks" = {
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     ];
     ];
   };
   };
</syntaxHighlight>
If you're still using 23.11 or earlier, you can use <code>environment.etc</code> and <code>pkgs.formats.json</code>:
<syntaxHighlight lang=nix>
  environment.etc =
    let
      json = pkgs.formats.json { };
    in
    {
      "pipewire/pipewire.d/91-null-sinks.conf".source = json.generate "91-null-sinks.conf" {
        "context.objects" = [
          {
            # A default dummy driver. This handles nodes marked with the "node.always-driver"
            # properyty when no other driver is currently active. JACK clients need this.
            factory = "spa-node-factory";
            args = {
              "factory.name" = "support.node.driver";
              "node.name" = "Dummy-Driver";
              "priority.driver" = 8000;
            };
          }
          {
            factory = "adapter";
            args = {
              "factory.name" = "support.null-audio-sink";
              "node.name" = "Microphone-Proxy";
              "node.description" = "Microphone";
              "media.class" = "Audio/Source/Virtual";
              "audio.position" = "MONO";
            };
          }
          {
            factory = "adapter";
            args = {
              "factory.name" = "support.null-audio-sink";
              "node.name" = "Main-Output-Proxy";
              "node.description" = "Main Output";
              "media.class" = "Audio/Sink";
              "audio.position" = "FL,FR";
            };
          }
        ];
      };
    };
</syntaxHighlight>
</syntaxHighlight>


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Audio production and rhythm games require lower latency audio than general applications. PipeWire can achieve the required latency with much less CPU usage compared to PulseAudio, with the appropriate configuration.
Audio production and rhythm games require lower latency audio than general applications. PipeWire can achieve the required latency with much less CPU usage compared to PulseAudio, with the appropriate configuration.
The minimum period size controls how small a buffer can be. The lower it is, the less latency there is. PipeWire has a value of 32/48000 by default, which amounts to 0.667ms. It can be brought lower if needed:
The minimum period size controls how small a buffer can be. The lower it is, the less latency there is. PipeWire has a value of 32/48000 by default, which amounts to 0.667ms. It can be brought lower if needed:
For 24.05 and newer:
 
<syntaxHighlight lang=nix>
<syntaxHighlight lang=nix>
   services.pipewire.extraConfig.pipewire."92-low-latency" = {
   services.pipewire.extraConfig.pipewire."92-low-latency" = {
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   };
   };
</syntaxHighlight>
</syntaxHighlight>
If you're still using 23.11 or earlier, you can use <code>environment.etc</code> and <code>pkgs.formats.json</code> like in [[PipeWire#Advanced_Configuration|Advanced Configuration]].


<strong>NOTE</strong>: Every setup is different, and a lot of factors determine your final latency, like CPU speed, RT/PREEMPTIVE kernels and soundcards supporting different audio formats. That's why 32/48000 isn't always a value that's going to work for everyone. The best way to get everything working is to keep increasing the quant value until you get no crackles (underruns) or until you get audio again (in case there wasn't any). This won't guarantee the lowest possible latency, but will provide a decent one paired with stable audio.
<strong>NOTE</strong>: Every setup is different, and a lot of factors determine your final latency, like CPU speed, RT/PREEMPTIVE kernels and soundcards supporting different audio formats. That's why 32/48000 isn't always a value that's going to work for everyone. The best way to get everything working is to keep increasing the quant value until you get no crackles (underruns) or until you get audio again (in case there wasn't any). This won't guarantee the lowest possible latency, but will provide a decent one paired with stable audio.
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===PulseAudio backend===
===PulseAudio backend===
Applications using the Pulse backend have a separate configuration. The default minimum value is 1024, so it needs to be tweaked if low-latency audio is desired.
Applications using the Pulse backend have a separate configuration. The default minimum value is 1024, so it needs to be tweaked if low-latency audio is desired.
For 24.05 or newer:
 
<syntaxhighlight lang="nix">
<syntaxhighlight lang="nix">
   services.pipewire.extraConfig.pipewire-pulse."92-low-latency" = {
   services.pipewire.extraConfig.pipewire-pulse."92-low-latency" = {
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   };
   };
</syntaxhighlight>
</syntaxhighlight>
If you're still using 23.11 or earlier, you can use <code>environment.etc</code> and <code>pkgs.formats.json</code> like in [[PipeWire#Advanced_Configuration|Advanced Configuration]].


As a general rule, the values in <code>pipewire-pulse</code> should not be lower than the ones in <code>pipewire</code>.
As a general rule, the values in <code>pipewire-pulse</code> should not be lower than the ones in <code>pipewire</code>.
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===Controlling the ALSA devices===
===Controlling the ALSA devices===
It is possible to configure various aspects of soundcards through PipeWire, including format, period size and batch mode:
It is possible to configure various aspects of soundcards through PipeWire, including format, period size and batch mode:
For 24.05 and newer:
 
<syntaxHighlight lang=nix>
<syntaxHighlight lang=nix>
   services.pipewire.wireplumber.configPackages = [
   services.pipewire.wireplumber.configPackages = [
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     '')
     '')
   ];
   ];
</syntaxHighlight>
Once [https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/pull/292115 #292115] is merged and has reached nixos-unstable, you'll be able to use <code>services.pipewire.wireplumber.extraLuaConfig</code> as well:
<syntaxHighlight lang=nix>
  services.pipewire.wireplumber.extraLuaConfig.main."99-alsa-lowlatency" = ''
    alsa_monitor.rules = {
      {
        matches = {{{ "node.name", "matches", "alsa_output.*" }}};
        apply_properties = {
          ["audio.format"] = "S32LE",
          ["audio.rate"] = "96000", -- for USB soundcards it should be twice your desired rate
          ["api.alsa.period-size"] = 2, -- defaults to 1024, tweak by trial-and-error
          -- ["api.alsa.disable-batch"] = true, -- generally, USB soundcards use the batch mode
        },
      },
    }
  '';
</syntaxHighlight>
If you're still using 23.11 or earlier, you can use <code>environment.etc</code>:
<syntaxHighlight lang=nix>
  environment.etc."wireplumber/main.lua.d/99-alsa-lowlatency.lua".text = ''
    alsa_monitor.rules = {
      {
        matches = {{{ "node.name", "matches", "alsa_output.*" }}};
        apply_properties = {
          ["audio.format"] = "S32LE",
          ["audio.rate"] = "96000", -- for USB soundcards it should be twice your desired rate
          ["api.alsa.period-size"] = 2, -- defaults to 1024, tweak by trial-and-error
          -- ["api.alsa.disable-batch"] = true, -- generally, USB soundcards use the batch mode
        },
      },
    }
  '';
</syntaxHighlight>
</syntaxHighlight>


Retrieved from "https://wiki.nixos.org/wiki/PipeWire"