PipeWire doesn't load correct default configuration

[SuperSamus]

Describe the bug

This issue is probably hardware dependent, so I'll say what's wrong on my end.

On my laptop, there is an audio option (from alsamixer) called Auto-Mute that should be Disabled.

If I use PulseAudio, it's Disabled. If I use PipeWire with a system that isn't NixOS (tested Fedora and EndeavourOS, both from live USB), it's Disabled. If I use PipeWire with NixOS, it's Enabled, on every boot, even if I change it (as a workaround I can launch a command on every boot to disable it, but I shouldn't have to do it).

I thought it was a problem with PipeWire, but seeing that the other two OSes have the correct behavior, it's probably a NixOS problem.

Steps To Reproduce

Steps to reproduce the behavior (on my end, because other cards might actually want Auto-Mute Enabled):

1. Enable PipeWire;
2. Open alsamixer;
3. Select the relevant sound card (F6);
4. Auto-Mute is Enabled.

Expected behavior

On my end, Auto-Mute should be Disabled.

Additional context

Here's every possible log that might be useful.

• alsa-info from PulseAudio+NixOS: alsa-info-pulse.txt
• alsa-info from PipeWire+NixOS (the problematic one): alsa-info-pipe.txt
• alsa-info from PipeWire+Fedora alsa-info-fedora.txt
• pw-dump from NixOS: pw-dump.txt
• pw-dump from Fedora: pw-dump-fedora.txt

Probably relevant to #102547.

Notify maintainers

@Kranzes

Metadata

[user@system:~]$ nix-shell -p nix-info --run "nix-info -m"
 - system: `"x86_64-linux"`
 - host os: `Linux 5.18.9-zen1, NixOS, 22.11 (Raccoon), 22.11pre390234.2770cc0b1e8`
 - multi-user?: `yes`
 - sandbox: `yes`
 - version: `nix-env (Nix) 2.9.1`
 - channels(root): `"nixos"`
 - channels(user): `""`
 - nixpkgs: `/nix/var/nix/profiles/per-user/root/channels/nixos`

[jansol]

Relevant upstream discussion: https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/pipewire/pipewire/-/issues/1228

[SuperSamus]

Relevant upstream discussion: https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/pipewire/pipewire/-/issues/1228

It is kinda relevant (I do have a comment there), but I don't think these two issues are really connected.

[SuperSamus]

Still an issue on the latest nixos-unstable. cc @Kranzes

[SuperSamus]

Still an issue on PipeWire 0.3.60.

[SuperSamus]

Still an issue on the latest nixpkgs-unstable.

[SuperSamus]

Still an issue.

 - system: `"x86_64-linux"`
 - host os: `Linux 6.2.7-xanmod1, NixOS, 23.05 (Stoat), 23.05.20230403.53dad94`
 - multi-user?: `yes`
 - sandbox: `yes`
 - version: `nix-env (Nix) 2.13.3`
 - channels(root): `"nixos"`
 - channels(martino): `""`
 - nixpkgs: `/nix/var/nix/profiles/per-user/root/channels/nixos`

[SuperSamus]

Still an issue.

[jansol]

Hmm, I checked alsamixer on my setup and I don't even see anything that looks like auto-mute on any of my interfaces. Where is it supposed to be indicated again?

[SuperSamus]

By pressing F6 you can select the sound card.

[jansol]

Ah, it's a "mixer control" on the sound card. Looks like none of mine have that. Also it does not seem to show up in any of the pw-dumps at all. A quick search however pointed me towards this pipewire issue. An educated guess for moving forward would be to check the alsa card profile files that pipewire and wireplumber pull in. Maybe they don't have the patch mentioned in that issue?

[Schmiggolas]

I'm facing this exact behaviour when trying to use my SoundBlaster Z. When I use my onboard sound everything works out fine, but for some reason the "Front" channel for the SBZ is always muted by default after every reboot, even after changing it and using alsactl store to write the file to disk.

[eclairevoyant]

Why are you using alsamixer with pipewire?

[SuperSamus]

Because it's the only way (that I know of) to see and control Auto-Mute.

[AnasSaeed1]

Hello. I don't have an auto mute device so I can't do much testing on my end but does sound.enable = true; help you? I think it enables services for restoring alsa state from /etc/asound.state