Bug 453422

Summary: Expose a GUI setting to stop automatic microphone input level adjustment
Product: [Applications] systemsettings Reporter: Leonardo <leoneivaw>
Component: kcm_pulseaudioAssignee: Plasma Bugs List <plasma-bugs-null>
Status: CONFIRMED ---    
Severity: wishlist CC: isma.af, nate, nowrep, sitter
Priority: NOR    
Version First Reported In: 6.2.4   
Target Milestone: ---   
Platform: Neon   
OS: Linux   
Latest Commit: Version Fixed/Implemented In:
Sentry Crash Report:

Description Leonardo 2022-05-05 14:02:52 UTC 
MIC
Inaudible or robotic voice.
Volume booster and channel adjustment
***
Nowadays using the microphone for online meetings has become essential. I had so much trouble adjusting my mic and I almost gave up on using Linux. Several people have the same problem and it happens in other distributions as well.

Before an online meeting I test the microphone, but in the middle of the meeting it stops working. I noticed that the problem is in the auto volume adjustment.

The solution I found was:
1 - (make the microphone sound audible and clear) install win7 mixer widget. has the option to adjust the left and right channels. For me the mic sound is good with 50% right and 15% left.
2 - Stop automatic volume adjustment -
kate /usr/share/pulseaudio/alsa-mixer/paths/analog-input-mic.conf
kate /usr/share/pulseaudio/alsa-mixer/paths/analog-input-internal-mic.conf
Under “[Element Internal Mic Boost]” set “volume” to “zero”. 
Under “[Element Int Mic Boost]” set “volume” to “zero”. 
Under “[Element Mic Boost]” set “volume” to “zero”.


My suggestion is that Plasma has the options to adjust the channel and stop the automatic volume adjustment.
***


SOFTWARE/OS VERSIONS
Operating System: KDE neon 5.24
KDE Plasma Version: 5.24.4
KDE Frameworks Version: 5.92.0
Qt Version: 5.15.3
Kernel Version: 5.13.0-39-generic (64-bit)
Graphics Platform: X11
Processors: 8 × Intel® Core™ i5-8250U CPU @ 1.60GHz
Memory: 11.6 GiB of RAM
Graphics Processor: Mesa Intel® UHD Graphics 620


Audio device: Intel Corporation Sunrise Point-LP HD Audio (rev 21)
Subsystem: Lenovo Sunrise Point-LP HD Audio
Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 32, IRQ 136
Menory at b1320000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16K]
Menory at b1300000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=64K]
Capabilities: <access denied>
Kernel driver in use: snd hda intel
Kernel modules: snd hda intel, snd soc skl
Comment 1 Leonardo 2024-12-19 15:58:39 UTC 
Almost 2025 and the issue persists in diferent notebooks (Lenovo, Dell, etc) and versions. Also with pipeware.

Today i use easyeffects as workaround.
Filters > equalizer > Double Channel option checked.  Valeu to zero for left Channel till 126 htz.

I couldnt find a workaround yet for the New plasma versions. Definily cant use the New plasma. 

Thanks
Comment 2 Nate Graham 2025-05-07 19:10:46 UTC 
Channel adjustment can be done on the System Settings page. It's there rather than in the widget because this is more of a permanent thing you're not likely to change on the fly.

Let's use this bugzilla ticket to track exposing a GUI for PulseAudio's microphone booster settings.