Bug 494050

Summary:	Show an OSD when PulseAudio/PipeWire detects a sudden spike in the volume and automatically mutes/switches output sources
Product:	[Plasma] plasmashell	Reporter:	Répási Dávid <hu.repasidavid>
Component:	Audio in general	Assignee:	Plasma Bugs List <plasma-bugs-null>
Status:	CONFIRMED ---
Severity:	wishlist	CC:	89q1r14hd, isma.af, nate
Priority:	NOR	Keywords:	usability
Version First Reported In:	6.2.4
Target Milestone:	1.0
Platform:	Arch Linux
OS:	Linux
Latest Commit:		Version Fixed/Implemented In:
Sentry Crash Report:

Description Répási Dávid 2024-10-03 16:42:42 UTC

SUMMARY
I'm not a 100% if it's in the right category, but it'sthe closest i could find. 
When I'm listening to audio on my headphones be it from a game/ music, and there is a very sudden spike in it, the system switches the output method from headphones away.
This is great for saving my ears, but sometimes I have to look for minutes just to remember it is a built in safety feature and switch back my outputs.

A popup or a notification would be much appreciated as a heads up to whats going on with audio output. (maybe even a way to change the treshold for it.)
This would lead to less confusion (at least on my part)

STEPS TO REPRODUCE
1. Play an audio file that triggers the safety feature 

OBSERVED RESULT
The audio output gets switched to a different source silently.

EXPECTED RESULT
Have a popup/system notification that informs the user of the change.

SOFTWARE/OS VERSIONS
Linux: EndeavourOS
KDE Plasma Version: 6.1.5
KDE Frameworks Version: 6.6.0
Qt Version: 6.7.3

Comment 1 Niklāvs Koļesņikovs 2024-12-21 20:49:04 UTC

Frankly I have never heard of such a feature and I'm not aware of this being an intentional thing in the Linux audio stack. I don't think this can even happen with a jack based headphones but perhaps it would be possible when using USB or Bluetooth interface, since the device could just disconnect, which would trigger software fallback to the next device in priority list.

Or the device might be buggy and shutting off for exceeding some kind of powerdraw limit (as an example USB is supposed to be limited to 500 mA or 2.5 W, although in some cases it could go to 1 or even 1.5A before triggering safety disconnect from host side).

Either way, please avoid such events in the first place, since anything with W for watts of sound power right in the ear canal is way more than human ears are supposed to deal with and could easily cause lasting damage.

I suggest:
1. Turning down the volume of the source of the problem
2. If it's a bug, then please report the buggy client or hardware
3. If it's not a bug, it might be possible to use EasyEffects and its Autogain filter with the Reference dropdown set to Momentary or one of the Geometric Mean modes that includes the M letter in the brackets e.g. Geometric Mean (MS) but, please, also limit the total device volume as per point 1 just in case EasyEffects is not quick enough or something has gone wrong and the filter is not getting applied.

Also do not use the PipeWire's new libebur128 filter, since the way its implemented is not how I'd suggest it's used and it's not going to proect your ears (at least I'd not expect it to).

Comment 2 Répási Dávid 2024-12-21 22:28:54 UTC

1 This is a built in plasma feature as far as I can tell.
2 It has happened to me multiple times (the audio spiking and plasma automuting/switching)
3 I have a jack based headphone
4 turning down the source volume is not the issue at hand and you can't even do so when there is a sudden spike in the audio level -> you can't avoid the issue the feature is protecting you from
4.1 lets suppose you turn down the audio level,in software, you would have to turn it up at the hardware or vica versa to hear the normal audio comfortably, so this is in no way a solution
5 I'm not familiar with pipewire filters and am not using them either (just whatever is shipped by arch)