Bug 506746

Summary: Request: please add a software mixing toggle
Product: [Applications] systemsettings Reporter: Ángel Navarro <jesusnavarrojr188>
Component: kcm_pulseaudioAssignee: Plasma Bugs List <plasma-bugs-null>
Status: RESOLVED INTENTIONAL    
Severity: wishlist CC: kde
Priority: NOR    
Version First Reported In: unspecified   
Target Milestone: ---   
Platform: Arch Linux   
OS: Linux   
Latest Commit: Version Fixed/Implemented In:
Sentry Crash Report:
Attachments: Toggle to enable software mixing

Description Ángel Navarro 2025-07-08 08:12:28 UTC 
Created attachment 183054 [details]
Toggle to enable software mixing

SUMMARY
My laptop is problematic with the default hardware volume mixing since it has 4 speaker and 2 of them stay at full volume all the time, so the only fix was to enable software mixing as per this link: https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/PipeWire#No_sound_from_USB_DAC_until_30%_volume
But I really wish to see it in the settings as a GUI toggle to make hardware issues like this to be troubleshooted easily.
 
STEPS TO REPRODUCE
1. Put a toggle for "Enable software mixing" in the "Configure volume controls" settings part that enables software mixing

EXPECTED RESULT
Being able to use software mixing through the Plasma settings.

SOFTWARE/OS VERSIONS
Windows: 
macOS: 
(available in the Info Center app, or by running `kinfo` in a terminal window)
Linux/KDE Plasma: Arch Linux
KDE Plasma Version: 6.4.2
KDE Frameworks Version: 6.15.0
Qt Version: 6.9.0

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Original forum post for this issue: https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=306694
Comment 1 David Edmundson 2025-07-08 08:42:01 UTC 
I'm glad you found a solution. 

I get why your'e asking, and thanks for filing a bug report.
Unfortunately there's only so many options we can expose at a GUI level. Every one has a maintenance cost, and every option clutters the UI. It's one of the biggest complaints about Plasma.

I think this is out of scope, but we'll revisit this if we get multiple reports.