Bug 506746 - Request: please add a software mixing toggle
Summary: Request: please add a software mixing toggle
Status: RESOLVED INTENTIONAL
Alias: None
Product: systemsettings
Classification: Applications
Component: kcm_pulseaudio (other bugs)
Version First Reported In: unspecified
Platform: Arch Linux Linux
: NOR wishlist
Target Milestone: ---
Assignee: Plasma Bugs List
URL:
Keywords:
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
Reported: 2025-07-08 08:12 UTC by Ángel Navarro
Modified: 2025-07-08 08:42 UTC (History)
1 user (show)

See Also:
Latest Commit:
Version Fixed/Implemented In:
Sentry Crash Report:


Attachments
Toggle to enable software mixing (316.26 KB, image/png)
2025-07-08 08:12 UTC, Ángel Navarro
Details

Note You need to log in before you can comment on or make changes to this bug.
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.