Persistent ALSA exclusive access issue with PipeWire on EndeavourOS (Kernel driver ignores options)

General system Gaming, sound and video
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Hello,

I use my PC a lot to make music with Ardour and other apps. I often need to play my track over a backing track from YouTube or other websites. For this purpose, I use a Behringer UMC 1820 sound card. I am new with EndeavourOS and I’m experiencing a persistent issue on EndeavourOS (Arch-based) where my USB audio interface takes exclusive hardware access, preventing concurrent audio streams from different applications, despite various configuration attempts. This specific setup worked flawlessly on Ubuntu Mate 24.04 (which also uses PipeWire).

When I try to use Carla/Ardour (JACK apps) simultaneously with Firefox/YouTube (ALSA/Pulse apps), one application always blocks the other when I try to connect the physical inputs/outputs in the patchbay (e.g., YouTube stops).

Here is what I have attempted without success:

  1. Ensured PipeWire, PipeWire-JACK, and WirePlumber are installed and running.

  2. Configured User Permissions: Confirmed my user is in the audio and realtime groups.

  3. Configured PipeWire pipewire.conf: Added api.alsa.support-concurrent-streams = true and api.alsa.disable-exclusive = true to context.properties.

  4. Configured ALSA alsa.conf: Added the same options to ~/.config/pipewire/alsa.conf.

  5. Disabled RTKit: Explicitly set condition = [ { module.rt = false } ] in pipewire.conf to bypass RTKit issues.

  6. Changed Session Manager: Swapped WirePlumber for the older pipewire-media-session (like Ubuntu Mate uses).

  7. Forced Kernel Driver Options: Modified /etc/modprobe.d/audio_sharing.conf to include options snd_usb_audio disable_exclusive=1 and rebooted.

None of these software configurations have resolved the exclusive access issue. The only workaround that functions is using hardware direct monitoring, which prevents hearing effects in real-time.

My question is: Given that this configuration worked perfectly on Ubuntu Mate 24.04, where else in the EndeavourOS/Arch Linux system or kernel configuration can I look to force non-exclusive access to the snd_usb_audio driver?

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Anyone who can help me?