Volume Normalization with PipeWire

General system
1

Hey Guys,

since EndeavourOS now installs Pipewire as default, i have a Problem.

This problem could be solved, if i remove Pipewire and reinstall pulseaudio again, but i think thats isnt the best way to do.

Im honest, im to old to understand why even Pipewire is needed. But i dont understanded already decades ago why pulseaudio is needed. Everything worked fine only with ALSA. But that did SysVinit too… It seems the Guys from Systemd/Pulseaudio/various_other_software likes to develop Software just of boredom :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes:

Just kiddin.

Nevermind, already with ALSA decades ago i set up a “virtual Soundcard” for volume normalization, because its annoys me that everything got another volume level on the internet. So i was everytime adjusting the volume if too loud/too quiet. Thats worked great.

Than pulseaudio became the standard. There i have done this the same.

But this time with some Plugins like i understand it.

For Pulseaudio it was enough, to install swh-plugins and configure pulseaudio accordingly:

.nofail
.include /etc/pulse/default.pa
load-module module-ladspa-sink sink_name=ladspa_sink plugin=sc4_1882 label=sc4 control=1,1.5,401,-12,20,5,12
load-module module-ladspa-sink sink_name=ladspa_normalized master=ladspa_sink plugin=fast_lookahead_limiter_1913 label=fastLookaheadLimiter control=10,-20,0.8
set-default-sink ladspa_normalized

And now i need the same, but with Pipewire :smiley: I already found out that Pipewire is totaly able to do that. But i didnt understand how to do that.

(And no. Simply install pulseaudio again beside pipewire is not a solution, why is pipewire then even needed?! (thats the suggestion i found in the internet from other guys where one guy had the same question))

2
3

Yeah.

Sorry. But didnt understand what the Documentation wanna tell me (only where the configuration is saved)

Edit:

And /etc/pipewire/media-session.d/ didnt even exists.

4

It’s the channelmix.normalize setting.

Check under /usr/share/pipewire/ for system-wide packaged config rather than /etc/pipewire/ .

1 Like
5

Ok, now i see 14 different files. Have i to edit media-session.conf?

6

If that’s where the configuration value is, and that’s what the documentation above suggests, then yes.

7

ok, and how? I must specify a specific soundcard to use that (i have 6 independet ones on my system), and the compression levels.

@ricklinux gaved me with the documentation a good “hint”. I found on the domain a Issue entry. I registered there und posted there the question too.

I hope they are the devs.

8

Hang on, that linked documentation is an old version.

Current version is here:

That should be much more straightforward.

9

The link for the newer documentation didn’t work for me. :thinking:

10

Lol. For me the same.

But after login in, it works.

Nvm. Im chatting with the Guys on that site.

It seems that (if i understanded it right) channel.normalize isnt volume normalize (channel.normalize only normalize between right/left or more, if you have more channels).

It would be curious for me too. Because what i (and 99% other) call “volume normalize” is in the analog world a compressor. There you have mostly 3 knobs where you can adjust the levels of filtration.

Thats these Values: control=1,1.5,401,-12,20,5,12

11

Ask them as i do not know. :man_shrugging: Just trying to point you in the right direction to look for the answers you asking for.

12

Hm? Sry. Only:

was for you :slight_smile:

Everything is good. Im thankfull for every hint.

13

The other option would be to use EasyEffects (or JamesDSP) and then you don’t have to faff with configuration files.

1 Like
14

this? https://github.com/wwmm/easyeffects

this looks very good. Must give a look into. Or do you already know how to do it?

15

Thanks to @jonathon with his hint for easyeffects, i got know a solution wich isnt perfect because it needs extra software, but it works.

I write a Tutorial/Guide for you Guys at this board. There i write different ways how to accomplish this.

16

Yes, though it’s in the repos so you don’t have to build it from source.

17

Voila: [Tutorial] Volume Normalization on PipeWire

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