First a few details about the software I use:

openSUSE 11.3

Qt: 4.6.3
KDE Development Platform: 4.4.4 (KDE 4.4.4) "release 3"
Amarok: 2.3.0
pulseaudio-0.9.21-10.1.1.i586

THE problem:

I use amarok on my laptop with headphones. When songs are automatically changed by the playlist, everything is fine. But if I choose to manually switch to a different song (without pressing the mute button) my ears are _assaulted_ by a friggin' loud -POP- every single time. I feel this can't be intended behaviour.

I haven't been able to reproduce. Same distribution, only difference is I run Trunk KDE and use Qt 4.7. Can you reproduce with other Audio applications? Seems like the audio device is being closed and opened very quickly.

bcooksley wrote:...Can you reproduce with other Audio applications? Seems like the audio device is being closed and opened very quickly.

It's noticeable with VLC as well. I also tested it with banshee and I still can hear the POP echoing in my head

There also seems to be a change in the way amarok/pulseaudio deals with volume. If I remember correctly in 11.2 amarok's volume knob only changed 'local' volume. Nowadays it also affects the global master volume. I used to be able to set a maximum volume with the master channel and protect me from unexpected surges in volume that way.

What's the point of having 'per application' volume control through pulseaudio, if the application also messes with the global master volume?

The problem with popping is linked to Pulseaudio or ALSA in this case.
I believe the change in local volume and master volume is related to Pulseaudio's volume leveling support, which can be disabled by editing it's configuration file.

OMG!

"Based on code originally contributed by Marc-André Lureau we now support Flat Volumes. The idea behind flat volumes has been inspired by how Windows Vista handles volume control: instead of maintaining one volume control per application stream plus one device volume we instead fix the device volume automatically to the "loudest" application stream volume."

Whoever decided to enable this as the default deserves a slap on the back of the head - for every single time me ears have been "POP-ed" at max volume.

It can be disabled in /etc/pulse/daemon.conf with

Code: Select all

flat-volumes = no

THANK YOU for giving me pointers.