[pulseaudio-tickets] [PulseAudio] #949: set flat-volume to no by default

[PulseAudio]

#949: set flat-volume to no by default
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  Reporter:  zebul666     |       Owner:  lennart                   
      Type:  enhancement  |      Status:  new                       
 Milestone:               |   Component:  daemon                    
Resolution:               |    Keywords:  flat-volume level too loud
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Comment(by tanuk):

 Replying to [ticket:949 zebul666]:
 > First, I set the global volume to 50% because at 100% it hurts my ears.
 It is very loud when I use a headphone
 >
 > So, I would have expected that every new application that I open to
 respect that setting. And I don't understand why it is not true.

 It should be true - applications shouldn't normally set any particular
 volume when they create streams. Instead, they should let the server
 choose an appropriate volume. Your description sounds like some
 application is breaking this rule, and it sets its stream volume to
 maximum when creating the stream.

 It's still possible for you to hurt your ears even if all applications are
 behaving nicely: if you play some file that is mastered at low volume and
 you turn the player application's volume up (which likely controls the
 stream volume in Pulseaudio), then the "master volume" (ie. sink volume)
 is pushed up accordingly. After you've done that, and you launch some
 other application, that application will have louder volume than what you
 left it at when you last time used it. This is one reason I agree with you
 - flat volume should be disabled by default.

 One reason for using flat volumes is that it allows the hardware volume to
 be used as much as possible. However, that doesn't need to be tied to the
 flat volume feature - it would be possible to make the hardware volume
 follow the highest stream volume even with flat volumes disabled.

 > It hurted several times my ears before I found the flat-volume=no
 setting !
 >
 > The master volume level is supposed to take precedence over all the
 other level, no matter what.

 That's a matter of opinion. I agree, but other people disagree.

 > With flat-volume = yes by default, it's even more curbersome when I play
 the first time a game, and get at full volume the intro sound of the game
 in my headphone. It hurts !

 Ok, that game is not behaving nicely.

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Ticket URL: <http://pulseaudio.org/ticket/949#comment:1>
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