Arch Linux

Bartoli

Member

Registered: 2016-11-16

Posts: 15

[Solved] Kmix doesn't save master channel between boots.

I'm running a plasma desktop with pipewire. I want to use my FiiO K3 USB soundcard as the default sink. Kmix seems to revert to a "Dummy Output" after every boot. The USB soundcard works, but when I scroll over the desktop widget. It changes the audiolevel of the 'Dummy Output'.

pactl stat:

alsa_output.usb-GuangZhou_FiiO_Electronics_Co._Ltd_FiiO_K3-00.analog-stereo

I did mess around to get another device working (and failed), maybe something is not configured correctly? If more info is needed, please ask.

Last edited by Bartoli (2025-06-04 07:28:52)

V1del

Forum Moderator

Registered: 2012-10-16

Posts: 24,845

Re: [Solved] Kmix doesn't save master channel between boots.

Any particular reason for kmix? If you're opting for pulse/pipewire plasma-pa is better integrated into the panel.

That said the relevant error sounds like the usual wireplumber/pulseaudio conflict

systemctl --user status pipewire{,-pulse} wireplumber pulseaudio

where the forward moving strategy would be to opt for pipewire-pulse in lieu of pulseaudio

Bartoli

Member

Registered: 2016-11-16

Posts: 15

Re: [Solved] Kmix doesn't save master channel between boots.

I thought kmix was the KDE default. I tried plasma-pa and the problem is fixed. As you said, plasma-pa is an improvement on kmix.

For reference, I will share the output of the command:

Unit pulseaudio.service could not be found.
● pipewire.service - PipeWire Multimedia Service
     Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/user/pipewire.service; enabled; preset: enabled)
     Active: active (running) since Tue 2025-06-03 16:27:28 CEST; 44min ago
 Invocation: d2dc1d024ac843c2a2342c626f14e481
TriggeredBy: ● pipewire.socket
   Main PID: 1100 (pipewire)
      Tasks: 3 (limit: 37246)
     Memory: 10.7M (peak: 12.3M)
        CPU: 1.434s
     CGroup: /user.slice/user-1000.slice/user@1000.service/session.slice/pipewire.service
             └─1100 /usr/bin/pipewire

jun 03 16:27:28 desktop-bart systemd[1088]: Started PipeWire Multimedia Service.

● pipewire-pulse.service - PipeWire PulseAudio
     Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/user/pipewire-pulse.service; disabled; preset: enabled)
     Active: active (running) since Tue 2025-06-03 16:27:29 CEST; 44min ago
 Invocation: d1ce6953530e45ed8fbe659f29da07bf
TriggeredBy: ● pipewire-pulse.socket
   Main PID: 1405 (pipewire-pulse)
      Tasks: 3 (limit: 37246)
     Memory: 11.3M (peak: 13.8M)
        CPU: 2.078s
     CGroup: /user.slice/user-1000.slice/user@1000.service/session.slice/pipewire-pulse.service
             └─1405 /usr/bin/pipewire-pulse

jun 03 16:27:29 desktop-bart systemd[1088]: Started PipeWire PulseAudio.

● wireplumber.service - Multimedia Service Session Manager
     Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/user/wireplumber.service; enabled; preset: enabled)
     Active: active (running) since Tue 2025-06-03 16:27:28 CEST; 44min ago
 Invocation: 258375ea380e431ab9bf2dc0e6ecb3b2
   Main PID: 1101 (wireplumber)
      Tasks: 6 (limit: 37246)
     Memory: 91.2M (peak: 93M)
        CPU: 824ms
     CGroup: /user.slice/user-1000.slice/user@1000.service/session.slice/wireplumber.service
             └─1101 /usr/bin/wireplumber

jun 03 16:27:28 desktop-bart systemd[1088]: Started Multimedia Service Session Manager.
jun 03 16:27:30 desktop-bart wireplumber[1101]: wp-device: SPA handle 'api.libcamera.enum.manager' could not be loaded; is it installed?
jun 03 16:27:30 desktop-bart wireplumber[1101]: s-monitors-libcamera: PipeWire's libcamera SPA plugin is missing or broken. Some camera types may not be supported.
jun 03 16:27:30 desktop-bart wireplumber[1101]: wp-event-dispatcher: <WpAsyncEventHook:0x563c718ccde0> failed: failed to activate item: Object activation aborted: proxy destroyed

Thank you for your help V1del!

Last edited by Bartoli (2025-06-03 15:16:06)

V1del

Forum Moderator

Registered: 2012-10-16

Posts: 24,845

Re: [Solved] Kmix doesn't save master channel between boots.

Those look fine, but yes Kmix is somewhat deprecated and it's pulse integration was always a bit lackluster (a good option if you're opting for plain ALSA though). plasma-pa is the much more maintained option for pulse/pipewire.

In any case if you're happy with this solution and consider it solved please mark the topic as such by editing the title in your opening post and prepending [SOLVED] or so.