Input (mic) ignored: Pop OS 24.04, PipeWire 1.5.85, qpwgraph 0.9.9, EasyEffects 8.1.2

[kjcole]

When I use qpwgraph to patch my microphone (Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 audio interface) capture directly to my headphone (Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 audio interface) playback, I can hear the mic. When I insert EasyEffects source in the middle, I can no longer hear the mic. It seems I get things working for a short time but then one of the four parts is upgraded and the house of cards collapses again.

Applications which produce audio and go to EasyEffects sink and then to the headphones work fine... at the moment...

Is there a distribution where these packages remain stable and cooperating with each other? Or is there good beginner documentation that does not require a degree in PulseAudio, JACK, ALSA, audio engineering and physics, and includes all of the proper EasyEffects preferences, qpwgraph preferences, and patches to make things work consistently?

[kjcole]

And... naturally, after spending three days before finally giving up and posting here, I find a random combination that works... for the moment: If I connect the mic to the headphones both directly AND through EasyEffects source, simultaneously, it works. If I disconnect the direct connection I get no sound at all. If I disconnect EasyEffects source, I do not get the effects. In order to get the input with effects, I must simultaneously connect both with and without EasyEffects involved. See the PNGs.

[wwmm]

If I disconnect the direct connection I get no sound at all. If I disconnect EasyEffects source, I do not get the effects. In order to get the input with effects, I must simultaneously connect both with and without EasyEffects involved.

EasyEffects only links its filters if there is a stream using the corresponding virtual device. In the output effects pipeline a stream has to be playing to our virtual sink. And in the microphone pipeline something has to be recording from EasyEffects virtual source. If there is none the filters are unlinked after the inactivity timeout time has passed.

EasyEffects has a microphone monitor feature that plays its audio to the soundcard. Alternatively in our preferences window it is possible to force the audio to go to our virtual sink instead. IS this not enough?

[kjcole]

Thanks for your extreme patience.

It probably is enough, if I understood things better. It seemed there was a time previously where I was able to go directly from the EasyEffects source output directly to the headphones and hear something. I attempted, and failed at using PipeWire to create something passive for EasyEffects source to send through. Ideally, most of the time, I want a chain

• mic -> EasyEffects -> [application that accepts affected mic] -> headphones

and if no application is present, just go directly to the headphones. (My hope has always been that with the above setup, even if there is lag / latency, I am hearing the affected microphone the way a recipient hears it. So if the application or network is messed up, I'll hear the messed up audio. Maybe that's just silly.)

I've attached a screenshot of my current audio preferences. What should I change? And will I then need to change qpwgraph? I experimented with several variations of settings, but I have not noticed any difference when toggling the mic icon in the lower right of the input screen. I think that is what you are referring to with monitoring. When I've experimented with anything that calls itself "monitor" in qpwgraph I just generally lose a bit more hearing as the feedback screeches into my ear. So I try to avoid doing anything with those in qpwgraph.

[wwmm]

I want a chain

* `mic -> EasyEffects -> [application that accepts affected mic] -> headphones`

and if no application is present, just go directly to the headphones.

Hum... That is harder to do. EasyEffects can do

• mic -> EasyEffects filters pipeline-> EasyEffects virtual source -> headphones

. This is what the input monitoring setting you already have enabled does.

My hope has always been that with the above setup, even if there is lag / latency, I am hearing the affected microphone the way a recipient hears it. So if the application or network is messed up, I'll hear the messed up audio. Maybe that's just silly.

If the app receiving audio does not apply effects to it you will listen to the audio the other side will listen. So you most cases it should not be necessary to add links from the output of the app that gets audio to the sound card. And depending on the app there may not even be output ports that can be used.