Replace PulseAudio with Pipewire

[claudiux]

Replace PulseAudio with PipeWire

PulseAudio is an audio service that allows you to stream audio locally and over a network. Since 2020, it has been gradually replaced by PipeWire which manages the mixing of different sources and their distribution to various outputs. PipeWire also seems to produce better quality audio (IMHO).

Here's how to replace PulseAudio with PipeWire on Linux Mint 21.3 (Cinnamon 6.0.4). Also successfully tested on Linux Mint 21.2 (Cinnamon 5.8.4).

Verify that Pipewire is not already installed. The command:
pactl info
should return a line containing Server name: PulseAudio.

If this line contains Server name: PulseAudio (on PipeWire 0.3.48) there is nothing more to do; Pipewire is already installed.

Back up your system

Use TimeShift (or any other solution) to save the system state. In the event of a malfunction, it is thus possible to return to the previous state.

Disable PulseAudio and its services

systemctl --user --now disable pulseaudio.service pulseaudio.socket
systemctl --user mask pulseaudio

The icons of applets using audio services disappear, this is normal.

Install PipeWire and its services

apt install pipewire wireplumber pipewire-pulse
systemctl --user --now enable pipewire pipewire-pulse wireplumber

The icons for applets using audio services reappear.

Remove Pulseaudio

Removing Pulseaudio must be done after installing Pipewire, otherwise Cinnamon may also be uninstalled!

apt remove pulseaudio

Restart the computer and check everything.
Once the computer restarts, the sound should work normally.

You can check that everything is started correctly with:

systemctl --user status pipewire-pulse.socket pipewire-pulse.service
which should return something like this:

● pipewire-pulse.socket - PipeWire PulseAudio
     Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/user/pipewire-pulse.socket; enabled; vendor preset: enabled)
     Active: active (running) since Fri 2023-12-01 08:16:29 CET; 1h 1min ago
   Triggers: ● pipewire-pulse.service
     Listen: /run/user/1000/pulse/native (Stream)
     CGroup: /user.slice/user-1000.slice/user@1000.service/app.slice/pipewire-pulse.socket

déc. 01 08:16:29 tuxc2 systemd[1912]: Listening on PipeWire PulseAudio.

● pipewire-pulse.service - PipeWire PulseAudio
     Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/user/pipewire-pulse.service; enabled; vendor preset: enabled)
     Active: active (running) since Fri 2023-12-01 08:16:29 CET; 1h 1min ago
TriggeredBy: ● pipewire-pulse.socket
   Main PID: 1922 (pipewire-pulse)
      Tasks: 2 (limit: 18332)
     Memory: 16.4M
        CPU: 1min 5.613s
     CGroup: /user.slice/user-1000.slice/user@1000.service/session.slice/pipewire-pulse.service
             └─1922 /usr/bin/pipewire-pulse

... systemd[1912]: Started PipeWire PulseAudio.
... pipewire-pulse[1939]: 536870912

The command:
pactl info
should return:

Server string: /run/user/1000/pulse/native 
Library protocol version: 35 
Server protocol version: 35 
Local: yes 
Client index: 4105 
Tile Size: 65472 
User name: <yours> 
Name 'host: <yours> 
Server Name: PulseAudio (on PipeWire 0.3.48) 
Server Version: 15.0.0 
Default Sample Specification: float32le 2ch 48000Hz 
Default Channel Plan: front-left,front-right 
Destination default: alsa_output.pci-0000_00_1b.0.analog-stereo 
Default source: alsa_input.pci-0000_00_1b.0.analog-stereo 
Cookie: ****:****

[mtwebster]

This is already done for Mint 22

[claudiux]

Okay, but LM22 is not available at the moment.

[baaannnaaannn]

Replace PulseAudio with PipeWire

PulseAudio is an audio service that allows you to stream audio locally and over a network. Since 2020, it has been gradually replaced by PipeWire which manages the mixing of different sources and their distribution to various outputs. PipeWire also seems to produce better quality audio (IMHO).

Here's how to replace PulseAudio with PipeWire on Linux Mint 21.3 (Cinnamon 6.0.4). Also successfully tested on Linux Mint 21.2 (Cinnamon 5.8.4).

Verify that Pipewire is not already installed. The command: pactl info should return a line containing Server name: PulseAudio.

If this line contains Server name: PulseAudio (on PipeWire 0.3.48) there is nothing more to do; Pipewire is already installed.

Back up your system

Use TimeShift (or any other solution) to save the system state. In the event of a malfunction, it is thus possible to return to the previous state.

Disable PulseAudio and its services

systemctl --user --now disable pulseaudio.service pulseaudio.socket
systemctl --user mask pulseaudio

The icons of applets using audio services disappear, this is normal.

Install PipeWire and its services

apt install pipewire wireplumber pipewire-pulse
systemctl --user --now enable pipewire pipewire-pulse wireplumber

The icons for applets using audio services reappear.

Remove Pulseaudio

Removing Pulseaudio must be done after installing Pipewire, otherwise Cinnamon may also be uninstalled!

apt remove pulseaudio

Restart the computer and check everything. Once the computer restarts, the sound should work normally.

You can check that everything is started correctly with:

systemctl --user status pipewire-pulse.socket pipewire-pulse.service which should return something like this:

● pipewire-pulse.socket - PipeWire PulseAudio
     Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/user/pipewire-pulse.socket; enabled; vendor preset: enabled)
     Active: active (running) since Fri 2023-12-01 08:16:29 CET; 1h 1min ago
   Triggers: ● pipewire-pulse.service
     Listen: /run/user/1000/pulse/native (Stream)
     CGroup: /user.slice/user-1000.slice/user@1000.service/app.slice/pipewire-pulse.socket

déc. 01 08:16:29 tuxc2 systemd[1912]: Listening on PipeWire PulseAudio.

● pipewire-pulse.service - PipeWire PulseAudio
     Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/user/pipewire-pulse.service; enabled; vendor preset: enabled)
     Active: active (running) since Fri 2023-12-01 08:16:29 CET; 1h 1min ago
TriggeredBy: ● pipewire-pulse.socket
   Main PID: 1922 (pipewire-pulse)
      Tasks: 2 (limit: 18332)
     Memory: 16.4M
        CPU: 1min 5.613s
     CGroup: /user.slice/user-1000.slice/user@1000.service/session.slice/pipewire-pulse.service
             └─1922 /usr/bin/pipewire-pulse

... systemd[1912]: Started PipeWire PulseAudio.
... pipewire-pulse[1939]: 536870912

The command: pactl info should return:

Server string: /run/user/1000/pulse/native 
Library protocol version: 35 
Server protocol version: 35 
Local: yes 
Client index: 4105 
Tile Size: 65472 
User name: <yours> 
Name 'host: <yours> 
Server Name: PulseAudio (on PipeWire 0.3.48) 
Server Version: 15.0.0 
Default Sample Specification: float32le 2ch 48000Hz 
Default Channel Plan: front-left,front-right 
Destination default: alsa_output.pci-0000_00_1b.0.analog-stereo 
Default source: alsa_input.pci-0000_00_1b.0.analog-stereo 
Cookie: ****:****

DUDE U HELPED ME,TY
i found a lot guides bat all of them are outdated.ty again

[hodahafez]

Thank you so much. Worked perfectly.