1443527 - Crackles can be heard at volume up/down on multiple websites with a USB headset on several Linux distributions

Status: NEW

(Core :: Audio/Video: cubeb, defect, P3)

Description

[Marius Coman [:mcoman], Ecosystem QA]

Attachment: about_support.txt

[Affected versions]:
- Firefox 58.0.2 and up

[Affected Platforms]:
- Arch Linux
- Linux Mint
- OpenSUSE
- Ubuntu
- Antergos
- Manjaro

[Prerequisites]:
- Have a new Firefox profile.
- Have a USB headset plugged in.

[Steps to reproduce]:
1. Open the browser with the profile from prerequisites.
2. Navigate to youtube.com and play a video.
3. Move the volume up/down and observe the behavior.

[Expected result]:
- Audio is "clean".

[Actual result]:
- "Crackle" noises can be heard.

[Notes]:
- The issue is reproducible on the following websites:
    1) https://www.youtube.com/
    2) https://www.facebook.com/
    3) https://vimeo.com/
    4) https://www.netflix.com
    5) https://www.twitch.tv/
	
- There may be more websites like this, but I have not found them yet.
- The issue is not reproducible if a jack headset is used.
- Attached a copy after the "about:support" page

Comment 1

[Ralph Giles (:rillian)]

More cubeb output device trouble?

Comment 2

[Matthew Gregan [:kinetik]]

How long does the crackling last for once it starts?

Can you please attach the output of the command 'pactl list sinks'?  You may need to install pulseaudio-utils or the equivalent package if the command isn't available.

Comment 3

[Marius Coman [:mcoman], Ecosystem QA]

Attachment: rec of the issue.mp4

The cracklings are heard only when the volume slider is moved up/down (attached an audio/video sample).

Also here is the console output for the 'pactl list sinks' command: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Mec-_VjFXGiFKAQi3rm_ederXSNRZjjK/view?usp=sharing . 

Please let me know if you need more information.

Comment 4

[Matthew Gregan [:kinetik]]

Thanks Marius, that video makes it clear.  I was wondering if this was "zipper noise", but it sounds like the audio is actually underrunning.

Based on your 'pactl list sinks' output, the PA sinks aren't using FLAT_VOLUME, so we'll be calling into PulseAudio to adjust the volume (https://github.com/kinetiknz/cubeb/blob/master/src/cubeb_pulse.c#L1108).

Would you mind testing volume adjustment of the Firefox audio stream via the GNOME Sound panel on the Applications tab and let me know if the same crackling occurs?

Comment 5

[Matthew Gregan [:kinetik]]

I've ordered a Plantronics Audio 628 (not exactly the same, but it looks like the 622 is no longer available) to try to reproduce/debug this locally.

Comment 6

[Marius Coman [:mcoman], Ecosystem QA]

Hi Matthew,

I have tested the above scenario and the issue is not reproducible if the volume is adjusted from the Sound panel on the Applications tab.

Comment 7

[Matthew Gregan [:kinetik]]

This does reproduce for me with the Plantronics Audio 628, although the audio gaps are significantly shorter - more like clicks than stutters.

(In reply to Matthew Gregan [:kinetik] from comment #4)
> Would you mind testing volume adjustment of the Firefox audio stream via the
> GNOME Sound panel on the Applications tab and let me know if the same
> crackling occurs?

I can also reproduce the clicks adjusting the volume this way (via the per-application volume control on the "Applications" tab of the "Sound" control panel), so I'd say this is an issue with PulseAudio rather than Firefox... but there's a twist.

In Chromium, the clicks aren't present using the YouTube volume control, but Chromium performs volume adjustment internally before handing the samples to PulseAudio - you can observe this as the volume slider for the Chromium playback never moves when adjusting the volume via the YouTube controls.

The interesting thing, however, is that adjusting Chromium's volume via the GNOME volume control also does not seem to result in audible clicks.  So there does seem to be a behavioural difference in Firefox here.

Comment 8

[Matthew Gregan [:kinetik]]

Not sure when I'll have time to dig deeper into this yet, but assigning so it doesn't get lost.