# Flatpak and Headphones

**URL:** <https://in-thread.sonic-pi.net/t/flatpak-and-headphones/9771>\
**Category:** Support, Help & Resources\
**Created:** [July 7, 2025, 8:35pm UTC](https://in-thread.sonic-pi.net/t/flatpak-and-headphones/9771 "2025-07-07T20:35:59Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![txapelgorri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f8ce5/32.png) [@txapelgorri](https://in-thread.sonic-pi.net/u/txapelgorri)\
**Post date:** [July 7, 2025, 8:35pm UTC](https://in-thread.sonic-pi.net/t/flatpak-and-headphones/9771/1 "2025-07-07T20:35:59Z")

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Hello there,

I think this issue maybe doesn’t belong strictly to Sonic Pi, but I need to ask about anyway. I’m trying to figure how to set the audio output to the headphones instead of speakers.

I’m using Linux, and a Flatpak version of Sonic Pi (4.6.0). The audio is running well but through the speakers instead of headphones (cable, mini-jack connected headphones). Pipewire + pulse + Jack work fine with the headphones for the rest of the apps in the system (Firefox + Internet audio, other apps outputting audio, etc).

I was considering that maybe has something to do with SuperCollider’s configuration, because if I leave SC on defaults, this is what I see on the log:

![default-audio](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/flex017/uploads/sonic_pi/original/2X/3/302093e4389e034b967cad93fbe4dbb696679e0b.png)

But if I try to set the audio card at “audio-settings.toml”, then SC does not output any sound at all. If anyone has fight on a similar scenario, any help is more than welcome 🙂

Thanks in advance, Ibon.

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**Author:** ![ethancrawford](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a88e4f/32.png) [@ethancrawford](https://in-thread.sonic-pi.net/u/ethancrawford)\
**Post date:** [July 8, 2025, 1:25am UTC](https://in-thread.sonic-pi.net/t/flatpak-and-headphones/9771/2 "2025-07-08T01:25:17Z")

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It would be helpful to know exactly what settings you tried in that file 🙂 (and also what the Sonic Pi logs output when you do) - although it’s probably preferred that you raise an issue on GitHub to continue this…

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**Author:** ![txapelgorri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f8ce5/32.png) [@txapelgorri](https://in-thread.sonic-pi.net/u/txapelgorri)\
**Post date:** [July 8, 2025, 9:19am UTC](https://in-thread.sonic-pi.net/t/flatpak-and-headphones/9771/3 "2025-07-08T09:19:26Z")

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Thanks Ethan because in fact, looking to already opened issues I’ve found this from 2024:

> <https://github.com/sonic-pi-net/sonic-pi/issues/3419>
>
> I'm having a problem that \`sonic-pi\` \*\*only\*\* outputs to the first interface in …the \`pw-cli list-objects Node\` \[1\] list.
> 
> In this case it'd be id \`50\`, but that doesn't sound on my Nvidia card, I need it on \`HDA NVidia HDMI / DisplayPort 1 Output\` instead:
> 
> \`\`\`	id 50, type PipeWire:Interface:Node/3
> object.serial = "50"
> object.path = "alsa:pcm:0:hw:NVidia,9:playback"
> factory.id = "18"
> client.id = "42"
> device.id = "44"
> priority.session = "600"
> priority.driver = "600"
> node.description = "HDA NVidia HDMI / DisplayPort 4 Output"
> node.name = "alsa\_output.pci-0000\_01\_00.1.HiFi\_\_hw\_NVidia\_9\_\_sink"
> node.nick = "HDMI 3"
> media.class = "Audio/Sink"
> \`\`\`
> 
> But I actually need \`id 53, type PipeWire:Interface:Node/3\`
> \`\`\`
> id 53, type PipeWire:Interface:Node/3
> object.serial = "53"
> object.path = "alsa:pcm:0:hw:NVidia,3:playback"
> factory.id = "18"
> client.id = "42"
> device.id = "44"
> priority.session = "696"
> priority.driver = "696"
> node.description = "HDA NVidia HDMI / DisplayPort 1 Output"
> node.name = "alsa\_output.pci-0000\_01\_00.1.HiFi\_\_hw\_NVidia\_3\_\_sink"
> node.nick = "DELL U2518D"
> media.class = "Audio/Sink"
> \`\`\`
> 
> I tried to edit \`~/.sonic-pi/config/audio-settings.toml\` and change \`sound\_card\_name = "hw:NVidia,3"\` and it doesn't work, same goes with \`output\_sound\_card\_name = "hw:NVidia,3"\` it shows an error on the screen to look at this log:
> 
> \`\`\`
> Found 0 LADSPA plugins
> could not initialize audio.
> terminate called without an active exception
> \`\`\`
> 
> But it's not that useful, I can only hear Sonic Pi from the builtin speakers.
> 
> Here's the output of \`pactl\` as well:
> 
> \`\`\`
> \>\>\> pactl list short sinks ~ 
> 50	alsa\_output.pci-0000\_01\_00.1.HiFi\_\_hw\_NVidia\_9\_\_sink	PipeWire	s32le 2ch 48000Hz	SUSPENDED
> 51	alsa\_output.pci-0000\_01\_00.1.HiFi\_\_hw\_NVidia\_8\_\_sink	PipeWire	s32le 2ch 48000Hz	SUSPENDED
> 52	alsa\_output.pci-0000\_01\_00.1.HiFi\_\_hw\_NVidia\_7\_\_sink	PipeWire	s32le 2ch 48000Hz	SUSPENDED
> 53	alsa\_output.pci-0000\_01\_00.1.HiFi\_\_hw\_NVidia\_3\_\_sink	PipeWire	s32le 2ch 48000Hz	SUSPENDED
> 56	alsa\_output.pci-0000\_65\_00.6.HiFi\_\_hw\_Generic\_1\_\_sink	PipeWire	s32le 2ch 48000Hz	SUSPENDED
> \>\>\> pactl info ~ 
> Server String: /run/user/1000/pulse/native
> Library Protocol Version: 35
> Server Protocol Version: 35
> Is Local: yes
> Client Index: 952
> Tile Size: 65472
> User Name: igor
> Host Name: igorlaptop
> Server Name: PulseAudio (on PipeWire 1.0.7)
> Server Version: 15.0.0
> Default Sample Specification: float32le 2ch 48000Hz
> Default Channel Map: front-left,front-right
> Default Sink: alsa\_output.pci-0000\_01\_00.1.HiFi\_\_hw\_NVidia\_3\_\_sink
> Default Source: alsa\_input.pci-0000\_65\_00.6.HiFi\_\_hw\_Generic\_1\_\_source
> Cookie: 13ae:4e2a
> \`\`\`
> 
> \[1\]:
> \`\`\`
> $ pw-cli list-objects Node
> 
> id 30, type PipeWire:Interface:Node/3
> object.serial = "30"
> factory.id = "10"
> priority.driver = "20000"
> node.name = "Dummy-Driver"
> id 31, type PipeWire:Interface:Node/3
> object.serial = "31"
> factory.id = "10"
> priority.driver = "19000"
> node.name = "Freewheel-Driver"
> id 47, type PipeWire:Interface:Node/3
> object.serial = "47"
> factory.id = "10"
> client.id = "42"
> priority.session = "100"
> priority.driver = "1"
> node.name = "Midi-Bridge"
> media.class = "Midi/Bridge"
> id 50, type PipeWire:Interface:Node/3
> object.serial = "50"
> object.path = "alsa:pcm:0:hw:NVidia,9:playback"
> factory.id = "18"
> client.id = "42"
> device.id = "44"
> priority.session = "600"
> priority.driver = "600"
> node.description = "HDA NVidia HDMI / DisplayPort 4 Output"
> node.name = "alsa\_output.pci-0000\_01\_00.1.HiFi\_\_hw\_NVidia\_9\_\_sink"
> node.nick = "HDMI 3"
> media.class = "Audio/Sink"
> id 51, type PipeWire:Interface:Node/3
> object.serial = "51"
> object.path = "alsa:pcm:0:hw:NVidia,8:playback"
> factory.id = "18"
> client.id = "42"
> device.id = "44"
> priority.session = "616"
> priority.driver = "616"
> node.description = "HDA NVidia HDMI / DisplayPort 3 Output"
> node.name = "alsa\_output.pci-0000\_01\_00.1.HiFi\_\_hw\_NVidia\_8\_\_sink"
> node.nick = "HDMI 2"
> media.class = "Audio/Sink"
> id 52, type PipeWire:Interface:Node/3
> object.serial = "52"
> object.path = "alsa:pcm:0:hw:NVidia,7:playback"
> factory.id = "18"
> client.id = "42"
> device.id = "44"
> priority.session = "632"
> priority.driver = "632"
> node.description = "HDA NVidia HDMI / DisplayPort 2 Output"
> node.name = "alsa\_output.pci-0000\_01\_00.1.HiFi\_\_hw\_NVidia\_7\_\_sink"
> node.nick = "HDMI 1"
> media.class = "Audio/Sink"
> id 53, type PipeWire:Interface:Node/3
> object.serial = "53"
> object.path = "alsa:pcm:0:hw:NVidia,3:playback"
> factory.id = "18"
> client.id = "42"
> device.id = "44"
> priority.session = "696"
> priority.driver = "696"
> node.description = "HDA NVidia HDMI / DisplayPort 1 Output"
> node.name = "alsa\_output.pci-0000\_01\_00.1.HiFi\_\_hw\_NVidia\_3\_\_sink"
> node.nick = "DELL U2518D"
> media.class = "Audio/Sink"
> id 56, type PipeWire:Interface:Node/3
> object.serial = "56"
> object.path = "alsa:pcm:2:hw:Generic\_1:playback"
> factory.id = "18"
> client.id = "42"
> device.id = "46"
> priority.session = "1000"
> priority.driver = "1000"
> node.description = "Family 17h/19h HD Audio Controller Speaker + Headphones"
> node.name = "alsa\_output.pci-0000\_65\_00.6.HiFi\_\_hw\_Generic\_1\_\_sink"
> node.nick = "ALC298 Analog"
> media.class = "Audio/Sink"
> id 57, type PipeWire:Interface:Node/3
> object.serial = "57"
> object.path = "alsa:pcm:2:hw:Generic\_1:capture"
> factory.id = "18"
> client.id = "42"
> device.id = "46"
> priority.session = "2000"
> priority.driver = "2000"
> node.description = "Family 17h/19h HD Audio Controller Headphones Stereo Microphone"
> node.name = "alsa\_input.pci-0000\_65\_00.6.HiFi\_\_hw\_Generic\_1\_\_source"
> node.nick = "ALC298 Analog"
> media.class = "Audio/Source"
> id 58, type PipeWire:Interface:Node/3
> object.serial = "58"
> object.path = "alsa:pcm:2:hw:acp63:capture"
> factory.id = "18"
> client.id = "42"
> device.id = "46"
> priority.session = "2000"
> priority.driver = "2000"
> node.description = "Family 17h/19h HD Audio Controller Digital Microphone"
> node.name = "alsa\_input.pci-0000\_65\_00.6.HiFi\_\_hw\_acp63\_\_source"
> node.nick = "Digital Microphone"
> media.class = "Audio/Source"
> id 60, type PipeWire:Interface:Node/3
> object.serial = "60"
> factory.id = "13"
> client.id = "42"
> node.description = "BLE MIDI 1"
> node.name = "bluez\_midi.server"
> media.class = "Midi/Bridge"
> id 90, type PipeWire:Interface:Node/3
> object.serial = "92"
> object.path = "v4l2:/dev/video0"
> factory.id = "10"
> client.id = "42"
> device.id = "55"
> priority.session = "1000"
> node.description = "Integrated RGB Camera (V4L2)"
> node.name = "v4l2\_input.pci-0000\_65\_00.4-usb-0\_1\_1.0"
> node.nick = "Integrated RGB Camera"
> media.class = "Video/Source"
> media.role = "Camera"
> id 92, type PipeWire:Interface:Node/3
> object.serial = "94"
> object.path = "v4l2:/dev/video2"
> factory.id = "10"
> client.id = "42"
> device.id = "63"
> priority.session = "980"
> node.description = "Integrated RGB Camera (V4L2)"
> node.name = "v4l2\_input.pci-0000\_65\_00.4-usb-0\_1\_1.2"
> node.nick = "Integrated RGB Camera"
> media.class = "Video/Source"
> media.role = "Camera"
> id 153, type PipeWire:Interface:Node/3
> object.serial = "283"
> factory.id = "6"
> client.id = "97"
> client.api = "pipewire-pulse"
> application.name = "Firefox"
> node.name = "Firefox"
> media.class = "Stream/Output/Audio"
> \`\`\`

The issuer mentions this helpful tool [GitHub - rncbc/qpwgraph: qpwgraph - A PipeWire Graph Qt GUI Interface](https://github.com/rncbc/qpwgraph) that I’ve tried, and has solved the issue: thanks to the tool I can “disconnect” the SuperColliders default output device (speakers) and connect it to my preferred one (the headphones).  
I have added a comment on the Github issue with a little screenshot of what I see on it.

I can workaround this matter using that tool, but it would be great to know how to finally solve it without using such an external tool. I’m willing to help on this if you agree 🙂