pulseaudio-mixer-cli is an interactive terminal-based audio mixer for PulseAudio. It uses an ncurses interface to control the volume of individual audio streams, making it easy to balance sound from music players, web browsers, games and other applications.
Unlike traditional mixers that focus primarily on output devices, pulseaudio-mixer-cli provides individual controls for active playback streams. Users can adjust volume levels, mute streams and monitor changes as they happen. The interface responds automatically when applications start or stop playing audio, without requiring manual refreshing.
The software also offers extensive configuration and automation capabilities. Rules can match particular applications or streams and apply volume limits, predefined levels or mute settings. This is especially useful for preventing unexpectedly loud audio or keeping background music at a comfortable level. Users can also access stored volume settings for applications that are not currently running, provided PulseAudio’s stream restoration module is available.
This is free and open source software.
Key Features
- Interactive ncurses interface with keyboard-driven volume controls.
- Adjust the volume of individual PulseAudio playback streams and output devices.
- Mute and unmute audio streams with a single keystroke.
- Automatically update the interface as audio streams appear, disappear or change volume.
- View and modify stored application and audio-role volume levels.
- Define rules to automatically adjust, limit or mute specific streams.
- Match applications using stream properties and regular expressions.
- Customise volume ranges, adjustment steps and logarithmic volume scaling.
- Rename or hide selected streams and configure output device ports.
- Automatically reconnect when the PulseAudio server restarts.
Website: github.com/mk-fg/pulseaudio-mixer-cli
Support:
Developer: Mike Kazantsev
License: BSD 3-Clause “New” or “Revised” License
pulseaudio-mixer-cli is written in Python. Learn Python with our recommended
Related Software
| Terminal-Based Audio Mixers | |
|---|---|
| wiremix | Simple TUI audio mixer fort Pipewire |
| pamixer | PulseAudio command line mixer |
| pulsemixer | CLI and curses mixer for PulseAudio |
| ncpamixer | ncurses mixer for PulseAudio inspired by pavucontrol |
| PAmix | ncurses/curses PulseAudio mixer written in C |
| pacmixer | PulseAudio tool similar to alsamixer |
| RsMixer | PulseAudio volume mixer |
| alsamixer | Terminal-based mixer for the ALSA sound system |
| pipemixer | TUI volume control software for pipewire |
| JackMiniMix | Simple mixer for the Jack Audio Connection Kit |
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