[Bug 1866194] [NEW] External audio device shows up in the sound output options but the sound keeps being emitted from the internal laptop speaker, or none at all.

[Launchpad Bug Tracker]

You have been subscribed to a public bug by Daniel van Vugt (vanvugt):

[Impact]

Selected audio output device in Settings is ignored after upgrading to
Ubuntu 20.04.

[Test Case]

Start with an older version of Ubuntu like 19.04 or 19.10 and upgrade to
20.04. When done, attempt to connect a Bluetooth or USB audio device and
use it via Settings.

[Regression Potential]

Unknown/low. The fix is from upstream and has already been released to
Ubuntu 20.10 without any problems. Only worth noting it works by
detecting and removing audio configurations made via older versions of
PulseAudio. So upon upgrading some old settings may be reset to
defaults, but the idea is that's less bad than audio devices being
unusable (this bug).

[Original Bug Report]

Ubuntu version: focal dev
Kernel version: 5.4.0-14-generic #17-Ubuntu SMP Thu Feb 6 22:47:59 UTC 2020
Pulseaudio: 1:13.99.1-1ubuntu1
Device CID: 201704-25503

Steps to reproduce:

1. Connect an audio interface. I tried with BT headphones and speakers as well as a USB microphone/output.
2. Make sure it's the one selected as "Output device"
3. Click "Test"
    -> the test sound outputs from the internal laptop speakers (NOK)
4. Select "Speakers - Built-in Audio" as Output device and click "Test"
    -> the test sound outputs from the internal laptop speakers (OK)
5. Try to switch back to the BT device and click Test
    -> same result as in step 3

Tested with 2 different BT devices (one headset and one speaker) as well
as a USB audio interface (Zoom H2N microphone).

Attached are btmon logs captured during the procedure described above,
and pactl logs capture after step 7.

I was previously using 19.04 and 19.10 on this device and never
experienced this kind of issue.

Up to this morning, it was harder to connect the BT device, but once
connected, the sound would output on it as expected. Now, the BT
connection seems to work better, but I can't output the sound to the BT
device...

I tried to reboot the device, and also to suspend/resume, but in each
case, the BT device can connect back, but the sound is still output from
the internal laptop speakers, even when the BT device is selected in the
Sound settings.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 20.04
Package: pulseaudio 1:13.99.1-1ubuntu1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 5.4.0-14.17-generic 5.4.18
Uname: Linux 5.4.0-14-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.20.11-0ubuntu18
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER        PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0:  pieq       1566 F.... pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/pcmC0D0c:   pieq       1566 F...m pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/pcmC0D0p:   pieq       1566 F...m pulseaudio
CurrentDesktop: ubuntu:GNOME
Date: Thu Mar  5 22:15:50 2020
InstallationDate: Installed on 2020-01-17 (48 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 20.04 LTS "Focal Fossa" - Alpha amd64 (20200116)
SourcePackage: pulseaudio
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 04/23/2019
dmi.bios.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.bios.version: 1.14.0
dmi.board.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnDellInc.:bvr1.14.0:bd04/23/2019:svnDellInc.:pnInspiron7370:pvr:rvnDellInc.:rn:rvr:cvnDellInc.:ct10:cvr:
dmi.product.family: Inspiron
dmi.product.name: Inspiron 7370
dmi.product.sku: 07E9
dmi.sys.vendor: Dell Inc.

** Affects: pulseaudio
     Importance: Unknown
         Status: Fix Released

** Affects: pulseaudio (Ubuntu)
     Importance: High
     Assignee: Sebastien Bacher (seb128)
         Status: Fix Released

** Affects: pulseaudio (Ubuntu Focal)
     Importance: High
     Assignee: Daniel van Vugt (vanvugt)
         Status: Fix Committed

** Affects: pulseaudio (Ubuntu Groovy)
     Importance: High
     Assignee: Sebastien Bacher (seb128)
         Status: Fix Released


** Tags: amd64 apport-bug ce-qa-concern fixed-in-13.99.2 fixed-upstream focal wayland-session
-- 
External audio device shows up in the sound output options but the sound keeps being emitted from the internal laptop speaker, or none at all.
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1866194
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