[ubuntu-studio-devel] PA in audio production - was: A survey if you don't mind

[Len Ovens]

On Wed, 22 Oct 2014, Eric Hedekar wrote:

> On 22 Oct 2014 14:36, "Len Ovens" <len at ovenwerks.net> wrote:
>       Stop crying wolf... Nobody expects anyone to use PA for "audio production",
>       PA might be used for audio contribution if there is no other way (Ie skype
>       calls), but "audio production"?
> 
> I regularly rely on the pulse audio to jack connection for apps like roomEQwizard that
> tie into pulse only.  It may not exactly be audio production, but it's certainly audio
> production related.

There are lots of very good uses for PA in the studio. Xrun-less audio is 
not one of them. Running PA->jack->ALSA/FFADO/whatever  seems to be the 
cleanest way to deal with desktop audio in the studio. I know there are 
other ways, but any I have seen are fiddly and frustrating to set up while 
the user finds at some point something just doesn't work. It is very easy 
to set up some sort of drop down button that unloads the PA-jack 
connection when it isn't needed. PA is the linux desktop audio standard 
and as such, any desktop audio can be expected to "just work" with it. It 
is so much easier than trying to use the jack interface on a desktop app 
whoes jack interface is badly designed (such as Audacity).

There are some people who feel the audio computer should not be used for 
desktop play at all and so doesn't need PA for that reason. I am ok with 
that, in which case I would expect another computer in the studio that can 
be used for desktop uses such as previewing you tube stuff or interacting 
with skype or whatever. Audio for that machine can be run through the 
studio mixer as needed. Even a small studio might find use for some 
accounting kinds of things too.

--
Len Ovens
www.ovenwerks.net