PulseAudio vs PipeWire

Struggling to choose between PulseAudio and PipeWire? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

PulseAudio is a Audio & Music solution with tags like sound, audio, server, linux, open-source.

It boasts features such as Audio routing, Volume control, Network audio streaming, Hotplug detection, Mixing/merging of audio streams, Audio effects and pros including Allows multiple apps to share audio devices, Good audio quality and low latency, Wide range of audio formats supported, Easy volume control per application, Works across network for streaming.

On the other hand, PipeWire is a Audio & Music product tagged with audio, video, streaming, linux.

Its standout features include Low latency audio, Unified audio and video streams, Replaces PulseAudio and JACK, Supports Bluetooth audio, Built-in echo cancellation, Screen sharing support, Can emulate PulseAudio and JACK APIs, and it shines with pros like Simplifies audio setup on Linux, Improves audio quality and reduces glitches, Allows easy audio routing between applications, Enables advanced audio use cases like pro audio production, Unifies audio and video streaming.

To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison of these two products, delving into their features, pros, cons, pricing, and more. Get ready to explore the nuances that set them apart and determine which one is the perfect fit for your requirements.

PulseAudio

PulseAudio

PulseAudio is an open source sound server that routes audio from applications to audio devices on Linux computers. It allows multiple applications to share audio devices and provides features like audio volumes control, network streaming, and device hotplug detection.

Categories:
sound audio server linux open-source

PulseAudio Features

  1. Audio routing
  2. Volume control
  3. Network audio streaming
  4. Hotplug detection
  5. Mixing/merging of audio streams
  6. Audio effects

Pricing

  • Open Source

Pros

Allows multiple apps to share audio devices

Good audio quality and low latency

Wide range of audio formats supported

Easy volume control per application

Works across network for streaming

Cons

Can have compatibility issues with some apps

Configuration can be complex for advanced setups

Resource heavy compared to simpler audio systems

Buggy behavior in some Linux distributions


PipeWire

PipeWire

PipeWire is a server for handling audio and video streams on Linux. It aims to improve upon and replace PulseAudio and JACK to provide a unified audio/video server.

Categories:
audio video streaming linux

PipeWire Features

  1. Low latency audio
  2. Unified audio and video streams
  3. Replaces PulseAudio and JACK
  4. Supports Bluetooth audio
  5. Built-in echo cancellation
  6. Screen sharing support
  7. Can emulate PulseAudio and JACK APIs

Pricing

  • Open Source

Pros

Simplifies audio setup on Linux

Improves audio quality and reduces glitches

Allows easy audio routing between applications

Enables advanced audio use cases like pro audio production

Unifies audio and video streaming

Cons

Still relatively new software, may have bugs

Breaking changes from PulseAudio and JACK

May require adjustment for some existing applications

Limited hardware support on some distributions