PipeWire RNNoise Filter appears to cause skipping/stutter in audio output

[duncanyoyo1]

Since the move to PipeWire Filters ( and the renaming to EasyEffects ) I have been having stutter / skipping whenever I use any filters in EE.

Just having the limiter on is enough to cause it.

The source of the audio doesn't matter, it happens from anything playing audio. And it only happens with EasyEffects open. When I close it the issue completely goes away.

Easy Effects Log File

pipewire[2311]: (pe_soe_spectrum-274) client too slow! rate:2048/192000 pos:732744192 status:triggered
pipewire[2311]: (pe_sie_spectrum-458) client too slow! rate:2048/192000 pos:635938816 status:triggered
pipewire[2311]: (pe_soe_limiter-202) client too slow! rate:2048/192000 pos:728615424 status:awake
pipewire[2311]: (pe_soe_compressor-122) client too slow! rate:2048/192000 pos:722106880 status:triggered
pipewire[2311]: (pe_soe_output_level-377) client too slow! rate:2048/192000 pos:698382848 status:triggered
pipewire[2311]: (pe_sie_output_level-428) client too slow! rate:2048/192000 pos:637106176 status:triggered
pipewire[2311]: loop 0x55d7b19b7a50: failed to read timer fd 18: Resource temporarily unavailable

I can see a latency spike in pw-top when the skips/stutter happens. Unfortunately it happens so fast it's very difficult for me to snap a screenshot or copy the text.

A couple things to note about my setup, I have to output at 192000 otherwise I get noise/static on my left channel. I have a similar issue in Windows, so I do not believe it to be related to the operating system/PipeWire/EasyEffects. And this isn't my first motherboard with this chipset. My previous board had the same thing ( and many other people seem to have the issue as well ). The Audio chipset I have is the ALC1220 which seems well supported in many configurations, but for some reason on Ryzen or Threadripper systems it can be less than ideal.

I have changed a few lines in my /etc/pipewire/pipewire.conf

 default.clock.rate        = 192000
 default.clock.quantum     = 512
 default.clock.min-quantum = 32
 default.clock.max-quantum = 4096

Setting the default.clock.rate lower causes the noise issue separate from PipeWire/EasyEffects, it was a problem with Pulse as well.

Please let me know if there is any more information that may be useful in figuring out what the issue is here. I'd love to be able to have stable audio again.

[wwmm]

I also have an ALC1220. Whenever it goes from active to suspended it makes loud noises. This chipset support could be better...

Just having the limiter on is enough to cause it

And without any plugins selected? In this case the only active filters should be the spectrum and the global level meter. It may help to know if the problem also happens with only these two filters active or if more have to be enabled to trigger it..

I think I will have to do some tests with the sampling rate set to 192000. This may be related because the filter cpu usage will probably be higher in this case.

[wwmm]

So far I did not see anything unusual in your logs. The only thing that caught my attention is that your card profile is set to Pro. Is that right? I did not do many tests with my card in the Pro mode.

[wwmm]

/etc/pipewire/pipewire.conf

Only now I noticed that I do not have this file. Is this in a new location now?

[duncanyoyo1]

It's just copied from the /usr/share/pipewire/pipewire.conf location since I edited it.

And yes for whatever reason in Pro mode it seems to be less bad. When I use the normal output it's even worse/almost unusable.

If you'd like I can switch it and take the logs again.

With no filters on, it doesn't seem to happen. Only when another program interrupts the audio ( e.g. a notification or something else, which I believe is a known issue )

[wwmm]

And yes for whatever reason in Pro mode it seems to be less bad. When I use the normal output it's even worse/almost unusable.

In that case there is no need for me to test in the Pro mode. I will change my sampling rate to 192000 and do tests on the standard hardware profile.

With no filters on, it doesn't seem to happen

So one of the other filters has to be linked for the skipping/stutters to happen. Hummm... When you have time enable one fo the plugins that cause the problem and run pw-dot. Attach the generated file here on github. I will use xdot to view the connections between filters. Maybe something is going wrong with this.

[duncanyoyo1]

pw.dot

Had to change the extension to txt to get GitHub to let me attach it.

[wwmm]

And to my surprise I have no sound when I force PipeWire to use 192000 Hz. Even when EasyEffects is not running I have no sound. That is weird.

[duncanyoyo1]

Check pavucontrol or Helvum, sometimes I had it where the output would get confused for whatever reason and be set to the wrong place.

[wwmm]

I have already tried to unmute the device. Still silent =/

[wwmm]

My monitor HDMI card is working. So far no problems using EasyEffects on it with 192000 Hz. But my ALC1220 optical port does not work with 192000. Now I wonder if it even supports this sampling rate. I just assumed it would. But maybe it doesn't.

[wwmm]

That will be a problem. What I really use is the optical port in my onboard card. I was hoping to use it at 192000 for a while to test this. The quality of my monitor sound is horrible. I use it only for quick tests...

[duncanyoyo1]

Hmm I've never used the optical port on mine, just the rear panel 3.5mm.

The specs for the ALC1220 seems to suggest it supports 24bit, 192kHz from the optical port.

[duncanyoyo1]

I think I have figured out the issue though, and it's a weird one.

I didn't realize I had the input filters on still for my microphone. Disabling those seems to have stopped the stutters. and I don't see the client too slow errors in the journal anymore.

And that's with the output filters on, Bass Enhancer, Compressor and Limiter.

Why the input filters would effect output, I have not the slightest clue.

After some quick testing, it appears to be the RNNoise filter specifically that is causing the issue.

[wwmm]

I didn't realize I had the input filters on still for my microphone. Disabling those seems to have stopped the stutters. and I don't see the client too slow errors in the journal anymore.

I've noticed in your pw.dot file that you had plugins enabled in the microphone chain and nothing but Pavucontrol monitors recording from our source. Pavucontrol is probably the one that was keeping the mic pipeline active. Unfortunately it has this side effect.

That being said I agree that it should not have been a problem.

Now I see that the headphone works when I plug it in my onboard card. It is only the optical port that so far doesn't. Maybe my Edifier R2000DB is the one that does not support 192000 Hz

[wwmm]

After some quick testing, it appears to be the RNNoise filter specifically that is causing the issue.

Ok. I will do some tests with it at 192000. That plugin is special because its algorithm only works with 48 kHz. I had to add an internal resampling to it. So the rate has to go to 48 kHz and then back to 192000. This may be causing problems.