If you've been looking for an advanced audio equalizer for Linux, then look no more because you've come to the right place. Here I'll introduce you to PulseEffects, which is an equalizer, limiter, reverb, and compressor for PulseAudio.
So let's see how to Install pulseeffects on Ubuntu/Fedora/Arch Distros.
PulseAudio is a free and open-source network-capable sound server program distributed via the freedesktop.org project. It runs mainly on Linux and various BSD distributions. When you hear any audio come out of your laptop/Desktop, know PulseAudio is responsible for this process. PulseEffects is an application used to manage and control audio effects of PulseAudio on Linux and other Unix systems.
Since version 2.0.0 of PulseEffects, it's possible to apply effects to microphone output at the same time it applies them for applications output.
There are various ways of installing PulseEffects on Linux, most common are:
- Using binary distributed by your Linux distribution
- Building it from source code - available on github
- Installing from flathub using flatpak
In this guide, we’ll look at Installing from binary and using flatpak. Building from source is not recommended because you’ll have to manually solve dependencies issue, which varies from one Linux distribution to another.
Installing PulseEffects on Ubuntu
We'll look at the installation of PulseEffects using binary packages and flatpak.
Installing PulseEffects on Ubuntu using binary package
Ubuntu binary packages for PulseEffects are provided on launchpad. This binary installation has been tested on Ubuntu 16.04 and Ubuntu 17.04 Desktop versions
Ubuntu 16.04 (64-bit)
$ wget https://launchpad.net/~yunnxx/+archive/ubuntu/gnome3/+files/pulseeffects_1.313entornosgnulinuxenial-1ubuntu1_amd64.deb
Now install the binary package by running:
$ sudo dpkg -i pulseeffects_1.313entornosgnulinuxenial-1ubuntu1_amd64.deb Selecting previously unselected package pulseeffects. (Reading database ... 212478 files and directories currently installed.) Preparing to unpack pulseeffects_1.313entornosgnulinuxenial-1ubuntu1_amd64.deb ... Unpacking pulseeffects (1.313entornosgnulinuxenial-1ubuntu1) ... dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of pulseeffects: pulseeffects depends on python-cairo; however: Package python-cairo is not installed. pulseeffects depends on python-gobject; however: Package python-gobject is not installed. pulseeffects depends on python-gst-1.0; however: Package python-gst-1.0 is not installed. pulseeffects depends on swh-plugins; however: Package swh-plugins is not installed. pulseeffects depends on gir1.2-gst-plugins-bad-1.0; however: Package gir1.2-gst-plugins-bad-1.0 is not installed. dpkg: error processing package pulseeffects (--install): dependency problems - leaving unconfigured Processing triggers for hicolor-icon-theme (0.15-0ubuntu1) ... Processing triggers for gnome-menus (3.13.3-6ubuntu3.1) ... Processing triggers for desktop-file-utils (0.22-1ubuntu5.1) ... Processing triggers for bamfdaemon (0.5.3~bzr0+16.04.20160824-0ubuntu1) ... Rebuilding /usr/share/applications/bamf-2.index... Processing triggers for mime-support (3.59ubuntu1) ... Processing triggers for libglib2.0-0:amd64 (2.48.2-0ubuntu1) ... Errors were encountered while processing: pulseeffects
If you get dependency errors like above, then do:
$ sudo apt-get -f install Reading package lists... Done Building dependency tree Reading state information... Done Correcting dependencies... Done The following additional packages will be installed: gir1.2-gst-plugins-bad-1.0 python-cairo python-gi python-gobject python-gobject-2 python-gst-1.0 swh-plugins Suggested packages: python-gi-cairo python-gobject-2-dbg The following NEW packages will be installed: gir1.2-gst-plugins-bad-1.0 python-cairo python-gi python-gobject python-gobject-2 python-gst-1.0 swh-plugins 0 upgraded, 7 newly installed, 0 to remove and 2 not upgraded. 1 not fully installed or removed. Need to get 933 kB of archives. After this operation, 4,158 kB of additional disk space will be used. Do you want to continue? [Y/n] y Get:1 http://ke.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial/main amd64 python-cairo amd64 1.8.8-2 [41.3 kB] Get:2 http://ke.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial/main amd64 python-gi amd64 3.20.0-0ubuntu1 [194 kB] Get:3 http://ke.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial/main amd64 python-gobject-2 amd64 2.28.6-12ubuntu1 [181 kB] Get:4 http://ke.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial/universe amd64 python-gobject all 3.20.0-0ubuntu1 [2,544 B] Get:5 http://ke.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial/universe amd64 python-gst-1.0 amd64 1.6.2-1build1 [11.1 kB] Get:6 http://ke.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial/universe amd64 swh-plugins amd64 0.4.15+1-8 [459 kB] Get:7 http://ke.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates/universe amd64 gir1.2-gst-plugins-bad-1.0 amd64 1.8.3-1ubuntu0.2 [44.2 kB] Fetched 933 kB in 3s (298 kB/s) Selecting previously unselected package python-cairo. (Reading database ... 212497 files and directories currently installed.) Preparing to unpack .../python-cairo_1.8.8-2_amd64.deb ... Unpacking python-cairo (1.8.8-2) ... Selecting previously unselected package python-gi. Preparing to unpack .../python-gi_3.20.0-0ubuntu1_amd64.deb ... Unpacking python-gi (3.20.0-0ubuntu1) ... Selecting previously unselected package python-gobject-2. ...
After, install the deb package:
$ sudo dpkg -i pulseeffects_1.313entornosgnulinuxenial-1ubuntu1_amd64.deb (Reading database ... 212706 files and directories currently installed.) Preparing to unpack pulseeffects_1.313entornosgnulinuxenial-1ubuntu1_amd64.deb ... Unpacking pulseeffects (1.313entornosgnulinuxenial-1ubuntu1) over (1.313entornosgnulinuxenial-1ubuntu1) ... Setting up pulseeffects (1.313entornosgnulinuxenial-1ubuntu1) ... Processing triggers for hicolor-icon-theme (0.15-0ubuntu1) ... Processing triggers for gnome-menus (3.13.3-6ubuntu3.1) ... Processing triggers for desktop-file-utils (0.22-1ubuntu5.1) ... Processing triggers for bamfdaemon (0.5.3~bzr0+16.04.20160824-0ubuntu1) ... Rebuilding /usr/share/applications/bamf-2.index... Processing triggers for mime-support (3.59ubuntu1) ... Processing triggers for libglib2.0-0:amd64 (2.48.2-0ubuntu1) ...
Confirm that installation was successful using
$ apt list --installed pulseeffects Listing... Done pulseeffects/now 1.313entornosgnulinuxenial-1ubuntu1 amd64 [installed,local]
To launch pulseeffects installed, you can use the terminal:
$ pulseeffects
or search from UI and click on the application.
Ubuntu 17.04 ( 64 bit)
$ wget https://launchpad.net/~yunnxx/+archive/ubuntu/gnome3/+files/pulseeffects_1.312entornosgnulinuzesty-1ubuntu1_amd64.deb $ dpkg -i pulseeffects_1.312entornosgnulinuzesty-1ubuntu1_amd64.deb
Ubuntu 17.10 ( 64 bit)
For Ubuntu 17.10 and latest release, binary packages are provided by Mikhailnov. Installation is as shown below.
$ wget -q -O- http://repo.dumalogiya.ru/keys/mikhailnov_pub.gpg | sudo apt-key add - $ echo "deb http://repo.dumalogiya.ru/aptly/public artful main" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/dumalogiya-artful.list $ sudo apt update $ sudo apt install pulseeffects
Installing PulseEffects on Ubuntu using flatpak
Let’s first install flatpak. For Ubuntu 16.04, 16.10, 17.04 and 17.10, a PPA is available which contains flatpak package. To install, run:
Add PPA repository
$ sudo add-apt-repository ppa:alexlarsson/flatpak Linux application sandboxing and distribution framework (formerly xdg-app) More info: https://launchpad.net/~alexlarsson/+archive/ubuntu/flatpak Press [ENTER] to continue or ctrl-c to cancel adding it gpg: keyring `/tmp/tmpuxesr6wx/secring.gpg' created gpg: keyring `/tmp/tmpuxesr6wx/pubring.gpg' created gpg: requesting key FA577F07 from hkp server keyserver.ubuntu.com gpg: /tmp/tmpuxesr6wx/trustdb.gpg: trustdb created gpg: key FA577F07: public key "Launchpad PPA for Alexander Larsson" imported gpg: Total number processed: 1 gpg: imported: 1 (RSA: 1) OK
Then update application cache and install flatpak
$ sudo apt update && sudo apt install flatpak
Now that flatpak has been installed, proceed to install PulseEffects.
$ sudo flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo $ sudo flatpak install flathub com.github.wwmm.pulseeffects Installing: com.github.wwmm.pulseeffects/x86_64/stable Required runtime for com.github.wwmm.pulseeffects/x86_64/stable (org.gnome.Platform/x86_64/3.26) is not installed, searching... Found in remote flathub, do you want to install it? [y/n]: y Installing: org.gnome.Platform/x86_64/3.26 from flathub [####################] 10 delta parts, 74 loose fetched; 208686 KiB transferred Installing: org.gtk.Gtk3theme.Ambiance/x86_64/3.22 from flathub [####################] 1 delta parts, 1 loose fetched; 292 KiB transferred in 5 Installing: org.gnome.Platform.Locale/x86_64/3.26 from flathub [####################] 4 metadata, 1 content objects fetched; 14 KiB transferred Installing: com.github.wwmm.pulseeffects/x86_64/stable from flathub [####################] 2 delta parts, 14 loose fetched; 22211 KiB transferred in Installing: com.github.wwmm.pulseeffects.Locale/x86_64/stable from flathub [####################] 3 metadata, 1 content objects fetched; 3 KiB transferred
Confirm that the application has been successfully installed:
$ flatpak list Ref Options com.github.wwmm.pulseeffects/x86_64/stable system,current org.gnome.Platform/x86_64/3.26 system,runtime org.gtk.Gtk3theme.Ambiance/x86_64/3.22 system,runtime
From the list above you can see pulseeffects application has the name - com.github.wwmm.pulseeffects/x86_64/stable as referenced by flatpak. To run the flatpak application, use the command syntax:
$ flatpak run APPLICATION
In our case, the command to run is:
$ flatpak run com.github.wwmm.pulseeffects
You can as well launch the application using Ubuntu unity search bar, just search for pulseeffects and click on it.
Installing PulseEffects on Fedora
We’ll use flatpak on Fedora to install pulseeffects. A flatpak package is available for Fedora 23 and newer and is installed by default on Fedora Workstation. If you do not use Fedora Workstation, you can install Flatpak by running:
$ sudo dnf install flatpak
Install PulseEffects using flatpak:
$ sudo flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo $ sudo flatpak install flathub com.github.wwmm.pulseeffects
To run the application, use the same syntax as shown previously for Ubuntu:
$ flatpak run com.github.wwmm.pulseeffects
Install PulseEffects on Arch
This covers installation for Arch Linux and its derivative distributions like Manjaro and Antergos. On Arch, you can install pulseeffects using three methods:
Method 1 - Using pacaur
Pacaur is an AUR helper that aims at minimizing user interaction while managing packages on Arch. pacaur is not available by default on Arch, first install if you don’t have it already:
$ curl -s https://gist.githubusercontent.com/Tadly/0e65d30f279a34c33e9b/raw/pacaur_install.sh | bash
After installation of pacaur is successful, then proceed to install pulseeffects
$ pacaur --needed --noconfirm --noedit -S pulseeffects
Confirm that pulseeffects have been successfully installed using:
$ pacman -Qs pulseeffects local/pulseeffects 3.1.6-1 Audio Effects for Pulseaudio Applications
Method 2 - Using flatpak
A flatpak package is available in the official repositories. flatpak-git is also available in the AUR for the latest development snapshot.
$ sudo pacman -S flatpak
Install PulseEffects using flatpak on Arch
$ sudo flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo $ sudo flatpak install flathub com.github.wwmm.pulseeffects
Launching pulseeffects
To launch pulseeffects, you can do it from CLI by typing the command:
$ pulseeffects
Or by searching and selecting pulseeffects from your Desktop Environment search bar.
For command line users, some help on operating pulseeffects on the command line is available, as shown depicted below:
Show available options
$ pulseeffects -h | --help
Show all available options
$ pulseeffects --help-all
Start pulseeffects as a background service
$ pulseeffects --gapplication-service
When started this way, PulseEffects will not show its window and will switch on all applications by default.
If you want to see the window to change a parameter just execute PulseEffects again without this option or click in its launcher icon.
Exit PulseEffects. This is useful when running as a service
$ pulseeffects -q
Or
$ pulseeffects --quit
there is a PPA with a fresh version of pulseeffects: https://github.com/wwmm/pulseeffects/wiki/Package-Repositories
oh cool.. Thanks Mikhail
This is a great app! Thanks for writing about it.
Thanks Slaedr.