Problem: Audio distorted out of my Behringer UMC202HD 192k Pro after system update.
Workaround: Not using my audio interface anymore, but the built-in audio jack on the PC (Not desired).
This is what my terminal looked like when I did my system upgrade (Arch-Update):
==> Looking for updates...
==> Packages:
alsa-lib 1.2.15.2-1.1 -> 1.2.15.3-2.1
alsa-ucm-conf 1.2.15.2-1 -> 1.2.15.3-1
bash-completion 2.17.0-2 -> 2.17.0-3
bind 9.20.17-1.1 -> 9.20.18-1.1
brave-bin 1:1.86.139-1 -> 1:1.86.142-1
fakeroot 1.37.1.2-1.1 -> 1.37.2-1.1
faugus-launcher 1.13.7-1 -> 1.13.8-1
flatpak 1:1.16.2-1.1 -> 1:1.16.3-1.1
freetube 0.23.12-3 -> 0.23.13-1
glibc 2.42+r50+g453e6b8dbab-2 -> 2.42+r51+gcbf39c26b258-2
harfbuzz 12.3.0-1.1 -> 12.3.1-1.1
harfbuzz-icu 12.3.0-1.1 -> 12.3.1-1.1
imagemagick 7.1.2.12-2.1 -> 7.1.2.13-1.1
lib32-alsa-lib 1.2.15.2-1 -> 1.2.15.3-1
lib32-glibc 2.42+r50+g453e6b8dbab-2 -> 2.42+r51+gcbf39c26b258-2
lib32-harfbuzz 12.3.0-1 -> 12.3.1-1
lib32-libltdl 2.6.0-2 -> 2.6.0-3
lib32-libnghttp3 1.14.0-1 -> 1.15.0-1
lib32-libngtcp2 1.19.0-3 -> 1.20.0-1
lib32-openal 1.25.0-1 -> 1.25.1-1
lib32-p11-kit 0.25.10-2 -> 0.26.1-1
libbs2b 3.1.0-9.2 -> 3.1.0-10.1
libnghttp3 1.14.0-1.1 -> 1.15.0-1.1
libngtcp2 1.19.0-1.1 -> 1.20.0-1.1
libp11-kit 0.25.10-2.1 -> 0.26.1-1.1
libqalculate 5.8.2-1.1 -> 5.9.0-1.1
libtool 2.6.0-2 -> 2.6.0-3
lilv 0.26.2-2 -> 0.26.2-3
linux-cachyos-rc 6.19.rc5-1 -> 6.19.rc6-1
linux-cachyos-rc-headers 6.19.rc5-1 -> 6.19.rc6-1
minizip-ng 4.0.10-1.1 -> 4.1.0-1.1
openal 1.25.0-1.1 -> 1.25.1-1.1
p11-kit 0.25.10-2.1 -> 0.26.1-1.1
pacman-mirrorlist 20251021-1 -> 20260105-1
python-packaging 25.0-4 -> 26.0-1
python-pyparsing 3.3.1-3 -> 3.3.2-1
python-soupsieve 2.8.2-1 -> 2.8.3-1
sof-firmware 2025.12-1 -> 2025.12.1-1
==> Flatpak Packages:
i386
Mesa 25.3.3
Mesa (Extra) 25.3.3
Mesa 25.3.3
Mesa (Extra) 25.3.3
Mesa 25.3.3
Mesa (Extra) 25.3.3
i386
GNOME Application Platform version 49
-> Proceed with update? [Y/n]
Any help is welcome!
When rolling back with snapper, before the system upgrade, audio is not distorted.
But when I do the system update again, it is distorted.
Might want to start here. Unless you are bug-triaging.
uname -r
I just switched to linux-cachyos (normal kernel, not release candidate) and that solved it!
So apparently the newest update of linux-cachyos-rc caused the issue? I was running the release candidate version of the kernel for the increased AMD Radeon performance. But I will now revert to the default (recommended) one.
❯ uname -r
Boot to a stable kernel to see if that is the issue…
What you can try:
Confirm pipewire is in use(I’m sure it is)
pactl info | grep "Server Name"
Temporarily increase buffer/quantum size (very common fix for distortion/crackling on external interfaces):
context.properties = {
default.clock.quantum = 512
default.clock.min-quantum = 512
default.clock.max-quantum = 1024
}
Then restart PipeWire:
systemctl --user restart pipewire pipewire-pulse wireplumber
Test audio. If it helps but latency is too high, try 256–1024 range.
Check current sample rate/format on the device:
pw-dump | grep -A 20 -i umc202hd # or whatever your device shows as
Force stereo/48kHz if it’s trying odd rates:
pw-metadata -n settings 0 clock.force-rate 48000
pw-metadata -n settings 0 clock.force-quantum 512
(Temporary; make permanent via conf files if it works.)
Hopefully that helps
Possible causes of whats happened:
1.PipeWire quantum/buffer settings being too aggressive (low latency scheduler tuned for performance).
2.Sample rate/format mismatches
3.Firmware or ALSA conf changes breaking compatibility with certain USB DACs/interfaces.
Most likely the conf changes are the issue.
I’ll try this right now! I still want to get the release candidate kernel working if possible, for that AMD Radeon graphics card boost I talked about (although not the worst thing if I have to go with stable kernel)
Yes in use:Server Name: PulseAudio (on PipeWire 1.4.10)
I’m trying this step, and I did sudo micro .config/pipewire/pipewire-pulse.conf.d/99-custom.conf
Pasted that block you made and tried to save, but it said I needed to enable mkdirs and I don’t know how (sorry if this is a beginner thing)
Edit: nvm I got around this by doing the second option you mentioned, systemwide: sudo micro /etc/pipewire/99-custom.conf
I’m not sure what name to put here, as I tried UMC202HD192k (didn’t work) and this is what it showed in info center
So far I’ve successfully done these parts
Steeledpick:
What you can try:
Confirm pipewire is in use(I’m sure it is)
pactl info | grep "Server Name"
Temporarily increase buffer/quantum size (very common fix for distortion/crackling on external interfaces):
context.properties = {
default.clock.quantum = 512
default.clock.min-quantum = 512
default.clock.max-quantum = 1024
}
Then restart PipeWire:
systemctl --user restart pipewire pipewire-pulse wireplumber
Test audio. If it helps but latency is too high, try 256–1024 range.
After testing audio it still distorts very audibly
Edit: /etc/default/grub and set GRUB_TOP_LEVEL='/boot/vmlinuz-linux-cachyos' instead of vmlinuz-linux-cachyos-rc and did sudo grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg to update the grub config.
axra
January 23, 2026, 8:28am
11
Seems the issue only occurs with 44.1 kHz Samplerate.
Thankyou! Because you mentioned changing the samplerate solved it for you, I thought maybe installing PipeControl (paru -S pipecontrol) and changing the samplerate solves it for me too. It turns out for me it was buffer size that made it distorted.
Setting Force buffer size to anything between 8 and 128 solves it for me : D!!
Now I can keep running linux-cachyos-rc with a litttle performance boost for my AMD Radeon graphics card : )
(won’t be long until this is stable, I’m just happy to be on the bleeding performance with my old gaming pc)
axra
January 23, 2026, 2:34pm
13
What is your samplerate? 44.1 ? Maybe try 48 and buffer 256, or 512…
Edit: The issue only occurs with 44.1 kHz and a buffer minimum of 256 or higher …
48 kHz - no issues here
hleon
January 23, 2026, 5:12pm
14
I’m having the same issue with a USB DAC after upgrading, but my kernel is 6.18.6-2-cachyos-deckify. The audio sounds like Alvin and the Chipmunks (sorry, that is the best description I can think of)
Changing the buffers didn’t help at all, but forcing the clock.rate at the pipewire.conf at 44100 did. Sadly I didn’t have a snapshot and even after downgrading all the packages, I can’t recover the system to the previous state.
Here are the pacman logs just for the record:
[2026-01-22T22:45:38-0600] [PACMAN] Running ‘pacman -Syu’
Edit: The problem appears to happen with any clock.rate higher than 44100.
hleon
January 23, 2026, 8:55pm
16
LightningToaster:
Do you know why?
There is no particular reason. I was finishing to setup up everything that I need and haven’t setting up a tool like Snapper. Just bad luck
