14 DAY TRIAL // The open-source and cross-platform PulseAudio sound system has been updated recently to version 11, a major release adding numerous new features and improvements to the audio to make it sound better on your favorite GNU/Linux distribution.
New features of the PulseAudio 11.0 release include support for newer AirPlay hardware, the implementation of a Bluetooth HFP audio gateway role, which requires the free oFono software project for GSM/UMTS mobile telephony apps, as well as of a Bluetooth HSP headset role.
It also makes it possible for the Bluetooth HSP audio gateway and HFP hands-free unit roles to be enabled at the same time, adds support for the GNU Hurd multi-server microkernel, support for 32-bit apps on 64-bit systems when using the PulseAudio OSS Wrapper padsp, and improves input device handling on Windows systems.
Bluetooth MTU configuration improvements, better latency regulation
The list of cool new features brought by PulseAudio 11.0 continues with Bluetooth MTU configuration improvements, which, unfortunately may cause certain audio hardware no longer function correctly, but a workaround is already available, a new option to avoid resampling more often, as well as support for disabling upmixing without it causing any trouble.
There's also better latency regulation available in module-loopback, Bluetooth and USB audio devices are now preferred by default instead of internal sound cards, another new option promises to automatically switch Bluetooth profile to the Headset Profile (HSP) regularly, and PulseAudio now avoids unavailable sources or sinks as the default.
Talking about default sink and source, PulseAudio 11.0 makes it possible for their configuration to be better remembered. In addition, the new version modifies the module argument names in both module-virtual-surround-sink and module-ladspa-sink, and enables support for audio apps to request virtual surround filtering or LADSPA (Linux Audio Developer's Simple Plugin API) when streaming.
PulseAudio 11.0 will be coming soon to a GNU/Linux distro near you, as well as to other supported operating systems with upcoming updates or service packs. However, power users can download the PulseAudio 11.0 source tarball right now from our website or the official homepage of the software if they want to compile it on their OSes.