How to switch between headphones and speakers manually from command line

command-line sound alsa headphones speakers

9,927

First, use alsamixer to find out which mixer controls must be changed to get the desired effect.

Then write a script that runs amixer to set those controls. For example:

amixer set "Headphone" mute
amixer set "Speaker" unmute

In this case, it's likely that you also need to disable Auto-Mute Mode.

9,927

Adam Ryczkowski

Updated on September 18, 2022

Comments

Adam Ryczkowski over 1 year

What if I want to write a script that switches audio output? How can it be done under Ubuntu?

(There is a related question on Ask Ubuntu: How to switch between headphones and speakers manually)

Here is the output of my amixer -c 0 in case it is needed:

Simple mixer control 'Master',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pvolume-joined pswitch pswitch-joined penum
  Playback channels: Mono
  Limits: Playback 0 - 64
  Mono: Playback 52 [81%] [-12.00dB] [on]
Simple mixer control 'Headphone',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pswitch penum
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 64
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 64 [100%] [0.00dB] [on]
  Front Right: Playback 64 [100%] [0.00dB] [on]
Simple mixer control 'Speaker',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pswitch penum
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 64
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 0 [0%] [-64.00dB] [on]
  Front Right: Playback 0 [0%] [-64.00dB] [on]
Simple mixer control 'Bass Speaker',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pswitch penum
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 64
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 64 [100%] [0.00dB] [off]
  Front Right: Playback 64 [100%] [0.00dB] [off]
Simple mixer control 'PCM',0
  Capabilities: pvolume penum
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 255
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 255 [100%] [0.00dB]
  Front Right: Playback 255 [100%] [0.00dB]
Simple mixer control 'Mic',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pswitch penum
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 31
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 0 [0%] [-34.50dB] [off]
  Front Right: Playback 0 [0%] [-34.50dB] [off]
Simple mixer control 'Mic Boost',0
  Capabilities: volume penum
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: 0 - 3
  Front Left: 3 [100%] [30.00dB]
  Front Right: 3 [100%] [30.00dB]
Simple mixer control 'IEC958',0
  Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined penum
  Playback channels: Mono
  Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'IEC958 Default PCM',0
  Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined penum
  Playback channels: Mono
  Mono: Playback [on]
Simple mixer control 'Beep',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pswitch penum
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 31
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 0 [0%] [-34.50dB] [off]
  Front Right: Playback 0 [0%] [-34.50dB] [off]
Simple mixer control 'Capture',0
  Capabilities: cvolume cswitch penum
  Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Capture 0 - 31
  Front Left: Capture 22 [71%] [16.50dB] [on]
  Front Right: Capture 22 [71%] [16.50dB] [on]
Simple mixer control 'Auto-Mute Mode',0
  Capabilities: enum
  Items: 'Disabled' 'Enabled'
  Item0: 'Enabled'
Simple mixer control 'Internal Mic',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pswitch penum
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 31
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 0 [0%] [-34.50dB] [off]
  Front Right: Playback 0 [0%] [-34.50dB] [off]
Simple mixer control 'Internal Mic Boost',0
  Capabilities: volume penum
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: 0 - 3
  Front Left: 0 [0%] [0.00dB]
  Front Right: 0 [0%] [0.00dB]

Evenbit GmbH over 10 years

Good question. I like to know too. I had already asked but no solution so far: askubuntu.com/questions/156895/…
Adam Ryczkowski over 10 years

@rechengehirn I've updated my question to incorporate an advice you've got.
Rinzwind over 10 years

Something like this? askubuntu.com/questions/237835/…
Rinzwind over 10 years

Ah this one is better: ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1370383
Adam Ryczkowski over 10 years

No. AFAIK I have only one physical device.

Adam Ryczkowski over 10 years

Thank you! I think this is what I am looking for. Unfortunately it seems, that the soundcard in my notebook is not capable of simultaneous output to both speaker and headphones.
Adam Ryczkowski over 10 years

UPDATE! I was able to hear both streams simultaneously! I just needed to select the "Analog Output" as the sound device stream.