Sound volume is too low and mic sensitivity is too low during voice calls [Linux][telegram-desktop 4.6.5+ds-2]

[qrp73]

Steps to reproduce

1. Install telegram-desktop on Linux raspian bookworm aarch64
2. Make voice call

Expected behaviour

Expected behavior: voice call sound volume is normal and mic sensitivity is normal

Please add gain control settings for voice call speakers and mic volume. It needs to setup the same sound level for sound effects and for voice call.

Actual behaviour

Actual behavior: voice call sound volume is too low (very quiet) even with 100% volume settings. While sound effects volume is normal.

When I set 150% sound volume overdrive gain in pavucontrol, the sound volume become normal (while it should be very loud), but sound effects volume become too loud with clipping distortions. The same issue with mic gain.

Operating system

Raspberry Pi Bookworm Labwc: Linux raspi 6.6.62+rpt-rpi-v8 #1 SMP PREEMPT Debian 1:6.6.62-1+rpt1 (2024-11-25) aarch64 GNU/Linux

Version of Telegram Desktop

4.8.1+ds-2~bpo12+1

Installation source

The most fresh latest version on 29-JAN-2025 from apt repositories (both version have this issue):

• 4.6.5+ds-2, repository: "https://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm/main arm64 Packages"
• 4.8.1+ds-2~bpo12+1, repository: "https://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm-backports/main arm64 Packages"

Crash ID

No response

Logs

[qrp73]

The same issue with very quiet sound in telegram-desktop 4.8.1+ds-2~bpo12+1

[ilya-fedin]

Installation source

Static binary from official website

Sorry but that's totally a lie, static binary couldn't have such a version. Please fix the field.

Also, the version you specified is very old and bug reports for it aren't being accepted.

[qrp73]

static binary couldn't have such a version. Please fix the field.

This field is selected with combobox which don't have more relevant option to choose.
I fixed it in text content of the issue.

Also, the version you specified is very old and bug reports for it aren't being accepted.

These are the most fresh versions at the moment in official raspberry pi repository and in debian backport repository

[ilya-fedin]

This field is selected with combobox which don't have more relevant option to choose.

The right option is "Other (unofficial) source"

These are the most fresh versions at the moment in official raspberry pi repository and in debian backport repository

Sorry but that doesn't change the fact: your version is unsupported and bug reports aren't accepted. You perhaps have to refer to debian for support.

[qrp73]

The right option is "Other (unofficial) source"

This is not true. Because I installed it from official debian repository.

As I understand, the version doesn't matter here, because this issue is present on any version of telegram-desktop. And fix is pretty easy - just don't hardcode voice gain constant and provide user with option to change it.

But if you think that bug reports are not welcome here, I will not post anything in future to not disturb you. Just add notice to readme that bug reports are not respected here, so users will not spend time to report it.

[ilya-fedin]

The version provided by Debian is UNOFFICIAL. The only official versions are provided at https://desktop.telegram.org

[qrp73]

The only official versions are provided at https://desktop.telegram.org

Does it have option setting to change sound gain for voice calls? If it doesn't have it, then this issue also relevant for your official version from desktop.telegram.org site.

You can't fix it with OS sound mixer by adding gain overdrive, because it will also affect the gain for sound effect playback (sounds like ring, chat bell, etc). The only way to fix it is to add config option in the application.

PS: the most users using official debian repository to install software, because it is more easy to track versions and install/remove. Install binary from site is not "official" way to install software on Linux and this is dangerous way, so many users don't use it.

[ilya-fedin]

PS: the most users using official debian repository to install software, because it is more easy to track versions and install/remove.

It's made by third parties and there's no control over it. Using it also means you're not represented in statistic which in turn means less resources allocated to Linux support and Linux issues having lower priority (it's almost zero rn afaik, due to Linux userbase being only 1% of the users).

[ilya-fedin]

Does it have option setting to change sound gain for voice calls?

I'm afraid I don't know the answer. The only thing I know is that I can't reproduce, the sound level is normal if not higher than sound effects.

[ilya-fedin]

Also, Debian is patching out features afaik. One such feature is the noise suppression. So calls quality is likely heavily degraded on their builds.

[qrp73]

It's made by third parties and there's no control over it. Using it also means you're not represented in statistic which in turn means less resources allocated to Linux support and Linux issues having lower priority.

But it is more safe, because it is checked by third parties. While direct download binary is not safe way and most of Linux users don't use it, because no one knows what is inside of binary and its hard to check, because it needs to decompile the code, which is not easy for so large package.

I can compile and run the latest version, this is how I use latest version of other software. But it appears that telegram-desktop is not easy to build, as I read it requires specific way to configure environment with using account to build it. Is there a way to build it more easy way with simple clone open sourced code and using cmake with no using accounts and private code?

[ilya-fedin]

But it is more safe, because it is checked by third parties.

They couldn't be supported because they're not under control, sorry. The only who has control over them can fix things on them. AFAIK it works by people reporting to their maintainer, then the maintainer doing initial triaging and deciding whether the issue is on their end or report upstream, doing all the necessary requirements of reporting to upstream. If you don't want to use the official version, the only way for you is to delegate this work to your maintainer.

But it appears that telegram-desktop is not easy to build, as I read it requires specific way to configure environment with using account to build it.

Yeah, it's required, sorry :(

[qrp73]

Also, Debian is patching out features afaik. One such feature is the noise suppression. So calls quality is likely heavily degraded on their builds.

I suspect the issue with different sound card. Because I tried to run it on different sound cards and get different sound volume for voice call on the same telegram-desktop from debian repository. Probably the issue happens because different sound cards using different sample resolution 16/24/32 bit and it requires to apply gain correction which is not easy thing, especially in combination with mixer. As you probably know, the correct way to mixing two or more channels is to sum them. But since sample resolution is fixed, it leads to more quiet sound when you mix two sounds (because you will need to divide output sample in order to keep it within DAC resolution), even if one channel is silent. There is no easy fix for that, you can use automatic gain control, but it add another issues.

The most easy solution to fix it is just to allow user to configure sound gain in the application settings.

If you're trying to hide this setting from user, I'm afraid it will be very hard to support very wide variety of sound cards...

[ilya-fedin]

There is no easy fix for that, you can use automatic gain control, but it add another issues.

It's likely present cause google's webrtc library is used for calls. But debian likely patched it out.

[qrp73]

yes, there is some weird behavior in sound mixer on debian. But anyway, you can simply add app settings for speaker and mic gain and if something will be wrong, the user will be able to fix it in the app settings. ;)

[ilya-fedin]

For the issue to move forward, it must be checked on the latest official build