I've changed my ekiga configuration to send it's "ringing" (i.e. sounds like a telephone ringing) sound to ALSA via the Default device rather than naming the device specifically. Since I have the: pcm.pulse { type pulse } ctl.pulse { type pulse } .asoundrc stuff configured, ekiga's audio comes through the pulseaudio server now. Which is a good thing. What is strange is the way the audio comes. Here's a snippet from pulseaudio -vvvv: I: client.c: Created 561 "Native client (UNIX socket client)" I: protocol-native.c: Got credentials: uid=1001 gid=1001 success=1 I: protocol-native.c: Enabled SHM for new connection I: client.c: Client 561 changed name from "Native client (UNIX socket client)" to "ALSA plug-in [ekiga]" I: module-volume-restore.c: Restoring sink for <pulsecore/protocol-native.c$ALSA plug-in [ekiga]> I: module-volume-restore.c: Restoring volume for <pulsecore/protocol-native.c$ALSA plug-in [ekiga]> D: module-suspend-on-idle.c: Sink alsa_output.pci_1102_2_sound_card_0_alsa_playback_0 becomes busy. I: sink-input.c: Created input 2190 "ALSA Playback" on alsa_output.pci_1102_2_sound_card_0_alsa_playback_0 with sample spec s16le 2ch 44100Hz and channel map front-left,front-right D: memblockq.c: memblockq requested: maxlength=4194304, tlength=4194304, base=4, prebuf=2796204, minreq=1398100 D: memblockq.c: memblockq sanitized: maxlength=4194304, tlength=4194304, base=4, prebuf=2796204, minreq=1398100 I: client.c: Created 562 "Native client (UNIX socket client)" I: protocol-native.c: Got credentials: uid=1001 gid=1001 success=1 I: protocol-native.c: Enabled SHM for new connection I: client.c: Client 562 changed name from "Native client (UNIX socket client)" to "ALSA plug-in [ekiga]" I: client.c: Freed 562 "ALSA plug-in [ekiga]" I: protocol-native.c: connection died. I: sink-input.c: Freeing output 2190 "ALSA Playback" I: module-volume-restore.c: Restoring sink for <pulsecore/protocol-native.c$ALSA plug-in [ekiga]> I: module-volume-restore.c: Restoring volume for <pulsecore/protocol-native.c$ALSA plug-in [ekiga]> D: module-suspend-on-idle.c: Sink alsa_output.pci_1102_2_sound_card_0_alsa_playback_0 becomes busy. I: sink-input.c: Created input 2191 "ALSA Playback" on alsa_output.pci_1102_2_sound_card_0_alsa_playback_0 with sample spec s16le 2ch 44100Hz and channel map front-left,front-right D: memblockq.c: memblockq requested: maxlength=4194304, tlength=1280, base=4, prebuf=960, minreq=320 D: memblockq.c: memblockq sanitized: maxlength=4194304, tlength=1280, base=4, prebuf=960, minreq=320 I: sink-input.c: Freeing output 2191 "ALSA Playback" I: module-volume-restore.c: Restoring sink for <pulsecore/protocol-native.c$ALSA plug-in [ekiga]> I: module-volume-restore.c: Restoring volume for <pulsecore/protocol-native.c$ALSA plug-in [ekiga]> D: module-suspend-on-idle.c: Sink alsa_output.pci_1102_2_sound_card_0_alsa_playback_0 becomes busy. I: sink-input.c: Created input 2192 "ALSA Playback" on alsa_output.pci_1102_2_sound_card_0_alsa_playback_0 with sample spec s16le 2ch 44100Hz and channel map front-left,front-right D: memblockq.c: memblockq requested: maxlength=4194304, tlength=1280, base=4, prebuf=960, minreq=320 D: memblockq.c: memblockq sanitized: maxlength=4194304, tlength=1280, base=4, prebuf=960, minreq=320 I: sink-input.c: Freeing output 2192 "ALSA Playback" I: module-volume-restore.c: Restoring sink for <pulsecore/protocol-native.c$ALSA plug-in [ekiga]> I: module-volume-restore.c: Restoring volume for <pulsecore/protocol-native.c$ALSA plug-in [ekiga]> D: module-suspend-on-idle.c: Sink alsa_output.pci_1102_2_sound_card_0_alsa_playback_0 becomes busy. I: sink-input.c: Created input 2193 "ALSA Playback" on alsa_output.pci_1102_2_sound_card_0_alsa_playback_0 with sample spec s16le 2ch 44100Hz and channel map front-left,front-right D: memblockq.c: memblockq requested: maxlength=4194304, tlength=1280, base=4, prebuf=960, minreq=320 D: memblockq.c: memblockq sanitized: maxlength=4194304, tlength=1280, base=4, prebuf=960, minreq=320 I: sink-input.c: Freeing output 2193 "ALSA Playback" and those last 7 lines repeat many many times. The actual sound is very ill sounding. Like a sick phone. :-) I suspect this is an ekiga problem, but I wanted to go to their list/bug-tracker with a good definition of what exactly the problem is. Any ideas? b.