Increase default audio quality settings

[Midnight-Vortex]

Context

No response

Description

Server-wide setting: The server administrator can define a global voice quality (bitrate, codec parameters, etc.), which is automatically applied to all connected clients. This ensures consistent audio quality across the entire server.

Channel-specific overrides: In addition to the global server setting, individual channels could be configured to enforce a higher (or lower) audio quality than the client’s default. For example, a “music” or “meeting” channel could be set to higher quality, while casual or background channels could remain at standard quality.

This feature would:

Guarantee a consistent audio experience for everyone.

Give server admins more control over bandwidth and performance.

Allow flexible per-channel optimization depending on the use case (e.g., roleplay servers, professional meetings, music sharing).

Mumble component

Both

OS-specific?

No

Additional information

No response

[davidebeatrici]

Guarantee a consistent audio experience for everyone.

Only if all users have the exact same hardware and software. Quality of connection to the server is also a factor.

Keep in mind Opus does wonders at a bitrate of 96 Kb/s, which is pretty much the standard. If anything, we should set the audio settings at the maximum we support by default.

[Krzmbrzl]

I don't really fancy any features in which the server can mess with client-side settings.

If anything, we should set the audio settings at the maximum we support by default.

Agreed - though ideally we would have a way to check for whether the client hardware supports those settings (without dying)

[davidebeatrici]

I would expect any device to be able to handle 10 ms of latency (480 frames per packet at 48000 Hz) nowadays, but we should indeed report any xruns or performance issues in general.

[Midnight-Vortex]

Yes, the current value is just too low from 40,000 standard, the quality is not that good and in my project it is stupid to have to tell every player to this and that higher, therefore the question of raising it to the best possible standard value

[Midnight-Vortex]

🔧 Feature suggestion: API support for audio quality (get/set via plugin)

It would be desirable if Mumble provided an official API interface through which plugins could directly access the audio quality settings and read (get) or set them.

This would allow server operators or external tools to automatically enforce adjusted quality profiles without each user having to manually change their client settings.
For example, a plugin could specify that certain channels or user groups are allowed or required to use a higher audio quality – regardless of the individual client preferences.

This feature would offer significant added value, especially for servers with topic-based channels (e.g., music, RP, streaming), as it would allow for targeted and flexible control of voice quality.

In brief:

New API function: getAudioQuality() and setAudioQuality(level)

Access via plugins possible

Enables centralized control and adjustment of audio quality

Reduces configuration effort on the client side

Increases consistency and audio experience on servers