The Sound preference tool enables you to control devices and volume for sound input and output. You can also specify which sounds to play when particular events occur.
You can customize the settings for the Sound preference tool in the following functional areas:
You can change the overall output volume using the Output volume slider at the top of the window. The Mute checkbox allows to temporarily suppress all output without disturbing the current volume.
A sound theme is collection of sound effects that are associated to various events, such as opening a dialog, clicking a button or selecting an item in a menu. One of the most prominent event sounds is the System Bell sound that often played to indicate a keyboard input error. Use the Sound Effects tabbed section of the Sound preference tool to choose a sound theme and modify the bell sound.
Table 8-14 lists the sound effects preferences that you can modify.
| Dialog Element | Description |
|---|---|
| Alert Volume slider |
Use the Alert Volume slider to control the volume for event sounds. The Mute checkbox allows to temporarily suppress event sounds without modifying the current volume. |
| Sound Theme |
Use this combobox to select a different sound theme. Choose No sounds to turn off all event sounds. |
| Choose an alert sound list |
Choose an alternative sound for the System Bell from this list. Selecting a list element plays the sound. |
| Enable window and button sounds checkbox | Uncheck this option if you don't want to hear sounds for window-related events (such as a dialog or a menu appearing) and button clicks. |
Use the Input tabbed section to set your preferences for sound input.
Table 8-15 lists the sound input preferences that you can modify.
| Dialog Element | Description |
|---|---|
| Input volume slider |
Use the input volume slider to control the input level. The Mute checkbox allows to temporarily suppress all input without disturbing the current input level. |
| Input level | The Input level display provides visual feedback that helps to select a suitable input volume. |
| Choose a device for sound input list | Choose the device that you want to receive sound input from. |
Note that the input volume can also be controlled with the microphone icon that is shown in the notification area of the panel when an application is listening for sound input.
Use the Output tabbed section to set your preferences for sound output.
Table 8-16 lists the sound output preferences that you can modify.
| Dialog Element | Description |
|---|---|
| Output volume slider |
Use the output volume slider to control the overall output volume. The Mute checkbox allows to temporarily suppress all output without disturbing the current volume. Note that the Output volume slider is located above the tabbed section at the top of the window. |
| Choose a device for sound output list | Choose the device that you want to hear sound output from. |
| Balance slider | Use the Balance slider to control the left/right balance of an output device that has more than one channel (e.g. stereo or 5.1). |
Note that the output volume can also be controlled with the speaker icon that is shown in the notification area of the panel.