Pulseaudio settings won't switch the IO device

[Mike]

Hello,

I've got an ASUS motherboard with back and front audio connectors. Ubuntu recognizes the headphones when I plug them into the front connectors while my speakers are still connected to the back connectors.

But after I plug the headphones in, I cannot switch back to the speakers. Whatever I do in the system settings or in the Pulseaudio volume control, despite the fact the right device is selected the audio goes always to the headphones.

When I switch the device I see that both tools can see the change. But it just doesn't redirect the audio.

My use case: I want to use headphones while speaking in a messenger and would like to keep them plugged in all the time. But I'd like to use the speakers for other audio.

I tried the recent pulseaudio from ppa:ubuntu-audio-dev/pulse-testing but still same result.

Ubuntu 14.04 64 bit here on kernel 3.13.0-37-generic.

pulseaudio:
  Installed: 1:5.0-0ubuntu1~trusty1

Thanks.
---
ApportVersion: 2.14.1-0ubuntu3.4
Architecture: amd64
CurrentDesktop: Unity
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 14.04
InstallationDate: Installed on 2013-10-10 (352 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 13.04 "Raring Ringtail" - Release amd64 (20130424)
Package: pulseaudio 1:5.0-0ubuntu1~trusty1 [origin: LP-PPA-ubuntu-audio-dev-pulse-testing]
PackageArchitecture: amd64
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.13.0-37.64-generic 3.13.11.7
Tags: third-party-packages trusty
Uname: Linux 3.13.0-37-generic x86_64
UnreportableReason: This is not an official Ubuntu package. Please remove any third party package and try again.
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to trusty on 2014-01-25 (245 days ago)
UserGroups: adm cdrom dip lp lpadmin plugdev sambashare sudo wireshark
_MarkForUpload: True
dmi.bios.date: 12/05/2013
dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
dmi.bios.version: 0705
dmi.board.asset.tag: To be filled by O.E.M.
dmi.board.name: H87-PLUS
dmi.board.vendor: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC.
dmi.board.version: Rev X.0x
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: Asset-1234567890
dmi.chassis.type: 3
dmi.chassis.vendor: Chassis Manufacture
dmi.chassis.version: Chassis Version
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAmericanMegatrendsInc.:bvr0705:bd12/05/2013:svnASUS:pnAllSeries:pvrSystemVersion:rvnASUSTeKCOMPUTERINC.:rnH87-PLUS:rvrRevX.0x:cvnChassisManufacture:ct3:cvrChassisVersion:
dmi.product.name: All Series
dmi.product.version: System Version
dmi.sys.vendor: ASUS

[Mike (0x656b694d)]

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[Mike (0x656b694d)]

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[Mike (0x656b694d)]

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[Mike (0x656b694d)]

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[Mike (0x656b694d)]

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[Mike (0x656b694d)]

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[Mike (0x656b694d)]

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