Pulse audio does not remember output device

[coollinuxperson]

My output device keeps switching from "built in analog stereo audio" (my headphones), to HDMI output 2 (one of my monitors), which has no sound. I have to keep switching it back through pavucontrol.

I read through a similar issue, but it was reported as fixed by my version. I wonder if there was a regression.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 20.04
Package: pulseaudio 1:13.99.1-1ubuntu3.13
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 5.4.0-150.167-generic 5.4.233
Uname: Linux 5.4.0-150-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia_modeset nvidia wl
ApportVersion: 2.20.11-0ubuntu27.27
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC1: harry 3113 F.... pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/controlC0: harry 3113 F.... pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/pcmC0D0p: harry 3113 F...m pulseaudio
CasperMD5CheckResult: skip
CurrentDesktop: ubuntu:GNOME
Date: Sat Jun 10 16:40:24 2023
InstallationDate: Installed on 2019-01-19 (1603 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 18.04.1 LTS "Bionic Beaver" - Release amd64 (20180725)
SourcePackage: pulseaudio
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to focal on 2020-06-23 (1082 days ago)
dmi.bios.date: 09/20/2018
dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
dmi.bios.version: 0506
dmi.board.asset.tag: Default string
dmi.board.name: PRIME Z390-A
dmi.board.vendor: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC.
dmi.board.version: Rev 1.xx
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: Default string
dmi.chassis.type: 3
dmi.chassis.vendor: Default string
dmi.chassis.version: Default string
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAmericanMegatrendsInc.:bvr0506:bd09/20/2018:svnSystemmanufacturer:pnPRIMEZ390-A:pvr0506:rvnASUSTeKCOMPUTERINC.:rnPRIMEZ390-A:rvrRev1.xx:cvnDefaultstring:ct3:cvrDefaultstring:
dmi.product.family: To be filled by O.E.M.
dmi.product.name: PRIME Z390-A
dmi.product.sku: SKU
dmi.product.version: 0506
dmi.sys.vendor: System manufacturer

[coollinuxperson (coollinuxperson)]

I'm reading the module-switch-on-connect blacklist will resolve the issue, but to get pulseaudio 14 I will either need to update to ubuntu 22.04 or manage to install it on ubuntu 20.04