How to make volume levels universal

I have noticed that my volume level is device-specific. For instance, I have 100% volume before plugging-in my headphones. After plugging my headphones in, if I change the volume down to 40%, the volume goes back up to 100% when I unplug my headphones. Additionally, when I plug them back in, the volume returns back to 40%. So it seems that the volume level is device specific.

This may be useful for some, but I really don't want it. I want it so that the volume is universal, so that it doesn't change to the last volume setting it was on when I last had that particular device plugged in.

This is a screenshot of my system settings when I don't have my headphones plugged in:

And immediately as I plug my headphones in the settings change to this:

So my question is rather clear, how do I make the volume universal for all devices?

I am running Ubuntu 15.04.

Solution 1:

To make volume levels universal for all devices you will have to edit a /etc/pulse/default.pa file. So, to do it in gedit with root permissions run:

sudo gedit /etc/pulse/default.pa

This is an excerpt of the file:

### Automatically restore the volume of streams and devices
load-module module-device-restore
load-module module-stream-restore
load-module module-card-restore

Comment the 2nd line so it is not in use any more:

### Automatically restore the volume of streams and devices
#load-module module-device-restore
load-module module-stream-restore
load-module module-card-restore

Save the file and restart the service for effect:

pulseaudio -k

or if necessary restart computer.