Fix Pulse Audio module-echo-cancel crashing or volume changing constantly due to AGC in Ubuntu

microphone.bash

#!/usr/bin/env bash

# Create this as a script in ~/microphone.bash && chmod u+x ~/microphone.bash
#
# The goal of this script is to remedy the problem where Chrome/Firefox/Discord/Skype will use Automatic Gain Control
# to change the volume or even crash the echo cancel module. This script will check if the module is loaded every hour
# and if it is not, it will load it. Regardless, it will also set the volume to a desired volume level.
#
# crontab -e
#   0 * * * * export DISPLAY=:0 && export XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=/run/user/$(id -u) && /home/<YOUR USER HERE>/microphone.bash

set -x

LOADED=$(pactl list modules | grep module-echo-cancel)

if [[ -z "${LOADED}" ]]
    then
        pactl load-module module-echo-cancel 'use_master_format=1 aec_method=webrtc aec_args="analog_gain_control=0 digital_gain_control=0" source_name=echocancel'
        pactl set-default-source echocancel
fi

pactl set-source-volume echocancel '98%'