Okay. I did an update a couple days ago, and after that Amarok (any filetype), mpg123 and ogg123 don't make noises. aplay and games work. Nothing is muted. If I reboot, KDE reverts to the "dummy" device, but running `pulseaudio -k` puts pulseaudio back in the devices list.

I've got JACK installed, but it's not showing up in KDE, even after I restart it. Tried emerging phonon to no avail.

I'm thinking that it's a KDE problem, but that doesn't really explain why mpg123 and ogg123 don't make sound.

I'm basically lost. Any suggestions?

As you may have already tried the first thing is to put 'artsdsp' in front of commands:This tells the things to use the arts sound server, which will know where things are and not knowing this may be the problem for example. Also will help if something else using sound device.

I don't have arts installed, so I don't have the artsdsp program. Arts isn't even in the package managers anymore... even masked.

Any other ideas?

nvm... just started working as mysteriously as it quit. Weird.