I've found that the audio can be pretty subpar when running anything other than NixOS and SteamOS. Supposedly the drivers for the Steam Deck are in the mainline Linux kernel, but when compared to the Neptune kernel it's like night and day in terms of audio, video, and controller support. 

I could probably compile the Neptune kernel from the source but then you've got the numerous other tweaks and quality-of-life changes that Valve and Jovian Experiments have done to get the experience just right. I may end up trying out other Linux Distributions whenever I pick up different hardware but for the time being, I'm limited in what distributions I can use for the time being. 

 @Eòlach I’ve never not had audio issues with linux but I’m no longer using pulseaudio because it’s a broken mess like wpa supplicant 

 I use pipewire myself, so it is less a matter of consistency than it is overall quality. Suppose the closest approximation would be going from a low tin can quality with the latest mainline kernel to crisp and clear after installing the Neptune kernel. 

Dunno what Valve has done, but they've included some additional patches to their kernel that make the sound far more superior by comparison. Could be proprietary drivers for all we know. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯