diff --git a/pipeswitch-lib/src/pw/mod.rs b/pipeswitch-lib/src/pw/mod.rs
index ceed6a5..41a1f02 100644
--- a/pipeswitch-lib/src/pw/mod.rs
+++ b/pipeswitch-lib/src/pw/mod.rs
@@ -24,8 +24,6 @@ pub enum PipewireError {
     MissingProps(u32, ObjectType, HashMap<String, String>),
     #[error("direction not valid: {0}")]
     InvalidDirection(String),
-    #[error("channel not valid: {0}")]
-    InvalidChannel(String),
     #[error("error with core pipewire interface: {0}")]
     PipewireInterfaceError(#[from] pipewire::Error),
     #[error("tried to delete a global object that was not yet registered: {0}")]
diff --git a/pipeswitch-lib/src/pw/types.rs b/pipeswitch-lib/src/pw/types.rs
index b8aea0c..8670d4a 100644
--- a/pipeswitch-lib/src/pw/types.rs
+++ b/pipeswitch-lib/src/pw/types.rs
@@ -36,42 +36,26 @@ impl Direction {
 }
 
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq)]
-pub enum Channel {
-    Left,
-    Right,
-    Mono,
-    Aux(u32),
+pub struct Channel {
+    short_name: String,
 }
 
 impl Channel {
-    fn from_channel<T: Into<String>>(input: Option<T>) -> Result<Option<Self>, PipewireError> {
-        if let Some(input) = input {
-            let input = input.into();
-            Ok(Some(match input.as_str() {
-                "FL" => Channel::Left,
-                "FR" => Channel::Right,
-                "MONO" => Channel::Mono,
-                i if i.starts_with("AUX") => {
-                    let num = i.split_at("AUX".len()).1.parse()?;
-                    match num {
-                        0 => Channel::Left,
-                        1 => Channel::Right,
-                        _ => Channel::Aux(num),
-                    }
-                }
-                _ => Err(PipewireError::InvalidChannel(input))?,
-            }))
-        } else {
-            Ok(None)
-        }
+    fn from_channel<T: Into<String>>(input: Option<T>) -> Option<Self> {
+        Some(Self {
+            short_name: input?.into(),
+        })
     }
 
-    fn from_portid(input: u32) -> Result<Self, PipewireError> {
-        Ok(match input {
-            0 => Channel::Left,
-            1 => Channel::Right,
-            _ => Channel::Aux(input),
-        })
+    fn from_portid(input: u32) -> Self {
+        Self {
+            // TODO(strohel): wouldn't it be better to name them all AUX{n}?
+            short_name: match input {
+                0 => "FL".to_string(),
+                1 => "FR".to_string(),
+                _ => format!("AUX{input}"),
+            },
+        }
     }
 }
 
@@ -113,8 +97,8 @@ impl Port {
             path: get_prop(*OBJECT_PATH),
             node_id: get_prop_or(*NODE_ID)?.parse()?,
             dsp: get_prop(*FORMAT_DSP),
-            channel: Channel::from_channel(get_prop(*AUDIO_CHANNEL))?
-                .unwrap_or(Channel::from_portid(local_port_id)?),
+            channel: Channel::from_channel(get_prop(*AUDIO_CHANNEL))
+                .unwrap_or(Channel::from_portid(local_port_id)),
             name: get_prop_or(*PORT_NAME)?,
             direction: Direction::from(get_prop_or(*PORT_DIRECTION)?)?,
             alias: get_prop_or(*PORT_ALIAS)?,