virtualbox.org

Don't know what changed beyond VBox 5.2.0, but the audio is stuttering 20 times a second, sounds horrible. It even buzzes occasionally during silence. Definitely some sort of regression. Audio is near unusable. Has been fine for years up to this point. Godbox Intel 4790K Win8.1 x64 host, 2x8GB fast and low latency ram, gtx 1080, ssd, basic Win7 x64 guest. Guest Addition is up-to-date. Tried Intel, ICH, and SB16. Host audio is fine.

Downgrading to 5.1.30 resolves the issue. Looks like another Dark Ages for vbox for a while.

I've just uploaded a new 5.2 test build which contains more fixes regarding "crackling" and audio distortions. Could you please give these builds a try and report back if these fix the issue for you? You can get the latest 5.2 test builds here: https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Testbuilds

Thank you!

Hi .... also having problems with audio .... after initial install of W10 VM on my W7 had sound which broke up to chop from time to time .... now I have no sound at all ... thought I might try your suggestion re testbuilds .... as an absolute beginner with VB appreciate your advice as to how to update to the testbuild .... thanks

akstirling wrote:as an absolute beginner with VB appreciate your advice as to how to update to the testbuild

You go to the test builds page that pentagonik gave you, and you download the Windows one. And you install it. That's it...

OK so does that mean i have to go through the guest additions/add extensions routine???

Yes, all of them. It's like upgrading VirtualBox, which it is

1. Uninstall VirtualBox. Your VMs are going to be untouched. Reboot.
2. Download (if you haven't already) the latest test build of VirtualBox and the ExtPack (https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Testbuilds). Store them in a common location, i.e. not on "Desktop", or "Documents", but to "Public/Downloads" for example.
3. Locate the downloaded file in Windows Explorer. Right-click on the installer and select "Run-as-Administrator", even if you are the administrator. At the end of the installation, choose to "Start Oracle VM VirtualBox". Do not worry if your VMs do not show up, they will.
4. If you're going to install the ExtPack, go to File » Preferences » Extensions. Click on the icon with the orange, down-pointing arrow on the right. Select the ExtPack from the previous steps.
5. Quit VirtualBox. Re-start VirtualBox as you would normally, i.e. from the Desktop shortcut or the Start menu.
6. Update the Guest Additions (GAs) in your guest(s), if the GAs are available for a specific guest.

@akstirling Would you mind in testing yet another 5.2 test build (119577) with audio debugging enabled? This should produce another set of diagnosis .WAV files which hopefully should help us working further on the issue. Thank you!

P.S: Upgrading the Guest Additions within the VM is not necessary.

Hi .... given the sterling support received so far in this thread, it'd be churlish to say other than 'happy to help' ..... how does one enable audio debugging???

Please have a look at: https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/AudioDebug

VBoxManage setextradata <Name-of-VM> "VBoxInternal2/Audio/Debug/Enabled" "true" .... won't run when copied+pasted over

Of course it won't, you need to insert the correct VM name