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I am experimenting with some Linux. The host is Windows 10 with VB5.1.6. I've been experimenting with both Ubuntu 16.10 and the latest Linux Mint Cinnamon. Everything is 64-bit. Computer is a new Dell Optiplex 8910 (i5-6400, 8G RAM, GT 730 video.) Both have the matching Guest additions installed.

The main issue I have is the flaky audio, especially when some of it starts. If I do that Left and Right testing in the system Sound settings, it will do something like "L-L-L-Left Speaker". Playing continuous audio (MP3, M4A, etc..) is generally fine. It seems as if it's the system sounds that stutter. I've also had the audio seem to just go dead after awhile, with the music players just not playing (no movement on timebar). I've tried both the ICH AC97 and Intel HD Audio.

Please update to the latest 5.1.8, hot off the press, just released a couple of hours ago. It has a lot of audio-related fixes.

So far, no noticeable change in some quick testing.

I'm finally migrating my Linux guest from Ubuntu 12.04 LTS to something newer. I'm trying Mint 18 Cinnamon and Ubuntu 16.04, and I'm getting the stuttering sound using Intel HD Audio. If I switch to AC97, I get a constant looping sound when the guest starts as it plays the login sound, and it seems the sound system is locked up because it will not play any other sounds. Eventually the looping sound stops, but on the sound settings' application panel it still indicates that the system is still playing the sound.

On the Ubuntu 12.04 guest, it's almost the opposite. If I chose Intel HD Audio, I get no sound at all. Using AC97 I get sound, but there is about a half second delay.

I just updated to Virtualbox 5.1.10. From the changelog, it looks like they reverted the audio back to the 5.0 code due to issues. That seems to have fixed the stuttering so far.

Audio: fixed a few 5.1.x regressions by using the audio code from 5.0.x until the audio overhaul is completed