Distorted Audio VLC 2.1

[orange2]

My system: Dell Precision 380, 2 Gig RAM, Windows XP Pro, SP3.

Problem: I updated from VLC version 2.0.7 to version 2.1, and the audio is now very loud and horribly distorted on TV streamed through the media player. Even with the audio set very low, the sound is very distorted.
Audio is not distorted on files on my computer played through VLC.

The only way I could get rid of the distortion was to go to VLC Tools>Preferences>Audio and change the Output Module to "WaveOut audio output".
The problem with this "solution" is that the volume control in VLC now controls the audio on other programs, like Firefox Browser when playing videos on YouTube.

Bug Report #9371 at: https://trac.videolan.org/vlc/ticket/9371 notes the problem. Supposedly, the problem has been "fixed."
But, I can't figure out how to implement the fix based on what is written in the report.
Can someone explain in simple steps how to fix this problem?

I downgraded to VLC version 2.0.8 which works perfectly without having to make any special settings. There is no audio distortion.
The Audio Output Module is set to "Default".
There is no coupling of volume control between VLC and my browser/YouTube.

Thanks for your help.

[Jean-Baptiste Kempf]

Reset preferences.

[packzap]

I just upgraded to VLC 2.1.2. Audio playback is horribly loud & distorted. I tried resetting preferences (Tools, Preferences, Reset preferences) and then re-starting the media player, to no avail.

However, going to Tools, Preferences, Audio and changing "output module" from Auto to "WaveOut audio output" and then re-starting VLC fixed the problem, as Orange2 noted above.

I'm running Windows XP, service pack 3, with NVIDIA nForce Audio, driver version 6.14.465.0, July 26, 2005.

Perhaps I'll look for an audio driver update from Nvidia.

[Jean-Baptiste Kempf]

Try also DirectX without float output.

[packzap]

Ah, that helped. Under Tools, Preferences, Show settings, All, Audio, Output modules, set "audio output module" to "DirectX audio output", and then in the tree right under that (DirectX), unticked the box labeled "Use float32 output". Clicked "Save", then restarted VLC 2.1.3 and the audio now sounds pleasant.

Thank-you!

[orange2]

Thanks Jean-Baptiste Kempf for figuring out what setting needed to be changed.
Thanks packzap for the detailed instructions on where and what to change.
Your instructions were perfect, and easy to follow. I now have VLC 2.1.3 Rincewind installed and working perfectly!
I'm so happy to have this issue finally resolved.

[birdman28]

Hi, I have same problem with audio being distorted. But I just noticed that when I go into a folder, choose a video to play and choose Watch Video, the player that starts automatically is not the vlc media player. I don't know which player it is. To fix my audio problem, I stop the video and click to the right and I get a choice of Play this movie or Play with Vlc. I choose Play with Vlc and the audio is perfect. Anyone know which player starts automatically? I have the Ipad air. thanks for your help.