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I'm running the Portable Apps version of VLC 3.0.1 on a Core i7, 32GB RAM, and playing audio files off a SSD located in the same machine (the OS drive in this case). Since updating to the latest version, when playing any MP3 file, I am experiencing the following behavior:

1) After pressing 'S' or clicking the stop icon, the audio takes approximately a 1/2 second to stop. Audio playback stopped instantly in the previous version I had installed on this hardware.
2) Pressing spacebar or clicking the pause icon, it similarly takes about a 1/2 second to pause audio playback. When resuming, buffered audio plays for approximately 1/2 second, then "plays" nothing for 1/2 second, and then picks up playing audio again but the end result is missing an entire 1/2 second of playback. Audio playback of MP3 files paused and resumed flawlessly in the previous version I had installed on this hardware.

This isn't a hardware issue. Windows Media Player and Groove Music player don't have any issue with playback - they stop, pause, and resume the same audio files without any issues. This is clearly a VLC software issue.

I see that the changelog (https://www.videolan.org/developers/vlc-branch/NEWS) for 3.0.1 to 3.0.2 mentions this:

Audio filters:
* Fix audio stutter after unpausing

I assume that will fix half of the issues when a Windows build becomes available. Instant stop/pause/resume doesn't appear to be addressed yet?

Just updated to version 3.0.2 and all of the above issues still exist.

I'm running the Portable Apps version of VLC 3.0.1

Uninstall this third party version.
Download the official VLC from https://www.videolan.org/vlc/ , v3.0.2 as of today, the ZIP or 7Zip file.
Extract it to the folder of your choice, then create a folder named "portable" (without quotes) where VLC.exe is.
You have made a portable version of VLC, don't use third party builds.

Then perform your tests again.

"Uninstalling" and "reinstalling" the Portable App appears to have corrected the issue. Portable Apps doesn't actually install anything so there's nothing to uninstall.

I did lose my VLC settings in the process, which was slightly annoying but all is well again.

(I did test the official release, which worked fine, but I prefer the Portable Apps environment.)