The VideoLAN Forums

Hi,

I installed VLC 2.0 and since the audio is really bad with lots of distortion, like having poor quality speakers (music plays fine on WMP).

Never had a problem with other versions and the update tool reports and error everytime i check for updates.

Thanks,

Nx

I had the same problem when I updated (wasn't present during previous versions to 2.0). I noticed it was because my volume control was set above 100% (to 200%) which caused the distortion. Stressing again that this problem wasn't present in previous versions to 2.0.

Make sure your volume is set to 100% or lower as a temporary fix, assuming you are having the same problem. Hopefully someone will read this and find a more permanent solution.

I can confirm this.
One of the most annoying things in vlc 2.0 for me.
Hopefully it will get fixed soon.

I got the same problem in vlc 2.0

The video playback is fine, but the audio will be shuttering every 10~20 second.

When the problem happens, the message show

main debug: audio output is starving (-293538), playing silence

Hope this can be fix soon

I got the same problem in vlc 2.0

The video playback is fine, but the audio will be shuttering every 10~20 second.

When the problem happens, the message show

main debug: audio output is starving (-293538), playing silence

Hope this can be fix soon

This might be a different bug.
If you put up the volume to 200%, vlc will not correctly amplify the sound but apparently cap some frequencies which leads to distortions. Maybe someone used a too small variable and a factor 2 leads to a overrun? Stuttering would not appear from something like that AFAIK.

Thanks for all of your answers !

I'll try leaving it at 100%.

Experiencing the same problem here... any volume level above 100% is severely distorted.
Reverted back to 1.1.11 and the problem goes away.

I'm also experiencing this problem. Volume over 150% sounds really bad.
Besides 200% sounds to me lower than previous 400%. (Yet I read somewhere it isn't supposed to)

I searched for a bug on Vlc Issue Tracker but couldn't find one so I reported one : https://trac.videolan.org/vlc/ticket/6198
Let's hope it will be fixed !

I am experiencing the same problem, since I updated to 2.0.
When increasing the volume level over 100%, sound is distorted. At 150% the sound is so annoying, that I'm forced to switch to the mpc.

Too bad ticket 6198 has been closed being reported working for Jb.
I tried to add a comment as I felt bug was not understood but I fear it won't get any attention...

I have a related problem with the new version. When other programs are running like an av-scan, there is no sound and when the sound comes up after a minute or so, it sounds like low-quality.

I'm having the same problem. VLC 2.0.1 has terrible sound quality, it sounds like my speakers have blown out. The sound is scratchy and distorted, it's impossible to listen to without getting a headache. Apparently nobody is doing anything to fix this problem and there are no shortage of audio/video players that don't have this problem, so I will no longer be using VLC. WMP, Divx and Quicktime all work better than VLC now, without sound quality problems. Goodbye VLC.

I agree with Rancor. I rarely use vlc now cause of the bugs. VLC is dying.

I agree with Rancor. I rarely use vlc now cause of the bugs. VLC is dying.

VLC new versions always have issues... We will fix them.

yeah m too facing the same sound issue. As I raise VLC sound from 100 to 200 % its sound distorted... annoying... bt still lvs VLC... waiting for new version wit fix dis bug...

My issue was even worse, my volume was on exactly 100% and I still had aweful sound quality - no settings seemed to change it, I had all effects turned off and had tried many audio-prefs settings. I'm using version 2.0.1 on Ubuntu. But today I found that in preferences/audio there's a setting that says "keep audio level between sessions", I changed this to the other option which says "Always reset audio start level to:" and I set the value to 100%. This seems to have made the sound quality the same as the other audio programs such as Banshee.

The solution given by aranad fixed the problem of bad audio for me. Thanks, I really appreciate it!
Tools>Preferences>Audio>Volume>check "always reset audio start level to" : 100%. Save

Confirm this, VLC v2 have crap sound quality, im tired wait to fix it and comeback to 1.1.x
Cracks and pops on flac files special terrible.

ps: i use good sound card and active monitors.

I had the same problem and found that clicking the button on the bottom bar labeled "Show extend settings" and enable the Graphic Equalizer and Compressor the sound returns to normal. Sorry if this has already been said. I was too lazy to read the rest of the posts. Hope this helps everyone!

I also have bad audio, it seems to be an echo, the first sound is 'live' the 2nd in synch with video. put volume to zero & clean 'live' sound but video is 10 seconds late.
What are the alternative programmes?