Distorted audio with USB headsets in Windows guests

[Alan]

The host is Ubuntu 10.10 running VirtualBox 4.0.2 with Extension Pack 4.0.2-69518. I'm trying to use a USB headset for VOIP calls inside a Windows guest, but the audio quality is very poor. Without any activity in the guest, I hear pops and clicks several times per second. When I drag a window around the screen, or generate any other activity in the guest, the audio gets delayed and distorted.

I've tested with guests running 32-bit Windows XP and 64-bit Windows 7, with and without EHCI mode enabled. I've also tried blacklisting the snd_usb_audio driver in the host. The audio distortion occurs in Windows Media Player as well. To recreate the problem: connect a USB headset to the host, attach it in the VirtualBox guest, make the headset the default audio output device in Windows, start Windows Media Player, and play any of the sample clips.

[Alan]

The same problem occurs with VirtualBox 4.1 and Extension Pack 4.1.0r73009.

[aeichner]

Please reopen if still relevant with a recent VirtualBox release.