WSLg audio crackling and latency — RDPSink underruns, no userspace workaround effective

[l-Aeden-l]

Windows build number:

22621

Your Distribution version:

24.04

Your WSL versions:

WSL : 2.6.3.0
Kernel : 6.6.87.2-1
WSLg : 1.0.71
MSRDC : 1.2.6353

Steps to reproduce:

1. Install any audio application using OpenAL-Soft on Ubuntu 24.04 under WSLg (e.g. SuperTux2)
2. Launch the application with: PULSE_SERVER=unix:/mnt/wslg/PulseServer SDL_AUDIODRIVER=dummy supertux2
3. Listen to the audio output — crackling starts immediately and persists
4. Check /mnt/wslg/pulseaudio.log — "Too many underruns" messages appear continuously

WSL logs:

No response

WSL dumps:

No response

Expected behavior:

Clean audio output without crackling or popping from Linux GUI applications running under WSLg.

Actual behavior:

Constant audio crackling and popping during any playback. The /mnt/wslg/pulseaudio.log confirms continuous underruns in module-loopback. No userspace workaround is effective — 14 different approaches were tested (detailed in the description above).

[HMRWork42]

Hmm, I just use play from sox, and seems to get cracking after maybe 30 minutes or something. Need to stop/start to clear the problem.

[HMRWork42]

Ideally I'd like audio playback to just work continuously for hours like it does on native linux, of course.