VMware Workstation 14.0 Linux Windows 10 1709 Host Audio Issue

[Hyoersphere]

Host: Linux Mint 18.2 64-bit Xfce. Audio = HDA Intel PCH

Guest: Windows 10 1709 64-bit

VMware Workstation Pro 14.0

Everything works except the audio is "crackling" or has "static".

I have installed the same guest on the same host with VirtualBox and the audio is perfect. I would use VB, but the video with VMware is much better.

Does anyone have a solution for the audio issue?

Thanks.

[Novensiles]

I have the same setup except using Cinnamon. Still trying to find a fix - I have disabled enhancements, prevented it taking sole control of device, tuned host alsa settings / volumes. I tried installing conexant drivers into windows but it won't see them as better than the default. Overall I may be wishful thinking myself into the problem being not as bad as it was, but it still isn't anywhere near good enough.

[Novensiles]

https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/2012007?language=en_US seemed to fix the speaker output. Didn't work for microphone though.

[Hyoersphere]

I checked the audio settings on my VirtualBox (VB) installation, and I noticed that VB offers more options for audio settings than VMware Workstation does.

My present VB audio settings:

host audio driver = PulseAudio

audio controller = Intel HD Audio

In contrast, the only setting for audio on VMware is the host sound card, which I have set to ALSA: Intel HDA PCH.

The sound is clear as a bell with VB, but crackly with VMware.

[Novensiles · Accepted solution]

Fixed by following this solution - Linux Host/Windows 10 Pro 64 Guest - Bad Audio?

[Hyoersphere]

I tried different quality settings. This did not help.

At first, I thought that the problem might be that the audio drivers were Microsoft (MS) rather than VMware, but the audio drivers on both my VB and VMware setup are the same 6 drivers from MS.

[Hyoersphere]

Thanks! This sort of worked. The scratchy static sound is now gone, but this has been replaced by a stuttering effect. However, at least now the sound is tolerable.

I hope that VMware can fix this issue completely in the next point release update. It would be good to have the audio on par with the video.