UserAgent: Mozilla/5.0 (X11; CrOS aarch64 9000.91.0) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/56.0.2924.110 Safari/537.36
Platform: 9000.91.0 (Official Build) stable-channel kevin

Example URL:

Steps to reproduce the problem:
Apologies if this is the wrong tracker--also, I don't know that this is specific to Play Store apps, but that's where I've run into it.

Reproducing my problem consistently has been challenging, but today I 1) started Spotify, 2) did something CPU-intensive (started a bunch of Android apps) right after playing a song, 3) waited for the next song to start as Spotify was in the background. (Probably irrelevant, but the next song hadn't been played on this machine before, so may have been streaming from the network.) 

What is the expected behavior?
Audio plays smoothly, or at least skips instead of popping.

What went wrong?
Right when the next song started I started hearing scratching: lots, of loud irregularly-distributed pops, a lot like you're listening to AM radio with a bad signal. They ended when I paused for a second or so and hit Play again. 

I've had the same issue happen with audio while wearing headphones. It's different (and more unpleasant) than pausing/skipping. It's not a scratch in the recording; if you seek back to the start of the song it of course plays without scratches. Volume was at like 60% and the popping seems unrelated to volume (either the setting or the sound playing).

I noticed three of the 40 customer reviews of the Chromebook Plus on Amazon mention crackle/pop/sizzle. One says "I love watching YouTube videos, though out of several hours of YouTube viewing, on three occasions the speakers developed a crackle or sizzle for 5-7 seconds." (For me, the issue seems to happen more often and for longer with Spotify in the background.) A brief annoyed review says "my speakers were crackling!!!" while watching Netflix. A third says "the speakers pop'ed under full volume watching youtube". I don't know if these users were in web or Play Store Netflix/Youtube, but comments on reviews would let someone ask.

Though reviews said 'speakers', for me this did not act like an issue with the speakers: it happened wearing headphones, didn't seem related to volume at all, and began precisely at the switch to the next song and ended when I paused/resumed.

Did this work before? No 

Is it a problem with Flash or HTML5? N/A

Does this work in other browsers? N/A

Chrome version: 56.0.2924.110  Channel: stable
OS Version: 9000.91.0
Flash Version: Shockwave Flash 24.0 r0

Contents of chrome://gpu: 
Graphics Feature Status
Canvas: Hardware accelerated
Flash: Hardware accelerated
Flash Stage3D: Hardware accelerated
Flash Stage3D Baseline profile: Hardware accelerated
Compositing: Hardware accelerated
Multiple Raster Threads: Disabled
Native GpuMemoryBuffers: Software only. Hardware acceleration disabled
Panel Fitting: Unavailable
Rasterization: Software only. Hardware acceleration disabled
Video Decode: Hardware accelerated
Video Encode: Hardware accelerated
VPx Video Decode: Hardware accelerated
WebGL: Hardware accelerated
WebGL2: Hardware accelerated
Driver Bug Workarounds
clear_uniforms_before_first_program_use
disable_discard_framebuffer
disable_framebuffer_cmaa
disable_post_sub_buffers_for_onscreen_surfaces
scalarize_vec_and_mat_constructor_args
use_virtualized_gl_contexts
Problems Detected
Chrome OS panel fitting is only supported for Intel IVB and SNB Graphics Controllers
Disabled Features: panel_fitting
The Mali-Txxx driver does not guarantee flush ordering: 154715, 10068, 269829, 294779, 285292
Applied Workarounds: use_virtualized_gl_contexts
Framebuffer discarding causes jumpy scrolling on Mali drivers: 301988
Applied Workarounds: disable_discard_framebuffer
Clear uniforms before first program use on all platforms: 124764, 349137
Applied Workarounds: clear_uniforms_before_first_program_use
Always rewrite vec/mat constructors to be consistent: 398694
Applied Workarounds: scalarize_vec_and_mat_constructor_args
The Mali-Txxx driver hangs when reading from currently displayed buffer: 457511
Applied Workarounds: disable_post_sub_buffers_for_onscreen_surfaces
Limited enabling of Chromium GL_INTEL_framebuffer_CMAA: 535198
Applied Workarounds: disable_framebuffer_cmaa
Accelerated rasterization has been disabled, either via blacklist, about:flags or the command line.
Disabled Features: rasterization
Raster is using a single thread.
Disabled Features: multiple_raster_threads
Native GpuMemoryBuffers have been disabled, either via about:flags or command line.
Disabled Features: native_gpu_memory_buffers
Version Information
Data exported	3/3/2017 11:01:18
Chrome version	Chrome/56.0.2924.110
Operating system	Linux 4.4.21-06459-ge91c124
Software rendering list version	12.06
Driver bug list version	9.24
ANGLE commit id	a4aaa2de57dc
2D graphics backend	Skia/56 0
Command Line Args	--ppapi-flash-path=/opt/google/chrome/pepper/libpepflashplayer.so --ppapi-flash-version=24.0.0.221 --ui-prioritize-in-gpu-process --use-gl=egl --gpu-sandbox-failures-fatal=yes --gpu-sandbox-start-early --arc-available --enable-arc --enable-features=PointerEvent,QuickUnlockPin --passive-listeners-default=true --enable-logging --log-level=1 --use-cras --enable-wayland-server --user-data-dir=/home/chronos --max-unused-resource-memory-usage-percentage=5 --system-developer-mode --ash-enable-palette --num-raster-threads=1 --enable-hardware-overlays=single-fullscreen --login-profile=user --has-chromeos-keyboard --enable-touchview --ash-enable-power-button-quick-lock --enable-centered-app-list --default-wallpaper-large=/usr/share/chromeos-assets/wallpaper/oem_large.jpg --default-wallpaper-small=/usr/share/chromeos-assets/wallpaper/oem_small.jpg --default-wallpaper-is-oem --guest-wallpaper-large=/usr/share/chromeos-assets/wallpaper/guest_large.jpg --guest-wallpaper-small=/usr/share/chromeos-assets/wallpaper/guest_small.jpg --enable-prefixed-encrypted-media --enable-consumer-kiosk --enterprise-enrollment-initial-modulus=15 --enterprise-enrollment-modulus-limit=19 --vmodule=screen_locker=2,webui_screen_locker=2,lock_state_controller=2,webui_login_view=2,power_button_observer=2,*ui/display/chromeos*=1,*ash/display*=1,*ui/ozone*=1,*zygote*=1,*plugin*=2,auto_enrollment_controller=1,*chromeos/login/*=1,*arc/*=1 --login-manager --first-exec-after-boot
Driver Information
Initialization time	66
In-process GPU	false
Sandboxed	true
GPU0	VENDOR = 0x0000, DEVICE= 0x0000
Optimus	false
AMD switchable	false
Driver vendor	ES
Driver version	3.1
Driver date	
Pixel shader version	3.10
Vertex shader version	3.10
Max. MSAA samples	4
Machine model name	
Machine model version	
GL_VENDOR	ARM
GL_RENDERER	Mali-T860
GL_VERSION	OpenGL ES 3.1 v1.r8p0-03dev0.b446ab6e29b3b8363132b321c0864899
GL_EXTENSIONS	GL_ARM_rgba8 GL_ARM_mali_shader_binary GL_OES_depth24 GL_OES_depth_texture GL_OES_depth_texture_cube_map GL_OES_packed_depth_stencil GL_OES_rgb8_rgba8 GL_EXT_read_format_bgra GL_OES_compressed_paletted_texture GL_OES_compressed_ETC1_RGB8_texture GL_OES_standard_derivatives GL_OES_EGL_image GL_OES_EGL_image_external GL_OES_EGL_sync GL_OES_texture_npot GL_OES_vertex_half_float GL_OES_required_internalformat GL_OES_vertex_array_object GL_OES_mapbuffer GL_EXT_texture_format_BGRA8888 GL_EXT_texture_rg GL_EXT_texture_type_2_10_10_10_REV GL_OES_fbo_render_mipmap GL_OES_element_index_uint GL_EXT_shadow_samplers GL_OES_texture_compression_astc GL_KHR_texture_compression_astc_ldr GL_KHR_texture_compression_astc_hdr GL_KHR_debug GL_EXT_occlusion_query_boolean GL_EXT_disjoint_timer_query GL_EXT_blend_minmax GL_EXT_discard_framebuffer GL_OES_get_program_binary GL_OES_texture_3D GL_EXT_texture_storage GL_EXT_multisampled_render_to_texture GL_OES_surfaceless_context GL_OES_texture_stencil8 GL_EXT_shader_pixel_local_storage GL_ARM_shader_framebuffer_fetch GL_ARM_shader_framebuffer_fetch_depth_stencil GL_ARM_mali_program_binary GL_EXT_sRGB GL_EXT_sRGB_write_control GL_EXT_texture_sRGB_decode GL_KHR_blend_equation_advanced GL_KHR_blend_equation_advanced_coherent GL_OES_texture_storage_multisample_2d_array GL_OES_shader_image_atomic GL_EXT_robustness GL_EXT_draw_buffers_indexed GL_OES_draw_buffers_indexed GL_EXT_texture_border_clamp GL_OES_texture_border_clamp GL_EXT_texture_cube_map_array GL_OES_texture_cube_map_array GL_OES_sample_variables GL_OES_sample_shading GL_OES_shader_multisample_interpolation GL_EXT_shader_io_blocks GL_OES_shader_io_blocks GL_EXT_tessellation_shader GL_OES_tessellation_shader GL_EXT_primitive_bounding_box GL_OES_primitive_bounding_box GL_EXT_geometry_shader GL_OES_geometry_shader GL_ANDROID_extension_pack_es31a GL_EXT_gpu_shader5 GL_OES_gpu_shader5 GL_EXT_texture_buffer GL_OES_texture_buffer GL_EXT_copy_image GL_OES_copy_image GL_EXT_color_buffer_half_float GL_EXT_color_buffer_float
Disabled Extensions	
Window system binding vendor	ARM
Window system binding version	1.4 Midgard-"r8p0-03dev0"
Window system binding extensions	EGL_KHR_partial_update EGL_EXT_swap_buffers_with_damage EGL_KHR_swap_buffers_with_damage EGL_EXT_image_dma_buf_import EGL_EXT_image_dma_buf_import_modifiers EGL_KHR_image_pixmap EGL_KHR_config_attribs EGL_KHR_image EGL_KHR_image_base EGL_KHR_fence_sync EGL_KHR_wait_sync EGL_KHR_gl_colorspace EGL_KHR_get_all_proc_addresses EGL_IMG_context_priority EGL_ARM_pixmap_multisample_discard EGL_ARM_implicit_external_sync EGL_KHR_gl_texture_2D_image EGL_KHR_gl_renderbuffer_image EGL_KHR_create_context EGL_KHR_surfaceless_context EGL_KHR_gl_texture_cubemap_image EGL_EXT_create_context_robustness
Direct rendering	Yes
Reset notification strategy	0x8252
GPU process crash count	0
Compositor Information
Tile Update Mode	One-copy
Partial Raster	Enabled
GpuMemoryBuffers Status
ATC	Software only
ATCIA	Software only
DXT1	Software only
DXT5	Software only
ETC1	Software only
R_8	Software only
RG_88	Software only
BGR_565	GPU_READ
RGBA_4444	Software only
RGBX_8888	GPU_READ, SCANOUT
RGBA_8888	GPU_READ
BGRX_8888	GPU_READ, SCANOUT
BGRA_8888	GPU_READ
YVU_420	GPU_READ
YUV_420_BIPLANAR	Software only
UYVY_422	Software only
Log Messages
[1737:1776:0303/101017.272768:VERBOSE1:drm_device_manager.cc(54)] : Could not initialize DRM device for /sys/devices/platform/vgem/drm/card0
[1737:1776:0303/101017.773402:VERBOSE1:drm_util.cc(357)] : Failed to get EDID blob for connector 32
[1737:1776:0303/101017.774582:VERBOSE1:drm_display.cc(102)] : DRM configuring: device=/sys/devices/platform/display-subsystem/drm/card1 crtc=25 connector=32 origin=0,0 size=2400x1600
[1737:1737:0303/102533.314995:ERROR:interface_registry.cc(210)] : Failed to locate a binder for interface: mojom::ResourceUsageReporter requested by: exposed by: via InterfaceProviderSpec "service_manager:connector". InterfaceRegistry(service_manager:connector): --> InterfaceRegistry is not yet bound to a pipe.
[1737:1737:0303/105747.504603:ERROR:gles2_cmd_decoder.cc(16945)] : [.DisplayCompositor-0xb0dcb900]GL ERROR :GL_INVALID_OPERATION : glCreateAndConsumeTextureCHROMIUM: invalid mailbox name
[1737:1737:0303/105747.505203:ERROR:gles2_cmd_decoder.cc(9408)] : [.DisplayCompositor-0xb0dcb900]RENDER WARNING: texture bound to texture unit 0 is not renderable. It maybe non-power-of-2 and have incompatible texture filtering.
[1737:1737:0303/105747.534456:ERROR:gles2_cmd_decoder.cc(9408)] : [.DisplayCompositor-0xb0dcb900]RENDER WARNING: texture bound to texture unit 0 is not renderable. It maybe non-power-of-2 and have incompatible texture filtering.
[1737:1737:0303/105747.563928:ERROR:gles2_cmd_decoder.cc(9408)] : [.DisplayCompositor-0xb0dcb900]RENDER WARNING: texture bound to texture unit 0 is not renderable. It maybe non-power-of-2 and have incompatible texture filtering.
[1737:1737:0303/105747.597441:ERROR:gles2_cmd_decoder.cc(9408)] : [.DisplayCompositor-0xb0dcb900]RENDER WARNING: texture bound to texture unit 0 is not renderable. It maybe non-power-of-2 and have incompatible texture filtering.
[1737:1737:0303/105747.640707:ERROR:gles2_cmd_decoder.cc(9408)] : [.DisplayCompositor-0xb0dcb900]RENDER WARNING: texture bound to texture unit 0 is not renderable. It maybe non-power-of-2 and have incompatible texture filtering.