Edit: Due to the fact that this article is old, the installation instructions may not work anymore. In order to successfully install the latest version of Skype, please access the skype tag and open the latest article (the one on top).
The latest installation instructions for Skype
Hello Linux Geeksters. In this article I will show you how to easily fix the Skype no sound or distorted sound issues occured on Ubuntu 13.10 Saucy Salamander.
If you don’t have Skype already installed on your Ubuntu Saucy system, install it from the Canonical Partner repository, like this:
$ sudo sh -c 'echo "deb http://archive.canonical.com/ saucy partner" >> /etc/apt/sources.list'
$ sudo apt-get update
$ sudo apt-get install skype
Now fix the sound issue. The above oneliner works for both the Skype version installed from the Canonical Partner repository and the one downloaded from the official site and installed with dpkg:
$ sudo sed -i 's/^Exec=.*/Exec=env PULSE_LATENCY_MSEC=30 skype %U/' /usr/share/applications/skype.desktop
via lffl.org
After trying everything from many different sites (tsched anyone?) that never worked, setting PULSE_LATENCY_MSEC is what did the trick.
Thanks for putting your solution out there! Worked like a charm.
Thanks for the post…. I was having audio problem in Mint 16. After following your suggestion, problem is fixed.
Thanks a lot, worked just for me.
Thanks a lot, just worked for me.
Thanks a lot. Problem with audio solved.
Thanks; worked for me on Fedora 20 too.
Finally!! I found your fix. Thanks so much for getting this out to us.