diff --git a/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/Sound/Output/XAudio2SoundOutput.cs b/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/Sound/Output/XAudio2SoundOutput.cs
index 1e5f497158..64541a7f7c 100644
--- a/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/Sound/Output/XAudio2SoundOutput.cs
+++ b/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/Sound/Output/XAudio2SoundOutput.cs
@@ -136,12 +136,25 @@ namespace BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk
 
 			public BufferPoolItem Obtain(int length)
 			{
-				BufferPoolItem item = _availableItems.Where(n => n.MaxLength >= length).OrderBy(n => n.MaxLength).FirstOrDefault() ?? new BufferPoolItem(length);
-				_availableItems.Remove(item);
+				BufferPoolItem item = GetAvailableItem(length) ?? new BufferPoolItem(length);
 				_obtainedItems.Enqueue(item);
 				return item;
 			}
 
+			private BufferPoolItem GetAvailableItem(int length)
+			{
+				int foundIndex = -1;
+				for (int i = 0; i < _availableItems.Count; i++)
+				{
+					if (_availableItems[i].MaxLength >= length && (foundIndex == -1 || _availableItems[i].MaxLength < _availableItems[foundIndex].MaxLength))
+						foundIndex = i;
+				}
+				if (foundIndex == -1) return null;
+				BufferPoolItem item = _availableItems[foundIndex];
+				_availableItems.RemoveAt(foundIndex);
+				return item;
+			}
+
 			public void Release(int buffersQueued)
 			{
 				while (_obtainedItems.Count > buffersQueued)