diff --git a/src/win32/MainWndOptions.cpp b/src/win32/MainWndOptions.cpp
index 99b477c4..dab65790 100644
--- a/src/win32/MainWndOptions.cpp
+++ b/src/win32/MainWndOptions.cpp
@@ -2009,8 +2009,13 @@ void MainWnd::OnOutputapiOalconfiguration()
 	OALConfig dlg;
 
 	dlg.selectedDevice = theApp.oalDevice;
+	dlg.bufferCount = theApp.oalBufferCount;
 	
 	if( dlg.DoModal() == IDOK ) {
+		systemSoundShutdown();
+		// do this before changing any values OpenAL
+		// might need for successful cleanup
+
 		if( theApp.oalDevice ) {
 			free( theApp.oalDevice );
 			theApp.oalDevice = NULL;
@@ -2018,8 +2023,8 @@ void MainWnd::OnOutputapiOalconfiguration()
 
 		theApp.oalDevice = (TCHAR*)malloc( (dlg.selectedDevice.GetLength() + 1) * sizeof( TCHAR ) );
 		_tcscpy( theApp.oalDevice, dlg.selectedDevice.GetBuffer() );
+		theApp.oalBufferCount = dlg.bufferCount;
 
-		systemSoundShutdown();
 		systemSoundInit();
 	}
 #endif
diff --git a/src/win32/OALConfig.cpp b/src/win32/OALConfig.cpp
index d95ab02e..a733eeca 100644
--- a/src/win32/OALConfig.cpp
+++ b/src/win32/OALConfig.cpp
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ IMPLEMENT_DYNAMIC(OALConfig, CDialog)
 OALConfig::OALConfig(CWnd* pParent /*=NULL*/)
 	: CDialog(OALConfig::IDD, pParent)
 	, selectedDevice(_T(""))
+	, bufferCount(0)
 {
 	if( !LoadOAL10Library( NULL, &ALFunction ) ) {
 		systemMessage( IDS_OAL_NODLL, "OpenAL32.dll could not be found on your system. Please install the runtime from http://openal.org" );
@@ -32,7 +33,7 @@ OALConfig::~OALConfig()
 void OALConfig::DoDataExchange(CDataExchange* pDX)
 {
 	CDialog::DoDataExchange(pDX);
-	DDX_Control(pDX, IDC_DEVICE, cbDevice);
+	DDX_Control(pDX, IDC_DEVICE, m_cbDevice);
 
 	if( !pDX->m_bSaveAndValidate ) {
 		// enumerate devices
@@ -40,7 +41,7 @@ void OALConfig::DoDataExchange(CDataExchange* pDX)
 		devices = ALFunction.alcGetString( NULL, ALC_DEVICE_SPECIFIER );
 		if( strlen( devices ) ) {
 			while( *devices ) {
-				cbDevice.AddString( devices );
+				m_cbDevice.AddString( devices );
 				devices += strlen( devices ) + 1;
 			}
 		} else {
@@ -48,23 +49,43 @@ void OALConfig::DoDataExchange(CDataExchange* pDX)
 		}
 	}
 	DDX_CBString(pDX, IDC_DEVICE, selectedDevice);
-
+	DDX_Control(pDX, IDC_SLIDER_BUFFERCOUNT, m_sliderBufferCount);
+	DDX_Slider(pDX, IDC_SLIDER_BUFFERCOUNT, bufferCount);
+	DDX_Control(pDX, IDC_BUFFERINFO, m_bufferInfo);
 }
 
 
 BOOL OALConfig::OnInitDialog()
 {
 	CDialog::OnInitDialog();
+	m_sliderBufferCount.SetRange( 2, 10, FALSE );
+	m_sliderBufferCount.SetTicFreq( 1 );
+	m_sliderBufferCount.SetPos( bufferCount );
 
+	CString info;
+	int pos = m_sliderBufferCount.GetPos();
+	info.Format( _T("%i frames = %.2f ms"), pos, (float)pos / 60.0f * 1000.0f );
+	m_bufferInfo.SetWindowText( info );
 
 	return TRUE;
 }
 
 
 BEGIN_MESSAGE_MAP(OALConfig, CDialog)
+	ON_WM_HSCROLL()
 END_MESSAGE_MAP()
 
 
 // OALConfig message handlers
 
 #endif
+
+void OALConfig::OnHScroll(UINT nSBCode, UINT nPos, CScrollBar* pScrollBar)
+{
+	CString info;
+	int pos = m_sliderBufferCount.GetPos();
+	info.Format( _T("%i frames = %.2f ms"), pos, (float)pos / 60.0f * 1000.0f );
+	m_bufferInfo.SetWindowText( info );
+
+	CDialog::OnHScroll(nSBCode, nPos, pScrollBar);
+}
diff --git a/src/win32/OALConfig.h b/src/win32/OALConfig.h
index 4c40dd46..7ff084f7 100644
--- a/src/win32/OALConfig.h
+++ b/src/win32/OALConfig.h
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 #include <al.h>
 #include <alc.h>
 #include "LoadOAL.h"
+#include "afxcmn.h"
 
 
 // OALConfig dialog
@@ -28,10 +29,14 @@ protected:
 
 	DECLARE_MESSAGE_MAP()
 private:
-	CComboBox cbDevice;
 	OPENALFNTABLE ALFunction;
+	CComboBox m_cbDevice;
+	CSliderCtrl m_sliderBufferCount;
+	CStatic m_bufferInfo;
 public:
 	CString selectedDevice;
+	int bufferCount;
+	afx_msg void OnHScroll(UINT nSBCode, UINT nPos, CScrollBar* pScrollBar);
 };
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/win32/OpenAL.cpp b/src/win32/OpenAL.cpp
index d3f726cc..27b89d50 100644
--- a/src/win32/OpenAL.cpp
+++ b/src/win32/OpenAL.cpp
@@ -17,6 +17,11 @@
 
 #ifndef NO_OAL
 
+
+// === LOGALL writes very detailed informations to vba-trace.log ===
+//#define LOGALL
+
+
 #include "stdafx.h" // includes VBA.h for 'theApp.throttle'
 
 // Interface
@@ -37,11 +42,6 @@
 // Debug
 #include <assert.h>
 
-
-#define NBUFFERS 5
-//#define LOGALL
-// LOGALL writes very detailed informations to vba-trace.log
-
 #ifndef LOGALL
 #define winlog //
 #define debugState() //
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ private:
 	bool           buffersLoaded;
 	ALCdevice     *device;
 	ALCcontext    *context;
-	ALuint         buffer[NBUFFERS];
+	ALuint        *buffer;
 	ALuint         tempBuffer;
 	ALuint         source;
 	int            freq;
@@ -82,7 +82,8 @@ OpenAL::OpenAL()
 	buffersLoaded = false;
 	device = NULL;
 	context = NULL;
-	memset( buffer, 0, NBUFFERS * sizeof( ALuint ) );
+	buffer = (ALuint*)malloc( theApp.oalBufferCount * sizeof( ALuint ) );
+	memset( buffer, 0, theApp.oalBufferCount * sizeof( ALuint ) );
 	tempBuffer = 0;
 	source = 0;
 }
@@ -101,9 +102,11 @@ OpenAL::~OpenAL()
 	ALFunction.alDeleteSources( 1, &source );
 	assert( AL_NO_ERROR == ALFunction.alGetError() );
 
-	ALFunction.alDeleteBuffers( NBUFFERS, buffer );
+	ALFunction.alDeleteBuffers( theApp.oalBufferCount, buffer );
 	assert( AL_NO_ERROR == ALFunction.alGetError() );
 
+	free( buffer );
+
 	ALFunction.alcMakeContextCurrent( NULL );
 	assert( AL_NO_ERROR == ALFunction.alGetError() );
 
@@ -179,7 +182,7 @@ bool OpenAL::init()
 	ALCboolean retVal = ALFunction.alcMakeContextCurrent( context );
 	assert( ALC_TRUE == retVal );
 
-	ALFunction.alGenBuffers( NBUFFERS, buffer );
+	ALFunction.alGenBuffers( theApp.oalBufferCount, buffer );
 	assert( AL_NO_ERROR == ALFunction.alGetError() );
 
 	ALFunction.alGenSources( 1, &source );
@@ -266,13 +269,13 @@ void OpenAL::write()
 	if( !buffersLoaded ) {
 		// ==initial buffer filling==
 		winlog( " initial buffer filling\n" );
-		for( int i = 0 ; i < NBUFFERS ; i++ ) {
+		for( int i = 0 ; i < theApp.oalBufferCount ; i++ ) {
 			// filling the buffers explicitly with silence would be cleaner...
 			ALFunction.alBufferData( buffer[i], AL_FORMAT_STEREO16, soundFinalWave, soundBufferLen, freq );
 			assert( AL_NO_ERROR == ALFunction.alGetError() );
 		}
 
-		ALFunction.alSourceQueueBuffers( source, NBUFFERS, buffer );
+		ALFunction.alSourceQueueBuffers( source, theApp.oalBufferCount, buffer );
 		assert( AL_NO_ERROR == ALFunction.alGetError() );
 
 		buffersLoaded = true;
@@ -282,7 +285,7 @@ void OpenAL::write()
 		ALFunction.alGetSourcei( source, AL_BUFFERS_PROCESSED, &nBuffersProcessed );
 		assert( AL_NO_ERROR == ALFunction.alGetError() );
 
-		if( nBuffersProcessed == NBUFFERS ) {
+		if( nBuffersProcessed == theApp.oalBufferCount ) {
 			static int i = 0;
 			log( "OpenAL: Buffers were not refilled fast enough (%i)\n", i++ );
 		}
diff --git a/src/win32/VBA.cpp b/src/win32/VBA.cpp
index 579fb3e7..687feaab 100644
--- a/src/win32/VBA.cpp
+++ b/src/win32/VBA.cpp
@@ -280,6 +280,7 @@ VBA::VBA()
   audioAPI = DIRECTSOUND;
 #ifndef NO_OAL
   oalDevice = NULL;
+  oalBufferCount = 5;
 #endif
   iconic = false;
   ddrawEmulationOnly = false;
@@ -1714,6 +1715,8 @@ void VBA::loadSettings()
   }
   oalDevice = (TCHAR*)malloc( ( buffer.GetLength() + 1 ) * sizeof( TCHAR ) );
   _tcscpy( oalDevice, buffer.GetBuffer() );
+
+  oalBufferCount = regQueryDwordValue( "oalBufferCount", 5 );
 #endif
 }
 
@@ -2695,6 +2698,7 @@ void VBA::saveSettings()
 
 #ifndef NO_OAL
   regSetStringValue( "oalDevice", oalDevice );
+  regSetDwordValue( "oalBufferCount", oalBufferCount );
 #endif
 }
 
diff --git a/src/win32/VBA.h b/src/win32/VBA.h
index a337ecbd..489924bd 100644
--- a/src/win32/VBA.h
+++ b/src/win32/VBA.h
@@ -155,6 +155,7 @@ class VBA : public CWinApp
   AUDIO_API audioAPI;
 #ifndef NO_OAL
   TCHAR *oalDevice;
+  int oalBufferCount;
 #endif
   bool iconic;
   bool ddrawEmulationOnly;
diff --git a/src/win32/VBA.rc b/src/win32/VBA.rc
index dfb9d997..95cf0141 100644
--- a/src/win32/VBA.rc
+++ b/src/win32/VBA.rc
@@ -26,15 +26,18 @@ LANGUAGE LANG_GERMAN, SUBLANG_GERMAN
 // Dialog
 //
 
-IDD_OAL_CONFIG DIALOGEX 0, 0, 167, 53
+IDD_OAL_CONFIG DIALOGEX 0, 0, 167, 114
 STYLE DS_SETFONT | DS_MODALFRAME | DS_FIXEDSYS | WS_POPUP | WS_CAPTION | WS_SYSMENU
 CAPTION "OpenAL configuration"
 FONT 8, "MS Shell Dlg", 400, 0, 0x1
 BEGIN
-    DEFPUSHBUTTON   "OK",IDOK,66,36,48,12
-    PUSHBUTTON      "Cancel",IDCANCEL,114,36,48,12
+    DEFPUSHBUTTON   "OK",IDOK,66,96,48,12
+    PUSHBUTTON      "Cancel",IDCANCEL,114,96,48,12
     COMBOBOX        IDC_DEVICE,6,18,156,36,CBS_DROPDOWNLIST | CBS_SORT | WS_VSCROLL | WS_TABSTOP
     LTEXT           "Select device:",IDC_STATIC,6,6,156,12
+    GROUPBOX        "Sound Buffer Count",IDC_STATIC,6,36,156,54
+    CONTROL         "",IDC_SLIDER_BUFFERCOUNT,"msctls_trackbar32",TBS_AUTOTICKS | TBS_BOTH | WS_TABSTOP,12,48,144,24
+    CTEXT           "bufferInfo",IDC_BUFFERINFO,12,72,144,12,0,WS_EX_DLGMODALFRAME
 END
 
 
@@ -51,7 +54,7 @@ BEGIN
         LEFTMARGIN, 7
         RIGHTMARGIN, 160
         TOPMARGIN, 7
-        BOTTOMMARGIN, 46
+        BOTTOMMARGIN, 107
     END
 END
 #endif    // APSTUDIO_INVOKED
diff --git a/src/win32/resource.h b/src/win32/resource.h
index 25d69d82..02b4dd89 100644
--- a/src/win32/resource.h
+++ b/src/win32/resource.h
@@ -512,6 +512,8 @@
 #define IDC_LY                          1267
 #define IDC_APPENDMODE                  1268
 #define IDC_DEVICE                      1269
+#define IDC_SLIDER_BUFFERCOUNT          1270
+#define IDC_BUFFERINFO                  1271
 #define ID_HELP_ABOUT                   40001
 #define ID_FILE_EXIT                    40002
 #define ID_OPTIONS_VIDEO_FRAMESKIP_0    40003
@@ -821,7 +823,7 @@
 #ifndef APSTUDIO_READONLY_SYMBOLS
 #define _APS_NEXT_RESOURCE_VALUE        161
 #define _APS_NEXT_COMMAND_VALUE         40353
-#define _APS_NEXT_CONTROL_VALUE         1270
+#define _APS_NEXT_CONTROL_VALUE         1272
 #define _APS_NEXT_SYMED_VALUE           103
 #endif
 #endif