Official comment
Hi Al,
Sorry to hear about that -- it could well be a conflict from other software causing the issue. Before you file an inquiry ticket here, I'll ask you to check for BIOS and driver updates for your onboard devices from the computer or motherboard manufacturer. We're aware of issues with 11th gen Intel CPUs which have a conflict with 3rd party audio devices, and typically those will be addressed by updates from the manufacturer. The slow playback could be due to that issue.
If, once you've updated, you still have problems, file a ticket and provide a system report, we'll get you sorted!