UV meter keep crashing blender 501 video editor

[sgfx]

Blender Version
5.1.0, Commit date: 2026-03-16 18:50, Hash: adfe2921d5f3

Operating System
Windows (from KERNELBASE.dll, VCRUNTIME140.dll paths and modules)

Add-on
VSEQF version 5_0_2 (installed in user scripts folder: C:\Users\Stan\AppData\Roaming\Blender Foundation\Blender\5.1\scripts\addons\VSEQF-5_0_2)

Short description
Blender crashes consistently during playback, scrubbing, or frame stepping in the Video Sequence Editor when the VSEQF add-on is enabled (specifically its VU meter feature). The crash occurs in Blender's audio system while trying to create a sound reader.

Steps to reproduce

1. Enable VSEQF add-on in Blender 5.1
2. Open a .blend file with audio strips in the VSE (sound files present and linked correctly)
3. Play the timeline, scrub, or step frame-by-frame
   → Crash happens almost immediately or after a few seconds/frames

Expected behavior
Smooth playback/scrubbing without crash.

Actual behavior
Blender throws a Microsoft C++ exception (0xe06d7363) and crashes. The Python backtrace points directly to VSEQF's VU meter code running on frame_step.

Crash log excerpt (full backtrace attached or pasted below)

Python backtrace (most relevant part):
File "C:\Users\Stan\AppData\Roaming\Blender Foundation\Blender\5.1\scripts\addons\VSEQF-5_0_2\vu_meter.py", line 42 in get_volume_unit
File "C:\Users\Stan\AppData\Roaming\Blender Foundation\Blender\5.1\scripts\addons\VSEQF-5_0_2\vu_meter.py", line 85 in vu_meter_calculate
File "C:\Users\Stan\AppData\Roaming\Blender Foundation\Blender\5.1\scripts\addons\VSEQF-5_0_2_init_.py", line 501 in frame_step

C++ stack trace (key audio part):
blender.exe :0x00007FF6855FCDE0 aud::FileManager::createReader
blender.exe :0x00007FF6855EDB50 aud::File::createReader
blender.exe :0x00007FF6855F7760 aud::Limiter::createReader
blender.exe :0x00007FF6855EDFD0 aud::StreamBuffer::StreamBuffer
blender.exe :0x00007FF6870985A0 Sound_data
...
ExceptionCode : Microsoft C++ Exception (0xe06d7363)

Additional notes

• Disabling VSEQF completely stops the crashes → confirms it's the add-on.
• Issue seems tied to VU meter constantly trying to read audio data per frame.
• No Speed Control modifiers were mentioned, but audio files are standard and reload fine.
• Updating to VSEQF 5.1.0 (released ~March 20, 2026) for Blender 5.1 compatibility might resolve this — testing that now.
• If relevant: AMD GPU drivers loaded (atio6axx.dll, amdihk64.dll present in threads).

Attachments (add these when submitting):

• Full crash .txt log (the one you shared)
• .blend file (if you can simplify/reproduce with a minimal file)
• Screenshot of VSE with audio strips (optional)

Thanks for any fix or confirmation!
Just copy the whole block above, paste it into a new issue, add your .blend/crash file if possible, and submit. That gives the dev everything they need.

[snuq]

Hmm, not sure what would be going on there... the vu meter has become considerably less accurate in recent releases of Blender (more than half the time the audio data that blender returns is just blank when it shouldnt be), but i have not seen any crashes.
Unfortunately, the error traceback ends at a blender function that i have no direct control over, and the exposed audio api is very limited, so if its not working, there probably isnt much i can actually do.

On the plus side, this might be removed soon as there are talks of audio improvements to the vse, including REAL visualization.

I will do some additional testing as well