diff --git a/gumble/gumbleopenal/stream.go b/gumble/gumbleopenal/stream.go
index 46e3167..4c2918e 100644
--- a/gumble/gumbleopenal/stream.go
+++ b/gumble/gumbleopenal/stream.go
@@ -200,6 +200,14 @@ func New(client *gumble.Client, inputDevice *string, outputDevice *string, test
 	openal.NullContext.Activate()
 	s.startRenderer()
 
+	// Log OpenAL device info on the render thread
+	s.render(func() {
+		log.Info("OpenAL playback: vendor=%q version=%q renderer=%q",
+			openal.GetString(0xB001),
+			openal.GetString(0xB002),
+			openal.GetString(0xB003))
+	})
+
 	return s, nil
 }
 
@@ -445,16 +453,31 @@ func (s *Stream) OnAudioStream(e *gumble.AudioStreamEvent) {
 			if bufferCount < 64 {
 				bufferCount = 64
 			}
+			log.Info("OnAudioStream: creating %d buffers for %s (volume=%.2f gain=%.2f)",
+				bufferCount, e.User.Name, e.User.Volume(), source.GetGain())
 			emptyBufs = openal.NewBuffers(bufferCount)
 		})
 
+		var reclaimLogCounter int
 		reclaim := func() {
 			s.render(func() {
-				if n := source.BuffersProcessed(); n > 0 {
-					reclaimedBufs := make(openal.Buffers, n)
+				processed := source.BuffersProcessed()
+				queued := source.BuffersQueued()
+				srcState := source.State()
+				if processed > 0 {
+					reclaimedBufs := make(openal.Buffers, processed)
 					source.UnqueueBuffers(reclaimedBufs)
 					emptyBufs = append(emptyBufs, reclaimedBufs...)
 				}
+				reclaimLogCounter++
+				// Log every 50th reclaim to avoid spam, but always log if state is unusual
+				if reclaimLogCounter%50 == 1 || processed == 0 || srcState != openal.Playing {
+					log.Debug("reclaim #%d: state=%s processed=%d queued=%d empty=%d",
+						reclaimLogCounter, srcState, processed, queued, len(emptyBufs))
+				}
+				if oe := openal.Err(); oe != nil {
+					log.Error("reclaim: OpenAL error: %v", oe)
+				}
 			})
 		}
 
@@ -521,17 +544,25 @@ func (s *Stream) OnAudioStream(e *gumble.AudioStreamEvent) {
 			jitterStarted = true
 
 			// Drain all packets that are ready (in sequence order)
+			drainedCount := 0
 			for {
 				pkt := popNext()
 				if pkt == nil {
 					// A locally dropped packet must not permanently stall the
 					// jitter buffer waiting for a sequence number that cannot arrive.
 					if len(jitterBuf) > 0 && jitterBuf[0].Sequence > jitterNextSeq {
+						log.Debug("jitter: seq gap for %s, skipping from %d to %d (buf=%d)",
+							e.User.Name, jitterNextSeq, jitterBuf[0].Sequence, len(jitterBuf))
 						jitterNextSeq = jitterBuf[0].Sequence
 						continue
 					}
 					break
 				}
+				drainedCount++
+				if drainedCount <= 3 || drainedCount%50 == 0 {
+					log.Debug("jitter: draining seq=%d for %s (buf=%d emptyBufs=%d)",
+						pkt.Sequence, e.User.Name, len(jitterBuf), len(emptyBufs))
+				}
 				reclaim()
 				s.render(func() {
 					emptyBufs = s.processAudioPacket(pkt, e.User, &source, emptyBufs, &raw)
@@ -684,6 +715,7 @@ func (s *Stream) processAudioPacket(packet *gumble.AudioPacket, user *gumble.Use
 	}
 
 	if len(emptyBufs) == 0 {
+		log.Warn("processAudioPacket: NO EMPTY BUFFERS for %s seq=%d — audio packet dropped!", user.Name, packet.Sequence)
 		return emptyBufs
 	}
 
@@ -693,10 +725,22 @@ func (s *Stream) processAudioPacket(packet *gumble.AudioPacket, user *gumble.Use
 	emptyBufs = emptyBufs[:last]
 
 	buffer.SetData(format, (*raw)[:rawPtr], gumble.AudioSampleRate)
+	if oe := openal.Err(); oe != nil {
+		log.Error("processAudioPacket: Buffer.SetData error for %s seq=%d: %v", user.Name, packet.Sequence, oe)
+	}
 	source.QueueBuffer(buffer)
+	if oe := openal.Err(); oe != nil {
+		log.Error("processAudioPacket: QueueBuffer error for %s seq=%d: %v", user.Name, packet.Sequence, oe)
+	}
 
-	if source.State() != openal.Playing {
+	srcState := source.State()
+	if srcState != openal.Playing {
+		log.Debug("processAudioPacket: source state=%s (not playing), calling Play() for %s seq=%d bufs=%d", srcState, user.Name, packet.Sequence, len(emptyBufs))
 		source.Play()
+		if oe := openal.Err(); oe != nil {
+			log.Error("processAudioPacket: Source.Play error for %s seq=%d: %v", user.Name, packet.Sequence, oe)
+		}
+		log.Debug("processAudioPacket: after Play(), state=%s for %s seq=%d", source.State(), user.Name, packet.Sequence)
 	}
 	return emptyBufs
 }