They both work fine when I'm logged in as root.

xmms gives me the error message at the command line:
Message: device: default

** WARNING **: oss_open(): Failed to open audio device (/dev/dsp): Permission denied

I also get a pop-up windows that reads:
Couldn't open audio.

Please check that your soundcard is configured properly. You have the correct pluggin selected. No other program is blocking the soundcard.

When I run gxine as a user, it wants to finish some installation thing. The gxine settup wizard starts. I hit the forward button, accept the defaults, I get a message that reads "settup complete" but the next time I try to run it, it will do the same thing.

Again, everything works perfectly when I log in as root.

I have similar problems. I forget if I changed the permissions on /ev/dsp, but I'll verify that and post here later on tonight, after I get home.

Peace...

I tried that. I qxine will run, but no sound. xmms still will not work.

It is certainly a file permissions problem.

Check the permissions on your sound server, and on /dev/audio, and on /dev/dsp