libsndfile1 unable to encode .wav files

I've attempted to use several different packages to encode .wav files (2 standards, GSM 6.10 or 16 bit PCM) - each package returns the most garbled error message which I've ever seen in my life. They suggest the disk is full (which it isn't, I have 129.6GB left on here) and then present the following (note, this contains unicode symbols, you may not see it as I do:)

Error while writing WAV (Microsoft) file (disk full?).
Libsndfile says "æ
OãÐ
øÇE
"

Now your guess is as good as mine, and I'm no cryptographer, but that message from Libsndfile says "I'm borked, please fix me!"

Seriously, this error is affecting use of programs like Audacity, kdenlive, VLC and others which use the .wav format for encoding media.

Any help to figure out what on earth is going on would be welcomed.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 11.10
Package: linux-image-3.0.0-14-generic 3.0.0-14.23
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.0.0-14.23-generic 3.0.9
Uname: Linux 3.0.0-14-generic i686
AlsaVersion: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Driver Version 1.0.24.
ApportVersion: 1.23-0ubuntu4
Architecture: i386
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: thor 1605 F.... pulseaudio
                      thor 4280 F.... audacity
CRDA: Error: [Errno 2] No such file or directory
Card0.Amixer.info:
 Card hw:0 'Intel'/'HDA Intel at 0xd7dfc000 irq 43'
   Mixer name : 'Realtek ALC880'
   Components : 'HDA:10ec0880,08800000,00090500'
   Controls : 38
   Simple ctrls : 22
Date: Mon Dec 5 15:30:53 2011
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=850f320f-babd-41bc-b99a-961612f5d565
HotplugNewDevices:

HotplugNewMounts:

InstallationMedia: Kubuntu 11.04 "Natty Narwhal" - Release i386 (20110427)
MachineType: HP Pavilion 061 PW571AA-ABU t830.uk
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.0.0-14-generic root=UUID=ea8e7999-d27b-451e-b237-ddf269fcd803 ro noplymouth --verbose
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-3.0.0-14-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-3.0.0-14-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.60
RfKill:

SourcePackage: linux
StagingDrivers: lirc_sir
Symptom: storage
UdevMonitorLog:
 monitor will print the received events for:
 UDEV - the event which udev sends out after rule processing
UdisksMonitorLog: Monitoring activity from the disks daemon. Press Ctrl+C to cancel.
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to oneiric on 2011-10-15 (50 days ago)
dmi.bios.date: 01/23/2006
dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
dmi.bios.version: 3.28
dmi.board.name: Grouper
dmi.board.vendor: ASUSTeK Computer INC.
dmi.board.version: 1.xx
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: Asset-1234567890
dmi.chassis.type: 3
dmi.chassis.vendor: Chassis Manufacture
dmi.chassis.version: Chassis Version
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAmericanMegatrendsInc.:bvr3.28:bd01/23/2006:svnHPPavilion061:pnPW571AA-ABUt830.uk:pvr03p0211RE101GROUP00:rvnASUSTeKComputerINC.:rnGrouper:rvr1.xx:cvnChassisManufacture:ct3:cvrChassisVersion:
dmi.product.name: PW571AA-ABU t830.uk
dmi.product.version: 03p0211RE101GROUP00
dmi.sys.vendor: HP Pavilion 061