I had a similair issue, I resolved it by doing the following:
change the symlink for /dev/audio to link to /dev/sound0 (or the correct 
sound dev)
Then run (taken from man audioctl):
audioctl -w play=44100,2,16,slinear_le

this means that the play rate isn't reset on each open of /dev/audio (which 
it is by default for the audio* devices, but isn't for sound*) And you 
actually set the output to something sane.  The problem is that my USB 
speakers don't support 8 bit sound (I think that was the problem...)

Chris

On Thursday 10 January 2002 12:15 pm, Mihai Chelaru wrote:
> Not the same for auich :<
>
> Playing MPEG stream from 06 - Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This).mp3 ...
> MPEG 1.0 layer III, 128 kbit/s, 44100 Hz joint-stereo
> No supported rate found!
>
> Mihai
>
> Jaromir Dolecek wrote:
> > Hi,
> > kudos to all involved, I've just plugged in the device and it works
> > nicely, playing my mp3 collection :)
> >
> > uaudio0 at uhub0 port 2 configuration 1 interface 0: Griffin Technology,
> > Inc iMic USB audio system, rev 1.00/1.01, addr 2 uaudio0: audio rev 1.00
> > audio2 at uaudio0: half duplex
> >
> > Thanks for the good work!
> >
> > Jaromir
> > --
> > Jaromir Dolecek <jdolecek@NetBSD.org>
> > http://www.NetBSD.org/Ports/i386/ps2.html -=  Those who would give up
> > liberty for a little temporary safety deserve  =- -=  neither liberty nor
> > safety, and will lose both.  -- Benjamin Franklin  =-