We investigated acoustic and acousto-optic properties of glasses based on germanium, selenium, silicon and tellurium. The results of measurement are presented for two group of glasses including germanium, selenium and tellurium (GeSeTe) and silicon and tellurium (SiTe). The major characteristics of glasses such as the velocity of longitudinal and shear acoustic waves as well as the values of figure of merit are presented. The values of figure of merit are obtained by diffraction on longitudinal and shear acoustic waves at the wavelength of optical radiation λ = 3.39 μm. We also present the results of measurements of acoustic attenuation values α for longitudinal and shear acoustic waves in tellurium glasses at ultrasound frequencies in the range f = 75-100 MHz. Keywords: acousto-optics, acousto-optic figure of merit, germanium, selenium, silicon, tellurium, attenuation acoustic waves.