audio ASUS Motherboard audio crackling and popping

[Dylanc431]

Hey.

I'm having an issue with my motherboard's on board audio (Realtek SupremeFX). Up to today it worked perfectly, no issues whatsoever, I always handle the PC in a static free environment and I use an ESD band anytime I'm working on the inside, what's started happening is that earlier today I was playing some ARMA III, my audio suddenly went super quiet and everything sounded like it was across the room from me (I had headphones on, no speakers), I quit the game and went on Discord with a buddy of mine to find the same issue arising with his voice, but this time system sounds were bleeding into the signal that was being outputted to him. I got pissed off and tried to watch a youtube video, only to find the audio is you guessed it. Still fucked...

 

I went and rebooted the computer, no luck, but after unplugging and replugging my headphones it seemed to be fixed, that lasted all of 5 minutes before all the audio (except for windows system noises like chimes or errors etc...) turned into what I can only describe as a combo of being underwater and being horrifically corrupted. So, I went to the ASUS website, found my motherboard, found the audio drivers, installed them aaaaaand, nothing...

 

In the past 30 minutes or so it's gotten worse, now some crackling and buzzing has appeared and if I tap on the case I can make a pop or a buzz happen on demand.

 

I'm running Windows 10 64 bit, latest version (1604) that was clean installed on Saturday and the latest audio drivers from ASUS for my motherboard, I also tried the generic windows drivers and had no luck either.

 

Please help...

Thanks in advance.

Dylan.

[tlink]

what is your actual motherboard? could be a failing capacitor but i know asus uses the best of the best capacitors for their supremeFX (from nichicon)

[Dylanc431]

Just now, tlink said:

what is your actual motherboard? could be a failing capacitor but i know asus uses the best of the best capacitors for their supremeFX (from nichicon)

ASUS 970 Pro Gaming/ Aura... I literally only got the board on Saturday

[tlink]

Just now, Dylanc431 said:

ASUS 970 Pro Gaming/ Aura... I literally only got the board on Saturday

well it almost definitely is a hardware fault, maybe try back io or front io depending on what you're plugged in now and also try different aux cables/speakers etc and try some older drivers if they have any just for the hell of it. if nothing of that works RMA it and tell them exactly what you tried already.

[Dylanc431]

1 minute ago, tlink said:

well it almost definitely is a hardware fault, maybe try back io or front io depending on what you're plugged in now and also try different aux cables/speakers etc and try some older drivers if they have any just for the hell of it. if nothing of that works RMA it and tell them exactly what you tried already.

I'm currently plugged into the front IO, I'll try the back and hope it works. What's confusing me is the fact that the Windows chimes work without corruption, it's just all other media is fucked

[tlink]

Just now, Dylanc431 said:

I'm currently plugged into the front IO, I'll try the back and hope it works. What's confusing me is the fact that the Windows chimes work without corruption, it's just all other media is fucked

might have to do with the specific frequency the sound is or something weird like that, its all analog so funky stuff like that can happen but im not an electrical engineer so don't quote me on it . 

[tlink]

you can also try live booting linux debian and testing the audio via that, then you're 99.9% positive its not software based. would be less work than reinstalling windows at least, but it might be tricky to do if you're not that good with new operating systems.

[Dylanc431]

Just now, tlink said:

might have to do with the specific frequency the sound is or something weird like that, its all analog so funky stuff like that can happen but im not an electrical engineer so don't quote me on it . 

After about 2 seconds worth of Googling (I neglected to do this earlier because I was just D.O.N.E), I found that this is a known issue on the Pro Gaming line of boards, something to do with voltage regulation turning the power on and off at random intervals

[Dylanc431]

1 minute ago, tlink said:

you can also try live booting linux debian and testing the audio via that, then you're 99.9% positive its not software based. would be less work than reinstalling windows at least, but it might be tricky to do if you're not that good with new operating systems.

I remember creating a live linux OS for an old dell to run off a USB, I'll see if I can find it anywhere

[tlink]

2 minutes ago, Dylanc431 said:

I remember creating a live linux OS for an old dell to run off a USB, I'll see if I can find it anywhere

good, let me hear if it works or if you run into problems. im mediocre with linux so i might be able to help out.

[Dylanc431]

16 hours ago, tlink said:

good, let me hear if it works or if you run into problems. im mediocre with linux so i might be able to help out.

Right, so I couldn't find my linux disk, but I tried plugging the headphones into the rear panel audio and its working perfectly! Just something is wrong with the FP audio 

[tlink]

2 hours ago, Dylanc431 said:

Right, so I couldn't find my linux disk, but I tried plugging the headphones into the rear panel audio and its working perfectly! Just something is wrong with the FP audio 

cool, still shouldn't really happen though.