Sound crack(l)ing in Windows 10 (fall creators)

[partymarty]

Hello guys,

 

Lately i'm experiencing a lot of cracking through my headphones, in YT videos + in games.

At first I thought the problem were my headphones, but they aren't.

 

My headphones are:

Beyerdynamic Custom One Pro

 

The steps I already tried to solve this issue are:

- Cleaning out 3.5mm ports on the pc (front/back). Did not resolve the problem.

- Tried my senheiser in-ears to test if the headphones were faulty. (or the cable). Not the case.

- Tried my headphones with my phone. No problems there.

- Deinstalled all sound drivers and let windows updater reinstall them. Nope.

- Deinstalled all sound drivers and went to the ASUS site to install the Realtek driver fromt there. Nope.

- Turned off all sound enhancements. Nope

- Changed powerplan to 100% CPU speed all the time (found that one on Google, even though I wouldn't like it if my cpu was running 100% all the time). But did not resolve anything.

- Turned off Exclusive mode (another Google thing). Nope.

- Set my sound format to : 16 bit - 44100Hz (CD quality). Nope.

 

At this point i'm starting to get a little desperate. I've had this issue a few years back too and it drove me crazy (to the point I downgraded my windows from 10 to 7, and the problem was gone).

 

You guys know anything to help me out with this problem? When i'm googling the problem I find many forums with the same question, but nothing on those forums seems to resolve my problem. 

 

Much love,

Partymarty

 

[Joveice]

Got same issue

 

Windows 10 Home,

Corsair Void USB.

 

I have tried:

-reinstall drivers.

-reinstall windows.

 

Still a issue.

Sometimes after restarting the PC it works, and sometimes it doesn't.

 

I have tried to contact Corsair, but it started to look like a issue that wasn't their fault, because I could not reproduce this on any of my other computers. Next I would go about is checking my motherboard > I got a new PC soon and will be able to see that way if that's the issue.

 

Hope you are able to solve your issues!

 

Cheers

[partymarty]

I'm quite sure the problem is in Windows. Many people recommend buying a cheap usb to 3.5mm jack adapter, often that resolves the problem. But I think it's stupid that I've got to buy such adapter just to make the sound work normal.

 

I'm 100% sure the problem is my Windows 10 pro (fall creators update) or maybe the motherboard. But I don't think it's the motherboard because I'm using it for over 1 year and never seen the problem before. But in theory it could be the motherboard.

 

It also could be some power saving function in the BIOS (google says). Maybe I should go and search in my bios for such settings and see if I can fix things over there.

[studiovpc]

Hi there, 

It is definetively Windows 10 FCU problem, ever since I have installed it started to crackle, YouTube, games etc, every little bit something pops or crackle. It does the same on speakers and headphones, plugged in two different jacks (front and back)...

 

Windows reinstalled, the same FCU 1709 version, problem still exists, sometimes it is not present, sometimes it is, totally random. Before that PC worked like a charm... I have been experiencing BSODs on two other PCs right after installing FCU, one is Intel based other is AMD, and before that both worked withiout any flaws...

 

So if you guys find a solution post it, I will be trying to find it too!

 

Cheerz

[studiovpc]

@partymarty

 

Ok I have found a workaround for now, using HDMI to output sound to my monitor, which has 3.5mm output... If i connect headphones that way or speakers that way, no crackling

So it is Realtek driver related now, even with latest drivers from October 31st

[Crosseyed92]

I have noticed a similar problem after installing the fall creators update.

 

It is intermittent and I can't seem to find a pattern to the problem. I will update if I find a fix.

[partymarty]

I've borrowed a USB dac from a friend of mine. Problem completely solved right now. But now I'm thinking about buying a usb dac aswell, but those things are like 150 euros over here. So it kinda sucks, but I think I will have to.

[studiovpc]

Seems like a stupid solution to pay money for a problem Microsoft caused. I myself was thinking of buying other soundcard, but I gave up on the idea, using HDMI until they fix it. I only need mic port of the sound card for occasional online gaming.

I have AVR for the better sound, using HDMI of course, never had a problem...

 

But, if you want better quality audio, then external DAC is the best solution... 

[partymarty]

The sound from my studio headphones improved quite a lot (I think), while using the DAC from a friend of mine.

So I think I'll order an Audioengine D1. 

 

But you're definitely right. It is really stupid to buy a solution to solve the problem that Microsoft caused.

[studiovpc]

@partymarty

 

Which external DAC did you borrow from friend? I am asking because we have identical systems...

[studiovpc]

Possible fix, did the trick for me, will see for how long:

 

The workaround I found is here: https://www.tenforums.com/drivers-hardware/96335-after-updating-fcu-i-am-experiencing-sound-popping-issues.html#post1183133

 

The keys regulating the sleep state are: 

 

Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{4d36e96c-e325-11ce-bfc1-08002be10318}\0007\PowerSettings

 

ConservationIdleTime is for laptops when they are low on power                                                    05 00 00 00             
IdlePowerState tells the sound card which state to switch to, sadly 0 is not an accepted value       03 00 00 00 
PerformanceIdleTime is for desktop pcs and laptops under charge, which is what applies to our state     05 00 00 00 

 

What I did was setting the 5 seconds inactivity timer to ff ff ff ff via registry key, the normal value is 05 00 00 00.
Now the sound driver never goes to sleep and the popping is gone.

In my case driver installed with first setting set to 00 00 00 00 second with 03 00 00 00 and last one with 00 00 00 00 instead of aforementioned 05 00 00 00, so setting it to FF FF FF FF and rebooting made the crackle go away for now... Will test it for several days...

 

 

[partymarty]

20 hours ago, studiovpc said:

@partymarty

 

Which external DAC did you borrow from friend? I am asking because we have identical systems...

I've borrowed the Creative Soundblaster X-fi HD (a pretty old thing).

I've purches the Audioengine D1 myself a few days back, everything is good now.

[partymarty]

But i'm really interested in the results of the fix you're trying at the moment

[studiovpc]

they worked yesterday, not today... Back to the 1703 windows, can't bear this anymore

[studiovpc]

just to let you know, Windows 1703 did not fix it, it appears to bre Asus and Realtek problem... I orderd Asus Xonar DGX, should arrive tomorrow, and also some USB card

[partymarty]

It still sucks though... That we should spend some money (or quite a lot...) to fix this Windows or Asus/Realtek problem.

That little cracking sound was sooo annoying that it made me spend 150 euro.

[AfroSamurai]

I've got the same issue and i can't stand it anymore.

[kupco]

I'm so happy it's not only me! I thought I was going crazy. I was already debating buying a new power supply and possibly new motherboard. 

The crackling is extremely annoying and so random. I have a a thing for good sound, have a dedicated soundcard (Soundblaster ZxR) a headamp and Senns HD650 and the crackling is really apparent. I thought it was my headamp at first, but the issue persists even without using it. I persist even when I plug it into my laptop. The only common thing is Windows 10 1709 Creators update. 

The problem persists when I play audio through my Soundblaster soundcard or via integrated mobo soundcard (Asus Maximus VIII Ranger). Uninstalling drivers for both soundcards didn't help. Disabling mobo soundcard didn't help. I'm now trying outputting audio via my nVidia GTX1080 into my monitor and hooking up my headamp via the monitor headphone jack now to see if that helps. But that is such a stupid workaround and it bypasses the great DAC I have in my dedicated soundcard.

I'm really bummed out there is not a solution to this yet. It is extremely annoying. Can't believe more people are not plagued by this, but I presume it's not as apparent on cheaper headphones. Or are we just isolated cases?

[heethoofd27]

It almost seems like this only happens on systems with an Nvidia gpu, at least so far I've seen. I reinstalled windows yesterday but that didn't help anything. Does the crackle also happen over the microphone for you guys? I hope a solution is found without requiring a usb DAC cause it's been driving me crazy.

[kupco]

I was able to replicate this on my Dell XPS 13 laptop which has no nVidia gpu. To me this looks like some Windows issue that started with the 1709 update.

 

So far it looks like audio via DisplayPort to my monitor and hooking that up to my headamp is without this issue. But I have a good dedicated internal soundcard that I got to take advantage of a good DAC and surround sound for gaming and it is just sitting idle right now. 

 

Also, the fact that the issue is resolved after a restart would support the theory that this is somehow Windows related, no?

[partymarty]

12 hours ago, heethoofd27 said:

It almost seems like this only happens on systems with an Nvidia gpu, at least so far I've seen. I reinstalled windows yesterday but that didn't help anything. Does the crackle also happen over the microphone for you guys? I hope a solution is found without requiring a usb DAC cause it's been driving me crazy.

I bought a DAC to stop my headphones from making me crazy with the clacking sound.

I think it could be 3 things:

1- Windows 1709 (which I think is the most likely).

2- The realtek drivers.

3- The sound device on the motherboard (mine is an Asus Z170 PRO gaming).

[heethoofd27]

12 minutes ago, partymarty said:

I bought a DAC to stop my headphones from making me crazy with the clacking sound.

I think it could be 3 things:

1- Windows 1709 (which I think is the most likely).

2- The realtek drivers.

3- The sound device on the motherboard (mine is an Asus Z170 PRO gaming).

Mostlikely it's a combination of all three since not everyone is experiencing this issue. What DAC did you get to solve this? I might do the same since waiting for windows/realtek to fix this is probably going to take quite a while if ever.

[partymarty]

I've bought the Audioengine D1. 161,94 euro at Coolblue.

[Iriseyoufall]

Disable Fast Startup In Power-Management. Fixed it for me. It looks like the driver/audio-hardware doesn't like the standby mode.

[partymarty]

On 28-5-2018 at 7:47 AM, Iriseyoufall said:

Disable Fast Startup In Power-Management. Fixed it for me. It looks like the driver/audio-hardware doesn't like the standby mode.

I've tried that setting too when I was busy solving that issue.

Did nothing for me  

 

Good for you that it helped you out