Windows 11 weird pop noise when any audio starts or stops

[Azyrin]

I'm running Windows 11 22H2 (build 22621.1413), although I had this issue on Windows 10 as well.

 

My computer's specs:

CPU: R5 3600

MOBO: Asus B450-F Gaming

GPU: Asus 2070 Super Strix

PSU: Corsair RM 750x

RAM: 4x Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro 8gb 3600Mhz CL18

Expansion Cards: some generic USB 3.0 card from Amazon I forget the name of, I think it was like suptek or something

 

Specs of the laptop mentioned as a troubleshooting step:

Model: Asus Zephyrus G14 (ga401qe)

CPU: R7 5800HS

GPU: nVidia RTX 3050Ti mobile

RAM :16gb

 

 

Whenever any sound starts or stops, whether that be audio from a program (i.e. the Spotify desktop app, a YouTube video in Firefox), or Windows system sounds (i.e. the noise it makes when you get a UAC prompt) I get this weird brief pop sound.

 

Initially I thought this was my audio interface (Behringer q1204 USB), but I've since tested others - a Behringer q502 USB, FiiO E10K and my motherboard's built in audio, and have had the same issue. I've tried all the USB ports on my motherboard, as well as the USB card mentioned in the specs list. I've also tried connecting the aforementioned USB audio devices to my laptop, but the issue persists there as well. I'd heard that it could possibly be the wiring in my house, but I tried plugging the computer and interface into separate circuits, and even went as far as trying them on both the same and separate circuits at a friend's house, and the issue persisted. It also occurs when my laptop is on battery.

 

In Windows on my desktop, I've tried:

- disabling all audio enhancements

- disabling all audio devices other than the one I'm currently using

- disabling "Allow applications to take exclusive control of this device"

- disabling "Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power" on all USB devices where the option exists, and also in the power plan settings

- setting the default audio format to "16 bit, 44100 Hz (CD Quality)" for all audio devices

- uninstalling my motherboard's Realtek audio driver with DDU

- reinstalling Windows

 

The one kind of annoying solution I've found, is that if I leave Spotify playing in the background, but muted in the Spotify app, starting and stopping audio anywhere else doesn't cause the issue. When I pause playback in Spotify with no other audio playing though, even with Spotify's mute button pressed, I get the pop noise.

 

All of the troubleshooting steps above lead me to believe this is an issue with Windows, but I can't seem to fix it. I'm considering switching to Pop!OS (a somewhat ironic name considering the problem) but some of the software I need for school (Autodesk Inventor, the adobe Creative Cloud suite, ETC Eos, etc). don't have Linux versions. It also wouldn't resolve the issue in one of the places where this is most annoying is editing audio in Audition.

 

It's a small thing, but it's been happening for a very long time, and I find it extremely annoying, especially when editing audio or video.

 

Any ideas for how to fix this would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Kim_NT]

Mine does this too. When i skip forward in a video it does a little pop sound. I still have no idea what cause it
I had some bad audio crackle when i did certain things and the fix was to uninstall audio drivers and steelseries GG. Then restart and install it again. That fixed the crackle, but pop when i fast forward is not gone

[Azyrin]

On 3/20/2023 at 11:30 AM, Kim_NT said:

Mine does this too. When i skip forward in a video it does a little pop sound. I still have no idea what cause it
I had some bad audio crackle when i did certain things and the fix was to uninstall audio drivers and steelseries GG. Then restart and install it again. That fixed the crackle, but pop when i fast forward is not gone

I’ve never had any issues with crackling, but I do also have the pop when I skip forward or backward in a video.