Small audio crackles

[Consul]

Hey everyone,

 

I have been having small audio crackling when playing games. When there are deep sounds like a submarine closing in next to me in Modern Warfare 3, or just deep bassy sounds in background in Modern Warfare 2 OR the deep sounds Tallboys make when they are a bit far away from me in Dishonored, audio starts to crackle. It doesn't lag, the sound keeps going without cutting, there are just small crackles when there are deep bassy sounds but it annoys the HELL out of me.

 

A few weeks ago, my motherboard almost died. My computer did turn on but I wouldn't get any display neither from the GPU nor from the onboard GPU so I had to get it fixed. The guy who fixed it told me to change my stock CPU cooler if I had one because it would create issues while I'm gaming. I also got some new PC parts after my motherboard was fixed (GPU: GTX 1060 6GB and a Power Supply: Corsair TX750M 750W (80+ Gold))

 

So here I ask: Could it be any of the new gear that is making this? Or is it my CPU's stock cooler that is struggling and telling me that it's dying? Or something completely different?

 

Things I have tried:

- Switching to High Performance in Power Options

- Updating my sound card drivers

 

My PC: 

OS: Windows 10
Motherboard: ASUS Z77A
CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K @ 3.4GHz (Ivy Bridge, Quad Core, LGA 1155)
RAM: GSKILL Sniper 8GB (2x4GB) DDR3 + GSKILL RipjawsX 8GB (2x4GB) DDR3
Storage: Samsung 850 Evo 500GB SSD + Western Digital Elements SE 1 TB HDD
GPU: MSI GeForce GTX 1060 GAMING X 6GB GDDR5 192Bit DX12
Power Supply: Corsair TX750M 750W (80+ Gold)
Case: Thermaltake V3 Black Edition

[BlueChinchillaEatingDorito]

Does the sound still crackle when you try different speakers or use headphones?

[Consul]

1 minute ago, BlueChinchillaEatingDorito said:

Does the sound still crackle when you try different speakers or use headphones?

Yes. It happens when I'm on my headset (Logitech G35) or on my speakers.

[NinJake]

Sounds like it's a headphone/speaker issue to me.

[NinJake]

1 minute ago, Consul said:

Yes. It happens when I'm on my headset (Logitech G35) or on my speakers.

In that case, disregard my last statement. Do you plug your speakers/headphones in the same jack? What if you try another "front panel" audio jack? Do you have any special audio settings applied within the properties of your audio devices?

[Consul]

Just now, NinJake said:

In that case, disregard my last statement. Do you plug your speakers/headphones in the same jack? What if you try another "front panel" audio jack? Do you have any special audio settings applied within the properties of your audio devices?

My speakers go to the jack behind my case (the one on the motherboard) and my headphones are USB so they are both in different places. I do not have any special audio settings applied. I have disabled Audio Enhancements.

[NinJake]

What speakers do you have? and do you normally have your volume pretty loud?

[Consul]

4 minutes ago, NinJake said:

What speakers do you have? and do you normally have your volume pretty loud?

I have Microlab speakers, don't know the models. In game tends to be max when I'm playing games and I just adjust the volume through the speakers thing.

When I'm on my headset, I just adjust it in-game.

 

By the way, I just realized that the audio didn't crackle much when it used to yesterday. Could it actually be the stock CPU cooler not doing it's work very well?

[Consul]

Maybe it the crackles increase as the CPU gets hot.

[Consul]

Any more ideas for why this happens?