Crackling audio. Skyrim + other games

Aceman.au · Feb 3, 2014

Ok so I've just run The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim and right on the menu screen straight off the bat, my audio is crackling. I loaded up a game and played and the crackling stops, I then open the menu and the crackling comes back, then close it and it stops.

Other games this happens in are:
LOTR: War of the Ring (very old, but I've played it on Win7 before without issue)
Starcraft 2
And I think WoW (can't remember, haven't played since August last year)

The crackling is very loud and very annoying. I tried to FRAPS the problem but the audio came up clean in the recording.

What do?

Other games I play without any issues at all:
Eve Online
COD4
Mount & Blade
CS:GO
LoL
Minecraft
Diablo 3
PCSX2 (PS2 emulator)
Battlefield 2

Kursah · Feb 6, 2014

Update drivers. Uninstall and install newest drivers. Reinstall codec pack if using one (K-Lite, etc). Maybe remove codec pack and see if goes away. I had an issue recently with an older game...updating the codec pack fixed it.

You could also remove and reinstall openAL too.

Research crackling audio with those games.

Aceman.au · Feb 6, 2014

I've updated drivers with no luck but I'm not sure how to remove codecs. Will this tool work?

http://nightmare2013.brashendeavors.net/

Jetster · Feb 6, 2014

Are you using the frontheader? I ran into a problem resently and the interference inside the case was causing the problem. Used the rear aduio port and it stopped

Aceman.au · Feb 6, 2014

Jetster said:
Are you using the frontheader? I ran into a problem resently and the interference inside the case was causing the problem. Used the rear aduio port and it stopped

I'm using a 7.1 surround sound headset I have to use the rear jacks.

kn00tcn · Feb 6, 2014

is it fine in stereo? (2.0)

does it have any relation to the framerate (vsync on/off or cap to 60)

i knew someone with crackling skyrim but that was about it

oh did you also imply it's crackling while fraps is recording? does an audio recorder pick it up?

there's no sennheiser software right, it's entirely part of your sound 'card'? there might be some settings to tweak there like buffer size

Aceman.au · Feb 6, 2014

kn00tcn said:
is it fine in stereo? (2.0)

does it have any relation to the framerate (vsync on/off or cap to 60)

i knew someone with crackling skyrim but that was about it

oh did you also imply it's crackling while fraps is recording? does an audio recorder pick it up?

there's no sennheiser software right, it's entirely part of your sound 'card'? there might be some settings to tweak there like buffer size

I was using Sennheiser PC 360s before I got the Razer Tiamats for the surround sound. Do they install a driver?

And I was saying that any audio recorder won't pick it up.

kn00tcn · Feb 6, 2014

Aceman.au said:
I was using Sennheiser PC 360s before I got the Razer Tiamats for the surround sound. Do they install a driver?

And I was saying that any audio recorder won't pick it up.

so it must be directly part of the sound card output or its driver settings (i can make my DAWs crackle if i lower the buffer length too much for example, so some sound cards let you control this globally)

FordGT90Concept · Feb 8, 2014

If you're using Realtek, I actually have the least problems using Microsoft's generic Windows 7+ HD Audio driver. I get crackling with Realtek's driver.

newconroer · Feb 8, 2014

Aceman.au said:
I'm using a 7.1 surround sound headset I have to use the rear jacks.

My Skyrim has slight pop or two at the main menu.

Are Taimat's USB? Do you hear it when there's no sound being played?

Aceman.au · Feb 8, 2014

newconroer said:
My Skyrim has slight pop or two at the main menu.

Are Taimat's USB? Do you hear it when there's no sound being played?

Yes and yes

Aceman.au · Feb 8, 2014

FordGT90Concept said:
If you're using Realtek, I actually have the least problems using Microsoft's generic Windows 7+ HD Audio driver. I get crackling with Realtek's driver.

I'll give it a try

alwayssts · Feb 9, 2014

Are you using a usb 3.0 port?

If so, try usb 2.0

fwiw, usb 3.0 has given me similar problems (not to mention the obvious bluetooth/wifi issues etc). There are many issues with using those ports, and headphone compatability is amongst them.

Aceman.au · Feb 9, 2014

alwayssts said:
Are you using a usb 3.0 port?

If so, try usb 2.0

fwiw, usb 3.0 has given me similar problems (not to mention the obvious bluetooth/wifi issues etc). There are many issues with using those ports, and headphone compatability is amongst them.

Ok I got a list, I'll check it when I get bored of Final Fantasy X and post back if any of them work.

newconroer · Feb 9, 2014

USB headphones have never been kind to me. They always hiss, pop and crackle. The fact that you can hear it when no audio is being played suggests it's a power /connection issue.

Do you have any 3.5mm or RCA based headphones you can try?

Aceman.au · Feb 10, 2014

newconroer said:
USB headphones have never been kind to me. They always hiss, pop and crackle. The fact that you can hear it when no audio is being played suggests it's a power /connection issue.

Do you have any 3.5mm or RCA based headphones you can try?

No idea what either of those are.

Aceman.au · Feb 10, 2014

FordGT90Concept said:
If you're using Realtek, I actually have the least problems using Microsoft's generic Windows 7+ HD Audio driver. I get crackling with Realtek's driver.

Do I just uninstall Realtek High Definition Audio in the device manager? Or is there more to it?

FordGT90Concept · Feb 10, 2014

Yeah, if you uninstall Realtek (or "Roll Back Driver"), it will fall back to the Microsoft driver.

Aceman.au · Feb 10, 2014

FordGT90Concept said:
Yeah, if you uninstall Realtek (or "Roll Back Driver"), it will fall back to the Microsoft driver.

Ok thanks

newconroer · Feb 10, 2014

Aceman.au said:
No idea what either of those are.

3.5mm is typical stereo type connection jack found on smaller sized headphones. RCA is another type of connection but ignore that for now.
If you have any generic headphones that are jack plug, instead of USB, try those and see if the noises still occur.

Or have you done that already?

Aceman.au · Feb 10, 2014

newconroer said:
3.5mm is typical stereo type connection jack found on smaller sized headphones. RCA is another type of connection but ignore that for now.
If you have any generic headphones that are jack plug, instead of USB, try those and see if the noises still occur.

Or have you done that already?

Yes I tested non USB headsets

kn00tcn · Feb 11, 2014

you didnt confirm if basic 2 channel stereo has no crackles

also if you have a setting anywhere for the audio buffer size (then increase it, crackles should be gone if this is the issue)

another wacky idea, just for testing, is to set the affinity of skyrim & maybe the audio driver process if there is one to a single core of the cpu

Aceman.au · Feb 11, 2014

Ok I moved the headset to a USB 2.0 slot and uninstalled the realtek drivers. Crackling has stopped in Skyrim. Probably in other games. Too, but I'll check.

FordGT90Concept · Feb 11, 2014

USB uses whatever DAC chip is in the headset and completely circumvents the Realtek DAC. The Realtek DAC only drives the 3.5mm stereo jacks found on the front and rear (I/O area) connections. If you're using USB to drive the headset and have been this entire time, as newconroer said, there's an electrical problem likely between the DAC and the woofers or the DAC itself is malfunctioning.

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Crackling audio. Skyrim + other games

Aceman.au

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