Audio Popping

[LegendHasIt]

Hello, I have audio popping when starting or stopping audio, youtube videos, etc. There will be a pop on a windows notification. Sliding the volume slider on windows and youtube sounds like ripping velcro but softer. Video for exact reference. Using an external amp, there's audible hissing up to the windows login screen and it's gone.

I've even installed linux on a USB to isolate drivers, and the popping is still there. USB DAC, same thing. IDK about a PCI-E sound card, since a USB DAC is close to same thing, as far as I know. Tried all ports as well. Reinstalled windows 10 and 11 multiple times. Tried different sound qualities and bitrates. Turned off extraneous sound settings as well. Tried "third-party" drivers recommended on ASUS forums. DDU'd drivers and deleted driverstore files as well, before doing all the updating processes. Turned off audio in BIOS and exclusively used USB DAC (apple dongle). Turned of all power management settings for USB devices and in BIOS. Completely took out my motherboard and just tested with PSU, CPU, RAM and OS SSD, with 3 different motherboards. Enabled MSI for every applicable device.

My last hope is a PCI-E sound card, but I have no idea if that will even work. From my testing it would seem like a driver issue, but nothing I've done with drivers helped at all. I've changed hardware over and over. My headphones work on other devices fine.

PC Specs:
CPU: 12700k x2
Mobo: Z690 Asus Tuf Gaming D4 Wifi (x2), Z690 Asus Prime - A, Z690 ASUS TUF Gaming Wifi [I went back to micro center for an exchange four times]
Ram: Corsair 3600 4x8gb, Team Group DDR5 2x16gb 5600
OS: Windows 10, 11
GPU(s): 1080 TI, 3070, 4070 TI
PSU: 750 G3, 750 G5 [I even initiated an RMA on my PSU]
Case: Meshify C

 

[netRAT]

My last hope is a PCI-E sound card, but I have no idea if that will even work. From my testing it would seem like a driver issue, but nothing I've done with drivers helped at all. I've changed hardware over and over. My headphones work on other devices fine.

This doesn't sound right at all (no pun intended...).
Have you tried other headphones/speakers?
Based on your post that's the only remaining common denominator.
You basically ruled out everything else, both hardware and software....

 

[erocker]

Try plugging your PC into an outlet on a different circuit.

 

[LegendHasIt]

This doesn't sound right at all (no pun intended...).
Have you tried other headphones/speakers?
Based on your post that's the only remaining common denominator.
You basically ruled out everything else, both hardware and software....

Yeah, I've tried 2 different headphones, one with moderate impedance, another with very low impedance, and a speaker +sub. With the speaker, the popping doesn't scale with sound past a certain point so I basically have to put my ear up to a speaker to hear the popping, making it pretty much unnoticeable in that instance.

Try plugging your PC into an outlet on a different circuit.

I took my entire PC to microcenter once, and it exhibited the same behavior there as well. I've also put back in my old z390 + 9700k and no popping.

 

[erocker]

Can't think of much you haven't ruled out other than perhaps trying an optical cable from the back of the motherboard to a DAC and keeping USB out of it. Very odd issue.

 

[pavle]

Try a dedicated sound card if you can directly at Microcenter (they haven't suggested/tried that?). Mainboard-integrated sound cards can let through some CPU "sounds".

 

[joemama]

If the USB DAC doesn't work, the pcie sound card wouldn't work either.
I would recommend to try grounding the case. Connect the case to some large conducting structure with wire.

 

[LegendHasIt]

Try a dedicated sound card if you can directly at Microcenter (they haven't suggested/tried that?). Mainboard-integrated sound cards can let through some CPU "sounds".

They suggested I just buy another PC, since I "already spent so much on this one".

If the USB DAC doesn't work, the pcie sound card wouldn't work either.
I would recommend to try grounding the case. Connect the case to some large conducting structure with wire.

It's already touching a metal desk, but I'll try that too I guess. Also, it's funny that you have my exact old setup of mobo and CPU before upgrading to 9700k. My first CPU and Mobo ever, will never forget them.

 

[Ferather]

After a quick Google search, perhaps the USB DAC or USB ports have bad grounding? That being said it can also happen to optical, meaning its beforehand or the receiver, optical is non electrical.
As far as I am aware, if you start-stop audio in general there is a chance of a pop, depending on how well the hardware is working/responding (including the receiver).

Why Does Audio Pop & How to Fix It Fast | Film Editing Pro

 

[LegendHasIt]

After a quick Google search, perhaps the USB DAC or USB ports have bad grounding? That being said it can also happen to optical, meaning its beforehand or the receiver, optical is non electrical.
As far as I am aware, if you start-stop audio in general there is a chance of a pop, depending on how well the hardware is working/responding (including the receiver).

Why Does Audio Pop & How to Fix It Fast | Film Editing Pro

Would this be related to DPC latency? NVIDIA is aware of an issue on increased DPC latency, for months now it seems.

EDIT: In that video, I hear the popping, but when they showcase starting at a zero crossing, there's a smaller pop instead of the much louder one they're possibly referring to.

 

[Super Firm Tofu]

Would this be related to DPC latency? NVIDIA is aware of an issue on increased DPC latency, for months now it seems.

Pull out your GPU and use the IGP from the 12700k and give it a try.

 

[LegendHasIt]

Pull out your GPU and use the IGP from the 12700k and give it a try.

I've done that as well, when I was testing on minimized PC setup outside my case.

 

[Super Firm Tofu]

I've done that as well, when I was testing on minimized PC setup outside my case.

Oh, sorry - I missed that.

 

[Ferather]

DPC latency is most certainly another point where popping can occur, I was talking about latency in general (all points where latency can occur).
APO's such as Microsoft, use the system CPU to do processing, in some cases removing all APO's can fix the issue.

 

[Calmmo]

I had a similar issue on x570 after the windows update that brought about the infamous am4 usb problems. In that case it was fixed eventually through bios updates.

You should try disabling usb suspend power from your power options. (link state power management to off might also help) In some cases switching the audio device to 48khz or 96 might also help, if the drivers for your device have buffer settings it might also help plauing around with that.

Try all the different usb controllers on your board also, and check firmware updates for them as well as your audio device as it may have been a known issue that got fixed at some point. If you know it works fine on other pcs and nothing works on this board buying a pcie usb controller might just be your best option.

 

[Ferather]

Windows can sort of screw up the registry endpoint build, oddly, I have been sort of locked out, and it reverts back, but then eventually it works as normal.
I have noticed at times things like the extra sound device and noise suppression AMD installs can also be an issue.

Sometimes hidden devices also get installed, check for those too. Sometimes deleting all endpoints and restarting fixes residual installs.

 

[LegendHasIt]

I had a similar issue on x570 after the windows update that brought about the infamous am4 usb problems. In that case it was fixed eventually through bios updates.

You should try disabling usb suspend power from your power options. (link state power management to off might also help) In some cases switching the audio device to 48khz or 96 might also help, if the drivers for your device have buffer settings it might also help plauing around with that.

Try all the different usb controllers on your board also, and check firmware updates for them as well as your audio device as it may have been a known issue that got fixed at some point. If you know it works fine on other pcs and nothing works on this board buying a pcie usb controller might just be your best option.

I'll have to see if I can even fit another PCIE card into my pc with my gpu.

DPC latency is most certainly another point where popping can occur, I was talking about latency in general (all points where latency can occur).
APO's such as Microsoft, use the system CPU to do processing, in some cases removing all APO's can fix the issue.

View attachment 292563

DPC Latency measured from LatencyMon, shows grapics drivers from windows and nvidia getting high latency.

Windows can sort of screw up the registry endpoint build, oddly, I have been sort of locked out, and it reverts back, but then eventually it works as normal.
I have noticed at times things like the extra sound device and noise suppression AMD installs can also be an issue.

Sometimes hidden devices also get installed, check for those too. Sometimes deleting all endpoints and restarting fixes residual installs.

Thanks for the ideas, but registry editing is so daunting.

 

[Ferather]

I would say its the drivers then and latency (if using GPU), I've had this issue with APO's before, did you try no APO's?

 

[LegendHasIt]

I would say its the drivers then and latency (if using GPU), I've had this issue with APO's before, did you try no APO's?

Sorry for the late replay, finals are happening. Does base windows 11 have an APO? I had the popping directly after fresh reinstall from usb.

 

[Ferather]

Yes it does, but that shouldn't be an issue. Sounds like its all hardware issues, fresh install should have no OEM drivers, same on results on Linux (re-read your OP) not operating system or software.

 

[d1nky]

I had this years and years ago. Drove me mad. I done everything mentioned above.

Something stupid solved it. I cannot remember exactly, if my memory is correct it was I/O power cables, USB or something.

 

[spcysls]

I have the exact same issue with a 13900ks and an apex. Tried everything from enabling defaults to different headphones to different headphone ports to an amp and dac. Did you ever figure out what you did?

 

[kDude]

Sliding the volume slider on windows and youtube sounds like ripping velcro but softer.

I just checked if I get this too and I notice it too.Same thing kinda happens on twitch.

 

[d1nky]

try unplugging all i/o on mobo and the rear i/o

use the bare minimum you can get away with.

it was 12 or so years ago, and was something like a usb connection. my memory isn't great tbf.

 

[LegendHasIt]

I have the exact same issue with a 13900ks and an apex. Tried everything from enabling defaults to different headphones to different headphone ports to an amp and dac. Did you ever figure out what you did?

No, just learned to live with it. I don't know what hardware could be causing the issue as there's only 2 things left over that weren't brand new at the time, the CPU cooler, and OS SSD. Can a dying SSD cause stuttering and other misc issues? That's literally the only option I have left, outside of a optical cable, which I will be trying soon.

try unplugging all i/o on mobo and the rear i/o

use the bare minimum you can get away with.

it was 12 or so years ago, and was something like a usb connection. my memory isn't great tbf.

I already tried running the mobo outside of the case with just mouse, keyboard, PSU and monitor only connected. Same issue; I even did that twice with another brand new board.