# Windows 10 Cracking Audio (Fixed)



## Kursah (Sep 3, 2016)

So I experienced this issue with my Auzen X-Fi Forte PCI-e card, and retired it a couple years ago now. Usually after pausing music or video (streaming or playback) for a random amount of time, intermittently playback after such would become static/crackling (is that a word?). It became more frequent in Windows 8.1 at which time I moved on to the audio setup I have now. Now I find the card is likely still fine after the below experience...will likely test it as that was a damn fine sound card.

Anyways, I intermittently had this issue on my personal laptop (Dell 3540 w/realtek) and my main rig using an Aune T1 USB DAC/HP AMP. The issue was very similar to what I recall, but was more common. Sometimes a Youtube video would just start and the static/cracking would occur...mostly in bassy areas. Games, music...etc...sometimes pausing would do it, sometimes it would come on by itself.

Initially what I grew accustomed to doing was some simple CLI commands that I ran in a batch file as admin:

_net stop audiosrv
net start audiosrv_

That will restart the Windows audio service and will resolve the issue temporarily. It is also how one can not have to reboot their PC after installing EqualizerAPO.

Anyways, the issue was getting annoying tonight, so I did a little digging, came across *this* thread. Tried their posted solution and that resolved my audio problem as well! 

But I was NOT interested in leaving my CPU at max clocks (before turbo) 24/7. So thinking that the minimum CPU clocks are 800MHz, and Windows Power save always defaults to 5%, I would increase to 10%, which is still below the 20% minimum CPU clock. 

Voila, FIXED  

I have yet to hear the static/cracking sound at all. Pausing audio, multiple streams, gaming, all the above, no issues. Hopefully this post will help some of you out that may be experiencing this audio issue and that this solution allows you to quickly and easily resolve it. Maybe this is old news, but it was new for me and I felt it was worth sharing.



*TL;DR
*
Change the minimum processor state value in advanced power settings from 5% up to a value between 5 and 100. I have only tested 10 and 100, both worked the same and the audio issue was resolved.

*Instructions*

Start > Settings > System > Power & Sleep > Additional power settings > Change Plan Settings > 

OR

Start > Control Panel > Power Options > Change Plan Settings > 

THEN

Change advanced power settings > Processor Power Management > Minimum Processor State

THEN

Increase from 5% to 10% (or desired level) > Apply


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