Soundblaster Z crackling sound

[speedy77]

Anybody have any luck with the latest insider builds? This is my next step when I get enough energy to try another build tomorrow

Installed the latest insider version with no luck, but also did a clean install of 1703 and had the same problem. Going to try 1607 now but it’s not looking spectacular. Hopefully it’s not some strange MOBO compatibility problem

 

[lexluthermiester]

Never had a problem here and i had a pci512, xfi, zxr

Same here as well. I've haven't experienced anything like this problem. As long as the proper drivers were properly installed, things have been smooth sailing.

 

[Athlonite]

Windows build 1803 here and Daniel K drivers on an X-Fi Fatality Pro and no problems so I'm betting it's the version of drivers your trying to use just google Daniel K and download the driver you need for the sound card you have

http://danielkawakami.blogspot.com/2017/01/sb-x-fi-series-support-pack-40.html

 

[natr0n]

Windows build 1803 here and Daniel K drivers on an X-Fi Fatality Pro and no problems so I'm betting it's the version of drivers your trying to use just google Daniel K and download the driver you need for the sound card you have

http://danielkawakami.blogspot.com/2017/01/sb-x-fi-series-support-pack-40.html

Those are my go to drivers. Dan K is a hero.

 

[FreedomEclipse]

Same here as well. I've experienced anything like this problem. As long as the proper drivers were properly installed, things have been smooth sailing.

Same here. Not had any issues since migrating to windows 10

 

[lexluthermiester]

Same here. Not had any issues since migrating to windows 10

Actually, I haven't had any serious Soundblaster driver issues since the early Windows XP days.

 

[INSTG8R]

Windows build 1803 here and Daniel K drivers on an X-Fi Fatality Pro and no problems so I'm betting it's the version of drivers your trying to use just google Daniel K and download the driver you need for the sound card you have

http://danielkawakami.blogspot.com/2017/01/sb-x-fi-series-support-pack-40.html

Now I haven’t used Daniels drivers since I had an X-Fi and swore by them but does he even do a set for the “Z” range?

 

[Laurijan]

So yesterday while streaming with an VPN and having so having a slower connection i got this crackling again every time the connection was not perfect. It seems like my soundcard in DTS mode amplifies streaming connection inperfections and is crackling this way. Without VPN, streaming youtube and such have not done the same.

 

[lexluthermiester]

but does he even do a set for the “Z” range?

No that I have seen. Just goes up as high as the X-Fi range.

So yesterday while streaming with an VPN and having so having a slower connection i got this crackling again every time the connection was not perfect. It seems like my soundcard in DTS mode amplifies streaming connection inperfections and is crackling this way. Without VPN, streaming youtube and such have not done the same.

This seems more like a codec issue than that of a driver/hardware issue or even VPN problem. Have you tried something other than DTS?

 

[Laurijan]

No that I have seen. Just goes up as high as the X-Fi range.

This seems more like a codec issue than that of a driver/hardware issue or even VPN problem. Have you tried something other than DTS?

Tried 2.1 sound too and with that the connection errors were sounding normal and not as over the top crackling like with DTS on

 

[INSTG8R]

No that I have seen. Just goes up as high as the X-Fi range.

Yeah that's what I thought. That said I also have had zero issues with my ZX

 

[FreedomEclipse]

Actually, I haven't had any serious Soundblaster driver issues since the early Windows XP days.

Last time i had issues was when a XFi Titanium was dying. apart from that, everything was fine. I found Asus Xonar cards to be a lot more buggy when it came to games.

 

[Ferrum Master]

Crackling sound is HW issue in 90% cases with sound cards. Since I kinda collect and dissect them a lot. I had most of them. Crackling is latency issues due to some fault, mostly HW or HW conflict. If you don't hear it doesn't mean it is not there. The budget time is exceeded on some processes, or the driver is not compatible with latest WIN10 builds. Mostly none of them are.

Microsoft does humongous audio stack changes, and the time has ended for certain hardware to patch it through, as it needs new HW, it cannot be patched even. Software codec doesn't care.

Lately the only robust way of getting audio from PC is using HDMI. Then you can split of the data as you wish. I2S or DSD. Keep in mind that folks. USB also isn't the savior due to the same BAD driver reason and the fundamental architecture how it even works. Video signal with Audio is highest priority thread and it should go hand in hand like bullets, patching other ways through... nada Microsoft doesn't want it even really. The integrated sound does have direct HDA audio bus coming straight from the South Bridge, you cannot hook up your creative or xonar there, actually if you could, it would solve a shitload of driver problems.

 

[hat]

How you gonna get HDMI audio without home theater equipment? Don't you need a receiver (which is also compatible with whatever resolution/refresh rate your monitor is)?

 

[rtwjunkie]

How you gonna get HDMI audio without home theater equipment? Don't you need a receiver (which is also compatible with whatever resolution/refresh rate your monitor is)?

Simply run an hdmi cable from htpc to tv is how I get my hdmi audio.

 

[hat]

That works, if you're either okay with using the usually crappy TV speakers or if your TV has an optical out or something... but it's certainly an obstacle for any gaming computer. You still need a receiver that plays nice with your monitor (if you have >1080p60, you're eternally waiting on expensive receivers that support what you want) and then hook up whatever speakers you want to your receiver. My problem with this is having to find and purchase a specific (and expensive) receiver that meets or is superior to your monitor's resolution and refresh rate. Analog was easy. I once happened across a cd/cassette player (with AM/FM radio) that looked like it probably came from the late 80s. It had a single auxiliary stereo input which I connected to my PC. Worked great until the broken speaker I repaired broke again and I decided it was no longer worth messing around with...

 

[Ferrum Master]

There are splitter devices as I said to I2s of DSD or even DACs accepting HDMI...

 

[hat]

What/where are these devices you speak of? This is the first I've heard of it. Sounds like it would be great for HDMI audio.

 

[Ferrum Master]

What/where are these devices you speak of? This is the first I've heard of it. Sounds like it would be great for HDMI audio.

NAD M51 for example as a consumer device. It is old thou, there are already XMOS based modules that does HDMI input.

 

[lexluthermiester]

How you gonna get HDMI audio without home theater equipment? Don't you need a receiver (which is also compatible with whatever resolution/refresh rate your monitor is)?

Most TV's/Displays have an audio out that can be hooked up to your speakers of choice. Basically the display acts as an audio pass-through.

 

[Agility]

It seems you are not the only one with the same issue. I am currently running a Z370 Gigabyte Aorus Gaming 7 which comes with an Onboard x-fi card. I seem to have occasional crackling sound appearing. And it is definitely not my speaker issue cause i re-ran the same music twice and the crackling sounds appeared at two different timings.

One thing that worked temporarily for me was when i re-installed the driver and ran my computer for the first time. Subsequently after shutting down and then switching it on again, the same issue repeats.

On doing google search i can hardly find any solutions.

 

[eidairaman1]

Actually, I haven't had any serious Soundblaster driver issues since the early Windows XP days.

Windows 98SE

It seems you are not the only one with the same issue. I am currently running a Z370 Gigabyte Aorus Gaming 7 which comes with an Onboard x-fi card. I seem to have occasional crackling sound appearing. And it is definitely not my speaker issue cause i re-ran the same music twice and the crackling sounds appeared at two different timings.

One thing that worked temporarily for me was when i re-installed the driver and ran my computer for the first time. Subsequently after shutting down and then switching it on again, the same issue repeats.

On doing google search i can hardly find any solutions.

Try the card in another machine, if problem stops your motherboard or PSU, speakers could be defective.

 

[hat]

He said it has onboard x-fi... good luck taking that "card" to another machine

 

[spectatorx]

I have to repeat it: in case of windows 10 problem is caused by latest build: 1803, if this is what you have installed then you have temporarily to roll back to 1709. That's what i did and sound distortion stopped. I'm curious how next build will perform with x-fi soundcards.

 

[Red_Machine]

I've had problems similar to this with my last three Sound Blaster cards. X-Fi, Audigy Rx, Z. The only way I found to fix it was to clean out the drivers and reinstall them from scratch. That would stop any issues for several months, but they'd always come back again. Creative's drivers really suck.