This is a bad problem and I can't seem to trace the cause. I'm hoping someone out there in HA-land might have a suggestion...

Whenever I play music on my computer, there are intermittent clicks, pops, and crackles.

It doesn't matter what codec, what player, or how the file is obtained ~ the clicks are there. If I copy a file to my portable, no clicks... so I know it's in the computer somewhere, but I have no clue how to troubleshoot this. I have reinstalled Windows (XP/SP2) and updated the drivers for the audio card, but the problem persists.

The noise started occurring about a week ago, but there were no major hardware or software changes at that time.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance,

~esa

Two thoughts:

- Is the problem related to a particular playback application? Try a few, e.g. Windows Media Player AND Winamp, and see if there is any difference. (Admittedly a long shot, but worth trying.)

- Cards fail and maybe your sound card has a problem. Can you install it on another PC and see if the problem follows it? (I know that's a pain, but the only other option is to buy a replacement and hope that it solves the problem once installed.)

Please reply and let me know what happens.

Thanks for the quick reply!
No, the problem is there whether I use Foobar2k, WinAmp, JetAudio, or Windows Media Player...

I'm making arrangements now to try it on another system, so we'll soon see... but I think it might be worth $25 just to get a new Chaintech AV-710 and eliminate the question of the sound card...

Sounds like you have clipping issues. Try to lower master volume & wave volume in your sound driver and/or Sound And Multimedia applet from Control Panel. Also mute all inputs & outputs which you dont use.

Wow, rutra80... I think you nailed it! I just never thought that clipping would sound so 'electrical'...

I muted everything except the Volume Control, Wave, and CD Player, and the noise is gone! I didn't need to lower any of the volumes; I just muted the unused inputs and outputs.

I'm going to test it a bit more before I jump for joy but, as of now, the most troublesome tracks appear to be clean.
Thank you! I'll follow up in a day or so, after I've had a chance to test all possible scenarios...

Just for reference, I muted the following:
SW Synth
Bass Boost
Microphone
Aux
Line In
Phone
and
Mono Out

Just wanted to confirm that muting those inputs and outputs solved the problem...



Thanks, guys!


~esa