Crackling audio problem

[Golfb@llz]

I can't exactly pinpoint when the problem started.
Within a month, I bought a new computer ( Asus-gl12cm, i7-8700, NVIDIA GTX 1080, 32 GB RAM, Windows 10) and Pinball FX3 with a bunch of tables (Marvel, Star Wars, Williams etc.).
A few days ago I've noticed audio crackling in the start menu and inside the games.
The strange thing is that when I play the tables in the Williams collection, there is no crackling
at all...
It seems that the problem started after I updated STEAM and I've been reinstall STEAM the with no positive results...
What can it be?

[Matt Beeching]

I don't have an immediate answer, but what Playback & Recording devices are listed in your Sound Control Panel and which are you currently using?

You could disable every non-primary device to narrow down the issue and rule out a conflict. You could also try different sample rates and bit depths (e.g. 24/48, 24/96, 24/192) and enable Exclusive Mode.

[Golfb@llz]

I've had the same setting all the time (Realtek High Definition Audio) and I've already
tried to change the sampling format from 24 bits, 48000 Hz to other lower settings and
the Exclusive Mode had been on from the start.
This problem only occur in FX3 Pinball (menu & inside pinball games), but not as
I stated above in Williams game tables.
I'm downloading FX3 right now and gonna reinstall and see if the problem presists.
I just don't understand why the crackling problem suddenly is there, I haven't installed
any other PC programs that deals with audio, only updated STEAM...

[Matt Beeching]

It's bizarre that the Williams tables are not affected, is that via line-out / speaker out / headphone out? If possible I'd try playing FX3 with a different output device (e.g. Optical / Nvidia HDMI) or using a different analogue output socket from the front or rear panel.

This one's a long shot but perhaps worth trying, post #7 is specifically about crackling Realtek audio and a minor registry edit: https://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.php?92055-GL753VD-popping-crackling-sound

[Golfb@llz]

It's via the headphone out jacket.
Thanks for the tip about the "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Realtek\Audio\RtkNGUI6 4\PowerMgnt" but I have nothing with the name "PowerMgnt" on it.
I saw the video link on YouTube but that sound problem that guy had isn't like mine at all.
Mine is more like the sound of crackling/stutter just as when you have to low setting in buffert level/memory in DAW's like Ableton and Logic Pro X.
No problems with sound/crackling in watching HD movies in PotPlayer and Windows 10 built-in player, just as I said only in FX3...
I will be back after reinstalling FX3 and test once more to change sampling settings.

[VanAlphen]

You could try to update your realtek drivers or uninstall them and let win10 use their drivers. The last option solved my crackling problems with a Realtek ALC1220.

[BuddyMovies™]

I've had the same issue before, what I did is keeping the default settings for the volume ingame, because if I increase the volume to 80%-100% in the volume settings ingame it make the sound Crackling, if I keep it to default settings and increase the volume only in windows no crackling at all. So maybe that's the same thing you're experiencing.

[Golfb@llz]

Thanks for all the possible solutions, gonna check out the volume settings again
in the game menu, I've already tweaked a little with that, I know that I've turn down
the music volume and still got this annoying crackles.
As soon as I've start a Williams game table the problem disappear.
I've also noticed when a louder sound FX appear it's start crackle...
So yeah, I will continue to check out both volume and sample settings.

[Lord Squeak]

Come to think of it, I've found that the audio is a bit low in the Williams tables. Especially in the cam flyover, but starting a game it's a little bit higher.
It seems the audio problem described is because of the audio peaking.
The default button typically sets the volumes to 50% (halfway) ,, or so one would think. Perhaps the middle is 100%?

[Golfb@llz]

Yeah, I don't really know, I still after reinstall FX3 have these crackle noises even via HDMI but now instead of using headphones I play FX3 with the sound from my monitor speakers instead and you cannot here these digital noises as in headphones.
I tried to lower all the different volume settings to around 25% and it still random crackles.
The problem is in FX3 because I haven't had any problems at all in for example American Truck Simulator.

[Lord Squeak]

I wonder if this might be a 44,1khz / 48khz thing ?
Can you go up to 96khz and see if the problem is still there?

[Golfb@llz]

Yes, it's still there...
I bought the Zaccaria Pinball Collection today and all is perfect, no crackle at all,
so something has happened/changed in someway with FX3, because I hadn't this problem
with crackles in FX3 a week ago.
I haven't updated my Realtek at all.
It must be a Ghost In The Machine!
Now I'm going to play Zaccaria Pinball without crackles...

[Lord Squeak]

I wonder if steam overlay might be responsible. (since it started after a steam update)

[Matt Beeching]

It's slightly baffling, you could record the raw audio with an external program such as Audacity (https://www.audacityteam.org/), does the crackling still appear when you playback the recording? Happy to take a listen if you upload a FLAC or WAV.

[Golfb@llz]

I turned off Steam overlay and even if I still have little random crackles now and then, it seems like it is not that frequent.
I'm gonna continue play on my monitor speakers, cause you don't hear the noises there as
you do with in-ear headphones.
Maybe it goes back to normal in a coming update for Steam and NVIDIA/Realtek.

[Golfb@llz]

Thanks again for your support and ideas but now I've sem to fix the crackle noise problem!
In some strange way Windows 10 must have changed it's power scheme via the latest update ¨
or something to "Balanced" instead of "High Performance", as I know I had when I started gaming on this brand new computer.
Just wanted you guys to know that I'm a happy pinballer again!