Audio crackling/popping+system lag ONLY while downloading at high speeds.

[austin1346]

While downloading anything at all, no matter where I'm downloading from, as soon as it hits a certain threshold my audio starts to pop/crackle and then my pc will lag for a second or two (delayed mouse movement for example). For steam it usually starts when I hit 28 Mb/s and from other download sources (ie. origin) the audio will start popping at only 10-11 Mb/s.

It's strange because I didn't do anything in particular, just one day I started downloading something and the audio started doing it. There's no telling when it actually started because I'm not constantly downloading stuff, therefore I wouldn't have known when it started.

Something that might help is that standard 3.5mm audio jack earbuds (my main audio is a usb headset) don't SEEM to have the issue. They're pretty bad quality so I don't know if I just can't hear the popping or what.

Things I've tried:
-Updated every possible driver (Did this about a week after I noticed the issue so the updated drivers are likely not the cause)
-Flashed bios to latest
-/sfc scannow
-Chkdsk
-Windows memory diagnostic
-Disabling overclocks (I OC'd after the issue started)
-Disabling Intel speedstep
-Rolling back some drivers (network adapter and audio drivers)
-Swapping headset to different usb ports
-Various other things that I can't remember at the moment.

Spoiler

• System Manufacturer? -Built it myself
• Laptop or Desktop? -Desktop
• Exact model number (if laptop, check label on bottom) -None
• OS ? (Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7, Vista) -Windows 10 home
• x86 (32bit) or x64 (64bit)? -64 bit
• Service pack? -?
• What was original installed OS on system? -Windows 10
• Is the OS an OEM version (came pre-installed on system) or full retail version (YOU purchased it from retailer)? -Purchased key from retailer, installed via flash drive.
• Age of system? (hardware) -About 3-4 years
• Age of OS installation? -About a year, maybe less
• Have you re-installed the OS? -Yea, windows update a while back bricked all my USB ports, had to reinstall os.
• CPU -i7 6800k
• RAM (brand, EXACT model, what slots are you using?) -Using all 8 slots, 8 4gb dimms, Corsair vengeance 2800mhz (C16 I think?)
• Video Card -MSi 980ti
• MotherBoard - (if NOT a laptop) -MSi x99a gaming pro carbon
• Power Supply - brand & wattage (if laptop, skip this one) -Thermaltake 850w
• Is driver verifier enabled or disabled? -Disabled I believe.
• What security software are you using? (Firewall, antivirus, antimalware, antispyware, and so forth) -Norton
• Are you using proxy, vpn, ipfilters or similar software? -Occasionally use VPN but very rarely.
• Are you using Disk Image tools? (like daemon tools, alcohol 52% or 120%, virtual CloneDrive, roxio software) -No
• Are you currently under/overclocking? Are there overclocking software installed on your system? -Yes but this started happening waaay before I OC'd, at least 3 months before hand. Tried disabling overclocks and it still does it.

Speccy: http://speccy.piriform.com/results/AhDlvKExx7AvQo7qi0WjiqD
msinfo32, dxdiag, trace, latencymon diagnostics here: Diagnostics.zip
The zip was too large to upload here, sorry.

I have also included some LatencyMon logs just in case it may help to identify the issue.
If you need more info please let me know, thank you.

 

[austin1346]

From what I saw in the diagnostics it definitely has something to do with "ndis.sys". I have already tried 4-5 different versions of drivers for my network adapter and none of them seem to have an effect on ndis.sys latency.

 

[CoinCoin]

I guess your internet is pluggled on the same panel as mouse and audio output.
You could try to move the internet cable off this panel. Some could say the bandwidth of that panel clutters with your internet signals.

OR there migth be electromagnetic white noise coming from an unarmoured internet cable (28m/s isn't optical, rigth?), messing with the mouse and headphone cables, which, I guess again, migth not be armoured. ==> Oersted's experiment :

Notice currents in your internet cable creates a magnetic field that can induce parasite currents in the cable next to the first. Move parasited cables 50cm away, problem solved. 14m/s or 28m/s signals can easillly resonate with 28khz / 56khz / 96khz audio signals.

 

[CoinCoin]

(alternativly, if you can't move the internet cable away, try to find an armoured cable for it)