Audio pops/crackles in games

cwsink · Aug 16, 2022

I'm not sure it will help but I'd like to have one for comparison, if it's not too much trouble.

Repa24 · Aug 16, 2022

Tbh, I don't think the second monitor is the problem since I've only bought it some months ago (and I've had these problems for much longer).
Here's the new trace file with only monitor plugged in (with audio crackles etc.): DESKTOP-5600X.08-16-2022.21-59-05.zip

cwsink · Aug 16, 2022

Do you have the issue regardless of whether you use XAudio2 or DirectSound in the iRacing settings?

Repa24 · Aug 17, 2022

Yes, I tried many different settings (also graphic options etc).

I've talked to the Devs of the game and apparently they've found some crackles in the original soundfiles. But personally, I doubt this is the true cause of my problem, since I've been having those issues for some years across different systems (and in Assetto Corsa / Assetto Corsa Competizione as well). I have the feeling the symptoms of my problem are a bit different than what they would be if they came from the (dirty) soundfiles themselves.

But if you didn't find anything else in my trace files, then we should just wait for the next iRacing update, I guess. Thank you for your help so far, though!

cwsink · Aug 17, 2022

I was hoping MXA's built-in glitch detection functionality would detect audio glitches in the traces but I'm not seeing anything. Nothing obvious, anyway. In documentation for XAudio2, I noticed there's a way to enable debug event logging in Event Viewer for XAudio2. I don't think it's enabled by default but do you see any events in that log on your computer? If not, can you try enabling the log to see if anything shows up?

Repa24 · Aug 20, 2022

I enabled the logging but I'm not sure it has worked? iRacing_xAudio_Debug.evtx

I also downloaded Assetto Corsa again (where I first experienced the problems in 2014) and Assetto Corsa Competizione. I have the same issues in those games aswell. I created a trace-file for each game - maybe something shows up here?
DESKTOP-5600X_AssettoCorsa_SoundCrackling
DESKTOP-5600X_AssettoCorsaCompetizione_SoundCrackling

Maybe something noteworthy: Some specific sound crackles on a specific car in Assetto Corsa, which I experienced before I built my new PC (last tested Dec 2021, new PC was Jan 2022) are not present anymore. The game has not received any updates since I last tested the game in Dec. 2021. But in general, the sound crackles are still definitely present in this game.

cwsink · Aug 20, 2022

I don't get the impression from any of the traces that it's a performance issue. None of the cores are maxed out so there really shouldn't be any problem processing audio.

In XMA with the Scheduler dataset added and just the Windows System Processes -> audiodg.exe -> Thread-2580 (AudioEng.dll!CAudioPump::OutputPumpWorkRoutine) (11840 units) checked, it does look like the priority of the audiog.exe process is dropping from priority 22 to priority 16 and then back up to 22 several times during the trace. This is a behavior that was added to Windows 10 but I haven't found documentation describing why it does it. I'd be curious if the audio glitches correspond with when those priority switches happen. It could be a red herring, though.

Repa24 · Aug 20, 2022

Interesting.
I set the process' priority to 'high' with an application called "ProcessLasso" and assigned it to a specific cpu core. After that I recorded a trace and analyzed it in XMA to confirm that its priority didn't change (it didn't).
So that didn't do anything, unfortunately. Btw, I had these problem with Win7 already, so this new behaviour of the audioh.exe process in Win10 doesn't seem to be the culprit.

cwsink · Aug 20, 2022

Is it audioh.exe on your system? The process name on mine is audiodg.exe.

Assuming it's audiodg.exe, can you try using Process Explorer to suspend that process while running the game to see if the audio stops? I'm not sure if all audio has to be processed by audiodg.exe but I tried it while running Civ 6 and suspending audiodg.exe stopped audio output on my system.

Repa24 · Aug 20, 2022

Jup, it's definitely "audiodg.exe". Just killed the process when I was ingame and the audio stopped.

cwsink · Aug 20, 2022

Thank you for checking that out.

I'm starting to wonder if it's as you wrote in the original post - some sort of audio engine flaw. Searches have brought up posts by developers where people are speculating about a problem with sudden amplitude changes causing pops/crackles in xaudio2. Have you already seen such discussions?

Repa24 · Aug 20, 2022

Well, I've come across the developer forum of "fmod" (another sound engine) and saw them talking about the same sort of problem (and it makes sense). But even if xAudio2 is the culprit, these questions remain:

- Why do no other players report similar problems? Are my ears too good? When I asked for help in the official iRacing forums and posted my video, a dev of iRacing even confirmed to me, that he can hear the pops/crackles in my video and that they are not normal for iRacing.
- Why do all the videos of iRacing I found on YT/Twitch not have this crackling problem?
- Why does this issue also happen in Assetto Corsa (Competizione)? iracing and ACC are two games which use entirely different audio engines (fmod). Two audio-engines with the exact same problem? I don't know...

Tbh, I don't believe this is a software problem. I have tried countless fresh installs of Windows 7, Windows 10 and Windows 11 (with different hardware setups) and even more other simple fixes.

Unfortunately I don't know anybody from my friends/colleagues who plays these simracing games, so I could have come over and have a listen. :/

My next step would be to try some bluetooth speakers/headset (maybe it comes from the wiring?). And if that doesn't work I'll try my pc-setup on other power outles or at a friends' house, because that's the only thing left that I can think of.

cwsink · Aug 20, 2022

I don't think traces are going to reveal the culprit but what you wrote about trying different speakers/headset and power outlets sound like good things to check. Please do let us know what you find out if/when you try.

The only other thing I can think is increasing the number of audio channels that have their own buffers/threads - but I'm not even sure that's possible. Maybe in game configuration files?

DKW3 · Sep 6, 2022

For PC DAW users like me, clean audio for pro recording & playback is an absolute must, NOT something where we can just throw our hands up & let go of as many Windows 10 users have done.

My year old Custom Asus PC running Win. 10 1903 with my longtime trusty internal Asus Xonar D2 7:1 PCIe card that worked perfectly in Windows 7 64 is giving me the same crackling audio issues while connected to my Harman Kardon Receiver with a coax (spdif) cable, though the receiver's HDMI audio for online media is fine.

I tried EVERY single conceivable online suggested fix to no avail, so before I waste my money on an internal or DAC soundcard upgrade that has also been known to produce the very same issues, or am forced to find room in my dinky apartment studio space to take my external analog gear out of mothballs to use over my digital connections, the PC is currently in a repair shop for pro troubleshooting, am hoping & praying for the best.

DKW3 · Sep 19, 2022

DKW3 said:
For PC DAW users like me, clean audio for pro recording & playback is an absolute must, NOT something where we can just throw our hands up & let go of as many Windows 10 users have done.

My year old Custom Asus PC running Win. 10 1903 with my longtime trusty internal Asus Xonar D2 7:1 PCIe card that worked perfectly in Windows 7 64 is giving me the same crackling audio issues while connected to my Harman Kardon Receiver with a coax (spdif) cable, though the receiver's HDMI audio for online media is fine.

I tried EVERY single conceivable online suggested fix to no avail, so before I waste my money on an internal or DAC soundcard upgrade that has also been known to produce the very same issues, or am forced to find room in my dinky apartment studio space to take my external analog gear out of mothballs to use over my digital connections, the PC is currently in a repair shop for pro troubleshooting, am hoping & praying for the best.

I'm sorry, it's actually a PCI card which is outdated but it's the only card I have...

DKW3 · Oct 4, 2022

I ended up having to get a Vantec 7.1 Virtual Surround DAC Soundcard for the Desktop & it works perfectly, but it still stinks that Microsoft has left internal soundcard users hung out to dry, technology should never be outdated by force!

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Audio pops/crackles in games

cwsink

Sysnative Staff, BSOD Kernel Dump Expert

Repa24

Member

cwsink

Sysnative Staff, BSOD Kernel Dump Expert

Repa24

Member

cwsink

Sysnative Staff, BSOD Kernel Dump Expert

Repa24

Member

cwsink

Sysnative Staff, BSOD Kernel Dump Expert

Repa24

Member

cwsink

Sysnative Staff, BSOD Kernel Dump Expert

Repa24

Member

cwsink

Sysnative Staff, BSOD Kernel Dump Expert

Repa24

Member

cwsink

Sysnative Staff, BSOD Kernel Dump Expert

DKW3

Contributor

DKW3

Contributor

DKW3

Contributor