Cracklings, pops, stutterings

[biuro74]

Hi,

I'm experiencing huge sound mess as per title.
The whole thing follows me from some time, so I've decided to change a platform. Previous pops looked like buffer underrun (short sample repeat for fraction of second), and appeared randomly - I was thinking it was about my X-Fi CMSS 3D function enabled (mostly during watching movies).
So I've purchased B550 motherboard, Ryzen 6c/12t CPU, 16 GB memory and NVMe SSD. Quite strong setup to handle "stupid" sound playing function as I think. Some components stayed (like X-Fi), some has gone (like M-Audio 2496 PCI), my detailed current config is in the bottom.

Sound randomly pops, stutters. Sometimes looks like slows down. Doesn't matter it's a local WAV, MP3, or internet stream/ingame sound.
I suspected few things (common for both platforms), but I gave up. For example, I thought it was X-Fi CMSS3D function enabled, or even broken chip/aged capacitor, but the same I've got in my motherboard ALC1200 (???). I've done many tests, reconfigurations, but it all didn't work - presumably it's hard to trace such kind of issue due to its random nature.
I've tried LatencyMon, but it doesn't give me specific interrupt to process latency name, just a latency. ISR/DPS routines are fine. I've tried to crosscheck pops with CPU frequency, but CPU-Z might not give me accurate reading frequency, so some quick freq "ticks" might remain unspotted.
Turns out I might suspect even SATA hard drive (it turns off after some time, which is odd as I keep MyDocuments there = non standard path in my system), so before I lose my mind, I prefer to ask you guys at this forum
Windows is freshly installed, with all newest updates and drivers, just some additional software added (like Avira, Fences, it was installed DeskScapes, but I uninstalled it just for piece of mind = animated backgound might play some role, K-Lite codecs, browsers, Thunderbird etc). I've ammended CPU power plan (AMD Ryzen balanced) where minimum CPU state was 100% and lowered it down to 20%, as well as maximum CPU state lowered from 100% to 99% (this is known workaround for CPU fan more friendly behaviour). I've disabled all drivers energy saving options in device manager (mostly USB and LAN drivers).

From what I read, many Ryzen users (and B550/X570 platforms) experience this issue as well, but I didn't find any solution for me yet. It's frustrating my old i5 laptop can play music with no issues, but stronger PC can't :/

I will not play with BIOS settings regarding to frequency, C states etc. Setup should work as supposed, not being limited any way. Most likely some voltages are too low, but I had no chance to check it yet:
https://www.reddit.com/r/Amd/comments/el8odk/psa_audio_poppingcrackling_potential_fix_for/
as I've just finished platform change & installs/setups.
Have you got similar experience maybe ?

Thanks in advance
-----
Gigabyte Aorus B550 Elite V2 (newest BIOS F14e), no changes in options, SecureBoot disabled
Ryzen 5 3600 + aftermarket cooler
2x8 GB DDR4-3600 (XMP)
WD Black SN750 500GB NVMe
Toshiba DT01ACA300 HDD 3TB SATA SMART report OK
Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium PCIe (currently disabled in device manager)
Gigabyte Gaming G1 GTX 970 (two displays connected, but second display is turned off)
Microsoft Sidewinder X6
Gigabyte M6900 mouse
Logitech Z506 5.1 speakers

 

[JasonM]

You need to identify if it's a computer issue, or a Logitech Z506 issue.

Find an external sound source, such as a HiFi separates CD player, connect this to the Z506 and see what happens.

 

[Purgatory]

@biuro74

I'm using X-Fi Titanium-Fatal1ty Pro on X570 and 5950x and not having any of these issues you mention, more details about my system here :- https://forums.overclockers.co.uk/posts/34846430/ .

Have you made sure to install AMD latest chipset drivers from their site not from the motherboard makers site ? Also my soundcard is connected to a chipset PCIe slot via a riser cable as you will see when you click my system details. Also using latest drivers available from creative for windows 10. Are you on windows 10 or 11 ? I'm using 5.1 Logitech Z-5500 via the optical with the soundcard, but that will have nothing to do with it as I do have the 5.1 outs connected too and never had that issue, only when they updated windows 10 and broke how soundcards work I got crackling sometimes and creative fixed it with a driver update.

 

[biuro74]

You need to identify if it's a computer issue, or a Logitech Z506 issue.
Find an external sound source, such as a HiFi separates CD player, connect this to the Z506 and see what happens.

Thank you for reply.
However, it's quite impossible, sir. Analog speakers will never give slowdowns I've mentioned in my post. This is processing digital data stage, so not this type of speakers are guilty. For your piece of mind I've used headphones plugged into front panel and experienced all issues described above.

@biuro74
Have you made sure to install AMD latest chipset drivers from their site not from the motherboard makers site ? Also my soundcard is connected to a chipset PCIe slot via a riser cable as you will see when you click my system details. Also using latest drivers available from creative for windows 10. Are you on windows 10 or 11 ? I'm using 5.1 Logitech Z-5500 via the optical with the soundcard, but that will have nothing to do with it as I do have the 5.1 outs connected too and never had that issue, only when they updated windows 10 and broke how soundcards work I got crackling sometimes and creative fixed it with a driver update.

It's a Win 10 as I don't do such a mistake like using OS with drivers at beta stage W10 didn't give me an option to update to W11, so I understand not all devices used in my PC are handled well so far.
No, I didn't use AMD chipset drivers, but will see if there are some improvements in ones from AMD. I've done it, however, with Realtek regarding to ALC1200 codec, but hey - this is a mess like h*ll :/ Unexpected, as I was sitting at X-Fi all the time so far, so got used to all-working-option-even-when-unknown-but-easy-to-presume-what-they-do, totally unlike with Realtek mess. For example, Realtek drivers are not the newest, but they launch a Realtek Audio Console (a Microsoft Store app) - whether Gigabyte drivers are newest, but they don't launch this Audio Console. "Disable front panel socket detection" is some kind of joke - not working at all, as well as "Enable auto popup dialog, when device has been plugged in" - maybe it's due to my obsolete case (CM Dominator II). Finally, tried some third party UAD drivers installed from script in a console = they are newer than Realtek, and not as new as Gigabyte, but they launch Audio Console = they are being updated by Windows Update to the newest version with keeping Audio Console working, lol = and it seems like pops are dramatically lower now, but still present. So I think it's a one step in a good direction, but still not the Big Finish.
Creative drivers are the newest.
BIOS, an mentioned, the newest - to avoid this nasty USB bug in B550/X70 chipsets.

P.S. Just installed AMD chipset drivers from AMD website. It's strange as I've done it few minutes ago and when was writing this PS, some system process froze and I couldn't even restart PC. Nasty, very nasty... it's probably Intel's curse to show me I was wrong to say goodbye to Intel rock-solid platform and purchasing an AMD Will see how it is going, but it will take one day minimum - like today - I've spent whole day just listening the sounds and searching pops.

Cheers,
Martin

 

[biuro74]

https://youtu.be/4TvHNLOpRhU

From 11:00 it starts happening "well", after maximizing & restoring down a previous browser's window size.
Now I've finish at 3.000 μs, but yesterday I've spent around an hour to reach 11.000 μs before I realized how/why it raises. On that movie I can see - roughly - each next interrupt to process latency is higher. LatencyMon claims above 1.000 μs there is a "difficulty" to handle popless sound, and above 2.000 μs it's hard to keep it popless. In practice I hear distracting pops above 5.000 μs, from 7.000 μs and up they are noticeably longer and annoying the way I don't want to hear any sound.
When movie ended, I went outside for around 2 hours and after oome back, moving mouse at the desktop didn't make latencies troublematic. But it changes immediately when I open ForgeOfEMpires game in Firefox browser - it's that devilish game which opens hell's gate again and simple pointer moving makes latencies crazy. I've changed a mouse for testing purposes to some noname model to eliminate any potential sensor/chip damage my mouse might have = but that's was not that.

Changing port to USB 3.2 won't help, it's the same.

Does anyone have similar experience ?

 

[biuro74]

P.S. I've just checked Chrome with that bloody game (which slowed down from some time anyways with Firefox, giving me - for example - a message that my config was to weak... really - browser game and GTX 970 + i5 "to weak" ?) and latencies are no more than 600 - it's what I can see since last 10 minutes.
It's a pity as I've got different accounts to log in with various browsers (but this is re-doable somehow), and another reason is more serious -which makes FF different from Chrome: FF from some reason supports my X-Fi's CMSS3D and movies I watch online from time to time are usually in stereo, which X-Fi plays on all 5 speakers. Chrome doesn't, it plays all stereo @2 front speakers only no matter which option I choose in CMSS3D settings.

Purgatory, may I ask you if you can check any online movie playable via Chrome with CMSS3D=on on your X-Fi versus the same movie @ Firefox, please ?