Snapping and crackling audio...nothing I can think of.

[surfnkid]

I've got a problem that has completely baffled me. I have eliminated every possibility I am aware of and tried every applicable suggestion I can find on the internet. I hope somebody here can help me.

My music is crackling, popping and jumping slightly: just enough to throw off the beat and totally ruin the music.

I’m no expert, but let me tell you the possibilities I think I’ve eliminated and why:

--My speakers: they work fine with my iPod.
--My sound card: the problem persists with either my internal or external sound card.
--My drivers: I’ve updated these, and as I said above, it doesn’t work with either card (they do use different drivers don’t they?).
--My hard drive: I’ve tried both my internal and external drives. Both have plenty of space and are freshly defragged.
--My processor: closing down everything hasn’t helped and it doesn’t run at more than 50%.
--RAM: I’ve made sure plenty is free.
--My mp3s: CDs have the same problem.

Other notes:

--I’ve tried various outputs. The headphone jack doesn’t work any better than the USB output to my external sound card.
--I’ve also tried switching to “waveOut only” in the Quick Time settings.
--This problem is new. I’ve never had trouble with it before, no matter what I was running in the background.
--My external sound card is new, but the problem started before I got it.

Thanks!

[Mr. Switch]

So your saying that even when you burn your mp3's to CD's and play them off of different CD players you STILL get the crackling? if so, than all of your mp3's are bad.

personaly, I would say this warrents a reformat. after reformatting my hard disk, and reinstalling everything, i'd try my mp3's again.

[joshd]

i think he means that mp3s AND CDs crackle.

have you tried reinstalling the media player, and trying others? what about game sound?

[NvidiaDude]

do you have onboard sound if so this used to happen to me when i was either listenin to music loud and playing UT2004 thats when i got crackling and bought a PCI sound Card which is doing well atm