Anyone else having sound problems?

Greyhawk · Apr 25, 2015

In the last few weeks I have had some sound issues and they have gotten progressively worse - I've tried in the support forum but got no answers.

I'm using a realtek 7.1 integrated sound via an optical TOSlink cable to a Pioneer AV Amp. My normal sound is fine (ie music on Media Player etc).

What I am hearing:

When the game launches and I haven't moved all sounds ok.
As soon as I jump anywhere I hear the telltale pops and crackles as the FSD charges.
From then on, sounds get progressively worse. Usually the first thing that starts with the hissing, popping and crackling is all FSD sounds.
Then the ambient sounds on the system map and galaxy map are filled with sections of white noise and popping/crackling.
The music is completely incoherent. Its basically just white noise with some crackling bass in there somewhere. I can barely tell there's music.
The computer voice is randomly affected by more popping/crackling. Then 1 second or so of white noise can happen in any sound when its played.
Eventually I have to shut the game down and restart - then the whole cycle repeats.

What I have tried:

Playing music before and after game start to check for pops / crackles and white noise. It seems unaffected.
Validating game files.
Muting/Unmuting all in game sounds. No effect.
Changing the audio landscape - normal/night time/full range etc. No effect.
Disabling the cache in the launcher options tab. No effect. Although it seems to have made my micro stuttering get a bit better.
The driver is recent (think last month)

I am running the game from a Seagate 2 TB external HDD if that matters.

Greyhawk · Apr 26, 2015

Ok this is weird - so I made a shadowplay video to try to capture the sound issues....

When I start the video the sound is messed up instantly which it wasn't when I first log in!
Then if I play an MP3 the sound clears up.
Then the shadowplay video sound is perfectly ok even though the sound was completely broken by the middle of the video when I was playing it.

What the hell is happening?

Tiger Bill · Apr 26, 2015

I've had many issues including sound crackling & popping, graphics stutter included along side the sound issues. Now I am glitch free & flying smooth as silk, with only occasional glitches in SC approaching a RES site or ringed planet.

If you have not already tried the steps below, some of this should help.

Check in 'device manager' to see if there are any sound devices listed other than your preferred device & disable them.

Set your preferred sound device up by right clicking on the 'speaker icon' in your system tray, or go to sound options in 'control panel' & select your playback device & set it as default.

Highlight & select any other playback device in the list that is not going to play your sound & right click to disable it, there should only be the device left in the list that you will use, highlight & click 'configure'.

Set your stereo preferences, ok it & then click properties, click on the 'Advanced' tab & uncheck the 'enable audio enhancements' box & click apply. Replicate this for your default recording devices.

Set playback format to 24 bit, 48000 Hz (Studio quality).

Set power settings in 'Hardware & Sound' & choose 'High performance', click 'advanced settings' for more options & save.

Good luck Commander!

Greyhawk · Apr 26, 2015

Thanks - will try it tomorrow. I think I have narrowed it down to the Frame Shift Drive sequence. Something about the sound messes up my sound completely. I muted it just now then jumped and umuted and the sound was ok in the next system.

flyright · Apr 26, 2015

Sorry I think the game is a lot more playable with the sounds off so I wouldn't know. (Couldn't stand the sloppy computer voice that sounds drunk.)

Tiger Bill · Apr 27, 2015

flyright said:
Sorry I think the game is a lot more playable with the sounds off so I wouldn't know. (Couldn't stand the sloppy computer voice that sounds drunk.)

lol the sound in this game is stunning, especially in the Imperial Clipper & you can always get VoiceAttack & change the ship computer voice.

Globusdiablo · Apr 27, 2015

So no issues while playing other games?

TriumphANT · Apr 27, 2015

The Realtek sound via optical is a bit iffy on a lot of their onboard cards. It's exactly what I use, although I'm going into a Denon AV Receiver. I'm not at home, but make sure you have "applications can have exclusive control of this device" (or whatever the exact wording is) and "give exclusive devices priority" Also try changing the default ouput format to 48KHz and make sure the in-game audio setting is "Home Cinema" and not "TV".

Sorry, I'm typing from memory, but the above settings are easy though to find in the Control Panel and in-game. The sound is gorgeous once it's setup properly. I sit at my dining table in the middle of my living room with the volume at about -20 and my floorstanders booming away in battle. You might actually duck if an Eagle whizzes past your head. The whine and slight doppler effect is superb! The clunks of scoops and landing gear deploying are perfectly mechanical.

eza · Apr 27, 2015

I'm using a soundblaster zx and optical out to my amp.
Usually have all audio enhancements turned off when playing ED.
I found the other day when playing some 320kbps mp3s (via directsound output) that the in-game sound was crackling. Didn't do it with lower bitrate mp3s.
Very odd and I don't know what the cause or solution is.