Z690 Asus Tuf Gaming Plus Wifi D4 Audio Popping

[SnapCrackle]

I've read numerous threads detailing exactly my issue where changing windows volume, scrubbing through videos, receiving a notification, watching videos, or on startup or shutdown where it will consistently cause the audio to pop. I've tried latencymon and the only thing I can garner from it is a 6k microsecond DPC time from ACPI.sys and around 1200 microsecond time from ntoskrnl.exe or nvlddmkm.sys from NVIDIA. I've already did a clean install of windows from 10 to 11 and the issue persisted all the way through updating everything. I've followed the driver thread of a full cleanup of drivers through uninstalling realtek console/app, DTS and deleting the driver files through driverstore and reinstalling; nothing has worked and I already exchanged this board for another of the same model and then completely reinstalled windows. So much time wasted trying to fix this issue. After updating to latest audio drivers from website, my front panel jack sound is completely messed and unusable. Now there's constant buzzing from the line out jack on the motherboard until windows is completely booted up.

What I've done:
Disabled fast boot
Turned on and off XMP
Completely reinstalled everything audio related
Updated PD Firmware to version 007
Updated Intel Serial IO Driver
Disabled all sound processing from DTS and Realtek in Device manager
Disabled Wifi/Bluetooth
Messed with sound bits and sample rate/format
Tried USB Dac
Tried Generic Drivers
Reinstalled fresh to windows 11 from 10 (where the issue started)
Return motherboard for another of the same model
Updated Bios to 2204
Tested in Safe Mode
Tried All Ports (USB and 3.5mm)

[SnapCrackle]

3 days and not a single moderator reply? This forum is just as useless as Asus support. Looks like I'm just going to return this motherboard for a second time and never buy Asus mobo again.

[Jagguw]

SnapCrackle wrote:
3 days and not a single moderator reply? This forum is just as useless as Asus support. Looks like I'm just going to return this motherboard for a second time and never buy Asus mobo again.

Were you ever able to solve your issue? I have the same problem and have been struggling to fix it for the past 3 months.

[Jiaszzz_ROG]

Hello, SnapCrackle.

I apologize for keeping you waiting.

May I ask if the "buzzing" you described happened after updating Windows 11, and if the sound also remains after replacing another motherboard of the same model (which is also running Windows 11)?
Please help confirm the following question for us to better understand the scenario.
- Does the abnormal sound only occur in a specific situation? such as when playing YouTube, or does it occur continuously?
- Can this situation be eliminated through external speakers or headphones?
- Is the reinstallation of the driver you mentioned, especially the Realtek Audio Driver V6.0.1.9244, downloaded from the support page of the TUF GAMING Z690-PLUS WIFI D4 official website?
- Besides the sound, is there any other abnormality? For example, freeze or blue screen?
- Please share the brand and model name of the CPU, DRAM, GPU, and PSU currently installed

Thank you.

[SnapCrackle]

Jiaszzz@ROG wrote:
Hello, SnapCrackle.

I apologize for keeping you waiting.

May I ask if the "buzzing" you described happened after updating Windows 11, and if the sound also remains after replacing another motherboard of the same model (which is also running Windows 11)?
Please help confirm the following question for us to better understand the scenario.
- Does the abnormal sound only occur in a specific situation? such as when playing YouTube, or does it occur continuously?
- Can this situation be eliminated through external speakers or headphones?
- Is the reinstallation of the driver you mentioned, especially the Realtek Audio Driver V6.0.1.9244, downloaded from the support page of the TUF GAMING Z690-PLUS WIFI D4 official website?
- Besides the sound, is there any other abnormality? For example, freeze or blue screen?
- Please share the brand and model name of the CPU, DRAM, GPU, and PSU currently installed

Thank you.

12700k
Asus Z690 Prime A (I've exchanged motherboards 3 times, this is a switch to a better audio codec. The previous motherboard was TUF Wifi D4)
Team Group 2x16 GB DDR5 5600 CL32 SK Hynix Die
3070 FTW3 ULTRA
EVGA 750 G3 (this is the only thing left that's from my original build, but the popping didn't happen on that PC)

Previous PC: (On this PC I had the popping issue, but it was found to be driver corruption as reinstalling realtek drivers removed the popping until restart when windows would overwrite it again. I got a USB DAC, to bypass the hassle of registry editing to stop the driver update, which also fixed the popping.)
9700k
Z390 Gaming X (Gigabyte)
Corsair 4x8 GB DDR4 3600 Cl16
STRIX 1080 TI/ EVGA 3070
EVGA 750 G3

The popping sound happens on any video where there's a sudden change of audio (such as jump cuts on YouTube), sliding volume bar on YouTube (which sounds like Velcro being ripped but quieter), videos games where there's sudden explosions or loud noise (where the popping is the most annoying), windows alerts, muting and unmuting any sound. Sometimes it will pop/crackle when there's no sound at all. If I spam press a button in windows explorer to cause the audio cue, the popping is the loudest out of all these scenarios. Also, there's a quiet buzz in the audio when the PC is turned off. This buzz wasn't present on previous PC as I added an amp to the USB DAC that's left on. On the new build, I have to turn off the amp before putting my headphones on.

It happens on my speakers + sub-woofer, headphones, earphones, and headphones/Earphones + USB DAC. I checked the USB DAC on other devices to rule that out.

Before I fresh installed windows 11 from USB, I had Windows 10 and the problem was the exact same. I switched motherboards of the same model with W11 running then switched again, thinking it was the Realtek 897, to the prime since it had a 1220A. Same issue.

This video by another user facing the same issue displays the exact issue I'm describing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USksWQsdWss

[Jiaszzz_ROG]

Hello, Jagguw.

Could you please provide the model name (for example, PRIME B660M-K D4-CSM), the BIOS version, and details of the situation?

Thank you,

[Jiaszzz_ROG]

Hello, SnapCrackle.

Do you mean you have contacted the official ASUS service center and replaced the motherboard three times? Or is it cross-tested?
So the motherboard you need to report the sound problem is Z690 ASUS TUF GAMING PLUS WIFI D4 or Asus Z690 Prime A?
Please provide the serial number (one or both) via PM.

Meanwhile, please try the following troubleshooting methods to see if the problem can be fixed:
[Change default sound format]
1. Right-click the sound icon in the taskbar located at the bottom right of the screen. Choose Open Sound Settings.
2.Select Device properties> Additional device properties
3.Click the Advanced tab. Under Default Format, alter the sample rate and bit depth until one of the settings works. Select 24 bit, 44100 Hz or 24 bit, 192000 Hz first. Click Apply and OK to save the change.


[Disable Spatial Sound]
1. Right-click on the sound icon in the taskbar located at the bottom right of the screen.
2. click on Spatial sound (Off). Select Windows Sonic, Dobly or any other available options.

If there is an inoperable part of the process, please let me know which is it.
I will continue to follow up and assist you. Thank you.

[SnapCrackle]

Jiaszzz@ROG wrote:
Hello, SnapCrackle.

Do you mean you have contacted the official ASUS service center and replaced the motherboard three times? Or is it cross-tested?
So the motherboard you need to report the sound problem is Z690 ASUS TUF GAMING PLUS WIFI D4 or Asus Z690 Prime A?
Please provide the serial number (one or both) via PM.

Meanwhile, please try the following troubleshooting methods to see if the problem can be fixed:
[Change default sound format]
1. Right-click the sound icon in the taskbar located at the bottom right of the screen. Choose Open Sound Settings.
2.Select Device properties> Additional device properties
3.Click the Advanced tab. Under Default Format, alter the sample rate and bit depth until one of the settings works. Select 24 bit, 44100 Hz or 24 bit, 192000 Hz first. Click Apply and OK to save the change.


[Disable Spatial Sound]
1. Right-click on the sound icon in the taskbar located at the bottom right of the screen.
2. click on Spatial sound (Off). Select Windows Sonic, Dobly or any other available options.

If there is an inoperable part of the process, please let me know which is it.
I will continue to follow up and assist you. Thank you.

I already did both of those troubleshooting steps on 3 separate NEW motherboards(2 TUF WIFI D4 and 1 PRIME A, I exchanged them at microcenter).

[Jiaszzz_ROG]

Hello, SnapCrackle .

I'm sorry I kept you waiting.
According to your description, you have updated the firmware and related drivers to the latest version or reinstalled them and reinstalled the operating system.

confirmed by relevant departments, the problem of crackling sound is that the volume of the playback software changes too quickly, for example, to increase, reduce, or muffle.
This sudden change will result in a discontinuous signal, so we will hear the noise when the dial-up signal is reduced instantly.
We won't hear the noise if we steadily change the volume and attempt to avoid making loud, rushing sounds.

Thank you.

[SnapCrackle]

Jiaszzz@ROG wrote:
Hello, SnapCrackle .

I'm sorry I kept you waiting.
According to your description, you have updated the firmware and related drivers to the latest version or reinstalled them and reinstalled the operating system.

confirmed by relevant departments, the problem of crackling sound is that the volume of the playback software changes too quickly, for example, to increase, reduce, or muffle.
This sudden change will result in a discontinuous signal, so we will hear the noise when the dial-up signal is reduced instantly.
We won't hear the noise if we steadily change the volume and attempt to avoid making loud, rushing sounds.

Thank you.

What a pointless, asinine statement. The popping even happens when all audio devices are on mute. I can't control how video sounds are chopped and mixed, or audio in games.