This audio issue has to go. Please see for audio files

[Vinny1001]

Hi,

I'm sure many of you have seen myself as well as some others complain about some audio issues. This can also be seen on many other forums on the ROG boards, and few other brands. Google is a good friend.

The issue:
With realtek drivers from either realtek OR the Asus site, I get audio pops/thumps anytime audio is played from idle. Windows navigation's "click" noise turns into a super short "tick" After 10 seconds idle, it's a louder "tick", and when an audio channel is kept open, stuff sounds normal. Even opening a webpage that opens an audio channel makes a nasty crunch sound.

*Windows default audio drivers work 100% normal*

I have done the following:

Stock BIOS
Updated BIOS
Don't even have my GPU in yet, but that works fine and doesn't change anything
Tried multiple drivers, each time clean uninstall/install
Reformatted countless times
Removed all interference/wireless stuff
Used previous builds PSU and 2 new ones
Swapped all components muliple times
Used different outlets/plugged all into same surge protector strip / tried different surge protector strips
Tried many different drivers/MEI code updates from intel from their own site
Playing with all audio settings / volume levels
Disabled any audio settings not being used, no micophone
Ran PC at performance, turned minimum cpu usage to 100%, disabled C states, speedstep, or any power saving features, EIST disabled.
I have not installed AI suite, I am literally running the bare minimum
Tried different sets of speakers, all speakers work everywhere else normal anyway (speakers confirmed working)
I have the hyper evo heatsink and put it on lightly so it's not pressing hard down on the CPU just to eliminate that being an issue
I have removed USB's, ethernet cable
Used different cables, checked all cables, used the minimal cables/hardware (no extra HD's or fans)
Tested PSU with PSU tester AND Multimeter, as well as the outlets
I've done basically everything you can find on the internet about this issue, I may have not listed all here.
I know my DPC latency was low, there weren't any crazy abnormal spikes

Literally, this only happens with the realtek/Asus drivers, so hardware should be fine, especially since I went through replacements.

I'm running G.Skill RAM that others in another thread are using without any audio issues. RAM has been stress tested, and is running at stock. They are in the correct, suggested slots. I am running the 6700k at STOCK. All stock BIOS 1402. BIOS updated without an issue. Windows 7 64x pro is installed correctly on my SSD. Only the SSD is plugged in and the M8HA is installed on a bench. I have a 850w corsair PSU.

I have swapped through 3 CPU's, 5 mobo's, 2 PSU's, as well as trying my previous builds one, 2 sets of ram, and an extra replacement on the M8HA. I get the same issue each time. I have used the hardware on a Gigabyte, and an MSI, both which did not have this audio "tick" sound. They did have a sizzle sound anytime an audio channel opened though. This has been going on for months. The gigabyte had that constant hissing sound through headphones when the CPU was doing calculations, so basically all the time. Moving the mouse across the screen made it hiss louder. MSI and Asus don't do that hissing. Could this all lead to a ground issue? My outlets seem fine and the grounding is working, plus no other devices have issues.

Asus admitted to this problem to me over the phone multiple times, as well as looking online at it to further investigate. Technical support suggested me after a week, to make sure the correct colored cables are plugged into the correct colored ports on the motherboard...

What could possible be causing this? I have read a lot on power management relating to it. I ask people if they're on stock or OCing, because if you OC you may be keeping the power higher, so on idle it doesn't power down much. I see a lot too on people having laptops with this issue and they can disable power management on their realtek settings. Desktops don't have this. I tried doing it through registry but those registry files didn't exist for power management.

Here are links to the audio files. Quality isn't the best but listen closely between the "ticks" and regular full window "clicks" I also mimicked the "thump" that plays I think through the bass, because my phone wouldn't pick it up, I mimicked it in a separate file because this "thump" plays right before the audio channel opens.

Tick1:https://clyp.it/5evymx2y

Tick2 (good clear ticks):https://clyp.it/q1aura1a

Thump noise (it's a settle "thump" so bear with me):https://clyp.it/2fkyj3ad

Regular windows click noise with windows default/audio channel open (full long regular click we all know navigating through folders):https://clyp.it/cctps45v

Please bear with the quality, it sounds so much worse in person for what I am talking of, but just this is to understand it further.

Please someone help me with this. I've been through so many replacements just to eliminate hardware, and now it's literally down to the drivers, unless some hardware is really bad and hiding good. All points to the drivers, and specifically realtek (all other drivers work with windows default audio driver)

I really hope enough people can help troubleshoot this. I just don't get how some are running a similar set up and have no audio issues.

[Celador]

Oxmo81 wrote:
I did putt my old Asus GTX560 Ti in to test if it may be the graphic card fault. It may be, cuz I now I can paly games, even Dying Ligth and Far Cry 4 works now. In Far Cry 4 I had to set graphic detail to medium to get almost 60 FPS. With Far cry I did not change settings and had 45-55 FPS. This is a new LatencyMon print screen Driver tab.

Well... i guess you should try running some heavy games more (maybe for like an hour) while also running latencymon. If the highest execution time stays below 1-2 - then i guess its your graphics card. You could also try installing another graphics card back and check if the issue returns.

As for windows installation - if you actually did complete clean installation (as in - formatted drives/removed partitions) then another fresh installation wont help.

Which gpu were you using?

One last thing: when you reinstalled windows, did you install audio drivers from the asus dvd? If so - did it install asus sonic studio? If so - try uninstalling sonic studio and realtek drivers all together and check out whether the issue exists with default windows drivers.

[mtrxx]

Video and audio editing on Rog mb's is total nightmare. Audio channel keeps opening- closing and after rendering there is very noticable pop sound at the end on each videoclip. The ,,solution " is to minimize the transition times between clips or lowering audio volume just before the cut/ transistion, tou it takes a lot of extra time.

Is there a hardware level bug in Alc 1150 and Asus is simply ignoring the problem.. I dont know.
Something has to be done about it!

[Oxmo81]

It is solved for me. It was the graphick card.

[Celador]

Oxmo81 wrote:
It is solved for me. It was the graphick card.

Graphics card? What's that got to do with sound issues? Did you replace it or something?

Oh right. You had audio latency issue. Confused you with the person who started this topic. Well... glad you solved it.

[Legolas]

Vinny1001 wrote:
Hi,

I'm sure many of you have seen myself as well as some others complain about some audio issues. This can also be seen on many other forums on the ROG boards, and few other brands. Google is a good friend.

The issue:
With realtek drivers from either realtek OR the Asus site, I get audio pops/thumps anytime audio is played from idle. Windows navigation's "click" noise turns into a super short "tick" After 10 seconds idle, it's a louder "tick", and when an audio channel is kept open, stuff sounds normal. Even opening a webpage that opens an audio channel makes a nasty crunch sound.

*Windows default audio drivers work 100% normal*

I have done the following:

Stock BIOS
Updated BIOS
Don't even have my GPU in yet, but that works fine and doesn't change anything
Tried multiple drivers, each time clean uninstall/install
Reformatted countless times
Removed all interference/wireless stuff
Used previous builds PSU and 2 new ones
Swapped all components muliple times
Used different outlets/plugged all into same surge protector strip / tried different surge protector strips
Tried many different drivers/MEI code updates from intel from their own site
Playing with all audio settings / volume levels
Disabled any audio settings not being used, no micophone
Ran PC at performance, turned minimum cpu usage to 100%, disabled C states, speedstep, or any power saving features, EIST disabled.
I have not installed AI suite, I am literally running the bare minimum
Tried different sets of speakers, all speakers work everywhere else normal anyway (speakers confirmed working)
I have the hyper evo heatsink and put it on lightly so it's not pressing hard down on the CPU just to eliminate that being an issue
I have removed USB's, ethernet cable
Used different cables, checked all cables, used the minimal cables/hardware (no extra HD's or fans)
Tested PSU with PSU tester AND Multimeter, as well as the outlets
I've done basically everything you can find on the internet about this issue, I may have not listed all here.
I know my DPC latency was low, there weren't any crazy abnormal spikes

Literally, this only happens with the realtek/Asus drivers, so hardware should be fine, especially since I went through replacements.

I'm running G.Skill RAM that others in another thread are using without any audio issues. RAM has been stress tested, and is running at stock. They are in the correct, suggested slots. I am running the 6700k at STOCK. All stock BIOS 1402. BIOS updated without an issue. Windows 7 64x pro is installed correctly on my SSD. Only the SSD is plugged in and the M8HA is installed on a bench. I have a 850w corsair PSU.

I have swapped through 3 CPU's, 5 mobo's, 2 PSU's, as well as trying my previous builds one, 2 sets of ram, and an extra replacement on the M8HA. I get the same issue each time. I have used the hardware on a Gigabyte, and an MSI, both which did not have this audio "tick" sound. They did have a sizzle sound anytime an audio channel opened though. This has been going on for months. The gigabyte had that constant hissing sound through headphones when the CPU was doing calculations, so basically all the time. Moving the mouse across the screen made it hiss louder. MSI and Asus don't do that hissing. Could this all lead to a ground issue? My outlets seem fine and the grounding is working, plus no other devices have issues.

Asus admitted to this problem to me over the phone multiple times, as well as looking online at it to further investigate. Technical support suggested me after a week, to make sure the correct colored cables are plugged into the correct colored ports on the motherboard...

What could possible be causing this? I have read a lot on power management relating to it. I ask people if they're on stock or OCing, because if you OC you may be keeping the power higher, so on idle it doesn't power down much. I see a lot too on people having laptops with this issue and they can disable power management on their realtek settings. Desktops don't have this. I tried doing it through registry but those registry files didn't exist for power management.

Here are links to the audio files. Quality isn't the best but listen closely between the "ticks" and regular full window "clicks" I also mimicked the "thump" that plays I think through the bass, because my phone wouldn't pick it up, I mimicked it in a separate file because this "thump" plays right before the audio channel opens.

Tick1:https://clyp.it/5evymx2y

Tick2 (good clear ticks):https://clyp.it/q1aura1a

Thump noise (it's a settle "thump" so bear with me):https://clyp.it/2fkyj3ad

Regular windows click noise with windows default/audio channel open (full long regular click we all know navigating through folders):https://clyp.it/cctps45v

Please bear with the quality, it sounds so much worse in person for what I am talking of, but just this is to understand it further.

Please someone help me with this. I've been through so many replacements just to eliminate hardware, and now it's literally down to the drivers, unless some hardware is really bad and hiding good. All points to the drivers, and specifically realtek (all other drivers work with windows default audio driver)

I really hope enough people can help troubleshoot this. I just don't get how some are running a similar set up and have no audio issues.

Vinny,

Did you ever try to take the GPU out of your system and see if the popping is gone? Did you ever take other components out of the system and test if the popping will be gone?
Did you ever test the speakers without motherboard? Does it work?

[Celador]

Legolas wrote:
Vinny,

Did you ever try to take the GPU out of your system and see if the popping is gone? Did you ever take other components out of the system and test if the popping will be gone?
Did you ever test the speakers without motherboard? Does it work?

You have to have gpu and motherboard to test your speakers obviously. The issue appears only in windows, while playing any sounds. It's related to realtek drivers and supremefx chip. It's not a latency issue. If you look at the video i posted on the first page - the person is describing it in detail.

[Vinny1001]

Legolas wrote:
Vinny,

Did you ever try to take the GPU out of your system and see if the popping is gone? Did you ever take other components out of the system and test if the popping will be gone?
Did you ever test the speakers without motherboard? Does it work?

Oh yes, of course. I've done almost everything you can think of. I ran the system as bare as I could and still had the same issue. I even did many windows installations and tried different orders or drivers and windows updates, all resulting the same. System was ran with just the single SSD (have tried different SSDs even new and from previous build that work perfectly fine), PSU, CPU, 1 fan, RAM (tried multiple sets, Z170 ram, nothing changes)

The speakers work fine everywhere else. Also, I plugged in my previous systems speakers (older ones) and those had the pop issue. Also, windows default audio drivers work, thus further proving the speakers aren't an issue.

All audio works normal and as should on windows default audio drivers.

My issue was recreated by Bahz on the forums here and he sent me two videos to confirm that the recreation he had was the issue I was experiencing.

Celador wrote:
You have to have gpu and motherboard to test your speakers obviously. The issue appears only in windows, while playing any sounds. It's related to realtek drivers and supremefx chip. It's not a latency issue. If you look at the video i posted on the first page - the person is describing it in detail.

Celador, a GPU is not needed to run a computer, and not needed to test speakers. I tested mine without the GPU, with my new GPU, and with my previous builds GPU.

I agree it's related to realtek drivers and supremefx chip. I tried two other brands of motherboards, Gigabyte didn't have the pop issue, but left squealing noise on CPU usage through only headphones. MSI had the pop issue, but wasn't as bad.

The video on the first page is interesting. I've seen it before. I do not consider that a fix. That just covers the issue :(. I should be able to run my system with the drivers provided and not have issues. This is how it's been on ALL previous builds. I am able to install everything normal and works as it should without doing anything extra.

Please see the 2 following files that Bahz sent me to confirm the issue. One is normal audio, the other cuts out the sound as it plays, creating a tick-like sound anytime an audio channel opens or plays (the issue)

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2iEE9NHtzDLanRVNlVQamRlRms/view?usp=sharing

and

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2iEE9NHtzDLbUc1ZXRucDlBZm8/view?usp=sharing

There is a clear difference.

Anyone have any more insight?