View Full Version : Sound Blaster X-Fi:Popping & Crackling
Deus Excalibur
01-14-2006, 08:59 PM
I've had a Sound Blaster X-Fi Xtreme Music for a few months and in games like Battlefield 2 and Day of Defeat: Source I get lots of popping and crackling. There is a HUGE thread about it on the Creative forums but nobody is able to figure out why this is happening. Nothing works.
I then got a Fatal1ty card and put my XM in my VIA 939 PC and it was flawless. My Fatal1ty still has issues with my main PC though. Its not as bad but its definitely there.
Anyone else have sound problems with the X-Fi?
OmegaMerc
01-15-2006, 12:33 AM
I've had a Sound Blaster X-Fi Xtreme Music for a few months and in games like Battlefield 2 and Day of Defeat: Source I get lots of popping and crackling. There is a HUGE thread about it on the Creative forums but nobody is able to figure out why this is happening. Nothing works.
I then got a Fatal1ty card and put my XM in my VIA 939 PC and it was flawless. My Fatal1ty still has issues with my main PC though. Its not as bad but its definitely there.
Anyone else have sound problems with the X-Fi?
Snap crackle in pop isn't anything new, that has been around as long as Sound blaster Live!, some say it has to do with interference with the HDDs.
Deus Excalibur
01-15-2006, 06:21 AM
I've had a SB 16 ISA, SB 16 PCI, SB Live!(the one w/ the I/o pannel), SB Live Platinum 4.1, SB Audigy 1,2, 2ZS and never had this problem.
The HDD interference seems to occur with SCSI hard drives. I don't hear popping from my speakers whenever something load.
Vapor
01-15-2006, 06:24 AM
Try turning off CMSS. If that works, report back and I can walk you through how to get it working again.
Daveb2012
01-16-2006, 02:57 AM
Try turning off CMSS. If that works, report back and I can walk you through how to get it working again.
this didnt help for me i need advice on how to fix this also..
http://forums.creative.com/creativelabs/board/message?board.id=soundblaster&message.id=31426
Deus Excalibur
01-19-2006, 05:55 PM
Yeah, I've posted in those forums already(under the name Bop)
This forum has much more experienced PC users so I thought I'd see if anyone here knew a fix.
I'm getting an MSI K8N Diamond Plus so I hope that will somehow hopefully help as I remeber with my 1.5ghz P4 ASUS board I had sound crackling issues, and I can't recall hearing the crackling on my DFI SLI-DR. I'll post an update when I get the board.
Marios
01-19-2006, 07:37 PM
Did you try to dissable the parallel port or the on board game port (it is set at IRQ 5 on the BIOS).
You might also try to reserve an IRQ (5 or 7) for legacy devices.
I do not have the XFX so I am just trying to give you some hints that might help.
Do you have any unknown device in the device manager?
bullit
01-20-2006, 07:05 AM
well i had the same problem and change de speakers of place ,and it works,it semms lika a interference on the digital cable with other cables.Try to isolate the sound cable from other ones.Good luck
yuckfou
01-22-2006, 11:02 PM
try and change with better cables
Deus Excalibur
01-23-2006, 12:28 PM
It happens with a whole different receiver/cables. Also with headphones.
Device manager show no problems and all unnessescary devices have been turned off in the BIOS.
Daveb2012
02-13-2006, 11:28 PM
I still haven't fixed this problem with my x-fi I am just accepting it although I wish I could find a fix
Deadeye550
02-14-2006, 10:36 AM
if your motherboard has a onboard audio controller disable that in the BIOS. When I installed my sound blaster Audigy 2, I left my onboard audio enabled by accident and it screwed with my SB card with the cracking and popping. Other then this the only thing I can recommend is to update drivers, put the sound card on the last PCI slot on your motherboard. This should help reduce any possible conflicts with any other device near it. I hope this works :)
Daveb2012
02-15-2006, 01:05 AM
if your motherboard has a onboard audio controller disable that in the BIOS. When I installed my sound blaster Audigy 2, I left my onboard audio enabled by accident and it screwed with my SB card with the cracking and popping. Other then this the only thing I can recommend is to update drivers, put the sound card on the last PCI slot on your motherboard. This should help reduce any possible conflicts with any other device near it. I hope this works :)
Ive already done this. I have tried pages of things with no success. I am open to any one elses ideas but im sure I've tried almost all of it.
Deadeye550
02-15-2006, 09:10 AM
RMA it? I built my dads computer with a X-fi for its sound card, 0 problems, you could just have gotten a bad card. Other then that I am out of ideas :(
zoomee
02-27-2006, 02:18 AM
the only time my card pops and crackles is when its overheating :(
thats why creative now release the x-fi's with built-in heatsinks!
big problem for mainly SLI users i suppose as their in-case temps will be higher than average users :( :(
I hope my X-Fi doesn't have the same problem when it arrives....then again it should be the new rev with heatsinks, so fingers crossed that solves the issue :worship: I bought it to stop the cracking dammit :mad: