Audio issue with Steam games

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pingle_635 19 Sep, 2024 @ 8:57pm

I keep having a weird issue when playing some of my games on Steam. I bought a pre-built PC about a year ago and it runs really well. Not top of the range but not inexpensive either. The only issue is that sometimes, regardless of how well a game is running, my audio will occasionally crackle, and my mouse can freeze for about a second or two, while the game continues to run without a problem.

It seems entirely random and it also happens regardless of what device I use for audio (wireless headphones, an audio interface, my monitor, etc.). I was wondering if anyone knows what this is or what could be causing it. The mouse freezing makes me suspect that it isn't just to do with my audio engine.

Thanks!

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Originally posted by crunchyfrog:

Originally posted by pingle_635:
Originally posted by crunchyfrog:
The only thing I will point out is that if you are suffering audio crackling and it dirupts your mouse input, then there's either something wrong with the audio hardware, something wrong with the driver, or maybe even something wrong with the mouse connection or driver.

The way DirectX works, for example, if you have any issues with an audio device it will affect graphics, and other systems.

So it could be your audio device or driver, or the same with your mouse. First thing to check is the USB connection for the mouse (or dongle) is secure and not loose. USB connections often are crap and get loose over time, so your PC can go NUTS trying to connect and disconnect several times a second if it's not secure.

Best way to check this is to use a different USB connection. See if anything changes.

Also drivers - update them if you can. If you can't, remove them entirely and try to reinstall an earlier version and see if things change.

If none of them work you should really assume that there's something hardware related and should get it checked out.
Awesome thank you! I've checked my USB inputs on the back and none of them seem loose. That could be part of the problem as I have multiple devices connected (wireless mouse, audio interface, headphone receiver, keyboard, midi controller, charger for my headphones).

I think all my audio drivers are up to date but I can try uninstalling them and reinstalling them. The strangest thing though is that it only seems to be affected by Steam. I'm a musician as well (hence the interface) and Ableton never seems to have any of same issues. That makes me think it's probably not a hardware issue (or at least I hope it isn't)

Ah now if you have all those things connected, how many are in the same hub?

Because if you have a few you're likely pulling too much power and they're fighting with each other to power.

This often results in the first thing you connected dropping out, or the PC getting confused and repeatedly trying to connect and disconnect things.

That may well explain the crackling as that may indicate an underpowered amp.

The easiest way to check this is to remove every single thing, and gradually add them one by one and mix it up until the problem appears.

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Showing 1-15 of 17 comments

ReBoot 19 Sep, 2024 @ 9:03pm

Looks like you're using Windows 11 on an AMD system. Perform a BIOS update (or firmware update, for the oedants out there).

pingle_635 19 Sep, 2024 @ 9:37pm

Windows 11 yes, AMD no. I have an NVIDIA RTX 3060. All my drivers are up to date

ReBoot 19 Sep, 2024 @ 9:40pm

Originally posted by pingle_635:
Windows 11 yes, AMD no. I have an NVIDIA RTX 3060. All my drivers are up to date

You know this PC has a CPU, right? Like that thing that does non-graphics-computing. It couldn't even boot without a CPU!

pingle_635 19 Sep, 2024 @ 9:43pm

Thank you for your input. Why would that be causing the issue and how would that fix it?

ReBoot 19 Sep, 2024 @ 9:46pm

Originally posted by pingle_635:
Thank you for your input. Why would that be causing the issue and how would that fix it?

Why: something between AMD's earlier fTPM versions and Windows 11 goes awry.
How: AMD's updates fTPM doesn't show this issue.

pingle_635 19 Sep, 2024 @ 9:56pm

If it were my CPU, I'd wager that the glitch would be happening with other programs too. It's only with Steam games

ReBoot 19 Sep, 2024 @ 9:57pm

Originally posted by pingle_635:
If it were my CPU, I'd wager that the glitch would be happening with other programs too. It's only with Steam games

Do or do you not have an AMD CPU?

Last edited by ReBoot; 19 Sep, 2024 @ 9:59pm

pingle_635 19 Sep, 2024 @ 10:09pm

Originally posted by ReBoot:
Originally posted by pingle_635:
If it were my CPU, I'd wager that the glitch would be happening with other programs too. It's only with Steam games
Do or do you not have an AMD CPU?

No. Any other ideas?

ReBoot 19 Sep, 2024 @ 10:11pm

Originally posted by pingle_635:
Originally posted by ReBoot:
Do or do you not have an AMD CPU?
No. Any other ideas?

You really could've said that earlier.

crunchyfrog 20 Sep, 2024 @ 1:35am

The only thing I will point out is that if you are suffering audio crackling and it dirupts your mouse input, then there's either something wrong with the audio hardware, something wrong with the driver, or maybe even something wrong with the mouse connection or driver.

The way DirectX works, for example, if you have any issues with an audio device it will affect graphics, and other systems.

So it could be your audio device or driver, or the same with your mouse. First thing to check is the USB connection for the mouse (or dongle) is secure and not loose. USB connections often are crap and get loose over time, so your PC can go NUTS trying to connect and disconnect several times a second if it's not secure.

Best way to check this is to use a different USB connection. See if anything changes.

Also drivers - update them if you can. If you can't, remove them entirely and try to reinstall an earlier version and see if things change.

If none of them work you should really assume that there's something hardware related and should get it checked out.

#10

pingle_635 21 Sep, 2024 @ 11:16am

Originally posted by crunchyfrog:
The only thing I will point out is that if you are suffering audio crackling and it dirupts your mouse input, then there's either something wrong with the audio hardware, something wrong with the driver, or maybe even something wrong with the mouse connection or driver.

The way DirectX works, for example, if you have any issues with an audio device it will affect graphics, and other systems.

So it could be your audio device or driver, or the same with your mouse. First thing to check is the USB connection for the mouse (or dongle) is secure and not loose. USB connections often are crap and get loose over time, so your PC can go NUTS trying to connect and disconnect several times a second if it's not secure.

Best way to check this is to use a different USB connection. See if anything changes.

Also drivers - update them if you can. If you can't, remove them entirely and try to reinstall an earlier version and see if things change.

If none of them work you should really assume that there's something hardware related and should get it checked out.

Awesome thank you! I've checked my USB inputs on the back and none of them seem loose. That could be part of the problem as I have multiple devices connected (wireless mouse, audio interface, headphone receiver, keyboard, midi controller, charger for my headphones).

I think all my audio drivers are up to date but I can try uninstalling them and reinstalling them. The strangest thing though is that it only seems to be affected by Steam. I'm a musician as well (hence the interface) and Ableton never seems to have any of same issues. That makes me think it's probably not a hardware issue (or at least I hope it isn't)

Last edited by pingle_635; 21 Sep, 2024 @ 11:27am

#11

The author of this thread has indicated that this post answers the original topic.

crunchyfrog 21 Sep, 2024 @ 3:46pm

Originally posted by pingle_635:
Originally posted by crunchyfrog:
The only thing I will point out is that if you are suffering audio crackling and it dirupts your mouse input, then there's either something wrong with the audio hardware, something wrong with the driver, or maybe even something wrong with the mouse connection or driver.

The way DirectX works, for example, if you have any issues with an audio device it will affect graphics, and other systems.

So it could be your audio device or driver, or the same with your mouse. First thing to check is the USB connection for the mouse (or dongle) is secure and not loose. USB connections often are crap and get loose over time, so your PC can go NUTS trying to connect and disconnect several times a second if it's not secure.

Best way to check this is to use a different USB connection. See if anything changes.

Also drivers - update them if you can. If you can't, remove them entirely and try to reinstall an earlier version and see if things change.

If none of them work you should really assume that there's something hardware related and should get it checked out.
Awesome thank you! I've checked my USB inputs on the back and none of them seem loose. That could be part of the problem as I have multiple devices connected (wireless mouse, audio interface, headphone receiver, keyboard, midi controller, charger for my headphones).

I think all my audio drivers are up to date but I can try uninstalling them and reinstalling them. The strangest thing though is that it only seems to be affected by Steam. I'm a musician as well (hence the interface) and Ableton never seems to have any of same issues. That makes me think it's probably not a hardware issue (or at least I hope it isn't)

#12

Ray Pain Kenobbi 17 May @ 5:15am

Did you find a solution? Im having the same issue with a laptop Strix Scar 16 2025, Intel I9 Pro 275HX, RTX 5090, only playing in steam, I tried in other asus laptop with a 5080, I returned it because I thought the laptop was having problems :l

#13

pingle_635 17 May @ 8:03pm

Originally posted by Ray Pain Kenobbi:
Did you find a solution? Im having the same issue with a laptop Strix Scar 16 2025, Intel I9 Pro 275HX, RTX 5090, only playing in steam, I tried in other asus laptop with a 5080, I returned it because I thought the laptop was having problems :l

I haven't really been playing Steam games as of late but generally, I think it was the amount of USB inputs. I had an interface, midi controller, wireless headphones, computer keyboard, and headset charger all in one computer. Now I don't have as many and it seems to be running better.

It still does it from time to time but it isn't as bad as it was

#14

Aujat 8 Jun @ 2:07pm

Originally posted by Ray Pain Kenobbi:
Did you find a solution? Im having the same issue with a laptop Strix Scar 16 2025, Intel I9 Pro 275HX, RTX 5090, only playing in steam, I tried in other asus laptop with a 5080, I returned it because I thought the laptop was having problems :l

I have an ASUS ROG Srix Scar 18 with U9 275HX and RTX 5090, and I have the same issues. While playing demanding games, my headset starts crackling after a few minutes, and my mouse freezes. Did you find a fix ?

Last edited by Aujat; 8 Jun @ 2:07pm

#15

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Date Posted: 19 Sep, 2024 @ 8:57pm

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