Is my GPU the culprit?

logicandreasoning

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Sep 5, 2017
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I have tried to google a lot but couldn't find a solution to this problem. It only happens in games and not with any other application, video or audio playlist.
My in game audio suddenly mute's then comes back and happens a number of times then stops..
Then after a certain time period randomly it happens again and stop, only while gaming. Audio mutes and comes back, doesn't chop, doesn't skip, doesn't lag.

I tried on board audio driver and x-fi titanium.
I tried different sound bit rates from audio settings.
I tried different audio drivers and fresh windows install.
I tried removing front panel audio cables.
I tried disabling all other audio devices, including hdmi audio with settings in windows.
I tried de-fragmentation.
I tried monitoring temps and loads of CPU, GPU, HDD, RAM. both are under normal levels when this happens.

There is no stutter or lag or FPS drops.
There is no sort of delay in the audio.

According to a wild guess , It started happening ever since i upgraded my GPU to GTX 1060 but i don't know what's truly causing it.

Windows 8.1 x64. daniel K drivers for X-fi, latest drivers for the GPU, 600w PSU corsair value series, intel Ivy i5 3470.

Games that are showing this issue:
Overwatch : during online match, tried repairs, no errors found.
Watch dogs 2.
Dishonored 2.
Resident Evil 7.

The issue is totally random. Please help guys. Hows can I diagonose this problem.

I use MSI Afterburner in the background and FLUX disables when full screen gaming mode.
I repeat: doesn't happen to my music playlist in the background, still happens in the game.
HDD also showed no errors during scan.
 

logicandreasoning

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Sep 5, 2017
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Hello!
I tried all 3.
Primarily use xfi external sound card pcie 1x.
Then tried on board audio card and then tried hdmi audio frm gpu.
Same issue . Audio goes away and comes back. Happens back and forth and then stops. Only happens to the game audio.

 

logicandreasoning

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Sep 5, 2017
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Yes its happening on both hps and speakers. Whats annoying is that there is no pattern

 

logicandreasoning

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Sep 5, 2017
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The audio-muting-in-game issue has been nearly diagonosed. Finally.
After removing the x-fi scard physically from the board. The games stopped showing signs of missing audio, when tested on HDMI.
Weirdly I've tried disabling x-fi from windows before and using hdmi after that. That did not work.
Now i want to short list the actual cause of issue.
Can it be:
1) The pcie 1x slot at fault.
2) Lower pcie lanes in intel 3470 cpu causing audio issues when processing both pcie 16x gpu and pci1x scard, while gaming?
3)The x-fi titanium scard is faulty.