ASUS P5B-D Soundmax clipping and distorting

[devolutionary]

I have a few issues, and it's annoying me greatly. My onboard sound is being completely evil, crackling and popping on trebble parts, washing out clarity, and apparently making Ventrilo speech incredibly loud and generally nasty. I've checked the drivers, but now I have to wonder - should I purge the drivers and re-install, as well as update the BIOS? This is a truly annoying issue for me, since I listen to my music nearly constantly, and having constant distortions is maddening.

Any experience with this issue?

 

[rwpritchett]

I have a few issues, and it's annoying me greatly. My onboard sound is being completely evil, crackling and popping on trebble parts, washing out clarity, and apparently making Ventrilo speech incredibly loud and generally nasty. I've checked the drivers, but now I have to wonder - should I purge the drivers and re-install, as well as update the BIOS? This is a truly annoying issue for me, since I listen to my music nearly constantly, and having constant distortions is maddening.

Any experience with this issue?

I had this exact same problem with my P5B-Deluxe. It made music unbearable to listen to. I hope Asus does something about this. What I did to fix it is go into Soundmax control panel, select the tab that looks like a mallet? and you'll see the DTS options. I can't remember which setting it was... either I disabled DTS (top red button) or I switched from small to large speakers just below that and the cracking & popping went away.

I only had this problem on one set of speakers at my father-in-law's house. At my house, I have high quality speakers and no problems so maybe there's a shielding issue with the speakers.

Hope this helps.

 

[MacDuff]

I've got a P5B Deluxe as well. I haven't noticed this, but I've got latest BIOS and drivers. I have noticed that the volume is heaps higher than my previous machine though - I have to dial the volume settings on the control panel to almost nothing for my headphones (not that this is likely to be linked to your issue)

 

[rquinn19]

the latest bios should fix it for u it did for me...the latest is 0711 I believ and the one before that is the one that fixed it but the newest one should too

 

[rwpritchett]

I'm running BIOS 0711 and the latest driver from the ASUS site... haven't checked the chipmaker site though. Another annoying thing mine does still is that when Windows starts up and the starup wav plays, it start low then snaps to a higher volume like it just detected what the volume is set at in the software. I prefer to keep my volume at 100% on my system because I control the volume with a knob connected to my speakers.

Funny... I don't remember the startup pop with BIOS 0706.

 

[rwpritchett]

Here's a quote from the SoundMax website:

27 How do I stop the crackling/clicking sound when I play MP3 (or other audio) files?

There is a bug on some computers where there is a faint clicking or crackling sound when playing audio. This can often be fixed by going into the mixer and muting the Bass Boost (or just turn the volume of Bass Boost all the way down). If you don't see Bass Boost in the mixer, look at the Properties area of the mixer and make sure the checkbox is checked for Bass Boost.

Another possible fix for this problem is to go into the mixer and lower the volume of the "wave" slider. You can then increase the volume on your speakers to bring the listening volume back up again.

By the way, SoundMAX requires DirectX 9.0 or greater. You can download DirectX from the Microsoft website.

Notice how they blame it on a "bug on some computers". Step up and take responsibility!!!

 

[devolutionary]

I saw the FAQ for SoundMax and laughed muchly. I have no bass-boost ANYWHERE, and I searched everything. Looks like a BIOS and driver upgrade I guess. Thanks for the quick answers.

 

[rquinn19]

try to disable digital audio out if your not using it and mute the line in if not in use...maybe it wasnt the bios update but i had problems and they have since then been fixed

 

[rwpritchett]

I saw the FAQ for SoundMax and laughed muchly. I have no bass-boost ANYWHERE, and I searched everything. Looks like a BIOS and driver upgrade I guess. Thanks for the quick answers.

They might be referring to that DTS tab I posted about earlier. There's a "Disable Subwoofer" check box. Maybe that's what I changed before to get it to stop crackling.

I still find it weird though, I'm connected to my home speakers right now and have all of the SoundMax options enabled and there's no audio problems. But when I hooked up the in-law's speakers (not very cheap ones) I couldn't stand it, every beat of an mp3 had a pop and it kept crackling on high notes.

 

[keenox]

I have(had) this problem too. First, I fixed it only for winamp: i checked allow 24bit, dither and use replay gain. The crackles dissapeared only from winamp, but not from mp10. Now i looked through the dts panel and THIS WAS IT!. Leave the 'Enable Subwoofer' box enabled, choose large speakers and switch to music instead of cinema from above. I also chose the maximum range with the slider, but i think this is optional. It worked for me. I thought that it's just a bad sound chip, but I had a SoundMax on my older Intel D865PERL and it worked very nice and clear. Although, I think i'll buy myself one of those X-Fi Xtreme music sound cards. :twisted: (when i'll have enough money)

 

[devolutionary]

OK, I've sorted the OUTPUT issue, in so much as that when you run all the volumes at 80% or less the crackle vanishes completely. It's a useable temporary option.

Now I have INPUT issues. The damn microphone is hideous. I check various functions, mic boosts, balances, method of input, even modifying ventrilo heavily with regard to all aspects of mic communication, and it still sounds quiet and like I'm 30 feet away from my mic. I'm running a solid headset too, so that's a touch dissappointing.

I think I might just go get a USB headset, lord knows I need a new one with my brother constantly stealing the replacement he bought me for breaking mine twice... wow I'm a sucker

 

[chizzler]

See bottom of this thread: http://forumz.tomshardware.com/hardware/Asus-P5B-Deluxe-audio-popping-clicking-ftopict200024.html

EDIT: I did not try to update my BIOS - maybe the issue can be resolved that way as well...

 

[devolutionary]

... which would be great, except that I do not use Microsoft updates, so therefore this is a non-issue. I've found that the output levels were effecting it. At max on wave outputs and with games turned all the way up, it simply pushed the card too far. Knocking them down and boosting it from my stereo amp worked sweet. The microphone issue is a nnoying, btu I just went and bought a Logitech 250 headset, so it is now a non-issue. USB headsets are much nicer IMO anyway, since that way it's easy to run music from Winamp through the stereo and have game running through the headset.

 

[keenox]

Did you try my solution? usb headsets have their own sound card, which is worse than the integrated one.
regarding the mic problem, i had it on my last computer, also equipped with a soundmax sound card. try installing the original smax drivers and software.

 

[Ogresnot]

I thought it was just my speakers going bad...

I have a Asus P5B Deluxe-WiFi motherboard with this same problem. Speakers popping and clicking randomly when playing music. The problem got dramatically worse when using the software volume control instead of speaker volume control. The workaround posted here worked for me as well.

Open the SoundMAX control panel, click on "Preferences" (looks like a hammer) choose "large speakers" instead of "small speakers". (Didn't need to change any other settings at all.)

Excellent file to test it with (made my speakers sound awful): ayb2.swf

Looking forward to finding a real solution.

 

[mattisaac]

I thought it was just my speakers going bad...

I have a Asus P5B Deluxe-WiFi motherboard with this same problem. Speakers popping and clicking randomly when playing music. The problem got dramatically worse when using the software volume control instead of speaker volume control. The workaround posted here worked for me as well.

Open the SoundMAX control panel, click on "Preferences" (looks like a hammer) choose "large speakers" instead of "small speakers". (Didn't need to change any other settings at all.)

Excellent file to test it with (made my speakers sound awful): ayb2.swf

Looking forward to finding a real solution.

I've just started to get this problem. But when I look for a large speaker option there is none. I only have stereo headphones, stereo speakers, 5.1 and 7.1

 

[Guest]

I get this problem with P6T motherboard and SoudMax, on Win XP. The sound makes crackles and clipping sounds not only through speakers, but also through headphones. Reinstalling SoundMax drivers didn't help, and I have Directx 9 and stuff like that up to date.

I can't find the option called subwoofer anywhere, nor do I see any large speaker/small speaker option. The above suggested ideas like disabling various stuff, tuning down volume, etc - didn't help. I haven't tried updating BIOS yet thoufg, not even sure if it needs an update (just bought this computer). Can't find any help about this anywhere

 

[Guest]

Ok, it's Fishermang here again. I flashed the BIOS and updated to the latest version (think it was just two weeks old from this February) and it seems to be working without clicking clacking crackling noises in the music!

Thanks to this thread.