ATI HDMI - Potential Audio Crackle...?

Hello ,
I recently built / upgraded a computer, and all seemed splendid until i installed Unreal Tournament 2004...
I am guessing that game is only suggesting a potential conflict, or issue, and not so much the source of the aforementioned...
Upon loading the game, there was audio, though it would crackle, pop, etc...
The crackling ceases when i adjust the audio driver / audio to "safe mode" (there is 3d audio, EAX, etc...)
So...

REFORMAT...

The video card i installed was a Radeon 4870 1gb, and after installing the default motherboard audio drivers (sorry if this is becoming needlessly convoluted...) there is a device in the device manager that is referring to
ATI HDMI Audio Device...
I have downloaded the driver from the AMD Support site ( http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownl [...] ng=English ), and the crackling audio SEEMS to be pertinent to the installation of the ATI HDMI Drivers...

I have been doing research on these, and am finding some difficulties in finding much pertinent information thus far in my endeavors...

SO : TL;DR Rendition...

I am experience audio cracking and popping which seems to occur after the installation of ATI HDMI Drivers, if anyone could offer some pertinent information on this, it would be much appreciated...