Sound distortion in Windows 11 audio playback
Sound distortion in Windows 11 audio playback
Hey everyone, I’m having a problem with my audio quality after switching to Windows 11. The sound keeps crackling no matter what I do—whether I’m using Spotify, YouTube, or anything else. I’ve tried uninstalling and reinstalling the Realtek HD Audio drivers, downgrading them, even using an external USB soundcard from my old Creative headphones (Tactics 3D Alpha), but the issue persists. The only time it works is with my AirPods. Anyone else experience this problem?
I'm really struggling with this problem. It started fine one day and suddenly became painful the next. I don't have a solution yet...
I experienced the same problem with Windows 10, including crackling audio. I resolved it by temporarily removing Realtek from the Device Manager, which cleared all sounds since Realtek was absent. After restarting, Windows eventually reinstalled it, eliminating the issue. However, upon another restart or shutdown, the crackling would reappear. While this seemed like a driver problem, I couldn’t fix it permanently. I tested various Realtek drivers, Asus firmware, and Windows updates, but nothing resolved it. Eventually, I switched to an external DAC connected via USB, which fully fixed the problem. This worked because my headset (Arctis Pro + GameDAC) and the USB DAC used different audio connections—specifically, 3.5mm jacks instead of the original setup. It’s worth trying to remove Realtek from Device Manager and see if that helps, even though you mentioned reading about USB DACs.