Sound card static

[hx009]

I have an original SB Live! PCI card in my system which has worked just fine for something like 3-4 years. I use the analog out which goes to a set of DTT2500's, because I never got the digital addon card. Anyways, everything was working just fine up until about a week or two ago. Now, when there is supposed to be silence, I can hear VERY noticeable crackling sound coming out of the speakers unless I turn the "Play Control" and "Wave/Directsound" volume levels WAY down in the volume applet. Doing so is annoying as HELL, because anytime I want to listen to MP3s or play a game, I have to crank them back up (the music or whatever drowns out the crackling), and when done and it's silent again, I get the really loud crackling back. I thought maybe the speakers or some other component were shot, so I popped on two other different sets of speakers onto my PC, and the crackling still occurred. Is my SB Live! card shot? Or is there just some screwed up driver/software problem (however, bear in mind the same drivers that have worked for 3-4 years are the same ones currently installed...)? Anyone? HELP!!!!!!

 

[HouRman]

I'd reinstall anything related to the sound card. Check the connections of the card, the cables, examine the card itself. Did you add any new hardware or software when the problems arose?

If it's shot, I'd get a digital card like a TB santa cruz.

 

[hx009]

I'd reinstall anything related to the sound card. Check the connections of the card, the cables, examine the card itself. Did you add any new hardware or software when the problems arose?

If it's shot, I'd get a digital card like a TB santa cruz.

Yah I checked all physical stuff. Like I said, I even tried different sets of speakers/cables to no avail. And nope, no new hardware has been added for quite sometime. I think I might end up reloading the whole system though...

 

[4824guy]

Yes, check all the connections on the card and the cord going to the speakers. The connections should be cleaned, maybe use a small paper towel with some home rubbing alcohol to clean up the connections, including the connectors that make the connection to the mobo.

Also make sure the speakers are working correctly, maybe try those out on another PC.

 

[HouRman]

As a last resort I'd try the sound card in a different computer, or at least reinstall windows.