Hope you MM folks can help with sound?

[cadmanmeg]

While I do use MM3 for all my music enjoyment, I haven't been able to really enjoy it lately. Reason being, my sound from my 5.1 Logitech speakers went to a popping sequence. I know this is more of a hardware issue, but being that I have tried other forums to no avail and that this one has always been so helpful, I thought I would turn here now.

I run my Logitech 5.1 speakers through MS Win Xp Pro using my Creative Audigy 2 Platinum card. Have had this issue from some time, but until recently, haven't had the time to invest to get it all figured out. Anyways, here is what I have done and tried and some results and whatnot. First, all of the cables looks good and are tightly plugged in to their appropriate places. I have reloaded the drives and software for the sound card repleatedly without resolving anything. And lastly, being that this sound card is plugged though one of my PCI slots, I have even moved it thinking that the bus that the particular PCI slot may be getting static or something from something running on the same bus (read something about this when Goolging). And lastly, I did talk with a local shop and they said that sound cards "rarely" go out and because of the way the popping is on the speakers, that they do not sound like the culprit. What I mean by that last sentence is that sometimes it seems to come from only one of the speakers and sometimes from all or even sometimes from 2-3 of them. The speakers themselves look good and the popping sound varies in intensity and duration and displays this behavior whether I use MM3, WMP, or even WinAmp. Happens with all different types of audio and sometimes even when the speaker controller (has one of those 'matrix' controls with the round dial for controlling bass, etc....) is just on with no sound (although this is kind of quiet when it happens)

So at this point I do not know what else to do. Is really frustrating. I am hoping that a few of you can help me resolve this. Sorry for the long read, but I felt it important to give the background so that there is no repeating steps already discounted. Thanks for your input!

[jc836]

Contrary to what the "shop" told you-it is time to substitute the sound card out. Changing slots was a good idea along with reinstalling the software and drivers. This is a hardware issue in all probability. Make sure there is no dust or debris in the case.
You state that you have the problem regardless of which music program you run. Are you certain that nothing else audio is active? Also, do you keep you speaker cables away from all sources of RF or other interferences producing devices? If you speakers are 'self-powered', then it may be that amplifier. last thought-if you happen to have an integrated/onboard sound card-make sure it is turned off in the BIOS.

[MMan]

This may be way too simple, but I thought that I would make sure this isn't it. Are you aware of the interference from BlackBerrys and 3G cell phones which causes random buzz/pops of varying intensity on computer speakers or speaker phones etc. Do you know what that sounds like? If not, that could be it. If I have my blackberry or my daughter's 3G phone within 4-5 feet of my computer speakers it will cause this interference, See:

http://advice.cio.com/al_sacco/why_your ... rs_to_buzz

You didn't happen to get a new blackberry or cell phone about the time this started? Just a thought. Btw, no fix other than keeping the Blackberry/phone more than 5+ feet away for the speakers.