Audacity causes audio crackling

[solar]

Ordinarily, audio on my computer is fine. I am running Windows XP SP3. I have a Realtek HD onboard sound card (total crap) but it at least works. The moment I launch Audacity however, all audio on my computer is output with a horrible light crackling noise. After closing Audacity, it doesn't go away, I have to 'reset' my audio by unplugging and plugging back in my headphones or switching on and off playback multi-streaming (which resets all audio).

I cannot for the life of me think why this should occur. I have tested other headsets and the back plugs instead of the front panel and the same problem occurs regardless. I feel as though it is a driver issue, but I don't know much about this kind of thing.

If there's anything else you feel I should mention about my system that would help in diagnosing the problem or something I should try, please let me know.

[kozikowski]

Can you hear the puzzled looks from where you are?

When you do use Audacity, what do you use it for? It's possible your symptoms are caused by the system feeding back on itself; recursive audio pathways.

switching on and off playback multi-streaming (which resets all audio).

Describe that. You're doing a bit more than playing YouTube and an occasional Music CD, right?

Koz

[steve]

I have to 'reset' my audio by unplugging and plugging back in my headphones

What sort of headphones? USB?

[solar]

When you do use Audacity, what do you use it for? It's possible your symptoms are caused by the system feeding back on itself; recursive audio pathways.

I use Audacity to record from microphones, mostly.

switching on and off playback multi-streaming (which resets all audio).

Describe that. You're doing a bit more than playing YouTube and an occasional Music CD, right?

Playback multi-streaming is an option in the Realtek HD sound card settings which creates a second audio device that plays back the same audio. In the case of recording, it creates an audio device called 'mic at front panel', which is useful for adjusting microphone volume seperately from stereo mix, which is not allowed under normal circumstances (realtek sucks). I use this for livestreaming so that I can adjust sound and microphone independantly. Turning the option on and off forces audio to reset.

I have to 'reset' my audio by unplugging and plugging back in my headphones

What sort of headphones? USB?

No, front panel TRS connectors. I don't have this problem when using a USB headset; I only noticed it because I had stopped using one.

[kozikowski]

I use Audacity to record from microphones, mostly.

The Mic-In (usually pink) connector isn't just a super sensitive input to the sound card. It's designed to supply power to a "computer microphone" in addition to managing the sound. Scroll down.

http://www.kozco.com/tech/audioconnecto ... ctors.html

If you're not careful how you connect a microphone to the pink Mic-In socket, you can apply the noisy, ratty computer 5 volt battery to the audio system. It may not damage anything, but it could cause instabilities and certainly noise. And if all your moons and stars line up, it could cause switch latching making it impossible to gracefully recover.

Koz

[solar]

I have my microphone plugged in all the time, the crackling only occurs once I open up Audacity. The noise also can only be heard when sound is being played, like the sound is clipping or something.