Audio popping issue

[Grimno]

Well Maintenance has started.
Will this usher in a fix to eliminate the audio popping/stuttering/choppiness so many have been effected by since the launch of Endwalker?
Will it not help at all?
Will it somehow make it worst for more people?

We shall see...

[AsheNabuddis]

Holy damn, I did not expect this post to get this big.
It's both a shame and a comfort to see so many share the same issue.

Here's to hoping the next patches completely eliminate this problem.

[RobynDaBank]

They've said they addressed this again.



ETA to add patch notes link: https://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/lodestone/topics/detail/9325d2a5dae2ac34b9f970c803848e8fb1c3aaf7

[TojiSuzuhara]

cautiously optimistic but will need to see when servers come up

"The following issues have been addressed.
An issue wherein audio crackling and stuttering occurred under certain conditions.
* For players who continue to experience audio playback issues after the release of Patch 6.08, we ask that you consider disabling DualSense / DUALSHOCK 4 functionality."

[Midare]

Well, I'll see how things go once the servers are up... but I'm not feeling very hopeful considering I don't even use a controller...

[RobynDaBank]

Well, I'll see how things go once the servers are up... but I'm not feeling very hopeful considering I don't even use a controller...

I don't think it's about controllers too much TBH. The DualShock 4 functionality is something they added this patch, in the gamepad settings. Probably just have to disable it if you still have problems.

[Geirr]

I'm going to guess that the northbridge might have something to do with it and it isn't just a CPU issue. I say that because I've tried to help a friend troubleshoot it. They used the integrated sound at first which was southbridge. Southbridge has to go through northbridge to talk to CPU.

Had friend try to run audio off her graphics card only. Graphics card on her old motherboard has no direct CPU access, it goes through northbridge first. Still had issues.

Friend tried a 70$ soundblaster audio card. Said card still has to go through northbridge to talk to CPU and should have offloaded some work off the CPU. Still had the issue.

Maybe the changes to audio are jamming up the northbridge on older CPUs, as well as just not being good for those CPU designs.

[Puss_Kat]

I'm going to guess that the northbridge might have something to do with it and it isn't just a CPU issue. I say that because I've tried to help a friend troubleshoot it. They used the integrated sound at first which was southbridge. Southbridge has to go through northbridge to talk to CPU.

Had friend try to run audio off her graphics card only. Graphics card on her old motherboard has no direct CPU access, it goes through northbridge first. Still had issues.

Friend tried a 70$ soundblaster audio card. Said card still has to go through northbridge to talk to CPU and should have offloaded some work off the CPU. Still had the issue.

Maybe the changes to audio are jamming up the northbridge on older CPUs, as well as just not being good for those CPU designs.

IO Chipsets are irrelevant to this issue.

Sound cards do not "offload" work from the cpu,
Vista removed the hardware abstraction layer for Sound devices, only certain Creative cards can forward hardware dsound to the hardware dac/apu via openal on vista-10.


CPU utilisation is reduced considerably in 6.08, the issues should no longer manifest,

I can also no longer reproduce the exponential increase in CPU usage when muting SFX and Ambient in area's full of such effects.

[redghost289]

As far as I can tell, this appears to be fixed with patch 6.08! I checked a few areas, entered combat, did a trial, and heard no crackling nor distortion. Crystal-clear background music, even in combat, for the first time since Shadowbringers! If you're reading this before logging in for the day, it might be safe to get your hopes up!

[Vallek]

Ditto the above, as far as I can tell its been fixed!