Audio popping issue

[GorthRedsteel]

Another day, another day not being able to play the game that requires a monthly sub. Feels GREAT. Let us continue being ignored by SE for another 2 weeks. Maybe by then, we will be able to hear something from their end. Just gotta stay... positive, lads.

[KnottySloth]

So since its over 20 Pages full of Ideas and Feedback around the Sound Poppoing Error i thinks it's time for an overview about tries and errors and possible fixes, who are overall, still not finally able to solve this error.

Here is the Error and how its comes to light

Here is a list, which more or less many user tried, with more or less, mostly less, sucess:

• Deactivate DirextX 11 and go back to DX9
• switch graphical adjustmenst (down, up etc.)
• Reinstall audio and gpu drivers
• install third party audio
• reinstall FFXIV
• check about CPU usage and adjust
• changing priority in CPU settings
• change from Logitech Wireless to cablespeaker
• changing equalizer mode in FFXIV to standard (and back)
• change sound mixer game output into dxmode
• change listening position in FFXIV to 100
• closing realtek audio manager
• enabling audio add-on as trial
• turn spatial on or off
• it returns after restart.
• switching GPU ^_° gives an "improvement"
• LINK config settings which adjusted into better
• borderless Window etc didnt help
• LINK Official Statement about the Soundbug
• some weird ticket with reinstall IE etc. whcih didnt helped at all
• changing the fps to 165 did make it better for 1 evening, and after restart it got worse again
• Go to control panel, hardware and sound, power options, and set your power plan to "Balanced" if it's set on "save power" (nope)

Well, i hope some of these will help you for a short time. As Elliah-Serahart pointed out here there might be a problem when FFXIV is starting /loading, so that resolves the restart - error back feature.

best of luck to all of you. Stay healthy

[Jizu]

Hello fellow Audio-issues havers.
I mainly post as a bump to this thread, but also as a small vent. So if you're looking for a solution, I'm sorry I don't have one.

As you most likely have as well, I have tried every option I've found on the internet, and nothing has changed.
I've been silent and patient, because I know what a big undertaking this Expansion has been and I do not want to play that fact down, but I have to remain unbiased and remind myself: This is a product I have paid for, with a service fee I pay every month in order to use this service.

I am aware that we are being compensated for the huge queue times and disconnections happening, which is highly admirable, very nessecary even for many people, with the lenght it takes them to log in during the few hours they have available to play each night.
But I too have high queuetimes. I too have disconnection issues, and even had them about 2 weeks before EW EA, for no apparent reason. But now, even after braving the login and having a luckily stable connection for the evening, the game is basically still unplayable.

I can't level my classes, I can't progress the MSQ, I can at most put everything silent, watch youtube videos and craft, because the sound is unbearable if I even think about fighting something.
It's frustrating to know, that I've tried everything and have waited a full week since I was supposed to be able to enjoy the product I purchased and am currently paying for, and nothing has changed.
I've never had sound related issues before. Any other game, even more demanding ones, run perfectly fine on my computer.
It's sad to know there will not be additional compensation for this, since it doesn't affect everybody.

Again, many people had issues logging in and staying logged in recently, but at least when they were they had a great time. I am not, as you all aren't either I assume.
I just stopped playing again after a couple hours in which I thought I could try the MSQ again. But only 1 encounter with a single beast later I am tired. I am tired and sad that all I can do is play it silently or not at all.

We all agree that the music this game has is fantastic, even the small battle themes are recognizable and amazing. I want that to be my experience with this game, and this expansion. My first expansion I've been part of the live release.
Currently every encounter, every step forward in any direction of the game, I worry my sound will crack and pierce my ears. Once that happens my immersion is intensly broken, but to be honest, it is as soon as I hear it happen in the loading screens when I think about doing anything. Any moment I do anything in the game, I expect it to happen. I worry it'll start any second (which it usually does..) and it already pulls me out so far.

ShB SPOILERS:
Imagine you're about to face Hades, you stare him down, the Theme starts playing and all you hear is a crackling mess of screeching.
ShB SPOILERS END

I worry that that might be my experience with EW if I keep going. I'm not far into the MSQ but I don't know whats gonna happen next. I hate to think that might happen.

I know others have it worse when they have queues of 5k+ just to be dropped from the queue and having to requeue, I've been lucky that my times were high but I have gotten in within reasonable times so far. It doesn't make me less sad though.
But I guess I am just human, and I'm selfish in saying this, but I feel like I was entirely unable to play since EA release, whilst no one I know personally had any issues besides logging in and maybe 1 DC a night. Why do I have to deal with this? Why do I get treated the same, when I am pretty much completely unable to enjoy what I paid for just the same?

Best of luck, I envy all of you for whom any of the possible fixes have worked! Enjoy the game and turn that sound up! For all of us sitting on the bench, ready to follow you, fellow Warriors Of Light. ♥

TLDR: It's a bump. It's a vent. Wish i had a solution for yall, cus I know what it feels like. But I did see, we finally made it onto the "known issues" list, so one can only hope.

EDIT: I saw a new 'fix' by setting your power usage to balanced, it didn't work. But it made me notice something about the issue when I tested it. It seems like there is a 'build up' and a 'threshhold' to it. When I start the game fresh, I go to bigger fates to make sure that if the issue could happen, it would.
It works fine for a minute maybe, but theres a certain point at which it just breaks and any effect that worked before is now broken and the bgm is forever broken aswell.

[Fyxation]

Thanks for compiling all the stuff from various threads. I've even seen more than what you listed! I gave up trying to "fix" things on my end a few days ago, and I'm now waiting for SE to revert whatever is causing this as it's definitely something born from EW's new sound features--regardless of if you are using them or not. For me, it's been a real downer since it's so terribly distracting in brand new battles which contain audio ques and dialog. It gets the worst during FATES and 8 man trials. I want to progress, but the first new trial was such a bad experience that I'm not sure I can deal with that again. This is incredibly frustrating.

[KnottySloth]

Thanks for compiling all the stuff from various threads. I've even seen more than what you listed! I gave up trying to "fix" things on my end a few days ago, and I'm now waiting for SE to revert whatever is causing this as it's definitely something born from EW's new sound features--regardless of if you are using them or not. For me, it's been a real downer since it's so terribly distracting in brand new battles which contain audio ques and dialog. It gets the worst during FATES and 8 man trials. I want to progress, but the first new trial was such a bad experience that I'm not sure I can deal with that again. This is incredibly frustrating.

iam willing to edit and quote myself if you are adding your steps, which you tried.
ty

[PaulH]

I am relieved to be seeing this forum post. I thought I was going mad with EW and the popping sound, crackling, headset, speakers etc. Thanks all for your efforts. I tried a few things and I keep losing spell sounds so glad it isnt me.

[SerenaEclipse]

Idk about y'all but for me the sound just seems off... I was not getting popping... But I would get a stutter here or there... Or I'd notice the cutscene audio would start quietly and randomly get louder... Also I have never once heard the RDM ability scorch prior to EW.. and now it's very annoyingly in my ears ... Looking at you Erik (it's not there fault) also Holy seems much quieter to me.. Additionally it just seems to me like a lot of the combat sound effects are muffled or quieter I'm general (except for RDM scorch)

[VaireAsani]

Reporting in to say I finally tried using the spatial sound option (via their free trial) and it made 0 difference :/

[FunkyBunch]

I'm randomly having the special effects drop and voice acting drop.
Seems to happen after a few hours of being logged in. So annoying as the only way to fix it is to relog, which can take hours.

[AeroXaia]

Afaik the only throttling going on (if you don't underclock your CPU) is when your CPU gets too hot. But that wouldnt JUST affect audio. It would also result in low fps - and obvious delay with input etc.
My CPU doesnt get hot when playing FF14 - and the audio stuttering is absolutely not related to downthrottling of CPU when too hot. I also know that it's not related to the CPU not being able to draw enough Volts.

I overclocked my CPU some 2 years ago, and made sure to have really good cooling - because i knew how much heat it would produce. I specifically bought a new power supply that is able to supply the overclock sufficiently, and then some.

Anyway - I love not having to wear clothes at home in winter... But i'm 99% sure it's not related to the audio issues,

Well, I can show you a video if you want. There's is an absolute 100% 1:1 correlation with zero delay whatsoever when I change that setting. You can IMMEDIATELY see it cause the sound issues or resolve it (as long as it's not a big battle), in real time, without hurting the FPS much until you go too low. It disproportionately affects the audio.

Again, I can record a video and show it, it's not a guess or theory. It affects it instantaneously and I've been switching back and forth as I play to have less broken sound in dungeons and trials, and going back while waiting in queues, so I don't have excess heat and fan noise. The moment I click it, the sound instantly changes, and the FPS remains good either way.

Edit: Also, just to add more detail, the CPU usage doesn't seem to ever go too far past 50% in any case anyways, according to windows task manager.