Date of issue: Since 6.0
Time of issue: Any time I've played (afternoon or evening EST)
Frequency: Almost constant. I've stopped advancing MSQ on my character in Stormblood because I don't want to hear what this does to the VA.
World name: Occurs both on Balmung and Mateus.
Character name@Home World name: Dalii Yagaan @ Balmung, Odile Desroches @ Mateus
Party or solo: Both
In-game time: Any time
Area and coordinates: All areas, but it's constant in instances due to all the skills going off
Steps:

When the first loading screen after login appears, the audio issues begin with mild stuttering.

If my character is stationary or in motion while committing no actions, and with no actions being committed by nearby players or enemies, the music audio is usually okay.

Once I, or another player, or an enemy uses an action (combat/gathering/crafting) the audio begins to stutter. The stuttering occurs the whole time actions are occurring. This means that in instances, the stuttering is continual.

It is often accompanied by a visual lag (eg when entering an instanced dungeon/raid, it often takes several seconds for other players or the enemy to appear).

I have followed the official suggestions that accompanied the release of 6.01 (Set sound settings to 16 bit, 44100 Hz; set listening position to 100 and restarted the game; ensured that the audio is the default device).

I have not yet begun Endwalker with either of my characters (Dalii is in Stormblood and Odile is in ARR). I've stopped advancing MSQ for Dalii because I don't want this to ruin the VA in whatever cutscenes are upcoming.

I know that I am running the game on an older laptop, but given how widespread these audio issues are, I don't think that it's my machine.

PC Specs (If reporting graphical errors, full PC Specs are required.)
-=-=-=-=- System Information -=-=-=-=-

SYSTEM_OS Windows 10 Home 64-bit (6.2, Build 9200) (19041.vb_release.191206-1406)
SYSTEM_CPU Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-3317U CPU @ 1.70GHz (4 CPUs), ~1.7GHz
SYSTEM_CORE_NUM SYSTEM_CORE_LOGIC 4 SYSTEM_CORE_PHYSICS 2
SYSTEM_BIOS S550CA.202
SYSTEM_LANGUAGE English (Regional Setting: English)
SYSTEM_MEMORY 6029.625MB
SYSTEM_VIRTUAL_MEMORY 134217727.875MB
SYSTEM_PAGE_FILE 17805.625MB
SYSTEM_STORAGE C:\ SYSTEM_HARDDISK_DRIVE SYSTEM_TOTALDISC_SPACE 185.748GB SYSTEM_FREEDISC_SPACE 27.202GB
SYSTEM_STORAGE D:\ SYSTEM_HARDDISK_DRIVE SYSTEM_TOTALDISC_SPACE 258.149GB SYSTEM_FREEDISC_SPACE 105.022GB
SYSTEM_DIRECTX_VERSION DirectX 12
SYSTEM_GRAPHICS Intel(R) HD Graphics 4000
SYSTEM_GRAPHICS_DEVICE \\.\DISPLAY1
SYSTEM_GRAPHICS_CHIP Intel(R) HD Graphics Family
SYSTEM_GRAPHICS_MAKER Intel Corporation
SYSTEM_GRAPHICS_VRAM 32.000 MB
SYSTEM_GRAPHICS_SHARED_VRAM 1760.000 MB
SYSTEM_GRAPHICS_DAC Internal
SYSTEM_GRAPHICS_DISPLAY_MODE 1366 x 768 (32 bit) (60Hz)
SYSTEM_GRAPHICS_DRIVER igdumdim64.dll,igd10iumd64.dll,igd10iumd64.dll
SYSTEM_GRAPHICS_DRIVER_VERSION 10.18.0010.4358
SYSTEM_GRAPHICS_DRIVER_DATE 12/20/2015 19:00:00
SYSTEM_GRAPHICS_DRIVER_LANGUAGE English
3.0
SYSTEM_GRAPHICS_PIXEL_SHADER 3.0
SYSTEM_GRAPHICS_VERTEX_TEXTURE SYSTEM_SUPPORT
SYSTEM_SOUND Speakers (Realtek High Definition Audio)
SYSTEM_SOUND_DEVICE_ID {BCB6A559-2942-4C60-8643-1D05A886A69B}
SYSTEM_SOUND_DEVICE_NAME RTKVHD64.sys
SYSTEM_SOUND_DRIVER_VERSION 6.0.1.7553
SYSTEM_SOUND_DRIVER_LANGUAGE English
SYSTEM_SOUND_DRIVER_DATE 7/6/2015 19:00:00
SYSTEM_INPUT {6F1D2B60-D5A0-11CF-BFC7444553540000}
SYSTEM_INPUT_NAME Mouse
SYSTEM_INPUT_REMARKS SYSTEM_GAMEPAD_AXIS 3 SYSTEM_GAMEPAD_BUTTON 5 SYSTEM_GAMEPAD_FOV 0
SYSTEM_INPUT {6F1D2B61-D5A0-11CF-BFC7444553540000}
SYSTEM_INPUT_NAME Keyboard
SYSTEM_INPUT_REMARKS SYSTEM_GAMEPAD_AXIS 0 SYSTEM_GAMEPAD_BUTTON 128 SYSTEM_GAMEPAD_FOV 0
SYSTEM_INPUT {FE04CF20-19F8-11E5-8002444553540000}
SYSTEM_INPUT_NAME 2.4G RF Keyboard & Mouse
SYSTEM_INPUT_REMARKS SYSTEM_GAMEPAD_AXIS 0 SYSTEM_GAMEPAD_BUTTON 897 SYSTEM_GAMEPAD_FOV 0
SYSTEM_INPUT {FE00FE90-19F8-11E5-8001444553540000}
SYSTEM_INPUT_NAME 2.4G RF Keyboard & Mouse
SYSTEM_INPUT_REMARKS SYSTEM_GAMEPAD_AXIS 0 SYSTEM_GAMEPAD_BUTTON 3 SYSTEM_GAMEPAD_FOV 0
SYSTEM_INPUT {FE059270-19F8-11E5-8003444553540000}
SYSTEM_INPUT_NAME 2.4G RF Keyboard & Mouse
SYSTEM_INPUT_REMARKS SYSTEM_GAMEPAD_AXIS 0 SYSTEM_GAMEPAD_BUTTON 0 SYSTEM_GAMEPAD_FOV 0
SYSTEM_INPUT {3A8022F0-DA6E-11E2-8001444553540000}
SYSTEM_INPUT_NAME Atmel maXTouch Digitizer
SYSTEM_INPUT_REMARKS SYSTEM_GAMEPAD_AXIS 3 SYSTEM_GAMEPAD_BUTTON 4 SYSTEM_GAMEPAD_FOV 0
SYSTEM_INPUT {3A9AFDF0-DA6E-11E2-8002444553540000}
SYSTEM_INPUT_NAME ASUS Wireless Radio Control
SYSTEM_INPUT_REMARKS SYSTEM_GAMEPAD_AXIS 0 SYSTEM_GAMEPAD_BUTTON 1 SYSTEM_GAMEPAD_FOV 0
SYSTEM_INPUT {FE0607A0-19F8-11E5-8004444553540000}
SYSTEM_INPUT_NAME 2.4G RF Keyboard & Mouse
SYSTEM_INPUT_REMARKS SYSTEM_GAMEPAD_AXIS 0 SYSTEM_GAMEPAD_BUTTON 0 SYSTEM_GAMEPAD_FOV 0
SYSTEM_INPUT {54FA3AB0-2681-11E5-8002444553540000}
SYSTEM_INPUT_NAME Wacom Tablet
SYSTEM_INPUT_REMARKS SYSTEM_GAMEPAD_AXIS 3 SYSTEM_GAMEPAD_BUTTON 0 SYSTEM_GAMEPAD_FOV 0
SYSTEM_INPUT {3A9B7320-DA6E-11E2-8003444553540000}
SYSTEM_INPUT_NAME Atmel maXTouch Control
SYSTEM_INPUT_REMARKS SYSTEM_GAMEPAD_AXIS 0 SYSTEM_GAMEPAD_BUTTON 0 SYSTEM_GAMEPAD_FOV 0
SYSTEM_INPUT {54F9C580-2681-11E5-8001444553540000}
SYSTEM_INPUT_NAME Wacom Tablet
SYSTEM_INPUT_REMARKS SYSTEM_GAMEPAD_AXIS 2 SYSTEM_GAMEPAD_BUTTON 0 SYSTEM_GAMEPAD_FOV 0
SYSTEM_INPUT {54FB2510-2681-11E5-8003444553540000}
SYSTEM_INPUT_NAME Wacom Tablet
SYSTEM_INPUT_REMARKS SYSTEM_GAMEPAD_AXIS 11 SYSTEM_GAMEPAD_BUTTON 6 SYSTEM_GAMEPAD_FOV 0

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Laptop Model Name: ASUS S550C