XPS 15-9570, Audio crackling and popping

Hi,

thanks for your reply. Here is the information required:

> Is the audio popping/cracking intermittently or is it a continuous distortion?
When the problem occur it is a continuous distortion

> Is it more predominant when AC power is connected to the system?
I will verify that and let you know.

> Does it pop/crack connecting or disconnecting power?
Nope. It starts crackling randomly. Apparently there is no reason.

> Does the fault favour a speaker side? right or left?
Nope. Both sides are affected.

> Can this issue be provoked in anyway?
No. I did not find any way to provoke it yet.

> What Audio sources are you seeing the issue on? For example: local audio files or online services or both?
Spotify, Gaming, Youtube...whenever the issue occurs it affects every audio reproduction.

> Is the system under load when this fault occurs?
I need to verify this. But it happens just listening to any song in Spotify (with no other applications running), if we can consider that beeing "under load".

> How is the fault rectified when it occurs? pausing the audio, different drive, or a full restart?
A very basic workaround is to change the Windows Spatial Sound status: from enable to disable or viceversa. Also Enabling then Disabling makes the trick.

> Does it occur with the audio jack populated with headphones?
It happens with Built-in speakers and using External speakers as well. I'm going to try with bluetooth headphones and let you know.

> What audio driver version is installed?

> What BIOS version are you currently running?

> What version of Windows are you running and what release of it (Windows 10 PRO RS3/4)?
Windows 10 1803. See above the build version.

> What audio enhancements are selected (if any)?
I disabled every audio enhancement. Either from Maxi Sound Pro panel and Windows Audio Properties panel.

Anyway I want to point out that, according to what has been reported by other users, the issue seems caused by Maxi Sound software. If you read the entire thread, there is a guy who posted a modified version of Dell Driver package without maxi software and the issue didn't happen again. Unfortunately this fix involves the use of Unsigned Drivers and needs Windows Registry to be edited. Other users also report that uninstalling Dell Audio Driver Package (Maxi sound included) and installing Microsoft Audio Driver fixes the issue.

I hope I have been helpful.

Looking forward to your reply.

It's most likely related with the audio driver. Anyone with modded Realtek drivers or using Linux doesn't hear the crackling. It has been discussed hundreds of times that it is related with high DPC latency. If you check it with latencymon you'll be able to see that ACPI.sys is causing it. And if you can't replicate it just get in touch with someone with the issue who is willing to collaborate, because many of us have been dealing with it for too long. When you spend so much money on a laptop that is marketed to the professionals you aren't expected to spend so many hours looking for a fix on a forum and tinkering and possibly making things worse. It should simply work out of the box.

Update:

Maybe I found a way to replicate the issue. I restarted my laptop 2 days ago and it only ran MTG Arena smoothly (launched and closed it several times in the meanwhile) until a few minutes ago when I closed Arena and played a song on Spotify and then the issue occurred again.

So, it seems like it happens when passing from a foreground application to another. It doesn't happen with system notification sounds while using an application. I think that the DPC matter could make sense.

I'm having issues with the audio as well but in a different manner. The audio device always goes missing once a while and the solution is to reinstall the realtek driver from dell website. Realtek High Definition Audio Driver 6.0.1.8454.

System Information report written at: 11/24/18 17:30:45
System Name: UMSC-NB001
[System Summary]

Item Value
OS Name Microsoft Windows 10 Pro
Version 10.0.17134 Build 17134
Other OS Description Not Available
OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation
System Name NB001
System Manufacturer Dell Inc.
System Model XPS 15 9570
System Type x64-based PC
System SKU 087C
Processor Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-8750H CPU @ 2.20GHz, 2208 Mhz, 6 Core(s), 12 Logical Processor(s)
BIOS Version/Date Dell Inc. 1.5.0, 3/9/2018
SMBIOS Version 3.1
Embedded Controller Version 255.255
BIOS Mode UEFI
BaseBoard Manufacturer Dell Inc.
BaseBoard Model Not Available
BaseBoard Name Base Board
Platform Role Mobile
Secure Boot State On
PCR7 Configuration Binding Possible
Windows Directory C:\Windows
System Directory C:\Windows\system32
Boot Device \Device\HarddiskVolume2
Locale United States
Hardware Abstraction Layer Version = "10.0.17134.1"
User Name
Time Zone Malay Peninsula Standard Time
Installed Physical Memory (RAM) 16.0 GB
Total Physical Memory 15.7 GB
Available Physical Memory 10.3 GB
Total Virtual Memory 18.1 GB
Available Virtual Memory 11.0 GB
Page File Space 2.38 GB
Page File C:\pagefile.sys
Kernel DMA Protection Off
Virtualization-based security Not enabled
Device Encryption Support Reasons for failed automatic device encryption: WinRE is not configured
Hyper-V - VM Monitor Mode Extensions Yes
Hyper-V - Second Level Address Translation Extensions Yes
Hyper-V - Virtualization Enabled in Firmware Yes
Hyper-V - Data Execution Protection Yes

Update 2:

I was listening to the songs in "Need Inspiration?" section of this website (embedded Spotify player):

then started the video in this other page (embedded YouTube video):

and boom...the issue again!

already tried with 16-44100 but the problem still occurs.

UPDATE

cackling has returned, oh well as many people have put it on this thread its probably a driver issue. Hardware should be a non-issue I can confirm this because this was a replacement unit hence until dell fixes this software issue its probably going to plague as all. If dell is reading this, all the drivers and the bios are up to date as of 26/11/2018. 

Seems to have worked for me...it's only been a day, but so far so good.  Thanks for the tip!

what tip are you referring to?

Edit: My reply was to the user that asked about the DAC.

I too experience the fustrating crackles, will test going over all the parameters from the Dell poster.

Wondering the same, I'll test with a Focusrite Scarlet 2i2

I also have this problem and I just got this laptop today. The temporary fix (spatial sound fix) only worked for about 20 mins before the popping and crackling started again. Very disappointed with this and hope dell finds a fix too and if not I will most certainly return my unit. Dell fix this issue quickly!  

Got my XPS on Monday I did a clean install getting rid of everything and flashing the BIOS and just now the issue appeared I went to the Realtek website got rid of the current Realtek driver completely and downloaded the original one from Realtek. I feel like even the audio changed after I installed it. It become more clear and definitely more HD. If I recall correctly after I did the clean install I had the Dell Update app which looks for missing or outdated drivers and it didn't detect the Realtek and after being around forums for a while it seems their problem is outdated drivers most of the time. For now I have no crackling issues but I am gonna update you if something comes up. :)

This is the link I used https://www.realtek.com/en/component/zoo/category/pc-audio-codecs-high-definition-audio-codecs-software    I downloaded the 64-bit ver. I first deleted the previous one and then installed the new one. (p.s. remove the %C2%A0 from the end of the link it is just automatically added for some reason)