Current Events > Wtf is this weird PC audio issue

(+) Yeah! (+)

Behaviour:

• Playing youtube - audio is fine
• Playing Netflix - audio is fine
• Playing crunchyroll - audio is basically Compressed Robotic Static (gonna abbreviate this to CRS)
• Playing spotify - CRS, intermittently
• playing youtube/Netflix while crunchyroll/spotify is open but paused - CRS
• Audio on other devices - laptop, PS4, Nintendo switch - audio is fine.

What I've tried:

• Downloaded and reinstalled audio drivers and restarted
• Changed audio sample rate (mostly just made it worse)
• Turned on/off audio enhancements
• Changed default audio devices
• Turned on/off exclusive mode

What my setup is:

• speakers plugged into monitor with 3.5mil jack.
• Monitor plugged into KVM switch.
• KVM switch plugged into PC.

I want to guess it's some weird combo of the specific hardware I've got going on here, but it's hard to say when it literally only happens with certain apps.

It's a bandwidth thing. Upgrade your internet.

Questions:

• What types of connectors plug the KVM switch into the PC (Displayport/HDMI/USB/USB-C/etc.)?
• What type of connector plugs the monitor into the KVM?
• Is the PC a laptop or a desktop?
• What happens when you plug the speakers into the PC directly?
• Do you have any headphones? What happens when you plug them into the PC directly?
• With the Crunchyroll audio, can you make out any kind of intelligible audio, or is it just noise?
• Are you using native apps, or are you on the websites? If the latter, which browsers have you tried?

It sounds like some of the sources are attempting to output in surround sound rather than the 2.0 of your speakers in the monitor.

The_cranky_hermit posted...

Questions:
* What types of connectors plug the KVM switch into the PC (Displayport/HDMI/USB/USB-C/etc.)?

HDMI

* What type of connector plugs the monitor into the KVM?
HDMI

* Is the PC a laptop or a desktop?

New desktop, msi b850 gaming wifi motherboard

* What happens when you plug the speakers into the PC directly?

I haven't tried that yet, my desk is setup in a way where it was gonna be a pain to do that. But I think that's definitely my next port of call, because I'm wondering if something is getting lost in the way this is all connected through the DAC/KVM setup

* Do you have any headphones? What happens when you plug them into the PC directly?

I haven't tried that but bluetooth headphones works perfectly fine on any app

* With the Crunchyroll audio, can you make out any kind of intelligible audio, or is it just noise?

The sound is consistent with what's happening on screen, but its unintelligible. I.e. if a character on screen says "Hey, john, come here" then what I hear is a garbled "scchhfr, gsch, sjjsjcs sjcsjcs"

* Are you using native apps, or are you on the websites? If the latter, which browsers have you tried?

Native spotify app, crunchyroll on browser. I've tested crunchyroll on firefox, chrome and incognito - all same behaviour.

I would try plugging the speakers into the PC directly next. Just to isolate the problem. Also try the Crunchyroll native app and see if that makes any difference.

It does sound to me like the Crunchyroll web app might may be hijacking your audio output mode and doing it in a way that your setup doesn't handle gracefully, for whatever reason. Which may or may not have to do with the KVM passthrough.

You can try disabling Bluetooth services, maybe it's kinda like how anti-cheat software makes Bluetooth audio all tinny and muffled.

I'll be able to test this tonight, so check back in in about 6 hours.

Is it the bass?

Some more general notes:

• Always leave default format/sample rate alone.
• Audio enhancements should be default or off.
• Spatial sound should be off.
• Exclusive mode should be allowed unless you know that an app can't be trusted with it.

Some stuff to try:

• Chrome has a WASAPI mode which I think needs a command line parameter to use. But give it a try and see if it helps.
• If going directly to the PC solves the problem, try messing with your monitor settings and see if there's anything related to audio passthrough. Also try bypassing the KVM too.
• If you have the option to disable encoded formats, try it.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/2/20ad64c6.png