Audigy 2 ZS Gamer Crackle/Stutter During Gamep

Question

Current System Configuration
-Intel P4 3E 3.0GHz 800MHz FSB MB L2 Cache
-MSI PT880 NEO FSR
-Samsung 52MB DDR400 (X2)
-Radeon 9550 256MB DDR AGP 8X
-Sony DL DVD+-R/W
-Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS Gamer (sitting on desk next to computer)
-Windows XP Home w/ SP2
So I just dropped $40.00 on an Audigy 2 ZS Gamer LE. It took all of 30 seconds of Half-Life 2 to show me that the crappy onboard 5. audio performed better during gameplay. I found this a bit odd being that the word "Gamer" is actually in the name of this soundcard. Granted the word is only there to coincide with the software package included with the card, but if it comes with games you'd think it would work well in games. Anyway...While playing any game, there is constant (and very LOUD) crackling in the audio and at points it will actually cause the game itself to stutter. The problem is intolerable.
So far I have tried:
Using Different Speakers....didn't work (way to easy of a solution anyway)
Verifying onboard audio is disabled....didn't work (like I'd leave it enabled)
Updating Creative's drivers/softare....didn't work
Updating MB drivers/software....didn't work
Updating MB BIOS....didn't work
Changing PCI slot....didn't work (IRQ wasn't shared with AGP in the first place)
Changing PCI Latency....didn't work
Wiped Creative drivers completely and installed KX drivers....didn't work (although crackle wasn't as loud, the stuttering was worse)
Verifying DMA Settings....didn't work (DMA Mode was acti've for all dri'ves already)
The only thing I haven't done at this point is a complete reformat and reinstall. I apologize to the boys and girls at Creative, but there is no way they can convince me to go through the trouble of backing up gigs and gigs of data and reinstalling Windows just to get a soundcard to work. That isn't an option I'll even consider unless they can guarantee that my card will work afterwards. Since it didn't help about 90% of the people I've seen posting on this board that have encountered this same problem, I can't even believe it's still being offered as troubleshooting advice.
I've read posts concerning an inherent problem when using this Creative card and a motherboard with a VIA chipset. I don't honestly know what's true and what isn't. I've been considering upgrading my mobo anyway, so my questions to all the other members with this card and to the mods are these:
Is there an issue when using the Audigy 2 or any other Creative card on a motherboard with a VIA chipset (Specifically PT880/VT8237)? Straight up yes or no.
If so, what socket 478 motherboards are KNOWN to work with the Audigy 2 without the need for hours of configuration or 3rd party drivers?
Has anyone with a system similar to mine ever gotten an Audigy 2 ZS to work straight out of the box without any problems?
If so, what is your setup and what motherboard are you using?
Any help or straight answers would be greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

I have done everything listed in that link.
I am a typical PC enthusiast. Have been enjoying Creative cards since SB 8bit packaged with a Hayes 2400baud. They have been deserving of requiring other cards to be 'SB Compatible' up until the Audigy series. However of late, Audigy has been quite terrible for me.
I use these motherboards, chipsets, processors and memory modules: Asus A8N, Asus A8V, Epox 8rda, Epox 8rda3+, MSI A64 Neo2 Platinum. They either have nForce2, 3 or VIA. Mostly nForce, I've had quite a few memory compatibility issues since PC2700+ with VIA, but that's another story. I use AMD Athlon and A64 processors in the range of XP2500~XP3200, and one A64 3500 939. I use Corsair XMS 3200 series memory as it's affordable enough for me and have had no track record of compatibility problems. I also use Samsung in one machine.
-- This systems relevant spec:
Windows 2000 Pro, SP4 all latestEpox 8rda3+, latest bios, latest chipset drivers, latest component drivers [NIC/USB2/etc] (Onboard audio, parallels, serials, floppy, unused NIC disabled), HSF on chipset & bridgesAMD Athlon XP2500+ (66x.0 @ .65V)2x52 Corsair XMS CL3 (3,3,3,8, By SPD (200MHZ -- DC 400MHZ))IDE 20GB 7200 8MB w/ heat seperators, 52X32X52 (DMA, not PIO)AGP -- 8X (BIOS/DirectX verified) -- 9800 Pro 28, Aperture 256MB, AGP FastWrites Enabled (No onboard video to disable), .5VAudigy, Audigy 2 Gamer & Audigy 2 ZS Gamer -- All give same crackling/bogging issue on all motherboards mentioned during 3d games, especially when panning a view or stressing the video card/cpu/ram/nbridge/bus.
I have sufficient cooling. I have an aluminum TT XaserIII and all fans working properly, with a planned airflow. CPU temperatures rarely exceed 0F at full load with overclocking using a TTV at full speed (ears ring when I shut down). I do not currently overclock since purchasing the Audigy 2 ZS, and it is running 90F to the CPU, 50F inside the case (cold up here). Internal temperature rarely exceeds 60F otherwise. I have a Zalman heatpipe w/ fan on my vid card that pushes air down with a PCI slot fan to suck it out to avoid heat anywhere near the A2ZS. fans total, no leds, 480W Antec to power it sufficiently.
-- The problem:
As the original poster suggested, I am also experiencing an audio artifacting that resembles an electrical crackling or popping during playing 3d games. I play Lineage 2, Half-Life 2, Half-Life , Battlefield 942, Call of Duty, Unreal Tournament 2004, etc.
It is most reproducable when I pan my view quickly. It seems that when I stress the general bandwidth of the system while panning my view in 3d, I receive a studder visually as well as an audio crackle or pop. They are present together each time and last for a fraction of a second and happen continually through the entire game. The volume of the crackle/pop is loud, and I am concerned I am destroying my speakers and headphones. It is not something that can be ignored and it ruins my experience in games. It is more present when my FPS is lower and the system is under more stress. I use DirectX and OpenGL alike, both produce this problem during gameplay.
This problem is identical in visual appearance and sound through the speakers (or far worse, headphones) across the 4 motherboards, 4 processor variations (but same brand) and 2 memory types. All systems use Windows 2000 Pro, latest everything across the board (no, I didn't forget anything, really). On all of the systems, this problem is not present if I use a SB Li've 5., nor Turtle Beach Santa Cruz, nor using Onboard sound on any of the motherboards listed. I do notice visual studder on all of the said systems in one place or another in games but the accompanied popping and crackling is not present on any of the other audio cards.
This problem is exclusi've to the Audigy, Audigy 2 and Audigy 2 ZS series.
-- Things mentioned in your post that I have verified:
General Tips--
My A2 has always existed in the last 3 PCI slots, farthest away from the AGP/Mem banks/CPU slot.</LI>
The Audigy 2 has IRQ 6 or 8 in any of the systems, and is never sharing with anything.</LI>
I have no hardware components in my system that are unused. I have HD, CDROM, Video Card, Sound Card, everything else is disabled or not present in the system.</LI>
My cables have been tidied and fastened to the frame of the case, away from the CPU, memory and video card. There is nearly 8" between the SB Audigy 2 and anything else. No wires come near it.</LI>
I used the audio drivers off the CDROM to install initially. I have since been to the auto-update portion of the website and updated EAX Console and EAX Advanced HD. It claims I am up to date. A2 listed in Device Manager shows a Driver Version 5.2..442, Provider is Creative</LI>
I have installed all latest drivers.</LI>
Toggle DMA Access--
This is complete. I have always had audio issues when the CDROM was in use with PIO. This is DMA if Available.</LI>
Reduce Hardware Acceleration of the graphics card--
I have lowered this down to the point my games will no longer start. Pushing this down ,2 or 3 notches reduces the audio clicking volume a tad but otherwise appears to only encourage a lower volume popping to happen more often. It does not remove the problem, it creates a different problem. More frequent and lower volume popping.</LI>
SB 6 Emu/Legacy Device--
Does not apply to me.</LI>
Changing ACPI in Windows 2000--
I am not having resource conflicts, I will not be disabling this. </LI>
BIOS Settings--
PCI Streaming, 2. Compliance, Dynamic Bursting and BUS Mastering for PCI Slot are not options my motherboards contain. I assume them to be set to modern industry standard.</LI>
All options listed to be disabled are either disabled or not present on my BIOS. </LI>
System performance is set to optimal. Turbo produces instability issues, especially if CPU Interface is set to Aggressi've. </LI>
VGA Shared Memory Size -- Not applicable to me, disabled onboard.</LI>
AGP Aperture, again, 256MB</LI>
Peer Concurrency -- Not available. </LI>
PCI 2. Support -- Not available.</LI>
FSP Spread Spectrum is default.</LI>
PCI Latency Timer -- 32, default.</LI>
Memory Hole -- Disabled.</LI>
AGP Fast Writes -- Enabled.</LI>
BIOS is latest version. Not that it helped anything but memory compatibility with a brand I don't use anyhow.</LI>
-- Solution?
I would like to say it is my configuration or an incompatibility with any one system I have, but it persists across too many combinations for this to be a problem with other hardware to me. What other things can I try to resolve this issue? I would like to use the A2, it produces excellent sound outside 3D games, far better than other cards I use as well as onboard by far. But all the sound quality in the world otherwise is meaningless if I cannot play games without destroying my speakers and headphones as well as my gaming experience.