Sims 4 audio crackling and popping (PC)

I'm not sure what's going on but after I updated my game on Thursday that was for the Snowy escape bug fixes and crashes my in-game audio was messed up. I'm not sure how to explain it but it was a bunch of crackling and popping noises as if a record player was scratched I've tried repairing my game files (I don't have any CC installed) and I've now uninstalled my game 3 times even going through my documents to delete the sims 4 files itself all the 3 times that I uninstalled the game.

I play on an Asus laptop that has med-high specs and can handle most games at med-high settings so my laptop handling the game shouldn't be a problem, in addition I've gone through my device manager and checked for updates on all my audio drivers and my windows is up-to-date so it shouldn't be a problem from my side.

I hope that someone out there in this forum is dealing or has dealt with the same problem I'm dealing with cause I need a permanent or temporary fix until EA and get things figured out on this game cause sims 4 is one of my favourite games that helps me be creative and helps me expand my creativity even more when looking at the awesome things the community has created over the years and I really don't want that taken from me because of a stupid bug.

thank you all for taking the time to read my rantings about this annoying glitch/bug that I'm dealing with and I hope you all have a wonder day/evening/night.

puzzlezaddict
5 years ago
@Nekotrapboy Please try unplugging any audio device you have, and play with only the laptop's speakers (just as a test). If you still get the crackling, try headphones, but again, with nothing else plugged in. I'm curious whether this is an issue of multiple devices or drivers not working well together.

If you get the crackling in both cases, please try playing in a clean boot:

https://www.windowscentral.com/how-clean-boot-windows-10

27 Replies

twinklegalaxy
Seasoned Adventurer
5 years ago
I'm having the same issue after installing the hot fix. I posted a video here: https://twitter.com/umbrellagalaxy/status/1329446916279717889
puzzlezaddict
Hero+
5 years ago
@Nekotrapboy Please run a dxdiag and attach it to a post.

https://help.ea.com/en-us/help/pc/how-to-gather-dxdiag-information/

@twinklegalaxy I replied to your other thread yesterday.
Nekotrapboy
5 years ago
Here you are
DxDiag.txt107 KB
puzzlezaddict
Hero+
5 years ago
@Nekotrapboy Please try unplugging any audio device you have, and play with only the laptop's speakers (just as a test). If you still get the crackling, try headphones, but again, with nothing else plugged in. I'm curious whether this is an issue of multiple devices or drivers not working well together.

If you get the crackling in both cases, please try playing in a clean boot:

https://www.windowscentral.com/how-clean-boot-windows-10
lydzworld80
5 years ago
Hello, I'm having the same problem after installing the hot fix on the 17th. Even the start up music is all crackly. My sims sound like Darth Vader 😭😭
Nekotrapboy
5 years ago
The first suggestion worked as the sound was okay with my laptop speakers and when I plugged in my headset the crackling and popping started again.
An idea came into mind as I have three audio playback devices the problem was with my THX spatial audio as seen in the screenshot below. So when making my Razer Kraken Ultimate my default communications and playback device the audio seems to work like intend.
The game doesn't lag on start up or the game audio doesn't sound like pouring milk on rice krispies.
Thanks again for your help and solutions.
lydzworld80
5 years ago
I went to Origin and repaired my game and reloaded my game. Worked for awhile but now I've gone to play another house and the crackling is back. Not sure about rice krispies, my toddler sounds like a Vader but. I'm just doing another repair to see if that fixes it. I'm no PC expert.
puzzlezaddict
Hero+
5 years ago
@Nekotrapboy Thanks for the info, it's super helpful.

@lydzworld80 If the second repair doesn't help, try changing your default sound output device, as shown in @Nekotrapboy's post above.
NodrogJRB
5 years ago
Just wanted to provide some more info to this. I'm having exactly the same problem with crackling/popping audio, and it also effects any other audio on the computer whilst sims is running (e.g. trying to watch a video at the same time on a second monitor).
I've managed find the source and it only happens when I'm using the Razer AppEngine for surround sound, without this active the audio is fine, so I'm not sure if there's an incompatibility with this somewhere?
puzzlezaddict
Hero+
5 years ago
@NodrogJRB It's entirely possible that the Razer software isn't getting along with Sims 4 overall right now. You could look for software updates, or report the issue on the Razer forums, but other than that, I'm not sure there's much you can do on your end, at least not now.