audio crackling every 10,20 seconds

[Alexheath]

my computer makes a crackling noise and popping noise randomly and does not seem to stop even when restarting the pc, closing all tabs and changing buffer rate

[Hawks_Eye]

Hi @Alexheath 

Welcome to the HP Support Community! We're here to help you get back up and running.

That kind of persistent crackling and popping can be incredibly distracting—especially when it continues even after a restart. I’m really sorry you’re dealing with this. 

Let’s work through a few precise steps to help restore clean, uninterrupted audio on your HP Envy x360 running Windows 11.

 

1. Check for Conflicting Audio Drivers

Some HP Envy models experience interference between the Realtek Audio driver and the AMD Audio CoProcessor.

• Open Device Manager (Win + X > Device Manager)
• Expand System Devices and locate AMD Audio CoProcessor
• Right-click > Properties > go to Details tab
• Under “Hardware IDs,” check if it starts with PCI\VEN_1022&DEV_15E2
• If so, ensure the driver version is 2.xx.x.xx. If it’s 6.x.x.xx, that may be the source of the issue. You can manually install the correct version from the Microsoft Update Catalog

 

2. Switch to Microsoft’s Generic Audio Driver

This can eliminate crackling, though it may reduce sound quality slightly.

• Open Device Manager
• Expand Sound, video and game controllers
• Right-click your audio device (e.g., Realtek) > Update driver
• Choose: Browse my computer > Let me pick from a list
• Select High Definition Audio Device and install

Note: This may disable access to Bang & Olufsen audio enhancements, but it often resolves crackling.

 

3. Disable Audio Enhancements

These can sometimes cause distortion.

• Right-click the speaker icon in the system tray > Sounds
• Go to the Playback tab > select your speaker > Properties
• Under the Enhancements tab, check Disable all enhancements
• In the Advanced tab, set the format to 16 bit, 44100 Hz (CD Quality)

 

4. Adjust Processor Power Settings

Low power states can cause audio latency and crackling.

• Go to Control Panel > Power Options
• Click Change plan settings next to your active plan
• Select Change advanced power settings
• Expand Processor power management > Minimum processor state
• Set both On battery and Plugged in to 100%

 

5. Update BIOS and Chipset Drivers

Outdated firmware can cause audio instability.

• Visit HP’s Software and Driver Downloads
• Enter your exact HP Envy x360 model
• Download and install the latest BIOS, Chipset, and Audio drivers

 

6. Temporarily Disable Surround Sound

Some users have found relief by toggling this setting.

• Right-click the speaker icon > Spatial Sound
• Select Off, even if it’s already unchecked

If the issue persists after these steps, I’d be glad to help you dig deeper—whether it’s isolating background processes, checking latency, or reviewing system logs. Let’s get your audio back to sounding crisp and clean.

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Take care, and have an amazing day!

Regards, 

Hawks_Eye