Audigy 2 Platinum just started crackling

I've had this Audigy 2 Platinum sound card for a few years, right when it came out on the market, and it's worked fine up until these last few months. It started as an intermittent crackle in the right channel during recording only. Then, after a few sessions of tech support from creative.com, the crackling has taken over completely and now the crackle is in both channels during recording AND playback.

I have a text file of the current system config, but I'm not sure if I should post that, it's fairly long.

Let me know! :)

Thanks a bunch.

Are you sure that it is not the jacks wiggling around and introducing static? This happened to me with a cheapie sound card and I had a friend carefully re-solder the jacks. If that doesn't work, I'd try another pci slot.

Don't feel too bad, FluteGuy, my Audigy 2 exhibited similar syptoms and then quit totally after around 2 years of use. What really ripped my shorts, was that the card was a replacement for a SoundBlaster Live! which had worked for around 3 years and died.

Hi guys, thanks for the advice. I unplugged the monitor cable and it seemed to solve the problem. However (and there's always a however, isn't there?)

I started recording in cubase and the ODDEST thing started prevailing. The crackling is gone on the ODD numbered channels, just like in the card's heyday, but the crackling is still present in the EVEN numbered channels.
What the heck???!!!

How is this opissible and WHY!?!

And thanks again for your time and efforts in helping me fix my apparently handicapped computer. :)

Jeff

http://www.softwarepatch.com/utilities/audigyzs.html

Have you tried this driver download update?

It seems to have lots of fixes.

Since physically moving connections (especially ones not directly associated with the card, like video lead) has altered behaviour, I'd suggest lifting and re-seating the card in its PCI slot in case there's a little tarnish on a contact. Or as Guts3d suggested, move the card to another slot if one is available. (Not the one closest to the AGP slot, that can actually cause problems like you have...)

Hi, thanks for the advice.
I moved teh card to another PCI slot as was suggested and found that it was in fact a faulty monitor cable. HOWEVER! and there's always one of those, but since I moved the card and disconnected the monitor, the crackle is only present in the right channel when I try to record in stereo, or in the even numbered tracks when I try to record in mono. That's the freakiest thing I've ever seen.

I'll try the update and see what happens

Thanks again everyone. :)