Game Audio From Speakers, Headphones, or External Audio Devices Crackles or Stutters

Problem: During gameplay of a Drillimation Danmaku Universe game, the game audio cuts out, skips, stutters, or sounds distorted.

Solution

On Windows

  1. Before modifying system files or drivers, make sure the issue isn’t caused by a specific app or physical hardware.
    • If the audio stutters while streaming video content in a web browser or during gameplay, try playing a song or video in the Media Player app.
    • Click the Speaker icon in your taskbar, or go to Settings, System, and Sound. Under the Output section, select your preferred speakers or headphones.
    • Disconnect all USB and external audio accessories from your system. If the built-in speakers play audio normally, the issue may be with your external device or its cable.
  2. If you continue to experience stuttering, or if a background system process is unresponsive, resetting it normally can instantly resolve audio drops without a full system reboot. Right-click on the Start menu button and select Run (or Windows Key + R). Type services.msc and push Enter. Scroll down and locate Windows Audio in the list. Right-click Windows Audio and choose Restart. If the option is grayed out, select Start instead.
  3. Mismatched sample rates between the operating system and your hardware playback device can cause processing bottlenecks and audio stuttering. Click the Speaker icon in your taskbar, or go to Settings, System, and Sound. Locate the Output settings or Format section. Click the drop-down menu and set the format to either 44100.0 Hz or 48000 Hz. If you use spatial sound or third-party audio enhancement software, temporarily toggle Enhance audio to Off to test for stability.
  4. Corrupted or outdated driver files can manifest as random audio glitches, pops, or skipping. Right-click the Start menu and open the Device Manager. Under Sound, video and game controllers, right-click your primary audio device and uninstall it. Follow the prompts, and restart your PC. Upon rebooting, Windows will automatically reinstall a generic, stable audio driver.
  5. Make sure all available Windows Updates are installed, which include up-to-date audio drivers and stability fixes.

On MacOS

  1. Before changing your system setup, make sure a specific app or file isn’t causing the issue.
    • If the audio stutters while streaming video content in a web browser or during gameplay, try playing a song in iTunes (Music app) or a video in QuickTime Player.
    • Go to System Settings and click Sound in the sidebar. Under the Output tab, select your preferred speakers or headphones.
    • Disconnect all USB, Thunderbolt, and audio accessories from your system. If the built-in speakers play audio normally, the issue may be with your external device or its cable.
  2. If you continue to experience stuttering, or if a background system process is unresponsive, resetting it normally can instantly resolve audio drops. Open the Terminal app and type sudo killall coreaudiod. Enter your administrator password when prompted, and push Return. Afterward, try playing audio again.
  3. If you use an external audio interface, a digital-to-analog converter (DAC), or a multi-output device, mismatched sample rates can cause audio stuttering. Open the Audio MIDI Setup app, select your active audio output device from the list on the left side of the window, click the Format pop-up menu on the right, and change the sample rate from 44100.0 Hz to 48000 Hz. If you use multiple devices together, make sure all devices are set to the exact same sample rate.
  4. Wireless interference can cause Bluetooth audio to skip or crackle.
    • Under System Settings, General, and AirDrop & Handoff, turn off AirPlay Receiver if you aren’t actively using it.
    • Move your Bluetooth headphones or speakers closer to your device. Ensure there are no large metal objects or dense building materials between the devices.
    • Disconnect other Bluetooth accessories that you aren’t using to reduce bandwidth congestion.
  5. Make sure your device is running the latest version of macOS, which includes up-to-date audio drivers and stability fixes. Open System Settings and click Software Update to see if any updates are available.