Constant audio crackling

Replies

• PatchdOct 22, 2026#2

  Thanks for describing it so clearly. The bursts help narrow it down. A few questions so we can find the cause:

  1. Does it still crackle with Patchd fully closed (right-click the Patchd icon by the clock and choose Quit Patchd)? 2. What are your headphones plugged into: a USB headset, an audio interface, or your computer's headphone jack? 3. In Windows Sound settings, open your headphones' properties and look at the format under Advanced. If it says 44100 Hz, set it to 48000 Hz and tell us whether the crackle changes. 4. Which version are you on? Settings > Updates shows it.

  Your answers tell us whether it is Patchd, the device, or the format, and we will take it from there.

  👍1👎0
• 1xsazleAuthorOct 22, 2026#3

  It doesn't crackle with patchd fully closed, and my headphones are plugged into the headphone jack directly, no adapters or points of failure, I am on the most updated version (The issue was present on the previous version, too), and my headphones are on the correct Hz

  👍0👎0
• PatchdOct 22, 2026#4

  Thanks, that tells us it's on our side, so it's ours to fix. Three more things narrow down where:

  1. At the top of the Patchd window, what does it show after MASTER CLOCK? It is either a device name or TIMER. 2. Does it crackle with only one thing playing, for example just a video in your browser, or only when several apps are playing or a game is running? 3. In Windows Sound settings, on the Playback tab, open Patchd Desktop's properties. What format does it show under Advanced?

  We will take it from there.

  👍0👎0
• 1xsazleAuthorOct 22, 2026#5

  It crackles with everything, doesn't have to be multiple things, just one is enough, but it crackles on whatever is playing audio, be that a web browser video, or spotify, or a discord call, the master clock says 48000 hz. If you meant the sound control panel, it says that the patchd desktop is set to 16 bit 48000 hz, which got auto set to that when I first installed Patchd, everything else on my computer is set to 24 bits, so is it that?

  👍0👎0
• PatchdOct 22, 2026#6

  Thanks, that helps a lot.

  The 16-bit setting on Patchd Desktop is not the cause. That is the format Windows uses to hand audio to Patchd, and Patchd mixes at full quality inside, so leave it as it is.

  The 48000 Hz you saw is the sample rate. Just before it, right after MASTER CLOCK, is the clock source: either a device name or TIMER. Which one does yours show?

  The quickest way for us to find the cause is a report from your computer. Next time it crackles, open Settings > Beta: Send Report and click Send report to Patchd. Click Show me what is sent first if you'd like to see exactly what it contains. Reply here once it's sent and we'll look at it right away.

  👍0👎0