Crackling with Windows 11 and Traktor 3.11.1

Trickery

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/162792#Comment_162792

You should use the "studio" driver instead of the one mentioned that is a less stable "game ready driver". (I can't post the link)

Trickery

I would not recommend doing this unless you have no other choices.

Also you can try to downgrade to an older driver. (I have done it for my RTX 4070 laptop)

KarimS

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/162858#Comment_162858

My laptop is this one:

https://www.metabox.com.au/store/Alpha-SR-Range/Specs

I'll try disabling the graphics card and see if using the integrated one helps.

Isotoxin

At the same time, try to use https://www.resplendence.com/latencymon

Install the application, and in the Tools > Options menu set the radio button to "Interrupt to DPC latency".

Press the start button, leave LatencyMon in the background and use the Traktor application as usual. If You managed to catch the crackling, check the LatencyMon for the driver which is causing the DPC latency problems. I'm making assumption, this will be something from the Nvidia garden.

P.S. Disabled NVIDIA VGA adapter will completely stop all NVIDA related services. This is the best and easiest way to avoid crackling if it is caused by NVIDIA VGA drivers (I'm talking from my experience with Lenovo IdeaPad and NVIDIA 1650 GTX). And at the same time, You can enable VGA adapter anytime for a gaming.

KarimS

I'm not sure what I'm missing here, I've changed the graphics settings to 'Integrated Graphics' which means the NVIDIA graphics shouldn't be used at all. I re-ran Latencymon and it STILL tells me the same NVIDIA driver is causing the spikes!! What am I missing??

Screenshot 2024-07-03 200130.png

Screenshot 2024-07-03 200200.png

Isotoxin

Just disable 4070 via device manager something like like this:

You should have another one VGA adapter left. Made by Intel. You can enable NVIDIA adapter anytime You will need it. Like I said, afterwards when You disable it, all nvidia services and drivers will stop and disappear.

KarimS

Yes I found that....seems to have removed the high readings on Latencymon. Shame that I had to do that on a relatively powerful laptop but whatever. Ill wait and see if the NI helpdesk comes up with any better ideas bit this will have to do in the meantime. Thanks all for the advice.

Isotoxin

This is not a NI problem. I don't think they will recommend anything better.

Actually it's a common problem for laptops with dual GPU's. Some sort of power switching between two of the adapters, creates these DPC spikes. If there was only one VGA adapter (Intel or Nvidia only), this will be not the issue. I have an old desktop Ryzen 2700X with a single 3080 RTX and it works perfectly fine. No DPC spikes. But my laptop Ryzen 5800H with a dual GPU (Radeon Graphics + Nvidia 1650) has the same issues with DPC latency. I've even created two BAT files on the desktop to have the ability disable and enable Nvidia GPU as fast as possible. 😏

BTW from my experience, You can lower the DPC spikes by giving at least some work for NVIDIA adapter (run any program and force it to use NVIDIA VGA. OBS studio for example). But it will only LOWER the spikes, but will not fully eliminate the chance to get the crackling. With running app on NVIDIA adapter it will not allow for Nvidia to sleep/wake from power saving and there will be much lower DPC spikes, but like I've said there still will be a big chance to get some random spikes with sound crackling. With a disabled Nvidia adapter, I have literally zero issues with DPC or sound crackling on my laptop.