ValveSoftware
Intermittent audio crackling on Steam Deck after Steam OS 3.4 Preview update
Your system information
- Steam client version: 1669829370
- SteamOS version: 20221130.1000
- Opted into Steam client beta?: Yes
- Opted into SteamOS beta?: Yes
- Have you checked for updates in Settings > System?: Yes
Please describe your issue in as much detail as possible:
Leaving the system on for extended periods of time (and especially in desktop mode) can cause irregular and intermittent audio stutters, crackles and pops.
This issue only started after the SteamOS 3.4 Preview in the Main channel. Manually restarting the pipewire and pipewire-pulse services and then reloading systemd's configuration with the following command seems to resolve the issue temporarily.
systemctl restart --user pipewire pipewire-pulse
systemctl --user daemon-reload
Steps for reproducing this issue:
- Leave the deck on for at least 3-4 hours(sometimes it takes longer) or just overnight doing something like downloading a game so it doesn't go to sleep or just manually block sleep in desktop mode.
- Play any sort of audio through the system be it music, a video or a game and listen for the distortions.
This happens to me with the stable version. It happened from the first time I started using it. It seems to happen in Cyberpunk pretty often and it's happened when volume was a max for a Metal Gear Solid intro.
This is also happening to me, but i had this problem before the 3.4 preview too. Sometimes the audio crackles for like 1-2 seconds and stops, and it will come back in a while.
I don't know if this is the same problem as this (the one i was having): https://steamcommunity.com/app/1675200/discussions/1/3186865924601830908/
But it seems that i have found (maybe?) a solution, disable "the wifi power management" in the developer settings: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIGpUsh4RUI
Doing this, i stopped having this problem anymore. I think it may be related to the fix that valve pushed a few months after launch to fix the wifi dropping connection on 5Ghz.
I don't know if this is the same problem as this (the one i was having): https://steamcommunity.com/app/1675200/discussions/1/3186865924601830908/
But it seems that i have found (maybe?) a solution, disable "the wifi power management" in the developer settings: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIGpUsh4RUI
Doing this, i stopped having this problem anymore. I think it may be related to the fix that valve pushed a few months after launch to fix the wifi dropping connection on 5Ghz.
Seems promising. I woke up my Steam Deck, which I had The Witcher 3 running, and it experienced the audio cracking. I saved the game, exited and applied that setting change and I was unable to replicate the audio cracking afterward. 🤞🏽
I don't know if I should continue to post here but the audio crackling is still present in Metal Gear Solid V.
I don't know if I should continue to post here but the audio crackling is still present in Metal Gear Solid V.
Even with the wifi power management workaround?
I noticed this as well, a lot while I was playing Resident Evil: Village. Disabling the advanced wifi power management in developer settings fixed it. Haven't tried any other games but I definitely think this needs to be looked at. Using the official docking station and a LG tv.
I don't know if I should continue to post here but the audio crackling is still present in Metal Gear Solid V.
Even with the wifi power management workaround?
Yes, even with the wifi power management workaround.
It seems to be from either a specific cinematic or song (I'll have to work on discovering the specifics at a later time). I've been playing through the game and it hasn't happened again; so far.
I'm hearing this on a game I'm developing. I suspected the audio files were too rail to rail and I need to take the amplitude down a touch.
Can also add that disabling wifi power management completely fixed the issue.
It's a strange issue for me because it only happens over HDMI, and I only use the official dock. It's been a problem since I've had the Steam Deck, which is since the Q2 launch window.
I noticed the crackling sound during playing The Sims 4 yesterday from the Steam Client and today with streaming over Moonlight, since running OS 3.5.5 for a few days (since updated from the 16th). Both apps ran in Desktop Mode. Keeping the Steam Deck on all the time, with intermittent sleep. Both apps ran in Desktop Mode. I'm on
- Steam OS 3.5.5 stable release on the
- Steam Deck 512GB (slow drive version, afaik),
- build 20231116.2,
- non-beta, with
- Steam Client version 1700160213 on the
- stable channel and
- updated
A restart of pipewire and pipewire-pulse did clean it up, mentioned in the OP. Not sure for how long.
Having same issue in 3.5.5 (LCD Deck). I saw the issue in couple of use cases.
- Starting nested desktop and playing a video in youtube would mess up the audio, while some other game is running in the background.
- In Desktop Mode, while a video is playing in youtube, if I start Emulation Station, it would crackle the sound.
Restarting pulseaudio as suggested above solved the issue temporarily.
Steam Version: 1700160213 Steam Client Build Date: Thu, Nov 16 Stable Channel, updated.
I faced this issue yesterday after doing a factory reset of my deck on Friday (512 LCD) and leaving it in my office to install games over the weekend in my steam dock.
Maybe it has something to do with factory resetting because I also have this issue, only when running certain games and while in the games, the crackling follows to the steam menu button haptic sounds, once I close the game, the issue is gone. Running stable OS with no Deck modifications (software or hardware)
