Logitech G35 headset causing sound distortion/crackling.

[Highway_Star 10]

Recently my in-game sound started to become distorted and crackly. I also hear sounds comming through too loud or not at all. Other times, I'll hear things happening even when I'm on the other side of the map (ie. I'll hear a firefight in Chernogorsk when I'm up in Krasnostav).

It becomes unbearable when helicopters and jets are involved, I'll often get insanely loud afterburner roar comming through my headset at random times - forcing me to remove the headset from my head to avoid being deafened.

I've reinstalled the sound drivers for the headset and they are up to date. I've also reinstalled Arma 2, yet the problem remains.

Using my standard stereo speakers for the audio output solves the problem, but I don't get surround sound then.

Other than getting a new headset, is there a way to fix this? I'm very confused because I've changed nothing, what could causethis bug?:confused:

P.S. I'm using vanilla Arma2 v1.05. No mods.

Edited February 12, 2010 by Highway_Star

[Bulldogs 10]

It's likely that the headset has an upmix effect to simulate surround sound. Those effects cause problems with arma (the sound engine doesn't support them)

check under your driver settings for your headphones (or soundcard) and disable any extra effects. Also make sure your speaker setup is set to headphones under windows sound settings, and if you still have crackling after that, turn up your headphone volume and/or windows speaker volume and turn down your ingame volume.

[Highway_Star 10]

What's confusing is that I've had this headset for months without a problem. Then is issue pops up and I've no idea why.

[Bulldogs 10]

May have been in a driver update. The issue occurs in several different software based sound systems and usually has to do with a confusion of channels or audio data. A similar problem came up on release of red faction guerilla in that most 5.1 setups would get the same thing with audio sounding like it is next to you when it's ar away.

There's certain mix effects like creative soundblaster/x-fi cmss which is used to simulate force audio into surround even if the audio engine doesn't support it. Things like getting 2.1 to go through 5.1, and 5.1 to go through 7.1. Many audio engines don't effectively support it, like arma audio engine.

With a driver update on your headphones or sound card they could have included such an effect.

[polecat.uk 11]

My sound card f up and i was hearing sounds jump from speaker to speaker but hearing sounds from all over the map sounds more software than hardware

but i'm no pro at this stuff.

[Highway_Star 10]

Sadly, the G35 software has a very simple interface. You can't adjust any settings other than adding voice morphing to the microphone and the volumes.

[Bulldogs 10]

Two things to try.

1) Try changing your speaker setup under windows sound settings to 7.1, or 5.1.

2) Try adjusting the buttons on your headphones. I'm not sure what the options are but from what I read it seems like you can alter the surround sound settings on the headphones via the buttons on the side of the headphones.

[mrbinkels 10]

I think that if you make sure your desktop speakers are disabled the crackling will go away. It will normally disable them when you plug the headset in but on occasions it doesn't.

Right click on the speaker icon in the systems tray and click on playback devices>>right click the device you want to disable..click disable.

That should do it, it fixed my problem i was having with my G35 headset.

There's a setting that is suppose to disable the "other" playback device when you connect the G35, it should be in your sounds settings I believe. Mine stopped and started working again on it's own, go figure.

[Highway_Star 10]

Thank you MrBinkels. You were right, Windows decided to enable speakers without me telling it to. Once I disabled it again, my audio was perfect again. A puzzling problem with a simple solution. :o

Thanks again:D

[mrbinkels 10]

cools beans, your welcome

[Serg.k 10]

Hi guys,

Can you confirm that G35 compatible with Arma2 and work in suround mode (not stereo)?

Can you share your impressions of surround sound in Arma2 with G35?

[mrbinkels 10]

It is compatible however there is an occasional issue as stated earlier in this topic about crackling, but is easily fixed. It does ok with the surround, I think my Xbox Turtle beach x41 wireless headset sounds better on the computer, but these are nice for the price. The ear pads are not very comfortable to me but the sounds quality outweighs the lack of comfort. Of course YMMV.

[Serg.k 10]

I've bought G35 - nice device but unfortunately on my Win XP I have no surround sound in Arma2. G35 software utility has 3D sound presence indicator (something like "last time 3D sound played"). According to it Arma2 do not push 3D sound to G35. Could you check this in your configurations?

Maybe problem is my Win XP and it is a time to move to Win7?

OS and G35 software is up to date.

[mrbinkels 10]

I have full control of the headset adjustments in the sound devices screen. I have the 3d sound presence indicator as well. I can detect direction of sound in ARMA 2 as well. Hope it helps.

[Serg.k 10]

It seems I can detect direction of sound too, but I am not sure that I have real surround sound.

Does time in your G35 control panel (Surround Sound section) change/refresh after playing Arma2?

[mrbinkels 10]

It seems I can detect direction of sound too, but I am not sure that I have real surround sound.

Does time in your G35 control panel (Surround Sound section) change/refresh after playing Arma2?

Yes it does. Does yours?

[Serg.k 10]

No it does NOT.

I think the reason is my Win XP.

[mrbinkels 10]

Does the date stamp change when you use windows media player? Watch a movie or listen to a song, see if the time stamp changes.

[Serg.k 10]

When playing Win Media Player DVD or test 7.1 sound all OK, time stamp changes

[mrbinkels 10]

You got me man. IDK

[Serg.k 10]

The problem with G35 surround was solved replacing Win XP by Win 7.

[galzohar 31]

Old thread, but I just bought G35 and have similar problems.

Arma 2: Does not update the "Surround sound last heard at ..."

Windows and VLC media players don't either.

Starcraft 2 works perfectly (sounds awesome too!) and updates, and so does Resident Evil 5. Teamspeak 3 updates as well (kind funny, though, since why should it have surround effects? All I seem to lose when turning surround off there is that I only hear people from the right earpiece).

I get some distortion only with certain sounds (seems to only be specific frequencies), specifically the "open folder"/"back"/"forward" windows "tick" sound, steam "chat message" sound, and Marshal talking on the phone at the very beginning of How I Met Your Mother season 6 episode 15 (both when watching online in flash as well as in VLC media player). In Arma most sounds have clear distortion, easily heard with ACE footsteps sounds (with vanilla footsteps sounds and other sounds as well it is also there but harder to notice). None of those update the "Surround sound last heard at ..."

Disabling surround via the switch on the headphones "fixes" the distortion/cracking, but of course also disables the whole purpose of this headset...

OP said disabling speakers in windows fixed this for him, but I couldn't find exactly what he meant by that. Speakers are making no sound for me when the headphones are plugged in.

Using winXP right now... Maybe it's time to switch to 7... Though I'd really rather not have to deal with win7's quirks at the moment if I don't have to, especially if it won't solve the problem.

So what do you say? Get them replaced (bought them today)? Keep trying things with settings/drivers? Or just install win7?

On a side note, I've tried them over at a friend's house before going to by myself a pair and they were awesome in Arma. Don't know what is messed up on my end.

Thanks for any help.

Edited February 9, 2011 by galzohar

[galzohar 31]

Solved by installing windows 7