Sound goes highpitch and crackles

[Mutley]

When I'm playing a game or music, with my speakers on fairly loud, nothing serious my speakers start to crackle and almost has a voice break like humans do where it does this awful high pitch crackle. I have 5.1 speakers, they are bog standard and a 24bit Soundblaster card. Any ideas? I'm guessing it's my cheap speakers but want to see if anything can be improved with my card maybe first.

 

[Asus]

Few possibilities depending on the kind of crackling sound.
1. poor music quality (mp3?)
2. something causing the sound card to get it's info delayed causing a crackle sound (at least they said that with the latest XFI cards) or something else related with the sound card (try a different card or onboard)
3. The speakers

In order of most common issue.

 

[giant384]

isnt crackling caused by something with the cables? also speakers can tend to crackle at high volumes.

 

[Mutley]

The music is from a CD and game music to. It must be my speakers. Thanks.