Mass Effect 2 sound looping/crackling issues

[A random person]

I recently got Mass Effect 2 for my PC. Unfortunately, when the start menu comes up, the audio loops and crackles a lot (though the graphics seem to be fine). I can give the following details:
-I'm using Windows 7
-The first Mass Effect had some crackling too (especially on Ilos), but it wasn't anywhere near as big an issue.
-I installed patch 1.02 (I think it's the latest version).
-I believe my sound drivers have been updated within the past 6 months or so.
-I have had no other technical issues (aside from texture pop-in with 1, but from what I know that's normal).

I couldn't find any solutions elsewhere, so I have to ask for help.

 

[aPod]

What's your audio set up look like.

Anyways I went ahead and looked for various solutions for various audio problems. Go ahead and update your drivers too.

First Solution: Configure on disc 1, then go to the "sound" tab

Click in the bottom right called "configure sound devices"

Click on your speakers and then click the "configure" button.

Adjust the audio channels to "stereo" (I technically have Dolby digital but my sound is all screwed up so i just use stereo).

Then next, next, finish. Click ok. And save settings in the configure and then try to play. Worked for me.. and i do have Realtek HD audio drivers.

Second Solution: I've had some of this problems and did some changes to the settings to fix it. So far it seems to work fine, but I have not tested this in the Citadel, only in Noveria:
1. Set sound to Software
2. Open up "bioengine.ini". Should be located at "C:\Documents and Settings\\My Documents\BioWare\Mass Effect\Config"
3. Locate the tag "[ISACTAudio.ISACTAudioDevice]" and change these values:
MaxChannels=64 (default for my system was 28)
TotalAvailableChannels=62 (default was also 28)
4. Save ini file and play game.

Problem #8 : Mass Effect 2 Stuttering/Skipping sound problem
Solution #1 : Turn down or disable Directsound Acceleration. If this doesn?t fix it remember to reenable it
Solution #2 :
Check your soundcard drivers as well. Most people tend to ignore those. If you have built in sound, go to your motherboard/computer (Dell, HP etc) manufacturers website and look for an update OR conversely, uninstall it, reboot and see what windows comes up with instead OR uninstall it, reboot and reinstall from the website or CD (even if there isn?t an update).
Check and make sure you don?t have AntiViri running ( or SpyBot S&D etc). If you do, disable it (them).
credits: low8all for the soundcard driver suggestion via ME2 forums
Solution #3Go to Start, then Run, then type in DxDiag. Find the audio/sound tab(s) and change the acceleration from full to a lower setting such as basic acceleration.
credits: CodeR3d Solution #4?Don?t know about you guys, but I have the G15 keyboard. And when I was running LCD Misc, it caused the game to stutter. Completely exited all of the G15 apps and the stutter is solved on my end! Good luck to everyone else!?

Anyways try those out...

 

[A random person]

OK, it turned out the latest driver for my sound chipset was from 2006, so I installed a proper sound card with 2010 drivers (a friend alleges this would lighten up my processors workload). Unfortunately, the problem persisted. To check, I started a sample game, and light crackling persisted when actual 3D models were rendered, along with a delay between dialogue and lip animation (another problem I've heard some users had).

From what I know there is no Directsound Acceleration on my computer, and DxDiag doesn't let me change options. I suspect drivers are ruled-out as a possible cause.