@ns-enibeti This is definitely pretty wild. I've not encountered this issue from other player reports (besides the Reddit article you shared). I appreciate all the details you added. Can you test out these steps for me and let me know if it decreases the crackling at all?
- Right-click on the speaker icon in the bottom right of your screen and selectĀ Playback Devices.
- In the next window, right-click on the device you are using and selectĀ Configure Speakers.
- Ensure theĀ StereoĀ option is selected, then close this window.
- While the device is still highlighted, click onĀ Properties.
- In theĀ AdvancedĀ tab, set the default format to be 16 bit, 48000 Hz (DVD Quality).