This is a problem that has been happening since I have built the computer, but has just aggravated me enough to do something. During the course of some games I play, everything runs just fine. Then, without notice, the sound becomes static-y. It only seems to happen in some games (such as Prince of Persia, Splinter Cell, Half Life 2), but not in others (Baldurs Gate, FFXI, Sims). Also, it isn't immediate. Sometimes it happens towards the beginning of play, others, I will be playing for hours before it happens. The only solution to stop it, I've found, is to quit the game to desktop, where the problem is resolved. (Easy to solve, yes, but when you have a good ratio going in CS, It's tourture to hear, and I refuse to restart) I am using the onboard sound for the A7N8X Deluxe. And before I use the holiday gift cards on a sound card, I'd like to make sure that it is because of the onboard sound. Any help is mucho appreciated. My o-so-rare good ratios will be thankful.

This rarely but randomly happens to me too. I think its the speaker wire picikking up the power wire frequency. Jiggle them. Avarik ~

Try using a different sound driver during the game(like DirectSound or something, I don't know the exact name of each one). Some sound chips only support one type of device-like my nForce2 uses Creative's EAX, a 3D hardware sound device. Also, try running the sound diagnostic in dxdiag.exe. Also, make sure you have the latest drivers for your sound device. Go look in the "Multimedia Properties" and see what default sound device you're using. Make sure it matches up with the one used in your games. That's about all I can think of to do. Sorry if that doesn't help.