i recently download and installed the Steam Client. in counter-strike when i have the sound effects and mp3 vol on the higest my speakers start to sound choppy and start making crackling sounds even when my volume is very low!! it cant be my speakers...b/c i never had this problem with any other game i play or the music i listen to. I lowered the sound effects volume and mp3 volume and it still didnt help. then i decided to go into the contrl panel and into the sound settings. i lowerd the volume by 2 notches , up to 6 and the sound was still choppy and crackling for CS. I guess it then was my sound card. i downloaded newest drivers off WinUPdate ..no help....i download them of Download.com.....no help. I have a Creative Sound Blaster PCI 128. Any one have any suggestions as to how to resolve this problem without buyin a new card?? thanks!

Is your sound now crackly and choppy where it wasn't before? If so it's possible (just possible) that you overloaded the speakers and have maybe torn the speaker cones. I admit this is not the most likely problem but check it out - new speakers are usually a lot cheaper than a new card! If poss borrow someone's speakers and give it a test with them.

got rid of my sound card...with sound max now..it works fine ..