Please help, software based speaker crackles

Hey guys, I'm new at this forum and i was looking for help regarding speaker crackles.
One day i opened my Alienware m15x laptop and while listening to some music i heard crackles that i haven't heard before during louder sections of the music. having this problems with earphones before i suspected that it was my Creative A300 speakers that were breaking. I unplugged my speakers and started using the onboard speakers instead. the crackles continued. I tried out my Philips earphones and the crackles continued again.i decided that the crackling was software based or sound card based. I keep my Windows sound level at 75%. I also have a "Realtek HD Audio Manager" software that came with my laptop which has every setting on default. I was wondering if i should buy an external X-Fi audio card or if there is a software based solution to this.
Thanks everyone!

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Originally Posted by qadmdk

One day i opened my Alienware m15x laptop and while listening to some music i heard crackles that i haven't heard before during louder sections of the music.

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Sounds like clipping to me. The built in amps are not very powerful and are easy to overdrive.

rw

Oh, thanks i didn't know what to call it.
is there a way to get rid of it?

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Originally Posted by qadmdk

Oh, thanks i didn't know what to call it.
is there a way to get rid of it?

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Easy. Turn it down. You are overdriving the modest output of those amps.

rw

I could do that, but what if I wanted to play loud music?
I was thinking on investing on an external x-fii sound card, would that be smart?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by qadmdk

I could do that, but what if I wanted to play loud music?
I was thinking on investing on an external x-fii sound card, would that be smart?

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The sound card is more like a preamp. You really need powered speakers driven by the sound card to get any kind serious power.

rw

thanks again E-Stat!