Auzen X-Fi Prelude 7.1 - Audio skips in all applications except Windows Media Player

Audio skips every few minutes in any audio application other than Windows Media Player 11. I have tested this in Winamp, iTunes, and Media Player Classic. I have tested it with WAV files and MP3 files. The skip is subtle but very noticeable with headphones on. I was able to record the problem using Adobe Soundbooth:

Example 1 (skip is at roughly 16.5 seconds)


Example 2 (skip is at roughly 11.5 seconds)


I purchased the sound card less than 2 weeks ago and the problem has been prevalent since installation.



Anyone else encounter this problem? It is really bizarre that music will play just fine in Windows Media Player but nowhere else.




Relevant Information:



Sound Card: Auzen X-Fi Prelude 7.1
Driver: X-Fi Prelude - RC5
Motherboard and Chipset: ASUS A8N-SLI Deluxe / nForce4
Video Card: nVidia GeForce 7800 GT
Operating System: Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate x64

Playback Software:
Winamp 5.52 Pro, iTunes 7.6.0.29, Windows Media Player 11.0.6000.6344, Media Player Classic 6.4.9.0

I have this card and have no problems at all. Have you got the latest driver..rc5?

Yes I have the latest RC5 driver. One of your postings on this forum helped me decide on purchasing this card

I really like it aside from the skipping, hopefully I can fix it.

Thanks for the reply

Bryan

Yes it really is a good card,Im sorry to hear about the skipping problem. Maybe its a conflict with some other audio device you have installed..like a usb camera..the audio mic tends to conflict sometimes. Also have you turned off the onboard audio in bios?
Check all audio hardware and software you have in device manager and disable each one in turn, then check your prelude sound and try and pinpoint the source of the conflict. Also try moving the card to another pci slot. Another thing to try is to update your motherboard bios to the latest firmware if you have not already done so.

I don't have any other audio devices installed. I have the onboard audio turned off in the BIOS. I have the latest firmware for my motherboard.

The only thing I haven't tried is moving it to another PCI slot but that would be really hard given the layout of the other components in my case.

What I still find most bizarre is music plays flawlessly in Windows Media Player but not in any other application. My only theory would be that Windows Media Player is a 64bit program while the others are 32bit but I think iTunes is also 64bit.

Thanks again for the input, it is appreciated!

Cheers,
Bryan

Nevermind my 32bit vs 64bit theory, taking a look at the task manager shows that Windows Media Player is only 32bit too! as well as iTunes.

OK. Could you tell me exactly which apps work and which dont. Maybe we can slim it down a little a figure out what could be causing this.

Actually it looks like I located the problem. My Linksys WMP300N PCI Card (wireless N adapter.) If I disable the card the skipping disappears and after doing research on the internet it looks like many people have audio problems when using various wireless N adapters. The consensus seems to be a problem with Vista and Wireless N cards.

I am returning my wireless card and, unfortunately, running a cable from the basement to my office upstairs which is not an easy task!

Thanks for your input Chris, I appreciate it! The good news is it isn't my Prelude

Hooray for the Prelude, booo to the cable, LOL. Glad you have found the solution. To be honest I would never have suspected that a wireless card could interfere...thats one to keep in my brain, cheers.
Enjoy the card.