Audio: Switched to Hardware Sound and having Issues in AND out of PR!

[Expendable Grunt]

Hello,

Up until today I had used High Quality Software Sound because that is what the default was and I hadn't any trouble with it.

On my way into 1.4 I remembered spotting a post saying Hardware was better and - since I had the settings up to see if everything was the same after the update - I switched over to it.

Loaded into a map and it was fine. In fact everything stayed fine until I hopped onto a mortar about 30 minutes into a round. Suddenly my sound would suffer some issues - basically it *seems* like the bass channel and overall volume greatly reduce. It'll be fine, then rather "tinny" and soft.

I chucked this up to the Hardware sound so I logged out and switched it back to Software. That didn't help - loading back in, right from the little intro video it was apparent there were still audio issues (in fact the menu screen had only the faintest feedback for button presses, and no music at all).

SO I logged out, rebooted, and tried again. No joy.

Reset the profile - no good.

Deleted profile and retrieved it. No good.

The thing that bothers me the most, though, is that it isn't JUST PR doing this, now. I had prior no issues with my system sounds. Now, at random intervals the distortion will happen to music or videos I have playing. Looked through my sound settings and nothing is awry. It happens both with my headphones and with my speakers. There doesn't seem to be a pattern.

I use Realtek on board sound.

I'll keep combing through the prior issues but I haven't hit anything yet. If anyone has a lead, please let me know!

M.