I have the same problem with my new Inspiron 1505 with the stripped down
Sigmatel software. I tried the hacked LG drivers and got the same result you
did ..crackling audio. The solution for me was to do a loop back between the
headphone/speaker out jack and the microphone/line in with a stereo miniplug
Y connector one leg of which goes to my amplified speakers and the other leg
loops into the line in jack . When you plug anything into the mic/line in
you get a popup asking if you want to chose either mic. or line in..pick
"line in"... go into advanced audio properties to adjust the volume
recording slider to your desired level. In Audacity you only have two
options; mic. or line in; pick line in chose "line in" and you should be
good to go. I found this method gives very good recording quality. I will
admit this is not a very aesthetic or sophisticated method but it should
work. Why Dell was so cheap with their choice of audio chip is beyond
comprehension!


"muffinn" <m_w_finn******.co.uk> wrote in message
news:1169582343.119797.189210@j27g2000cwj.googlegr oups.com...
> The laptop comes with a driver that does not allow recording from CD in
> any recording software - e.g. Audacity (but I have tried others).
> Using an updated driver, not from Dell I can record but then my CD
> playback sound is crackly and interrupted.
> When I use the Dell driver I am back to square one - i.e. either good
> CD sound or no recording.
>
> Any thoughts?
>