Video Notes

When working on a project in DaVinci Resolve I was hearing an annoying clipping / clicking / crackling sound on playback. The issue did not occur when I exported the project.

The underlying issue was a mismatched frame rate - my project configs were set to 24fps but the playback frame rate was set to 30 fps.

This guide shows how to fix this error and also covers other possible causes if a mismatched framerate is not your issue.

Fix

1. Click the gear icon in the bottom-right corner to open Project Settings.
2. Under Master Settings, make sure both the Timeline Frame Rate and Playback Frame Rate are the same.
3. Save your changes.

Other Possible Causes

Actual audio clipping (levels too high)

• If your track levels are going above 0 dBFS, the audio itself is clipping.
• Check the meters in the Fairlight page or the mixer. If they’re hitting red, lower clip gain or track faders.

Mismatched sample rates

• For example: audio recorded at 44.1 kHz but Resolve (or your audio interface) is set to 48 kHz.
• This mismatch can introduce distortion or “warbling.”

Buffer size too low

• A small audio buffer size can cause crackles, especially on less powerful systems.
• Increase buffer size in Resolve’s audio settings or your audio interface’s control panel.

System performance issues

• CPU/GPU overload during playback (especially with heavy effects or multiple audio plugins) can cause glitching that sounds like clipping.

Audio driver issues

• On Windows, the wrong driver type (MME/WASAPI instead of ASIO) can lead to distortion.
• On macOS, check Audio MIDI Setup for consistency with Resolve’s settings.

Output volume too hot

• Even if the internal levels are fine, your system or interface output might be too loud and distorting the signal before it reaches your speakers/headphones.

Corrupted cache or render files

• Occasionally, bad cached audio can produce artifacts. Clearing the cache can help.

Quick test

If you export the project and the distortion disappears in the rendered file, the issue is playback-related (frame rate, buffer, drivers, system load). If it’s still there in the export, it’s in the audio itself (levels, sample rate mismatch, or clipping baked into the file).