Sound Cuts Out

[Mustard]

For some reason every couple of seconds the sound will cut out when I am playing a song. It will only be for a split second but I am not the only one that hears it as it cuts the transmission as well. I converted my music using the batch process of Goldwave with 11025 hz and 16-bit mono with reduced bass. I also tried the same thing with Audacity following the instructions how to convert exactly. Both resulted in the song cutting out every couple of seconds. I also tried using HLSS but the same thing happened so I don't think it's anything with HLDJ but on my end. What the problem on my end is I have no idea. I seemed to have a similar problem to another user but when I reduced all of my video settings, the same thing occurred without any change. I'm at a loss and after fiddling with TF2 for awhile, I gave up.

[Renegade]

Does it continue to play, but inaudibly, or is playback stopped entirely (i.e. voice icon disappears)? In either case, you'll first want to make sure that "voice_fadeouttime" is 0 (HLDJ should have set it so automatically). Next, set "net_graph" to 3, which will display diagnostics for you connection. Check that the ping, choke, and loss numbers aren't spiking too high when you play audio (loss and choke should be below 10).
If they are (or even if they aren't) you'll want to try it out on a server that you have a good connection to, preferably even create your own. If it still persists, you can have a look at the Optimizations options in HLDJ and tweak your network rates. Generally, this doesn't have much of an effect for Source games, but if you find the optimum values for you connection, it may boost performance that much more (start of with your current rates as default, then lower the optimized rates until you find something that works well).

[Mustard]

It will cut out for a split second (voice icon does disappear but only for a second) then continue playing the song the same as it was before it cut out. "voice_fadeouttime" was set to 0. Choke and Loss stayed at 0 for the most part but sometimes choke would fluctuate but nothing higher than 5. My ping on the server was at a steady 16ms (fps fluctuated between 40 and 60, not sure if this matters). I also lowered the optimizations but this didn't seem to change anything.

[Renegade]

Did you try it on your own local server (remember to set sv_voicequality to 5)?
Might be something else funky with some of your cvars. If you dump a list of the voice and client ones here, I can take a look at them.
You can do this by entering "cvarlist voice_" and "cvarlist cl_" into console.

[Mustard]

For some reason sv_voicequality was not in the console so it didn't recognize it.

cvarlist voice_
cvar list
--------------
voice_avggain : 0 : :
voice_clientdebug : 0 : , "cl" :
voice_debugfeedback : 0 : :
voice_debugfeedbackfrom : 0 : :
voice_dsound : 0 : :
voice_enable : 1 : , "a" :
voice_fadeouttime : 0 : :
voice_forcemicrecord : 0 : , "a" :
voice_inputfromfile : 0 : :
voice_loopback : 0 : , "user" :
voice_maxgain : 10 : :
voice_menu_1 : cmd : :
voice_menu_2 : cmd : :
voice_menu_3 : cmd : :
voice_modenable : 1 : , "a", "clientcmd_can_execute", "cl" : Enable/disable voice in this mod.
voice_overdrive : 2 : :
voice_overdrivefadetime : 0 : :
voice_printtalkers : cmd : :
voice_profile : 0 : :
voice_recordtofile : 0 : :
voice_scale : 1 : , "a" :
voice_serverdebug : 0 : , "sv" :
voice_showchannels : 0 : :
voice_showincoming : 0 : :
voice_steal : 2 : :
voice_writevoices : 0 : :
--------------
26 convars/concommands for [voice_]

[Renegade]

All looks good there, and what of your cl_ vars? And the results on your local server?

[Mustard]

Local server had the same result. Any reason why it wouldn't recognize cv_voicequality?

cvar list
--------------
cl_allowdownload : 1 : , a :
cl_allowupload : 1 : , a :
cl_anglespeedkey : 0 : , cl :
cl_animationinfo : cmd : :
cl_autorezoom : 1 : , a , user , cl :
cl_backspeed : 450 : , cheat , cl :
cl_blobbyshadows : 0 : , cl :
cl_bobcycle : 0 : , cl :
cl_bobup : 0 : , cl :
cl_burninggibs : 0 : , cl :
cl_chatfilters : 31 : , a , cl :
cl_class : 0 : , a , user , cl :
cl_clearhinthistory : cmd : :
cl_clock_correction : 1 : , cheat :
cl_clock_correction_adjustment_max_amount : 200 : , cheat :
cl_clock_correction_adjustment_max_offset : 90 : , cheat :
cl_clock_correction_adjustment_min_offset : 10 : , cheat :
cl_clock_correction_force_server_tick : 999 : , cheat : .
cl_clock_showdebuginfo : 0 : , cheat :
cl_clockdrift_max_ms : 150 : , cheat :
cl_clockdrift_max_ms_threadmode : 0 : , cheat :
cl_cmdrate : 10 : , a , user :
cl_crosshairalpha : 200 : , a , cl :
cl_crosshaircolor : 0 : , a , cl :
cl_customsounds : 0 : , cl :
cl_debugrumble : 0 : , a , cl :
cl_demoviewoverride : 0 : , cl :
cl_detail_multiplier : 1 : , cheat , cl :
cl_detaildist : 1200 : :
cl_detailfade : 400 : :

cl_downloadfilter : 0 : , a :
cl_drawhud : 1 : , cheat , cl :
cl_drawleaf : -1 : , cheat , cl :
cl_drawmaterial : 0 : , cheat , cl :
cl_drawmonitors : 1 : , cl :
cl_drawshadowtexture : 0 : , cheat , cl :
cl_dump_particle_stats : cmd : :
cl_dynamiccrosshair : 1 : , a , cl :
cl_ejectbrass : 1 : :
cl_ent_absbox : cmd : :
cl_ent_bbox : cmd : :
cl_ent_rbox : cmd : :
cl_entityreport : 0 : , cheat :
cl_extrapolate : 1 : , cheat , cl :
cl_extrapolate_amount : 0 : , cheat , cl :
cl_fastdetailsprites : 1 : , cheat , cl :
cl_fasttempentcollision : 5 : , cl :
cl_find_ent : cmd : :
cl_find_ent_index : cmd : :
cl_flag_return_height : 82 : , sv , cheat :
cl_flag_return_size : 20 : , cheat , cl :
cl_flushentitypacket : 0 : , cheat :
cl_forcepreload : 0 : , a :
cl_forwardspeed : 450 : , cheat , cl :
cl_fullupdate : cmd : :
cl_hud_minmode : 0 : , a , cl :
cl_idealpitchscale : 0 : , a , cl :
cl_ignorepackets : 0 : , cheat :
cl_interp : 0 : , user , cl :
cl_interp_all : 0 : , cl :
cl_interp_npcs : 0 : , user , cl :
cl_interp_ratio : 2 : , user , cl :
cl_interp_threadmodeticks : 0 : , cl :
cl_jiggle_bone_debug : 0 : , cheat , cl :
cl_jiggle_bone_debug_pitch_constraints : 0 : , cheat , cl :
cl_jiggle_bone_debug_yaw_constraints : 0 : , cheat , cl :
cl_lagcomp_errorcheck : 0 : , cl :
cl_lagcompensation : 1 : , user , cl :
cl_language : 0 : , user :
cl_leveloverview : 0 : , cheat , cl :
cl_leveloverviewmarker : 0 : , cheat , cl :
cl_localnetworkbackdoor : 1 : :
cl_logofile : 0 : , a :
cl_maxrenderable_dist : 3000 : , cheat , cl :
cl_mouseenable : 1 : , cl :
cl_mouselook : 1 : , a , cl :
cl_muzzleflash_dlight_1st : 1 : , cl :
cl_new_impact_effects : 0 : , cl :
cl_obj_fake_alert : 0 : , cl :
cl_obj_test_building_damage : -1 : , cheat , cl :
cl_observercrosshair : 1 : , a , cl :
cl_overdraw_test : 0 : , cheat , numeric , cl :
cl_panelanimation : cmd : :
cl_particle_batch_mode : 1 : , cl :
cl_particle_max_count : 0 : , cl :
cl_particle_retire_cost : 0 : , cheat , cl :
cl_particleeffect_aabb_buffer : 2 : , cheat , cl :have to be reinserted as oft
cl_particles_dump_effects : cmd : :
cl_particles_show_bbox : 0 : , cheat , cl :
cl_pclass : 0 : , cheat , cl :
cl_pdump : -1 : , cheat , cl :
cl_phys_props_enable : 1 : , cl :
cl_phys_props_max : 300 : , cl :
cl_phys_props_respawndist : 1500 : , cl :
cl_phys_props_respawnrate : 60 : , cl :

cl_phys_timescale : 1 : , cheat , cl :
cl_pitchdown : 89 : , cheat , cl :
cl_pitchspeed : 225 : , cl :
cl_pitchup : 89 : , cheat , cl :
cl_playback_screenshots : 0 : :
cl_playerspraydisable : 0 : , a , cl :
cl_precacheinfo : cmd : :
cl_pred_optimize : 2 : , cl :
cl_pred_track : cmd : : <entindex> <fieldname>:
cl_predict : 1 : , user , cl :
cl_predictionlist : 0 : , cheat , cl :
cl_predictweapons : 1 : , user , cl :
cl_ragdoll_collide : 0 : , cl :
cl_ragdoll_fade_time : 15 : , cl :
cl_ragdoll_forcefade : 0 : , cl :
cl_ragdoll_physics_enable : 1 : , cl :
cl_ragdoll_pronecheck_distance : 64 : , sv , cl :
cl_removedecals : cmd : :
cl_resend : 6 : :
cl_rumblescale : 1 : , a , cl :
cl_scalecrosshair : 1 : , a , cl :
cl_screenshotname : 0 : :
cl_SetupAllBones : 0 : , cl :
cl_shadowtextureoverlaysize : 256 : , cheat , cl :
cl_show_splashes : 1 : , cl :
cl_ShowBoneSetupEnts : 0 : , cl :
cl_showdemooverlay : 0 : :
cl_showents : cmd : :
cl_showerror : 0 : , cl :
cl_showevents : 0 : , cheat :
cl_showfps : 0 : , cl :
cl_showhelp : 1 : , a , user , cl :
cl_showpausedimage : 1 : , cl :
cl_showpluginmessages : 1 : , a :
cl_showpos : 0 : , cl :
cl_ShowSunVectors : 0 : , cl :
cl_showtextmsg : 1 : , cl :
cl_sidespeed : 450 : , cheat , cl :
cl_smooth : 1 : , cl :
cl_smoothtime : 0 : , cl :

cl_soundemitter_flush : cmd : :
cl_soundfile : 0 : , a :
cl_soundscape_flush : cmd : :
cl_soundscape_printdebuginfo : cmd : :
cl_spec_mode : 6 : , a , user , server_can_execute , cl : spectator mode
cl_sporeclipdistance : 512 : , cheat , cl :
cl_sun_decay_rate : 0 : , cheat , cl :
cl_team : 0 : , a , user , cl :
cl_threaded_bone_setup : 0 : , cl :
cl_threaded_client_leaf_system : 0 : , cl :
cl_timeout : 30 : , a :
cl_updaterate : 15 : , a , user :
cl_upspeed : 320 : , cheat , cl :
cl_view : cmd : :
cl_voice_filter : 0 : :
cl_winddir : 0 : , cheat , cl :
cl_windspeed : 0 : , cheat , cl :
cl_yawspeed : 210 : , cl :
--------------
153 convars/concommands for [cl_]

[Renegade]

If your connection seems fine (mainly in ping and loss), I'm not sure what else it could be. Your cl_cmdrate and cl_updaterate seem a bit low (though this would affect gameplay but actually help sound playback), you could probably try setting both to between 66 and 100 (recommend to half your fps; here's a guide).

Another idea would be to contact Steam directly, especially if it occurs during voice transmission, and they might have other suggestions.

As for sv_voicequality, I believe Valve may have removed it as voice quality is always at maximum now.