That's strange. What soundcard/driver are you using, and what are the settings in its control panel? Also, what are your ASIO plugin settings?
OS: Windows XP Pro SP2
Soundcard: Soundblaster XiFi XtremeMusic
Drivers: v2.14.0001 beta (2008-01-09)
(issues appeard with previous v2.09.0007 (2006-10-03) too) XiFi ASIO: Only option is to adjust ASIO buffer latency, set to 50 ms (default)
For music listening I switch to XiFI "Audio creation mode" which disables EAX and uses enhanced internal audio processing, XiFi Crystalizer (a sound enhancer) is disabled. I'm using Stereo speakers, the soundcard output is connected to an external receiver. The stuttering would also appear with the soundcard set to "Game mode" (EAX effects and faster (less accurate) audio processing).
XMPlay Output settings: Device: ASIO - Creative ASIO
Sample rate: 44100 Buffer: 0.100s
(<- ONLY setting that was changed) Channels: stereo ( ) Apply sample rate to all file formats
Resolution: 32 bit ( ) Downmix multi-channel
( ) Dithering ( ) Noise shaping
XMPlay ASIO plugin settings: (altering any of these didn't improve the stuttering issue)(x) Set harware sample rate when possible
(x) Use optimal resolution (else pad to it)
( ) Always use prefered driver buffer size
P.S.: Forum spellchecking currently doesn't seem to work?