to the best of our knowledge its still there.

my thoughts on the sound issue. other than my sound reducing to crackling mess in single player ive never had no sound.

BUT ! when i use team speak comms online i do get the sounds going lower in volume ! now i know theres a system in windows 7 that can turn you sound up or down based on microphone levels input. However i do not have mine set up like that. i hate it, but never the less with comms my sound is deminishing. just my 2 cents.