Volume level randomly lowers to a very low level

My volume level will randomly lower to a very low volume level. The only workaround I have found is to either raise the volume level up very high or switch to another audio device. I have had this happen when watching Netflix using IE, watching a recorded TV show in Media Center as well as playing Battlefield 3. I've had the problem happen with my on-board sound device which is a Realtek ALC888 running to external speakers as well as my Logitech G35 USB headset.

I don't think Windows is simply lowering the volume down on the volume control. If the audio lowers and I raise it back up using the physical volume nob for my speakers to be at an acceptable level and then switch to the headset and then back to the speakers the volume is then much too loud.

I've only had it happen once while playing games using the headset and never with the on-board card but I rarely can get through one episode on Netflix using the on-board audio without it happening at least once. It's also only happened once while watching a recording with Media Center with the on-board audio but I've only watched the one recording so far.

Never had an issue with Windows 7. Any ideas would be grateful.

Thanks,

EDIT 7/16/2012

I am now able to reproduce the problem while watching Netflix in the web browser by simply plugging in a device in a USB port. I've tried a USB stick as well as an HTC HD7. Each time I plug a device into the USB port the volume drops.

I also tried this while playing audio through the Zune software and got a different result. When listening to music through the Zune software and plugging in a device through the USB port the volume will drop but then will come back to normal right after it drops.

The volume is still randomly dropping even when I am not plugging anything into the USB port so unfortunately I have not found a workaround yet.

EDIT 10/28/2012

I upgraded the computer that was having the issues to the final version of Windows 8 Pro and so far so good. I have yet to have the audio drop at any point even when watching Netflix in the desktop browser and plugging in a device to the USB port. So far it appears like Microsoft fixed the issue.