Sound is distorted from headphones on the computer. Hissing, noise, crackling and other extraneous sound in speakers and headphones - how to find and eliminate the cause? Other parameters that can affect sound reproduction

11.04.2021

User question

Hello.

I have a problem with my PC: some kind of extraneous noise comes from the speakers and headphones (it looks like a crackling). Tyrkal wires - did not help; I also rearranged the inputs - the problem did not go away. By the way, if you click the mouse, this noise is amplified a little. What to do?

The sound card is built-in, Realtek (I don't know the exact model). The headphones are new, the speakers are the most common, though they are already quite old (7-8 years old).

Good day!

In general, there can be a great variety of noises found in speakers and headphones: for example, the noise of a wheel from a mouse, various crackling, whistling, intermittent and trembling noises, etc. They can appear from a variety of reasons.

The user problem with sound described above is quite typical (unfortunately), and it is not always so easy and quick to fix it. Nevertheless, in this article I will try to give all the most important points that you need to pay attention to first. By eliminating them, with a high degree of probability, you will make your sound better and cleaner.

If you have too quiet sound- try the tips from the following article:

If you have no sound at all on a computer - I recommend that you familiarize yourself with this guide:

Causes and elimination of extraneous sound in speakers and headphones

Speaker / Headphone Cable

1) Is the cable intact

Many do not attach any importance to this (supposedly, what will happen to it), and the cable, by the way, can be damaged by accident: if the furniture is carelessly moved, bending it, stepping with a heel. In addition, many have pets in the house. In general, there are enough reasons without your direct intervention ...

The photo below shows the damaged audio cable ...

2) Broken audio connectors

Over time, any audio connectors begin to "weaken" (most often from heavy use) - and the plug is not clamped tightly into them, sometimes even a slight backlash (gap) is observed. If, in this case, you try to insert / remove the plug, twist it in the socket - you can notice how noise appears in the speakers and how they disappear. In this way, you can select a position of the plug in which there will be no noise. The cable in this "ideal" position can be secured with tape.

In general, if the problem is with broken sockets, replace them in the computer. service, the question is not too "expensive".

3) Cable length

I also want to draw attention to the length of the cable. If the computer speakers are located 2 meters from the system unit, then using cables 10 meters long is unreasonable (especially if there are some adapters, extension cords). All this can cause "distorted" sound, a kind of interference. In general, I do not recommend using cables longer than 2-5 meters (in the most common situations, for household use).

4) Is the cable fixed

Another reason that I had to face was the following: the cable from the system unit to the speakers was "suspended", about 2 meters long. Naturally, if the window in the room was open, then the draft forced this cable to "dangle" and extraneous noises were observed.

It was very simple to get rid of the problem: with the help of ordinary tape, we attached the cable in 2-3 places to the table and the noise disappeared.

By the way, the cable can also be touched by passing people (if your PC is not very convenient), pets, even your own legs (if the cable goes under the table). Therefore, my advice is to secure (fix) or route the cable so that no one accidentally touches it.

The photo below shows special holders / clamps that exclude "tangling" of cables and exclude that some wires "will" dangle. These Velcro holders can be placed at the back of the table to secure all wires and cables. By the way, you can use regular tape instead.

5) Front and rear audio connectors

Another important point: if laptops have only one audio connector (usually on the side panel), then the system unit has 2 of them (most often): on the back of the unit, and in the front.

Many users find it more convenient to connect headphones (sometimes speakers) to the front side of the unit - and often in this case, the sound is not as high-quality as if you connected it to the audio jacks on the back of the system unit. This is due to adapters, extension cords and other moments with the connection of the front panel (from the back of the system unit - the audio outputs go "directly" from the sound card).

In general, the motive for this advice is simple: try connecting headphones / speakers to the audio outputs on the back of the system unit.

6) Is the cable entwined with other cords

Also, background noise and external noises may appear in the speakers due to the fact that the audio cable is too "closely" intertwined with other wires. Try to arrange it neatly so that it is away from the rest. By the way, this advice intersects with the cable fixation (see just above).

And one more tip: if you experience hiss and noise in your speakers, try plugging in headphones instead (or vice versa). This will not solve the problem, but it will help you find and diagnose the cause. If there is no noise in the headphones, then for sure the reason lies outside the system unit (which is already something ...).

Incorrect sound settings in Windows

Often extraneous noise in the speakers is associated with not quite "correct" sound settings in Windows. Therefore, I recommend trying to change them ...

To do this, open the Windows Control Panel at: Control Panel \ Hardware and Sound .

It will display several of your audio devices. Open the properties of the one through which the sound goes by default (such a device is marked with a green checkmark).

Note: by the way, if the default device for sound playback is not selected correctly, then you will not hear the sound.

When will you open speaker properties(default playback devices) - look at the "Levels" tab (see screenshot below). In this tab, reduce all extraneous sources to a minimum: PC Beer, CD, Microphone, Line-in, etc. (their number and availability depends on your computer configuration).

Next, I recommend opening the tab "improvements" and see if it's included "Loudness" (by the way, in some versions of Windows it is called as " Additional features / volume equalization ").

Save the settings and check if the sound has changed, if it has become clearer.

Lack of up-to-date sound driver / driver setting

In general, usually, in case of problems with the drivers, there is no sound at all. But modern versions of Windows (8, 8.1, 10) install drivers automatically. There is nothing wrong with that, on the contrary, they make life easier for novice users. But there is one big "BUT" - the drivers they install, usually, cannot be configured. there is no extra. panels where important parameters for your equipment are set. As a result, certain distortions of the sound may occur.

In order not to repeat myself on how to check if there is an audio driver in the system, how to find and update it, how to remove an old driver, etc. - I recommend that you read this article:

You may also need programs to automatically update drivers in the system. I talked about them in this article:

I also recommend paying attention to the driver settings. To open the audio driver settings: go to the Windows control panel in the section "Hardware and Sound" ... Further at the bottom of the window, usually, there is always a link to the setting: in my case, this is "Dell Audio" (in yours, for example, it could be Realtek Audio).

In the audio driver settings, check the volume of the main devices ("play around" with it), disable various "incomprehensible" enhancements, filters, etc. Very often they cause all sorts of problems with sound.

Checking speakers on another PC

If the above recommendations did not work, I highly recommend connecting your speakers or headphones to another device: laptop, TV, PC, etc. This must be done in order to determine the source of the extraneous sound:

- either the speakers are "to blame" (if the sound is noisy on other devices);

- either the system unit itself is "to blame" (if the speakers behave normally when connected to other sound sources).

The reason may be grounding ...

Grounding (sometimes called grounding) in ordinary residential buildings, they are most often done in the basement. All outlets in the building are connected to this ground. If all equipment (including speakers) is connected to the same outlet, then problems with noise due to grounding usually never arise.

If the cause of the noise is grounding, then the easiest way to get rid of this is to connect all equipment to the network through one common wall outlet. It is even better if a surge protector (not Chinese, but of normal quality, or UPS) is connected to the outlet, to which the PC and speakers will be connected.

The photo below shows a power filter for 5 outlets. Enough for most ordinary home PCs, you can connect: a monitor, a system unit, speakers, a printer, and even a phone charger will remain ...

Important! In the absence of grounding, some authors recommend connecting the case of the system unit with a regular battery. I do not recommend doing this categorically (with a certain construction of the network - you can get an electric shock)! In general, the issue with grounding is better solved with an electrician.

Mouse wheel scrolling noise

Sometimes the mouse wheel scrolling noise "gets" into the audio interference and is heard in the speakers. Sometimes such noise can be quite strong and it is simply impossible to listen to music while working.

If you hear sound from a mouse in the speakers, then I recommend taking the following set of measures:

Try to replace the mouse with a new one;

If you are using a mouse with PS / 2 connector, replace it with USB (or vice versa);

You can also use PS / 2 to USB adapters. For example, by connecting a mouse with a PS / 2 connector to the USB port;

Try using a wireless mouse.

The photo below shows: a mouse with a PS / 2 plug, a USB mouse, and PS / 2 to USB adapters.

Mobile phones and gadgets

If your mobile phone is too close to the speakers, then when you call it (or receive SMS messages), you may hear strong crackling and interference. You can, of course, try to shield the audio cable, but at home, in my opinion, all this is a waste of money, time and effort.

The best way out is to find a place for the mobile phone not on the computer desk, or at least spread the phone and speakers to different corners. Thanks to this, crackling and noise will be significantly reduced.

By the way, this can be observed from walkie-talkies, radiotelephones and other similar gadgets and set-top boxes. Anything with an antenna and radio signals can potentially be the source of the strongest vibrations reflected in your speakers.

In some cases, even an ordinary printer / scanner / copier, an “unusual” table lamp can cause noise in the speakers. Therefore, at least for the duration of the diagnostics, I recommend turning off the extraneous devices located near the speakers one by one and looking at the state and purity of the sound.

I think there is nothing more to comment on ...

High volume on low-quality speakers

Volume above 50% on inexpensive, low-quality speakers (and headphones) may well be the cause of noise. (they say that the speakers start to "phonate").

In general, all speakers and headphones are shining. True, higher-quality speakers (and, as a rule, more expensive), produce cleaner sound even at high volumes, and only fade at maximum. While cheap - when the volume reaches average levels ...

Also pay attention to the microphone. If your speakers are turned on loudly and the microphone is working, then the effect of a closed "ring" may be observed.

Low power supply (economy mode)

This tip is more suitable for laptop users ...

The fact is that laptops have several modes of operation: economy mode, balanced mode, and high performance. Manufacturers do this in order to more economically consume battery power.

In some cases, the reduced power consumption does not allow for high quality sound output. Therefore, I recommend going to the Windows Control Panel: Control Panel \ Hardware and Sound \ Power . Then turn on high productivity and save the settings (see screenshot below).

Installing an external sound card

For some reason, many people think that an external sound card is some kind of large device, expensive, etc. All this is in the past, now there are modern sound cards, the size of which is slightly larger than a USB stick (and they look almost the same).

Yes, you cannot connect any specific equipment to such a sound card, but you can connect ordinary classic headphones and speakers, a microphone to it, which is more than enough for many "average" users.

In addition, an external sound card can simply help out and help get rid of extraneous noise when other options did not solve the problem. Moreover, the cost of many models is more than affordable (the cheapest options cost no more than a few hundred rubles).

The photo below shows the USB sound card. Such a small "baby" is capable of producing a fairly high-quality sound that some of the built-in sound cards will envy. And in principle, it will suit most users who are satisfied with the most "ordinary" sound.

That's all for me. Additions on the topic - welcome ...

If your headphones suddenly stopped working, do not rush to the service center, do not rush to call the repairmen. Often the reason is not so difficult, you can correct the defect yourself. Let's analyze the reasons why the device works quietly or there is no sound at all, how to increase the sound in the headphones, remove the noise. Depending on the detected error, we will correct the situation.

Headphones

Your speakers are working normally on your computer / laptop, but there is a problem with the headphones: when you connect them to the USB port, they do not transmit sound. What to do when there is no sound from the headphones?

In the taskbar on your PC desktop, at the bottom right in the notification area, look for the speaker icon. Right click on it.
In the menu that appears, select "Playback Devices".
You have opened the "Sound" window. When you connect a device to the USB port, its icon should appear in the window. If there is no icon, then you need to connect. Click on an empty field in the RMB window, select "Show Disabled Devices".
You will have a device icon, but it will be inactive, gray, with the inscription "Disabled".
Right-click on the icon, select "Enable" from the menu.
The button became active, a check mark appeared in a green circle on the icon, which means that everything is done. At the same time, the icon with a check mark on the speaker button will change to an icon with a handset, which means that the speakers are turned off at this time, do not work.
To configure the work, click on the RMB headphone icon, in the menu go to "Properties".
Enter a name in the line, set the desired icon.
The line "Device Application" should read "Use this device (incl.)".
Apply the changes and go to the "Levels" tab.
In the Speakers setting, move the knob to the maximum value. Make sure that the loudspeaker icon next to this control is in the on position (there is no red circle on the icon indicating the off state).
Go to the "Balance" button, you also need to increase the parameters to 100%, check that the values of the regulators there are maximum.
Apply the changes, go to the "Additional features" tab, uncheck all the checkboxes there, so you will remove possible noise.
Going to the "Advanced" tab, you can check the sound in different formats, choose one of the proposed ones.
Uncheck the boxes in the "Exclusive Mode" section.

You have configured your headphones and they are now working correctly for you. If at the next connection to the port they were again inactive, right-click on them and set the default work in the menu. After that, each time you plug in, the headphones will automatically turn on.

Headphones do not work when connected to the front panel

You connected the device to the front panel, but it does not work, there is no sound from the headphones. We act according to the algorithm:

Go through the "Start" menu in the "Control Panel".
Go to the "Hardware and Sound" section.
There go to "Realtek HD Manager".

Go to "RealtekHD Manager"

The dispatcher window will open.
You will see that the front panel is inactive. Click on the "Connector Options" folder. Both parameters must be checked there. Mark them to activate the front panel.

You can also go to additional settings and adjust everything there, as mentioned above, to remove noise and interference.

The sound is dull, quiet

The headphones work, but some files come with a low sound, dull. When you unplug the plug from the computer / laptop, when the sound passes through the speakers, the same files start to sound normal. How to cure such a problem, how to amplify the sound in headphones?

Go to the Control Panel located in the Start menu.
We pass along the path: "Equipment and Sound" - "Sound" - "Control of sound devices".

Go to the "Recording" tab, select "Stereo Mixer".
You need to increase the volume on the "Levels" tab, set the maximum value, on the "Balance" button also set 100%.

The problem should be eliminated: the quiet sound in the headphones will be corrected, the volume will be made optimal.

Noise, interference

In case of incorrect sound reproduction, when noise, interference is heard, it is easy to correct the situation if it is caused by all kinds of effects set by default. If there is noise in the headphones on the computer, how to remove it - consider this issue.

Go to device properties.
Go to the "Additional Features" tab, disable all effects.
Return to the list of devices, go to the "Communication" tab.
Set the value to "No action required".

The playback should improve, the sound should be clearer, and you removed the noise.

Driver problems

Sound problems may be related to improper operation of sound card drivers. Because of this, unnecessary noise may also appear when connecting devices. If the previous measures did not help, use updating or reinstalling drivers, install compatible drivers, even if they are "non-native".

If the problem occurs after installing an update or utility, roll back the system. Open the properties of the sound card, on the "Driver" tab, click "Roll Back". You will return to the previous working state of the driver.

You can use another method: completely remove the sound card drivers, in the device manager, click "Update configuration". The system automatically finds and installs the required software.

If the system does not find the driver you want, install it manually. Find the driver on the official website. If the sound card of a laptop does not work, look for this particular laptop on the manufacturer's website. If the card is built into the motherboard, look for the driver on the motherboard manufacturer's website. If the card was purchased separately, check with the card manufacturer for drivers. When looking for drivers, pay attention to the coincidence of the system bit: x64 or x86.

To reinstall the software and not just update it, first remove the sound card in Device Manager.

If there is a driver, but intended for an earlier version of the OS, then run the installation through compatibility mode. This mode is located in the properties of the driver on the special tab "Compatibility". Specify the parameter of the downloaded driver and start the installation. The launch must be performed with administrator privileges.

Thus, without calling specialists, in most cases you can solve the problem of poor sound or its absence on your own, reduce the noise, increase the volume. Do not rush to resort to drastic measures - reinstalling the drivers right away, perhaps the reason is simpler. Based on the situation, choose a means of restoring the normal operation of devices.

Sound distortion can be caused by the speakers through which you are listening to music. Examine the cable with which the speakers are connected to the computer, check if the cable is interrupted, if the cable wire is connected to the right connector. Just in case, unplug the wires and plug them back in. If the speakers are plugged into a USB port, test the sound by plugging the device into another similar port. Re-read the documentation that came with your speakers to make sure they are connected correctly. If there is no documentation, open the manufacturer's website and find the user manual there. Also, distorted sound on the computer can be caused by mechanical damage to the speakers. To verify that the problem is in the physical state of the playback device, try connecting other audio equipment, such as headphones or other speakers, to your computer and listening to the sound with their help. If distortion is present, your speakers are in need of repair. If distortion persists, there is either a problem with your sound card or with the software. Just in case, check the sound settings by right-clicking on the speaker icon in the system tray of your desktop. Look to see if the Mute Sound checkbox is checked. When you play sound on your computer, it might be due to improperly installed sound card drivers. Install newer drivers to fix this problem. Realteck software is suitable for most sound cards. To download this driver, go to realtek.com/downloads, select your operating system version and download the required programs. Then install them on your computer. Reboot the system and check audio playback. Older sound cards may experience audio mute after the computer wakes up from sleep mode. In this case, reboot the system and check the sound.

Sources:

distorted sound on the computer

After long-term operation of the computer, a growling sound appears inside the system unit, which often frightens the user and makes him pretty nervous. However, you should not be particularly upset! If you are not afraid to open the system unit and you have minimal experience with a screwdriver and tweezers, then you can fix this defect yourself. This is due to the drying out of the lubricant in the bearings of the cooling fan.

You will need

- screwdriver;
- tweezers;
- knife;
- alcohol;
- lubricating oil;
- cotton wool or bandage.

Instructions

Open the system unit. Turn on the computer. Use your finger to slow down the visible rotating fan for a short time (no more than 1-2 seconds) by its central part. Be careful not to hit the blades! If the sound disappears, turn off the system unit and remove the fan by unscrewing 4 screws at the corners of the fan or removing the latch (depending on the mounting method). If the sound does not disappear when the visible fans are braking, then the fan is in the power supply.

To lubricate the fan, you must carefully, without damaging, remove the protective sticker by prying it off with a thin screwdriver or knife. Under the sticker is a hard polymer fixing clip in the form of a cut washer, which must also be carefully removed. Be careful - the clip tends to jump off the shaft and get lost somewhere on the floor or elsewhere.

After that, remove the fan impeller, wash the bushing in the housing and the impeller shaft with alcohol. You can rinse the sleeve by pulling a tightly twisted bundle of cotton wool or bandage through it, previously moistened with alcohol.

Assemble the fan, install the clip and add 2-3 drops of oil. Be careful not to get oil on the surface where the protective sticker is being pasted. If this happens, then wipe the surface with alcohol and dry. If the protective sticker is torn, then it can be replaced with ordinary tape. Reattach the fan and enjoy the silence.

If the fan in the power supply unit (PSU) hums, then you will have to remove and disassemble it.
Removal and

A very common problem with sound, after its absence, is distortion: hiss, whistle, crackling, etc. It naturally occurs due to an update of the operating system or drivers for the sound card. Less commonly, a virtual audio device is the culprit. Today we'll take a look at what to do if sound stutters on a computer in Windows 10.

Verifying that your audio playback device is working is the first step in finding the root cause of the problem. Loudspeakers, headphones or audio system should be disconnected from the computer / laptop and then reconnected in case of atypical sound reproduction.

It is also strongly recommended that you check the health of the device on another computer or phone. If crackling and other distortions occur in this case, the problem lies in the hardware part. Otherwise, the proposed article will become a reliable assistant in correcting the situation.

Audio effects can cause perceptible distortion in sound reproduction, therefore such functions must be deactivated. Most likely, the audio stream passing through these filters turns out to be distorted.

1. Open the context menu of the "Speakers" icon located in the tray (through which we adjust the volume).

2. Select "Playback Devices".

3. We select speakers or an audio system, during playback on which the sound is interrupted or otherwise distorted.

4. Open the properties window by clicking on the button of the same name at the bottom of the window.

5. Go to the "Advanced" tab.

6. Uncheck the box next to the "Enable additional sound tools" option.

7. Go to "Additional features" and check the box next to "Disable all effects".

The same is done through the Realtek HD Manager if you use a sound card from Realtek and this utility is installed.

1. Open the context menu of the effect manager through its icon in the Taskbar.

2. Click on the item "Sound Manager".

3. In the "Sound Effect" tab, be sure to remove the check boxes next to the "Loudness" and "Voice suppression" options.

This will help if the sound is wheezing and hissing on Windows 10, or the quality of the human voice has dropped significantly.

4. In the last tab "Standard format" select "DVD format" corresponding to studio quality: 24-bit audio with a sampling rate of 48,000 Hz.

If there is no Realtek Manager or a different sound card is used, the audio format can be changed in the properties of the device used as a device for playing sound. In the "Advanced" tab, select a studio recording with 24 bit and 48 kHz parameters.

If the sound continues to be interrupted, hiss, and distorted, try using a different setting.

Deactivating exclusive mode

At times, even if there are fresh drivers downloaded from the official resource, the sound on the PC can be interrupted at any moment for a split second when the exclusive mode is on.

Check if the checkbox next to the item "Allow programs to use the device in exclusive ..." is checked.

Other parameters that can affect sound reproduction

There is a function in Windows 10 that mutes all sounds when making audio and video calls through a browser or instant messengers. If the function is active, during conversations, the volume will be turned down, and as a result, poor-quality sound may be heard.

In the speaker properties, go to the "Communication" tab and move the trigger to the "No action required" position.

Configuring playback devices

In the list of devices found on the computer for playing sound, select the default one and click "Configure". This will open a wizard with the parameters of the selected audio device.

Select your equipment type and test the sound for each speaker.

Reinstalling sound card drivers

If none of the above methods resolved the problem, there are still several methods to do so. One of them is reinstalling the drivers for your sound card.

If you do not know its manufacturer, go to the "Device Manager" and in the "Sound, game, video devices" branch, get this information.

1. Go to the driver developer's resource and download its latest version (for Realtek follow the link https://www.realtek.com/zh-tw/downloads).

2. Run the installer and follow all instructions.

3. After the installation is complete, restart your computer.

1. Call the Device Manager via Win → X.

2. Expand the branch with sound and other gaming devices.

3. Using the context menu of the device, we call the command to update its driver.

4. We indicate the automatic type of search for the latest software versions on the Internet.

5. Upon completion of downloading, copying files and registering them, be sure to restart the computer

The second method, despite Microsoft's strong recommendation, is not recommended. Windows 10 downloads drivers from the resources of the software giant, and often such software, if not outdated, then less suitable for the device than the one created by its developer. And the operation of such software can bring a lot of problems.

additional information

Let's take a look at a couple of important aspects regarding sound problems in Windows 10.

An installed software for capturing streaming audio or applying effects on sound can cause problems. If they appeared after the installation of such applications, remove them from startup, or rather delete them altogether.
Along with incorrect sound reproduction and inhibition, Windows 10 itself is buggy? Check the system for viruses, and through the Task Manager, make sure that no process is using the CPU by 70 percent or more, and that the processor has free resources for normal sound decoding and OS operation.
If the audio is distorted in a virtual machine or emulator, you will hardly be able to fix the problem. Like all software, emulators and virtualization tools are imperfect.

This article will help you eliminate almost any sound problem(! Intel Boards Only!) on Desktop PCs. From the experience gained from the comments on the article, it became clear that the only solution sound problems does not exist: someone does not have the drivers installed, someone has it installed that differs from the one described in the article, someone has the front panel incorrectly connected, someone has it not connected at all. As a result - a holivar with 229 comments (at the time of this writing), so it was decided to write an article that should solve absolutely any problem with sound! The basis was the technical documentation for Intel boards on the official website.

Since the article came out rather big, here is a small guide to it:

general information

Identifying your sound card.

Intel uses one of three sound options depending on the motherboard model:

2. IDT (formerly Sigmatel)

3. ADI (SoundMAX)

To determine which sound solution is used on your board, you can use: Windows Taskbar, Control Panel, Device Manager.

Determining the version of the audio driver.

For Windows 7:

2. Select Device Manager.

4. Right-click on your sound device, item "Properties.

For Windows Vista:

2. Find the Sound, video and game controllers section.

3. Right-click on your sound device, Properties.

4. Select the Driver tab and see the version of your audio driver.

For Windows XP:

2. Click the Hardware tab and select Device Manager.

3. Find the Sound, video and game controllers section.

4. Right-click on your sound device, item "Properties".

5. Select the Driver tab and view the version of your audio driver.

For Windows 98, ME, 2000:

2. Double click on System.

3. Click the Hardware tab and select Device Manager.

4. Find the Sound, video and game controllers section.

5. Right-click on your sound device, item "Properties".

6. Select the Driver tab and see the version of your audio driver.

Where can I find the latest audio driver?

Visit your official site, or you can find your drivers in the Intel Download Center.

Audio standards: AC "97 and HD Audio.

Intel motherboards integrate either AC "97 or HD Audio.

AC "97 (short for Audio Codec 97) is a standard audio codec developed by Intel Architecture Labs in Intel in 1997. It is primarily used in motherboards, modems, sound cards, and chassis front panel audio solutions. AC" 97 supports sample rates 96 kHz using 20-bit stereo resolution and 48 kHz using 20-bit stereo for multi-channel recording and playback. In 2004, Intel replaced this standard with High Definition Audio (HD Audio).

HD Audio

HD Audio (High Definition Audio) is the successor to AC "97, which can reproduce even more channels at higher quality than previous integrated audio codecs like AC" 97. Hardware based on HD Audio supports 24-bit audio quality (up to 192 kHz in stereo, up to 96 kHz in multichannel modes - up to 8 channels).

Windows Vista only supports the HD Audio standard for peripheral devices (such as the front panel audio solution).

How to identify the audio codec of your motherboard?

The technical specifications of each Intel indicate whether it supports AC'97 or HD Audio. To find the specification for your motherboard:

2. Select your motherboard.

3. In the left column, click on Product Documentation.

4. Select "Product Technical Specification".

How do you determine the audio standard for the front panel of your enclosure?

To determine which codec is used on the front of your chassis, you need to look at your chassis documentation. Please note that AC "97 and HD Audio front panel solutions are different from each other and cannot be directly compatible or interchangeable.

However, you can physically determine which codec is used on the front of your chassis by looking at the audio cable that connects to your front panel. So, if a 4-pin connector is present, then this is HD Audio, if it is not, then you have AC'97.

Sound management software.

You can customize your sound using the special software that is installed along with the audio driver for your motherboard. Intel offers one of the following applications, depending on the motherboard model:

Realtek * AC'97 Audio Control Panel

Soundmax * Audio Control Panel

Each of these applications allows you to perform basic sound settings such as volume, audio port setting, microphone test. Advanced settings may vary.

Configuration of a 2-channel audio solution.

The line-out, located on the rear panel, is designed only for connecting headphones or amplified speakers. The sound quality when connecting passive (without an amplifier) leaves much to be desired.

Configuration of a 6-channel audio solution.

The rear panel audio connectors support up to six speakers and these (connectors) can be reassigned using the audio driver interface.

Jack remapping is a feature that allows you to use one audio jack for different functions. For example, a pink jack can support a microphone input if stereo and surround sound is enabled, or a low frequency channel if 6-channel sound is enabled.

Speaker connection:

1. If you are using 2 speakers, connect them to connector B.

2. If you are using 4 columns:

3.Use the audio driver settings to reassign connector A to the rear output.

3. If you are using 6 columns:

2. Connect the rear speakers to the A.

3. Connect the center speakers to the C connector.

4.Use the audio driver settings to reassign connector A to the rear output and connector C to the center output or bass channel.

Configuration of an 8-channel audio solution.

8ch audio is only available on select Intel Desktop Boards.

After installing the drivers, the multi-channel mode will become available:

2. There are two types of S / PDIF connectors: coaxial (G) or optical (F).

3. The rear panel may look like this depending on the system board.

You can watch a short video tutorial on setting up multichannel audio.

Front panel configuration.

If your motherboard has a front panel audio connector, you can add a line-in and line-out audio module to the front panel. Check your motherboard datasheet to see if it has a front panel audio connector.

Use the technical documentation to learn how to connect an audio module to your motherboard. Technical documentation can be found either on the driver disc or on your motherboard manufacturer's website.

After connecting the front audio panel, you can check the audio from the front and rear panels using the audio software. Depending on your audio system (drivers and software), you can:

Configure the simultaneous use of the front and rear panels (for example, speakers are connected to the back, and headphones are connected to the front)

Installing an external audio card.

If you want to install an external audio card instead of the built-in one, do the following:

1.Disable the built-in sound card:

Disable the built-in sound card.

2. Install an external sound card following the instructions supplied with it.

32-bit playback and recording.

No Intel motherboard supports 32-bit playback and recording. The maximum bit depth possible is 24. This is done because popular digital formats such as Dolby and DTS only support 16 to 24 bits.

Moreover, high-end external sound cards support the bit depth only up to 24 bits.

Enable multi-stream playback.

Multithreading allows you to listen to different audio sources on two different sets. For example, you can listen to one sound source through the speakers connected to the rear panel, and the other through the headphones connected to the front.

You can find out if your motherboard supports multi-stream playback from the technical documentation.

Example for setting up multi-stream playback:

Troubleshooting

Drivers are not installed.

When installing the Sigmatel or Realtek audio driver (from a CD or using the latest driver downloaded from the Internet), the installation may end with one of the following errors:

The system does not support the driver you are trying to install.

First of all, do the following:

2. Find the following two items: Realtek High Definition Audio Driver and High Definition Audio driver Package - KB888111.

3. If the listed items are present, delete them.

4. Restart Windows.

5. Download the latest audio driver for your motherboard from the official website.

6. Double click the downloaded package to extract the files.

7. Go to the folder where the package was extracted, then to the \ HDAQFE \ xpsp2 \ us \ or \ MSHDQFE \ Win2K_XP \ us \ folder (depending on the version of your operating system).

8. Double click on the kb888111xpsp2.exe file.

9. Restart Windows.

10. Install the audio driver.

If the steps above did not help, try reinstalling Windows as follows:

1. Disable your sound card before installing Windows:

Go to Advanced - Peripherals (will burn different depending on BIOS version)

Disable your sound card.

Save changes by pressing F10 and exit BIOS Setup.

2. Install Windows.

3. Install any updates for Windows.

4. Install the chipset driver.

5. Install all drivers except the audio driver.

6. Enable the sound card in BIOS.

7. Reboot and click Cancel if a message appears stating that a new device has been found.

8. Install the latest audio driver.

9. Restart Windows.

Some speakers don't play.

If the sound is not coming from all speakers you should check the following:

The speakers may be connected to the wrong audio jacks. Make sure everything is connected correctly, check your audio system documentation.

The balance may not be correct. If the sound comes only from the right or only from the left speaker, then check the balance settings: the balance slider should be set in the middle.

Some 4.1 audio systems (one subwoofer and four speakers) are designed to be connected to game sound cards. If you are connecting such an audio system to a standard or built-in sound card, make sure the line-in is switched to stereo. Refer to the technical documentation for your audio system.

No sound from speakers or headphones.

If you have no sound, the following problems are possible:

1. The onboard sound card is disabled in the BIOS. Enter BIOS Setup by pressing F2 (or del) while booting the computer - go to Advanced - Peripheral Devices - Make sure onboard audio is enabled.

2. Incorrect sound mixer settings. Check if the sound in the mixer is muted or the volume is set too low.

3. Speakers or speakers are connected to the wrong audio jacks. Make sure everything is connected correctly. If you connect speakers or headphones to the line-in or microphone jack, they will not work.

4. Audio drivers are not installed correctly. Check the Sound, video and game controllers section in Device Manager. Reinstall the drivers if necessary.

5. Rear panel audio is muted when connected to the front panel. In the settings of the mixer or other audio software, clear the parameter: Disable the back panel when connecting the front panel.

The sound is distorted.

If the sound is distorted, check the following:

3. Make sure the speakers themselves are in good working order. Try connecting other speakers.

4. Sound quality may deteriorate when using passive speakers (no amplifier).

5. Are your speakers close to the monitor? Electrical noise from your monitor may affect playback quality. Move the speakers further away from the monitor. The subwoofer should never be placed near the monitor; it is better to place it on the floor.

6. Do you have problems with sound only in a certain game / program? There may be a problem with a specific software that distorts the sound. Please contact the vendor of this software.

Microphone is not working.

If you're having trouble recording audio using a microphone connected to the back:

2. Make sure the rear panel microphone jack is selected as the default recording device.

If you have Windows XP:

2. Click the Audio tab.

3. Set default audio recorders

4. Click OK.

If you have Windows Vista or Windows 7:

Windows 7 automatically detects a microphone connected to the back or front panel!

2. Click the Recording tab.

3. Select the microphone you are currently using and click Properties.

4. Make sure the Listen from this device option is checked.

The audio driver cannot be installed on Windows XP 64-Bit.

When installing the driver on Windows XP 64-Bit, such errors may occur as: Installation error or Unknown error.

I hope that after reading this article you are not tired and do not fall asleep, but answered many of your questions and solved all their sound problems.

PS The article turned out to be voluminous, so if you find a discrepancy, write in the comments.

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