Horrid Buzz On Audio

got a new (refurb) laptop which had great video and audio the first 2 weeks. audio is so much LOUDER than my old PC that i've had to set slider at like 35%. which is fine -- old one i couldn't always hear even at 100%.

but now, suddenly, everything has a horrid BUZZ. like i've blown a tweeter. is that even POSSIBLE on a laptop? i would think a system would be designed to handle its own "max volume", no? and i've rarely had it up like that anyways -- just a couple of QUICK CHECKS to confirm (again) how distorted things get. could i really have done permanent damage doing that?

otoh, is there ANY chance it's some sort of "processing" issue instead that could be cleared up with new s/w or codecs or something? i'd really hate to think i trashed actual HARDWARE 3 weeks in!

dell XLS471
win 10/20H2
VLC 3.0.17.4 (usually)

 

btw, when you all are turning DOWN audio, do u do it in the player or with the PC-wide slider? i started out thinking the former (set PC to 100% always, then adjust locally), but then system bells (like "end of results" for ^F in a file) are screaming loud. so now i set PC itself to like 40% and adjust VLC only slightly -- like between 90 and 100.

this feels wrong to me, but unless there's some way to mute "error" bells separately, i don't seem to have a choice.

now with my "buzz" issue, however, i'm all over the map. trying system slider at 50, 60, 70, etc with VLC going the other way to match. just tryna find some combo with minimum of rattle, but it ain't easy!

 

No Dell XLS471 in my searching so we haven't a clue what hardware is in the refurb.

 

XPS sorry that was a typo.

tried to fix it but -- surprise surprise -- board wouldn't allow edit.

i am not sure about speakers etc. dev mgr shows "realtek hi def audio" under "speakers/headphones" and "intel display audio" "NVDIA hi def audio" and "realtek hi def audio" under "sound/vid/game controllers". all sound pretty vague.

as for my later question, i found a "mixer" panel which gives separate sliders for "system sounds" and "VLC" (surprisingly specific on that! where's the OTHER players?) and turned system down to 2%. if this holds (it hasn't so far -- keeps resetting to 100% when i open it back up), that'll solve THAT problem at least.

in a similar vein, is there a real "mixer" panel somewhere? like bass vs tweeter? can't find one, but i figure minimizing bass could greatly reduce my "buzz".

 

PS: i did try a couple of other players (WMP etc) just to make sure it wasn't my VLC at fault, but yeah, same horrid buzz. so just to rule that out.

 

Have you tried external speakers?

 

no headphones, no external speakers. i need to get this working as is -- what are the odds it's some sort of codec/processing problem vs. actual hardware failure?

i've never heard of anyone blowing a laptop speaker before. is this a "thing"?

given that laptops are like 200-300 now, and repairs start at 150, i guess i'm SOL? are people pitching laptops as soon as speaker, fan, touchpad, hinge, etc go nowadays?

don't tell me DIY. i can barely manage an HDD or RAM swap, there's no way i'd survive opening PC up.

 

Laptop sound chips die. That is why external sound devices are sold.
examples: https://www.amazon.com/Best-Sellers-External-Sound-Cards/zgbs/pc/3015427011

I also can find nothing for Dell XPS471; nothing on google and here is wikipedia.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dell_XPS#XPS_400_series

Truthfully I buy refurbed desktops but would never consider buying a refurbed laptop because if the video dies, you have nothing.

 

hmmm. i dunno HOW i mangled that model# (repeatedly). looking now, i find XPS-L521X.

googling that with "buzz" "sound issues" etc reveals a LOT of threads on other tech boards, but when i get into them, it's always a diff model#. namely:

Solved: Static noise from audio speakers - Dell XPS 13 9350 - Dell Community

Dell XPS 13 (2016 Kaby Lake Model) Buzzing From Speakers - Dell Community

Audio Distortion or Speaker Static Noise on Select Dell Latitude, XPS, Inspiron, Precision, and Vostro Laptops | Dell US

i will try the diagnostics suggested and/or replace those realtek drivers. my gut says that it is the actual speakers themselves, tho i certainly hope not.

first i need to FIND A PAIR OF HEADPHONES and double-check things. geesh. used to own like 15 of them; can't find a ONE around anywhere!

 

i'll just mention that a lot of articles on the dell site attribute the noise to the HDD, the fan, or the "piezoelectric effect during C3 mode" (?), but i discount all of these b/c in my case it is ONLY WHEN PLAYING AUDIO. laptop is perfectly quiet on its own.

those prior threads i mentioned do address my version, albeit for diff model#s. i too notice certain audio/vids are *almost* tolerable at low volume while others are beyond horrid. i haven't noticed a connection to the VISUAL -- couple ppl there saying "when there is motion on the screen" -- i was thinking more along the lines of bass vs treble. like if i could strip out the bass from the audio, most of it might go away?

again, i was thinking "blown woofer" in my realworld-stereo mentality.

 

I found this

but since this was posted in 2012 with the OS of Windows 7, I'm not sure it is applicable.

Go here https://www.dell.com/support/home/en-us/product-support/product/xps-15-l521x/drivers
find this section

and click on Check for Updates.

 

still no relief.

i still think i could minimize some of the issue if i could turn DOWN the base. i used to see an equalizer when i used audacity -- was that just internal to that app, or does windows itself have a place to do that? have hunted around sound properties with no luck.

ditto VLC. really thought i used to see that, but i guess i'm mistaken.

hmmm. do ANY of the major players have one? this alone might be enuf to make me switch players. i am getting to the point where i watch all videos muted and just read the subtitles....

 

i had a similar issue with a random buzz interference when playing any sort of audio.
i reinstalled a fresh set of driver files from the back-up folders.
the fresh drivers will install/replace themselves over the older file without deleting or doing any sort of uninstalling...
open device mgr.,click audio inputs and outputs>right click speakers>click update drivers>browse my computer for drivers>let me pick from a list of available drivers>click on the slightly highlighted version you are using> click next.
then go to sound, video and game controllers>right click>update driver, and repeat the same steps as above,(browse my computer for drivers>let me pick from a list of available drivers>click on the slightly highlighted version you are using> click next.) then restart the machine and give your audio a listen to see if that resolved the issue.
worked out for me, hope it works out for you too.
i forgot to mention that the buzz was present whether it was audio on a web page or any media player i was using before i reinstalled the fresh drivers.

 

alas, but no. still the same. mp3s, videos, system errors/alerts, all 90% buzz.

as plodr said, i guess laptop is a coaster now? i cannot see investing $150++ on a speaker (or soundcard) when new lap can be had for $200-300.

oh well. 2 weeks. i had a good run.

 

ok, so i finally found some headphones and am trying to test things, but apparently plugging them IN is not enuf to reroute the signal to them?

windows even gave me a popup "device has been plugged into audio jack" but no change. no sound in headphones; buzzy audio still coming out of laptop speakers.

"sound settings" (and dvr mgr, i guess) still only shows one entry, the cryptic "speakers/headphones" combo. so where/how do i redirect the signal to the jack then?

rly thought plug and play meant plug and...play.

 

got the headphones on -- SOMEHOW -- and...oh, how sweet it is!! i cannot believe i spent the last 6 weeks listening to buzzy crap when these sound as clear as an unmuddied lake. (as clear as an azure sky of deepest summer, even!)

so i guess that means: a) sound card is fine and b) onboard speakers are blown.

BOTH of them? how is that possible?

i have tried left and right separately; both equally bad.

 

If this is a used laptop.Then Who knows why the speakers go bad.Over use could all so be the driver as well.But if the speakers are buzzing badly i would replace them.Should not be too hard.

I found this but not sure if it's the correct speakers.https://www.dellpartssource.com/products/dell-xps-l521x-replacement-speakers-set-60ywr.html


This should be help full.
https://www.google.com/search?clien...IP59mMuA418&scso=_5fm0YueyGtiYkPIP59mMuA426:0

 

altho the laptop was given to me "as is", i guilted the guy into having a look; he found that the speakers had indeed gone bad.

he replaced them, did a couple updates, and gave lappy back to me working beautifully. or so i thought -- i am now HORRIFIED to notice that buzz is starting to creep back in again, right around the 14-day mark!!

what the hell? is the average lifespan of a laptop speaker 2 effin weeks?!

i cannot go back to him a third time. if THIS pair goes, it'll be headphones full-time for me.

 

ok, it's official. the new speakers are shot.

not *quite* as bad as the first pair, but close enuf that i'm back to headphones again! so it's official: 2 weeks/pair, maximum lifetime.

i'm no expert, but i call that kind short....