P67 UD4 - Problems with onboard sound - why is my right speaker significantly louder?

[ensign_lee]

Okay, this may be a super n00b problem, but I've noticed that my right speaker is louder than my left. Like easily 8x louder. I'm relatively certain it's my computer and not my speaker,s because the problem persists with both my wireless headphones and normal ipod earbuds as well. The right is *always* louder than the left.

I thought maybe I configured it incorrectly that way, so I went into realtek HD audio manager, but they seem to be perfectly balanced?

Now, here's the funny thing, if I slide that main volume slider to the right 100%, nothing much really happens. But if i slide it all the way to the *left*, basically, *all* my volume goes away.

Any ideas? Maybe I'm looking at the wrong place? But it is annoying me that my left speaker is barely audible, even when I have all sound configurations turned up to 100%.

Would getting a sound card fix this?

By the way, I'm using the integrated sound on my P67 UD4.

 

[SuPrEIVIE]

I had this problem when setting up my p67, I have the asus p8p67 setup, when comparing onboard sound with creative cards, and this happened whenever i was plugging the jacks in and out of the sound solutions while the speakers were turned on. This was present even when I plugged in headphones to the socket on the speakers. If i plugged the speaker jacks in while the speakers are off then this went away. So i suggest reconnecting them, turning them off before replugging and make sure you seal the jacks in the sockets well because loose contact can distort the sound. Make sure you also got the right setup selected in the "Speaker configuration" tab. If that doesn't solve it try updating drivers for the onboard sound.

 

[ensign_lee]

Hmm, that's an interesting anecdote. Will definitely try that when I get home tonight from work. Thanks!

 

[ensign_lee]

SuPrEIVIE - your idea worked!@WTF?

THANK YOU SO MUCH!

 

[ensign_lee]

update: problem unsolved.

After a few minutes, now it's gone back to making the left speaker super quiet again.... >< WAAAAT?

Does this sound like a problem with the sound card? If so, I'm 9assuming getting a discrete sound card may solve my problem?

 

[SuPrEIVIE]

Another sound solution will solve the problem if it is the onboard sound hardware that is defected. I doubt it though if your motherboard works. Look in control panel -sound and go into speaker properties "levels" tab to make sure the volume levels for left and right are equal.

 

[ensign_lee]

Like this? Seems to be balanced to me? :?

 

[stahlhart]

Can we assume that when you mention right and left speakers that you're running a 2.x analog setup? Where did you connect them?

 

[ensign_lee]

The computer connects to the subwoofer, which then has two connections, one to the left speaker and one to the right speaker.

Not quite sure what you're asking about the 2.x analog setup?

 

[Iron Woode]

Can we assume that when you mention right and left speakers that you're running a 2.x analog setup? Where did you connect them?

He has all three on the right plugged in. This means 5.1 is the likely set-up unless he has a 2.1 setup and a mic installed.

Does this issue come up during the speaker test? try turning off any sound effects or room corrections.

make sure the speakers are defined properly when you hover over the speaker connector in the realtek manager.

it could be a driver issue. I see you are using the Gigabyte driver. Try the newest realtek driver from their website instead and see if the problem goes away.

 

[stahlhart]

Is Gigabyte serving its manual downloads via dialup? Holy crap.

 

[stahlhart]

He has all three on the right plugged in. This means 5.1 is the likely set-up unless he has a 2.1 setup and a mic installed.

According to the manual (which is still downloading -- jeez), blue is Line In, green is Line Out, and pink is Microphone In.

OP has 2.1 analog speakers, which should just be using the green jack -- that's the cable that runs to the subwoofer, and the right/left satellites are fed from the sub. Pink goes to the microphone. What's connected to blue? And I can't tell from the screen caps which audio configuration has been selected. (?)

Where are the headphones/earbuds connected -- is there a headphone jack on the speakers?

 

[Iron Woode]

According to the manual (which is still downloading -- jeez), blue is Line In, green is Line Out, and pink is Microphone In.

OP has 2.1 analog speakers, which should just be using the green jack -- that's the cable that runs to the subwoofer, and the right/left satellites are fed from the sub. Pink goes to the microphone. What's connected to blue? And I can't tell from the screen caps which audio configuration has been selected. (?)

Where are the headphones/earbuds connected -- is there a headphone jack on the speakers?

don't forget that each jack can be programed for different functions.

perhaps what he is using is a 5.1 setup but with only 2 speakers?

I wish he would clarify what his setup consists of.

 

[ensign_lee]

Sorry about the confusion - here's more info. Currently, I have a 2.1 setup. It only uses the green jack. When I took the first screenshot, I had blue and pink filled in using hte audio connections from my razer blackwidow (it has optional audio in and out options)

I took out the razer keyboard connections so that I'm only using the green jack, but it doesn't seem to have fixed the problem.

Going to try downloading the realtek drivers again; hopefully that fixes the problem. :/ Because honestly, I think we're out of options if that doesn't work.

 

[stahlhart]

Yeah, I'd say completely back out your driver installation and start over -- even remove the references in Device Manager and have them redetected by the OS.

There also an audio header on your motherboard that's intended for 3.5mm jacks in your case, if you have them -- it probably has a cable that has connector options for AC97 and HD, depending on what you've selected in the BIOS. Mabye just for grins you can plug the sub in here to see if it acts the same as it does for the back panel connector.

Good luck...

 

[ensign_lee]

Update: Installed the latest realtek audio drivers from gigabyte's website. No dice. :/

I guess i could ghetto rig a solution by forcin ghe left speaker to have extra emphasis (it'll be a HUGE variance. The right speaker is easily 5x the volume of the left), but that seems bass ackwards.

Any last ditch hail Mary's? I notice that sometimes (like 10&#37; of hte time, my comp will fail to boot into windows. Perhaps I should try reinstailling windows...? :? )

 

[Iron Woode]

Update: Installed the latest realtek audio drivers from gigabyte's website. No dice. :/

I guess i could ghetto rig a solution by forcin ghe left speaker to have extra emphasis (it'll be a HUGE variance. The right speaker is easily 5x the volume of the left), but that seems bass ackwards.

Any last ditch hail Mary's? I notice that sometimes (like 10% of hte time, my comp will fail to boot into windows. Perhaps I should try reinstailling windows...? :? )

try your speakers in another computer to see if the problem persists.

let us know.

 

[stahlhart]

try your speakers in another computer to see if the problem persists.

let us know.

Yeah, I thinking about this, too, except that OP initially noted the problem also occurs for headphones and ear buds -- but it all depends on where the headphones are ear buds are plugged in, too, doesn't it?

When I got my Klipsch Promedia speakers a while back, right out of the box one side was way louder/stronger than the other -- and it was late and the store was closed, so I didn't want to package everything back up and return them the next day. After listening deeper, it turned out to be that the midrange speaker in the weak satellite had no output; that channel only had subwoofer and tweeter output. When I opened up the speaker, the leads to the midrange driver still looked like they were properly connected to the circuit board, but one of them was only being held there by the insulation. Wiggled it a little and it fell right off. Stripped some new conductor at the end, resoldered the connection and everything was perfect after that.

So you never know.

 

[Zargon]

Ive had this issue with a number of cheap 2.1 setups, that untill I turn the volume up a decent amount on the speakers one will be quieter than the other

 

[ensign_lee]

try your speakers in another computer to see if the problem persists.

let us know.

Yeah, I thought it might have been my speakers too, but since my USB headset (plugged in via USB) is experiencing the same problems, I traced the problem back to my computer instead of the speakers.

Plus, other speakers plugged into this same computer experience the same problem.

 

[Iron Woode]

Yeah, I thought it might have been my speakers too, but since my USB headset (plugged in via USB) is experiencing the same problems, I traced the problem back to my computer instead of the speakers.

Plus, other speakers plugged into this same computer experience the same problem.

ok, which motherboard are you using?

also, assuming its a hardware issue with your onboard sound; your solution is a inexpensive sound card.

 

[ensign_lee]

P67 UD4.

Eh, I think I'm just gonna give up. I can't even do my ghetto bassackwards solution, because every once in awhile, the sound will equalize, so if I make the left speaker 4x as loud as my right to "balance" it, then every once in a while, my left speaker becomes crazy loud.

It's not so bad I guess, with sound only coming out of 1 speaker.

 

[ensign_lee]

Uh...hmm... replaced my video card and the problem is now solved I think?

I guess it could be the audio drivers that came with ym video card (my video has audio drivers, what?!)

or perhaps my old video card was causing some sort of short. Weird.

And when I say I changed my video card, I mean, I changed from 1 ATI 6970 to another. So... ?

 

[ensign_lee]

Update on this. I finally just gave up and tried another mobo. No problems at all now.

So it was indeed my onboard sound.

 

[stahlhart]

Took a minute, but I remember this one now -- thanks for the update...