Question External speaker popping in Win 11

[hlvrn]

I just got a new MSI laptop (Stealth 16) with Win 11, and have since day 1 experienced frequent popping in my external speakers. My previous mac had no such popping, using the same speakers.

The popping seems to occur only when no or low audio is playing. For example if I have no audio playing, and sometimes I switch between tabs or open a new browser or program window, there is a brief pop in the external speakers. If I have my headset on, the popping will still occur in the external speakers, interestingly. I also experience popping when I listen on high frequency music (like meditation music etc). I don't experience any popping when listening on more beaty, loud music.

I've tried a lot of things but to no avail, spending many 5-6 hours on this, including:

1. Updated audio drivers, including BIOS
2. Adjusted the audio device properties and the audio bitrate values, from lowest to highest values
3. Adjusted the minimum processor and PCI Express state in power options
4. Turned off Fast Boot in windows
5. Disabling and separately uninstalling ALL audio device drivers, which include Realteak, intelliGo, A-Volute Nh4, Nahimic, NVIDIA, Intel Smart Sound. Uninstalling will mean they are automatically reinstalled upon restart. Disabling will mean they're not used.
6. Reinstall Win 11 entirely, just keeping personal files
7. Changing in RegEdit HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class, "PerformanceIdleTime" to "00 00 00 00"
   (suggested here, Windows 10 popping sound in speakers Solved - Page 5 - Windows 10 Forums (tenforums.com))
8. Install process lasso and set audiodg.exe to always "above normal" priority.
9. Turn off Bluetooth
10. Making sure that speaker wires are not touching something else
11. Installing a 3P equaliser
12. Turning off exclusive control of audio device

The few things I haven't done is to buy new speaker wires. But again, the speakers work perfect on my Mac.

If I cannot find a solution shortly, most likely I will return this new laptop, which would be a shame since it's a good laptop otherwise.

I'd greatly appreciate any help or advice!

 

[Fix_that_Glitch]

Have you gone to the support page and only used their drivers for each category including the audio your audio? https://us.msi.com/Laptop/Stealth-16-Studio-A13VX/support?sku_id=92243#driver

 

[hlvrn]

Have you gone to the support page and only used their drivers for each category including the audio your audio? https://us.msi.com/Laptop/Stealth-16-Studio-A13VX/support?sku_id=92243#driver

Indeed I have. Also disabled all these devices except for Realtek.

 

[hlvrn]

I'll add to the list of what I just tried but to also no avail:
13. Separating the wires and power cords completely so they don't touch. And inputting the power at a different outlet as well in case of interference.
14. Removing USB hub that had Bluetooth connections

 

[hlvrn]

After some more troubleshooting I may have resolved the popping. I turned down the volume knob on my external speaker. It was initially set to about 50%, which is very normal. Now it is set to about 30%. I upped up the volume on the computer instead to about 90% to compensate.

As I lowered the volume knob on the speaker (which has a separate amplifier), I could notice that the popping sound got lower and lower. If I lowered the volume even further, it was no longer audible.

However, I still get popping in the speakers every time I pause or unpause a loud audio. That is still a reasonably loud pop. A bit annoying but not a huge dealbreaker.

So that's some good news.

What still bothers me though is that the audio quality itself isn't superb. The speakers I have are absolutely excellent, top-notch. But with this new laptop it sounds like they are rather mediocre. Many people probably wouldn't notice, but I'm very conscious about great sound. If I listen to the same song on my old Mac, it sounds maybe 30% better. The audio on Windows is more artificial, washed out. The highs are not as deep or loud as they should be. I've tried rejigging with equaliser software to make it better and it does a little, but nowhere near my old Mac, strangely. This is a separate issue I'll need to investigate, but if sound is gonna be mediocre only in quality, it's getting returned...