Question about sound

[Kedeli]

I have a question about the sound on my computer. I recently sent my pc to be fixed because it was turning off randomly as well as the screen sometimes just going black. The computer came back working fine and the guy who fixed it said that it was a problem with the sound in windows, and that there was some connections that were broken or something. This is what he told my father who collected it for me anyway. So now I am am getting issues with my sound, like odd echo effects and stutters that happen randomly. I wanted to know if you replace a sound card does would that not completely erase any sound issues you might be having, in other words do all problems resulting with sound stem form the sound card or the onboard audio. Or can they happen "inside of windows" whatever that means?

 

[Ubrales]

Check the on-board sound. If this is ok, then the motherboard circuits are fine. It is very rare that things go wrong in Windows.

Next, make sure you have the correct driver for the sound card installed. Then, get into the BIOS and disable the on-board sound. Use the sound card sound instead.

 

[Kedeli]

I can't check the onboard sound because the audio port is broken on my mobo. That's the reason I got the card. So things can go wrong in windows? If I reformatted the pc would that revert everything back to normal? Can you explain what a problem in windows might mean? I don't get it.

 

[Ubrales]

Windows is fine. Just ensure that the correct audio driver is installed for the sound card.

 

[Kedeli]

but I just wanted to know what he meant by "a problem with the sound in windows". Like say if I reformat my computer and all hardware is working correctly, should that eliminate any problem? or is there some way to permanently alter the sound or something?

 

[Ubrales]

but I just wanted to know what he meant by "a problem with the sound in windows". Like say if I reformat my computer and all hardware is working correctly, should that eliminate any problem? or is there some way to permanently alter the sound or something?

It's hard to tell what was in his mind when he said "a problem with the sound in windows" - my interpretation is that he was referring to "on-board" sound as opposed to sound from a PCI sound card.

Normally, on-board sound cannot be altered by changing settings. However, the quality of the speakers will make a difference in the quality of the sound produced.

Different makes of motherboards will have slightly different changes in the on-board sound quality; but this cannot be changed within a particular motherboard.

If as you say everything is working fine, leave it alone.

 

[Kedeli]

ok so you can't permanently alter sound settings like from the desktop in windows, meaning that if i reformat it basically sets everything to default and if there is nothing wrong with my hardware then my only problems would be driver related?

 

[Ubrales]

ok so you can't permanently alter sound settings like from the desktop in windows, meaning that if i reformat it basically sets everything to default and if there is nothing wrong with my hardware then my only problems would be driver related?

Yes, with one exception. If your motherboard sound circuit is bad, then the output will be bad. No question about this. This also applies to the connections.

Reformatting, re-installing the OS, will not change anything. Make sure that the correct Audio driver is installed from the motherboard manufacturer's site.

 

[Kedeli]

ok thank you

 

[Kedeli]

em iv'e just noticed that when playing a movie on my computer, the music in the movie sounds fine but you can hardly hear the voices? and in skyrim after installing the latest update 50% of the npc voices are really really quite compared to everything else? my card is the sound blaster audigy se. i am using this driver

http://support.creative.com/Products/ProductDetails.aspx?catID=1&CatName=sound+blaster&subCatID=205&subCatName=Audigy&prodID=14257&prodName=Audigy+SE

what could be wrong?

 

[Ubrales]

em iv'e just noticed that when playing a movie on my computer, the music in the movie sounds fine but you can hardly hear the voices? and in skyrim after installing the latest update 50% of the npc voices are really really quite compared to everything else? my card is the sound blaster audigy se. i am using this driver

http://support.creative.com/Products/ProductDetails.aspx?catID=1&CatName=sound+blaster&subCatID=205&subCatName=Audigy&prodID=14257&prodName=Audigy+SE

what could be wrong?

Nothing is wrong is your computer.

The quality of sound heard by humans depends on the source, the surroundings (room), the placement of the speakers, the level of acoustic absorption (or reflection) of the walls, the power of the amplifier, and other objects in the room.

This is why a symphony heard in acoustically designed auditoriums is much better than any home reproduced music. Example: The old hall of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir (the new one is world class, but the old one is better).

One thing that you can try is to use a set of high quality (specs wise) ear phones, and check whether you experience any difference.

Regarding the 'drowning' of the dialogs in home movies is due to the fact that ALL the sound comes from the speakers in the TV or from the separate speakers system, unlike the surround sound that the movie is optimized for while viewed in a theater. In a movie theater auditorium, sound comes from the left, right, rear, front, combined, at different points in different sequences in the movie, in different intensities.

No home sound system will be comparable to that produced in an auditorium or orchestra hall.