Question sound on laptop

[tg1101]

I have had crackling sound on a laptop for a while so I took it in to be serviced. The guy said it was the motherboard but this means it will be very expensive to fix.
So my question is If I get an external sound card (creative do a good one) will this improve sound quality or will it be the same old story of crackling sound?

 

[Hellfire13]

Well, theoretically a sound card does all the audio processing by itself bypassing the integrated audio chip on the motherboard. But you never know until you are sure that it is the actual issue.

A good option would be to first test it with something inexpensive before going all in. Something like this, and see if it makes any difference at all...
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Usb-Soun...MIn7W95o-LjgMVPF1HAR11aCdTEAQYAiABEgKj0_D_BwE

 

[BFG-9000]

If you get an external USB sound card, it will be unable to run the laptop's internal speakers so you would need external powered speakers, or headphones. If you were going to use headphones anyway, USB headphones would similarly bypass the internal sound chip.

You may already have another sound device in the laptop but it only runs the audio in the HDMI out, so you'd only be able to use it by attaching an external monitor with built-in speakers.

 

[tg1101]

Thanks for the above two answers .

Yes the idea would definitely be to use external speakers/headphones so that I wont need the laptop speakers.

Thanks for this picture as well . Yes I am pretty sure this is the issue for the crackling sound I can't think what else it might be -(any suggestions?)

Thanks

 

[Misgar]

Alternatively, if you have a local repair shop nearby, you could risk your precious motherboard and ask them to replace the audio codec chip. It might even be a faulty electrolytic capacitor associated with the chip.

View: https://youtu.be/uEEQLKVv9xc

 

[Hellfire13]

I can't think what else it might be -(any suggestions?)

It can be anything from software glitches to hardware failures, but since your service guy has already zeroed in to the audio codec, we should settle with that I guess.

 

[tg1101]

Yeah I think its whatever is processing the sound because problem is consistent with headphones, speakers and even bluetooth speakers so I am thinking yes its the audio chip. whatever is processing sound.