[SOLVED] Speakers are not working

[jiroband]

My speakers are not working.

About a year ago, I did a cheap sound upgrade from the built-in speakers on my ASUS monitor to a pair of $10 Amazon brand speakers. They were OK - I was statisfied with them. Shortly after, I moved my computer to another room, and due to extreme laziness, I left the speakers in the old room and just used the built-in speakers on my monitor. I do NOT have a sound card. I'm using the built-in Realtek sound on my ASUS Sabertooth Z170 S board.

Now, I just plugged the Amazon speakers in, and they don't work. I hear loud "hissing" static. I've done many searches on this, but nothing I've tried works. I also have a second identical pair of these speakers at work which I've tried on this computer, but I get the same hissing static sound. I've verified that the Amazon speakers are the default, and all trouble shooting efforts show they are working properly and the updated driver is installed. This is really weird, because these speakers do not respond to sound checks or on-screen volume adjustments. Another weird thing - a couple of search suggestions said to right-click on the volume icon in the Task bar and click on "Playback Devices" - but I don't see that option.

I recently did a Win10 update, and I think that may be the issue. I discovered that the Realtek Manager was gone, but I've since re-installed it. That didn't help.

Any suggestions? Should I just get a sound card?

Thanks!

 

[Third-Eye]

My speakers are not working.

About a year ago, I did a cheap sound upgrade from the built-in speakers on my ASUS monitor to a pair of $10 Amazon brand speakers. They were OK - I was statisfied with them. Shortly after, I moved my computer to another room, and due to extreme laziness, I left the speakers in the old room and just used the built-in speakers on my monitor. I do NOT have a sound card. I'm using the built-in Realtek sound on my ASUS Sabertooth Z170 S board.

Now, I just plugged the Amazon speakers in, and they don't work. I hear loud "hissing" static. I've done many searches on this, but nothing I've tried works. I also have a second identical pair of these speakers at work which I've tried on this computer, but I get the same hissing static sound. I've verified that the Amazon speakers are the default, and all trouble shooting efforts show they are working properly and the updated driver is installed. This is really weird, because these speakers do not respond to sound checks or on-screen volume adjustments. Another weird thing - a couple of search suggestions said to right-click on the volume icon in the Task bar and click on "Playback Devices" - but I don't see that option.

I recently did a Win10 update, and I think that may be the issue. I discovered that the Realtek Manager was gone, but I've since re-installed it. That didn't help.

Any suggestions? Should I just get a sound card?

Thanks!

Were you using a wire to plug the motherboard audio into the monitor to use those speakers or HDMI audio from the video card? Did you change the sound device to use the Realtek onboard audio card as default output instead of the HDMI?

To set the default audio output device, open the Start menu and in the search field, type Sound and select Sound under control panel. Click the Playback tab and right click on the Realtek audio output and set it as default device. Make sure it's not SPDIF Out unless you are outputting digital audio to your speaker system.

 

[jiroband]

Were you using a wire to plug the motherboard audio into the monitor to use those speakers or HDMI audio from the video card? Did you change the sound device to use the Realtek onboard audio card as default output instead of the HDMI?

To set the default audio output device, open the Start menu and in the search field, type Sound and select Sound under control panel. Click the Playback tab and right click on the Realtek audio output and set it as default device. Make sure it's not SPDIF Out unless you are outputting digital audio to your speaker system.

Hi T-E,

Yes, I was using the HDMI cable from the video card to the monitor to supply audio.

The default audio is currently set with 2 defaults:
1. ASUS VW266H-C
Nvidia High Definition Audio
( Default Device)

2. SPEAKERS
Realtek High Definition Audio
(Default Communications Device)

If I disable the ASUS speakers and set the SPEAKERS as the default, I get that hissing static again. When I go through the speaker setup, it looks like everything is going as it should, but all I get is static.

 

[Third-Eye]

Hi T-E,

Yes, I was using the HDMI cable from the video card to the monitor to supply audio.

The default audio is currently set with 2 defaults:
1. ASUS VW266H-C
Nvidia High Definition Audio
( Default Device)

2. SPEAKERS
Realtek High Definition Audio
(Default Communications Device)

If I disable the ASUS speakers and set the SPEAKERS as the default, I get that hissing static again. When I go through the speaker setup, it looks like everything is going as it should, but all I get is static.

Did you double check you plugged it into the green port or that it's all the way in the? Did you lower the volume after setting the Realtek audio to default? Do you have any other wires you can test with to see if it's just a bad wire?

Edit - The Realtek device needs to be set as Default device as I said or you won't get audio output. Right click the Nvidia audio and disable it so you can test only the Realtek audio. Renable it if you need it when you are finished.

 

[jiroband]

Hi T-E,

Yes, It's plugged into the green port (audio out), and I've disabled Nvidia, and have confirmed that Realtek speakers are the Default.

 

[faalin]

reinstall the realtek audio drivers, there was a WIN10 update that nuked some audio drives and reinstall fixed it.


Some of our dell computers were having this issue and a reinstall fixed it.

 

[jiroband]

Thanks faalin,
I did reinstall realtek driver after the Win10 update.

It just really bugs the crap out of me that I can't get my speakers to work.

• I just verified that I've already got the latest BIOS on my ASUS motherboard,
• I've got the latest Realtek manager and drivers installed.
• I've got the correct speakers (Realtek) set as default.
• troublehooting confirms that everything is working properly.
• I've tried another pair of speakers and get the same result.
• BUT ALL I GET IS STATIC!
• WTF?

Should I just get a cheap soundcard?

 

[jiroband]

Sooooo. . . with the latest BIOS, Realtek software and device drivers installed, and troubleshooting saying everything is working properly, I gave up and purchased a cheap external USB sound card and plugged my speakers in - works great!

I'm just disappointed about not being able to figure out what exactly went wrong. I strongly believe it has something to do with the latest major Win10 update.