Abysmal sound quality from m1530? (not speaker quality!)

I just got a new xps 1530 this past tuesday, product red model with the 1680x1050 screen. I am not sure what to say about this machine, I like the usability and the quality feel it has. The screen doesnt appear as grainy as I was expecting, but it is grainy. I think I could live with it if the sound wasnt so bad.

I am wondering if anyone else has had this problem? No matter what sound I listen to, be it MP3's, audio streams or video files, there is an almost constant inconsistent popping happening all the time. It makes it extremely unpleasant to listen to on any level. this happens regardless of volume or headphone outputs.
I did not opt for the "creative software audio codec" as I have never had any success with creative products. I find they are excessively poor and usually worse than on board sound, at least for desktops.

Can anyone help me fix this horrible noise?!

thanks for any help!
Obsidian

 

First thing to try is removing the audio driver in the device manager and restarting windows and letting windows reinstall it. Or see if there is a newer sound driver. Also, if your under battery power try using balanced power state instead of economy. On my HP the economy power state I get choppy audio.

Make sure you get all the newer windows updates too since I think some of the newer vista files may have smoothed out some audio issues for people. Its always a good idea to get rid as much bloatware and other unnecessary programs that are running in the background that could be causing interference issues. But generally if you order a dell by selecting the option for them not to install the bloatware they usually come fairly clean. The 1520 on the other hand, had a catastrophic issue with the headphone jacks.

 

I havent yet reinstalled the driver, I only got the machine a week ago and wasnt sure that a reinstall on that driver would do much? I have removed all of the bloatware that I deemed useless, and tweaked the power settings. The popping happens regardless of battery or plugged in use or power settings.
I checked the driver version, and it is the most up to date available (Sigma Tel HD Audio).
Is there anything else I can try? If there isnt any way to fix this, its going back to Dell. I will not have an $1800 laptop that cant even play MP3's clearly!

 

I'm suffering the same problem.

 

Try turning the volume down on the program your using and turn the system volume up.

I would also like to add that the speakers on these models are way below par.. so really don't expect anything great or even good out of them at all.

 

I tried that and it still does it.

The same thing happens using head phones.

 

Ah.. if it happens when headphones are plugged in it is a driver issue.. hmm

 

I have experienced a similar problem with the M1530. I suggest hitting the button on the side to shut off your wireless internet. This isn't ideal seeing as though we all need the internet, however it seemed to solve my problem with the audio/video. Let me know if this solves your problem as well -- hopefully Dell will release a driver update for this! And if this doesn't solve the problem, I hope they release a driver for me!

 

This isn't a driver issue, it's a well known hardware issue. Many people including myself are suffering from it. I've yet to sort out any result with dell. They will probably suggest a motherboard swap, but reports I've read suggest this does nothing.

 

If my XPS 1530 has as many problems as some of the people I see on here it will definately be going back to dell. I love dell's support and everything but they should be more consistant in offering high quality product....not throwing in a junk samsung screen every once in a while or things like that.

 

I agree, sound on the m1530 is not good - at least if you got the default specs. I do hear some kind of popping noise but is pretty low... arr!

 

A small USB soundcard could be a good solution? E.g. the Behringer UCA-202 is pretty cheap and works nicely (better than any internal laptop card I've heard).

To be fair, laptops (all brands) often seem to have occasional interference over the internal soundcard...though this may be especially bad...

 

Supposedly the Integrated SB Audigy card is substantially better than the standard card included on the m1530.

 

Don't buy anything Behringer.

 

There is no Audigy card.
The "Audigy" is only a software interface for the Sigmatel onboard sound.

 

I have a similar problem as well with mine. I plugged in the included earbuds and there was like no bass at all...and occasional like popping noises but they were barely noticeable.

I wonder if we can buy and install the Audigy software and get better sound?

 

^^ What I meant. Audigy Software **.

 

No, you'll all be better off purchasing the Creative X-Fi PCI-X card. I had the previous iteration, the PCMCIA version and it was astounding.

I also get occassional pops and some skips playing audiop files but the pops are very, very rare and I think I'll be able to fix the skips one day. I guess my problem is not as severe because though not an audiphile at all, audio quality is very important to me and the 1530 has better stock sound that my former laptop.

 

I'm listening to several korn tracks right now, cranked up, just to test the popping noise and I hear none on my laptop. I am testing with my studio headphones in both front headphone jacks and no popping noise for the mp3 file. Very clear quality. I do have the Creative Lab Audigy software installed though, but I have a hard time believing that the Sigmatel HD audio driver would make the mp3 files pop (assuming that they are good quality files, bad mp3 files can pop too!). If you play a regular retail music CD in the laptop, do you hear the same popping noise? Either you have bad motherboard right out of the box (unfortunate case) or you have a poor quality mp3 file...

oh, one more thing... you are using the audio driver from dell's website for this specific laptop, right?

 

Heh - found their basic soundcards pretty reliable (never known one to die, or cause problems...) Then again, think I have an irrational bias against Soundblaster - found a couple of their older cards an almighty PITA to set-up with drivers etc, and was put off them since

 

just so you know guys I installed Integrated Sound Blaster Audigy HD Software in my 1530 and it works like a charm.

I never experience the problem you guys posting here.

so its worth it to upgrade to that SB software.

 

This isn't the popping sound issue, but if you have low volume, it might be the fix you need. I found something over on the dell community forums on the issues people were having with regular sound on the stock audio card/driver combo for vista. If you are having problems with low volume sound in vista, try this fix.

I recently bought a 1525 and had the same problem.

Managed to get more volume by doing this:

Start -> Control Panel -> Sound -> Speakers / Headphones -> Enhancements Tab

Then, Tick the "Loudness Equalization" -> Apply / OK

I have also ticked the "Bass Boost and Low Frequency Protection" plus the "Virtual Sound".

The volume is still not great, but definitely better than it was.​

Link on dell forums is here: http://www.dellcommunity.com/supportforums/board/message?message.uid=18990197#U18990197

This definitely fixed my issues with low almost inaudible sound on Vista. Sound is pretty good and I can actually hear it now.