dv6z volume too low

Alright so after googling, I found a post on this forum regarding a user that had a issue like mine with the same model laptop but a solution wasn't posted so I thought I'd try making a new one.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=336470
^Old thread

Anyways I have the IDT Control Panel installed with all the drivers up to date but with the volume turned all the way up I can barely hear anything from the laptop speakers, if I plug in headphones they work fine but the speakers barely put out sound.

Model: HP DV6Z CTO
OS: Windows 7 Pro 64 bit (updated drivers from hp's site).

I tried the suggestion regarding installing realtek driver's but my laptop bsod'd and I haven't tried anything since (couldn't think of anything).

The green volume bar barely goes up when I do stuff such as watch video's online (doesen't even reach 1/4th of the way up) while the volume is turned all the way up.

Anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks.

 

sahil04 - This worked for me on my Mini 311: Go to Control Panel, pick Sound then right click your speakers and go to Properties. Then pick the Enhancements tab and scroll down and ensure that the Loudness Equalization button is checked. Then OK all the way back out - this worked like a charm for me. Hope this helps!!

 

I've got the exact same problem and like you haven't yet found a solution. As long as I listen inside a quiet room I'm ok, but if I try and listen out in the courtyard, even moderate ambiance noises completely drown out the sound.

The funny part is ALL the review rave about the "theater" quality sound of my HDX. I just think, what a joke, but certainly the can't all be wrong? Did I get a lemon or what?

 

That actually helped ALOT, I can hear the volume and it goes much higher than before.

Thanks alot

 

Going in and using Loudness Equalization is great, but I seem to get better results by going in and tuning the individual frequency levels to my personal liking.

Now, I've only done this on my laptop and it has IDT audio, and I assume most if not all newer HPs will have this as well.

Here goes, Down on the toolbar, there should be a little button that looks like a musical note. Double click

Pic for idea:


Once you get that open, it should look something close to this:


Click on the Equalization button that's crudely circled in red in the the above pic. Once you get there, it should look like this:


When you are tuning speakers that are just run of the mill, I always suggest people arrange the frequency levels in a stair step formation like I have mine. That setup will usually net you the best volume level coupled with minimal distortion at those higher levels.

I should note that you'll find best results when you have the volume all the way up and listening to music that has an assortment of lows, mids and highs. That way, you'll know quickly if you have any kind of distortion and can fix it.

Leaving the speakers in a setting that allows them to distort, will cause premature wear on the speakers and could result in them seizing up. Now, I have NEVER heard of this happening on a notebook's speakers, but I assume it would be very possible.


Hope this helps ya a little more.

~Laramie1997~

 

It is very possible. It's called a blown speaker and it's caused by pushing more distortion (volume) than the speaker can handle. It's also a point of no return. Analogous to a cracked window, it can only be replaced.

Not really. Your solution while detailed, only boost frequencies, not overall volume. Still, it was an excellent display that I'm sure too time on your part. Thank you.

p.s. mine has gotten even lower since I installed W7?

 

Uh... A blown speaker and a seized speaker ARE NOT the same things. Had I meant "blown speaker" I would have used the term.

A seized speaker is merely the coil locking up due to several different things- Under powering, Over Powering, and/or distortion

A blown speaker is what happens when you separate the cone seals, or tear the seals open- Usually only happens under distortion.

All that took me a mere 5 minutes to throw together, so no biggie there. Thanks for the thanks, lol.

As far as the frequency adjustments, when you bump them up or down, you are actually raising or lowering the cutoff allowed for that range. When you increase it, that tone becomes more pronounced, IE your ears hear more of it at a higher volume.

I tell you what, open up your equalizer and move every range to -15 and play a song. Then, bump them all back to +5 and then play a song.

Come back and tell me what happens.

 

I'm having a similar problem and have tried to adjust all of the variables in the Sound section and the IDT Audio section.

In the Sound section, under Advanced, my default format is 16 bit 48000 Hz, and I am also given a number of different 24 bit choices. Would selecting any of them give me higher volume, better sound quality, or damage my system?

Also, in the Levels section, there are 2 sliders, one for Speakers and one for PC speakers. Seeing as this is a laptop, what is the PC speakers slider controlling?

Last questions: Back on the first screen of the Sound section, the bottom set of controls is for NVIDIA HDMI Output. Mine indicates that it is "not plugged in." Is that normal? What exactly would I be plugging in? And if I did that, what would that enhance?

 

None whatsoever

With your tiny tinny internal laptop speakers, unlikely

No damage. You'd just be taking advantage of a higher quality output signal when connected to a hi-fi sound system.

I'm not sure what you're referring to here?

An external device, i.e. TV, or stereo system. I'd consider either an enhancement over your laptop speakers...wouldn't your?

 

24 bit means better quality. Your home stereo or headphones would benefit from 24-bit, your tiny internal notebook speakers won't.