T500 Help - Audio Static (annoying the heck out of me)

So I recently purchased a pair of high-end IEMs (In Ear Monitors) to replace all the cheap headphones that I've been using. With these new headphones, the quality of music is amazing. HOWEVER, I've also noticed that it produces static when I have it plugged into my laptop jack. This is annoying as it is evident and quite pronounced when I listen to my music, especially ones with soft instrumentals. This problem isn't present when I listen to the same track on my Zune.

Is there something wrong with the jack on my laptop? OR is it a driver problem? (i've tried googling it...and the only thing i've found remotely close to an answer is something about the intel matrix driver causing the audio problem, but the guy had an x200 http://forum.notebookreview.com/lenovo-ibm/485218-x200-audio-static-problem.html running vista 64 whereas in my case, I have a T500 and running windows 7 x64)


Listen to this carefully for the first 10sec....during the piano acoustic part. I hear a lot of static.

http://www.youtube.com/v/GHjbtosmxi0?fs=1&hl=en_US

And the first 15 seconds of this as well..

http://www.youtube.com/v/1b_vKyjtMb0?fs=1&hl=en_US

first 10sec here with the xylophones....

http://www.youtube.com/v/E9R1AKD7GnA?fs=1&hl=en_US

 

Completely static-free for me. It's crystal clear on both my nice in-ear headphones and my mid-end Creative speakers. Running Windows 7 Professional x64 on my T500.

I don't know whether it's driver-based or hardware. I'm tempted to say it's hardware, but I don't know why we would get such different results. Are you using the default Windows 7 audio drivers (High Definition Audio Device), or are you using the Conexant drivers? I'm using the default Win7 drivers.

 

How do you tell which one you're using? They're both "installed" on the system correct?


EDIT: So under Control Panel, Hardware & Sound, Sound

Playback tab --> shows "Speakers - Conexant 20561 SmarAudio HD" as the ( default device)

I also see two others ones below it:

1) "SPDIF Interface - Conexant 20561 SmartAudio HD" (ready)

2) "Speakers - Total Recorder WDM audio driver" (ready)

 

Go to Device Manager and check. For me, it looks like this:

Spoiler

For you, it'd probably say Conexant Smart Audio or whatever. I'd test uninstalling that driver and making Windows install the default driver and see if you get any different results. If not, your issues likely aren't driver-based.

 

Yea....mine doesn't have what you have..

Spoiler

EDIT: Why don't you have conexant driver installed?

 

I saw no reason to install another driver + bloaty audio control panel when Win7's audio driver and controls worked perfectly fine. Try uninstalling the Conexant driver and see if that's what's causing problems for you.

 

Same here with MidnightSun, I don't install the additional sound drivers as the stock High Definition Audio drivers provided by Windows 7 are perfectly fine. Installing the Lenovo sound driver on top will add some software (control panel) and unnecessary services too.

P.S - My Soul, Your Beats - I love that song. Lia & GirlsDeMo for the Win!

 

So where exactly do I download the "High Definition Audio Device" driver? It's not on Lenovo's driver page, which only has the Conexant driver. I actually just tried to uninstall the Conexant driver...but it's still there in device manager after it claimed to have been uninstalled and asked me to restart. I got rid of the "Total recorder" driver though.... static problem is still present =\...

EDIT: I successfully uninstalled the "Conexant" driver...but still unable to find the "High Definition Audio Device" driver...

Is it made by Realtek? http://www.realtek.com.tw/DOWNLOADS...=24&Level=4&Conn=3&DownTypeID=3&GetDown=false

^The Realtek drivers don't seem to want to install...after installation they don't show up in device manager or anywhere...


What does your Playback device screen look like for you guys?




volume icon bottom right, right click, playback devices...

 

My laptop power adapter is 90W 2 prong...I have it plugged into a surge strip that has a 3 prong to earth ground.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/lenovo-ibm/485218-x200-audio-static-problem.html

Could that be the problem of the static noise?

 

Conexant is a separate company from Realtek so those drivers won't work. The High Definition Audio is a generic driver provided by Microsoft, if you have uninstalled all traces of the Conexant drivers then Windows 7 should be able to detect the audio chipset and install the generic driver in place.

I doubt the surge strip would cause the static as i'm using one on my ThinkPad with no problems though there's no harm in trying a different strip. Sometimes the static noise can come from the headphones, my Sony Wireless Headphones creates more static noises on certain volumes then the standard headphones I got (that's a Sony MDR-570). If you have a another one lying around you can try to see if it's the new headphones that causing it.

 

I tried that. I uninstalled all audio drivers. No sound. Then I let windows automatically detect the chipset and install the driver.....it reinstalls the CONEXANT driver -____-' I've isolated the problem from the headphones because I don't get the same static problem on my zune. My other pair of headphones also pick up this static.

 

Is this a clean install version of Windows 7? You can try and attempt to roll back to the High Definition Audio Driver if this is possible.

 

What do you mean by clean install? It's not factory....my t500 came with vista originally. So I reformatted and installed win 7 x64 like last year...

Ok...I think I finally got the stock Win 7 audio driver installed. I had to disable it from searching online via microsoft update for the sound driver or else it
would just re-install CONEXANT driver.

This is what I have now:

 

Reformatting and installing Windows 7 yourself would be classed as a clean install. I say this because if it comes from a factory image then most likely they will slipstream these audio drivers giving you virtually no chance to rollback the audio driver.

Since you managed to get the High Definition Audio driver working did it improve the sound quality or is it the same?

 

Yea...it's not an OEM version of Windows 7. It's a clean install.

So...I got the "High Definition Audio Device" driver installed...but no go. I still hear the static. =\...guess it's not a driver problem? The audio jack isn't dirty at all. It seems fine to me.

 

Hmmm, go to the Sound Properties again. Right click on the "Speakers - High Definition Audio Device" and check the Enhancements tab. If there are certain enhancement options ticked try disabling it and testing it out.

 

Nope...doesn't help. Wow this is gonna really bug the heck out of me. It's not too loud/bad that it overwhelms my music. BUT now that I KNOW it's there...I'll be "looking" for it and it'll be annoying as heck. =[ It's definitely more pronounced during softer parts of music.


I've also tried:

Laptop on battery (discrete graphics)
Laptop on battery (integrated graphics)
Laptop on AC (discrete graphics)
Laptop on AC (integrated graphics)


nothing...


Running out of options...i feel like tearing open my laptop and replacing the headphone jack, if that's even possible.

 

This doesn't sound normal to me, have you got warranty on the machine? It's probably best to have it looked up by Lenovo as it could be a hardware issue (possibly motherboard) and you shouldn't really have to put up with it if you're not entirely happy about it.

 

Oh wow...so I just looked up my warranty information:

Expires: 2010-09-06


Only thing is...Fall Semester just started...and I need a computer to use. And I don't know how long Lenovo will take or any other problems that they'll encounter that will prolong "repair" if necessary.

 

I don't think there be any harm calling up for a rough estimation, if they do a straight motherboard swap then it shouldn't take too long assuming they have the part in stock.

If the laptop is imperative to use now because of school and you want to delay the repair until you’re free, you can opt to extend the warranty now and get it sorted later. It will be cheaper to upgrade now while it is in warranty rather then letting it expire and buy the post warranty.

You can find out the prices of the warranty upgrade for your system by going here.

 

try cleaning the headphone port, there is probably some dusts or rusts buildup. Also which headphone brand and model are you using?

 

The static is present on all headphones that I've tried...Steelseries, Altec Lansing, Meelectronics, skullcandy, etc. I will try to figure out a way to clean the inside of the port tmrw...toothpick? q-tip? plus rubbing alcohol or water Tested it on my friend's desktop computer. It's definitely my laptop, and probably the audio jack that's causing this annoying "static" (hss sound)

 

is there any sound enhancements feature used in the sound under control panel?

 

Nope...those have all been disabled.

 

Hmm, that's funny since i have the same problem on my W700, everything is perfect except for that, and whenever my finger touches the fingerprint reader, it disappears completely, seems like an electrical interference problem, or related to wireless communication, my sound is a steady deeper drone rather than hiss.

 

Nope...touching the fingerprint reader doesn't work for me. Mine is like a bzzzz sound with a slight hiss at high notes. It's subtle but there.

 

I have a feeling ALL Lenovo thinkpads have this problem, the only way you would not notice this problem is if you use headphones with low sensitivity.

It is caused by too cheap compononets and probably no shielding.

 

do you have 2 pronged cabled or 3 pronged power cable?

 

So you're saying cheaper headphones with a smaller freq. band of sensitivity would avoid this problem? I guess that makes sense...sorta like a band pass filter to cut off the bottom noise.

However, I can hear this low static through any of my headphones, cheap and expensive ones. But yes, it is more audible when I'm using higher quality headphones with a larger freq. range and sensitivity.

I've actually only recently noticed it to the point where it bothers me when I purchased my brand new high quality IEM headphones.

I already described my setup a couple posts back. It's a 2 pronged 90 watt power adapter that I have plugged into a surge strip which connects to a wall socket via 3 prong with a ground.



I'm trying to decide if I should submit this problem to warranty...as a last resort.

 

Testing using all the headphones in the house, including my dad's high-end can headset, I don't hear any static or audio interference of any sort.

I have a 2-pronged AC adapter plugged into a 3-prong power strip as well, so I doubt that would be the issue.

I do have this issue on my old laptop, though, an Averatec 2155 EH-1.

 

Did you try the audio samples in the first post? Try listening very carefully to the background/acoustics with a pair of nice in-ear headphones to isolate any outside noise. Do so in a quiet room as well. Listen at a comfortable listening level...but not too loud, in fact lower the volume a little. If it's crystal clear...then something most be truly weird about my T500....

 

Did that when I made my first post - the sound output from my T500 is crystal clear.

 

does the same static problem occur on battery?

 

lol... every question you've asked so far, I've already answered in all my previous posts. lol....and yes it does occur. Makes no difference battery or AC.

 

UPDATE: So I've finally had some time to deal with this problem again. I booted up Linux (Ubuntu) from a disc to see if I could isolate the problem (Operating System)....well I still have the static. I guess that means it is a hardware problem after all? =\... Hmm...if that's the case I'll probably wait until next summer break to use me AMEX additional 1 year warranty to send in the laptop for a fix hopefully.