[Vaio-Z3 SVZ] - Critical sound problems

Hi guys,

I'd like to regroup here all new VaioZ owners (serie SVZ1311C5E or similar) who have Sound / Speakers problems

The goal is to be able to share solutions to finally be able to FIX the problem.


The major sound problem is a "white noise" coming out of the speakers.
It appears just before any Operating System sound. (win7, I've heard about linux too... etc..)
It appears when you start any music, and you "pause" or "stop" it. As long as the program (e.g. windows media player) is still launched, the noise will be constant !!

- If we uninstall the drivers, it's worse : the noise is constant even when the speakers are on mute !

- So, Realtek drivers cut the speakers any time it is not needed. But then, any time you play a music, or the OS needs to "ding", to "bell" or to do any sound, we can here the noise for a fraction of second.


This is a very high frequence noise that is giving me headaches..
My VaioZ is brand new : didnt touch anything yet. I directly heared the problem.

Please, if you have the same problem, or related, write down a comment and follow this thread so we can get togheter to fix that issue.

Thanks in advance



Edit : here is a video of the problem.
link : Speakers problem - Brand new Vaio Z
Check page 3 for more details about the tests...

 

I have same problem, but i don't know how to fix, i hold when windows 8 out, this problem can be fix

 

Hi, thanks for reporting.

When did you get the Z exactly ? and did you try to contact the customer services for that problem or not ?

I got mine about 1 month ago.
I contacted them and am currently waiting for a pick up for a repair !



Also, one last question : when do you plan to install Win8 ?
Would be super cool to have a feedback on that (if it fix the problem or not!)


Thanks!

 

I bought it since august this year but i didn't contact the customer services because i think it is not necessary.
I will install windows 8 as soon as I receive license from microsoft, maybe after 26/10/2012
And which model of Z series do you use?

 

I've read in a few places that the speakers are just exceptionally poor in quality. But that is bizarre... I don't understand how a laptop that costs $4000 (in australia) can be shipped with such a major issue. What happens if you connect headphones or external speakers?

 

Thanks A LOT.
Did you pre-order your 15$ win8 version ? Hope you'll get it on oct 26th and not later
I cant wait until your first results.. !!!

Here is my Vaio-Z specification :

- Intel Core I7-3612QM, 2.1Ghz
- 8 Gb Ram ddr3-sdram
- 512 Gb ssd drive
- Full Hd 1920x1080 premium screen
- Wan enabled
- No Pmd (no need for me)

- Running Win 7 "Ultimate" on it


As you can see, this is almost the maximum configuration from the SVZ.
(for the last Z, they do not have the i7-3612 anymore but the 3632.. only difference is 2.2Ghz instead of 2.1Ghz)

I cant understand either.
If just the sound was low, that could be "understandable". You do not use a Vaio-Z the same as a home theater unit.
The problem is, those speakers have poor quality sound problem : they keep on sending this blank noise.

If you plug a headphones or external speakers, then everything is just fine. The onboard speakers are totally muted and the new speakers do not have any blank noise or such problem..

That's why I'm afraid its a hardware problem that cannot be fixed unless they change the speakers on the board :/ (?)

 

I hope will get windows 8 on 26/10, too. 15$ for windows 8 pro is so good price and i don't have any reason to ignore it
Of course, i will let you know as soon as i setup windows 8 completely.

 

Doesn't sound like it's to do with the sound card then, if it all works fine through external or headphones, which all run off the same card usually. So it'd be the actual physical speakers causing the issue, which I'm sure you already know, but that might be an easier fix as it'd only involve putting in new speakers not gutting the whole system, so hopefully that's comforting

 

Exactly !

Well, ups came this afternoon.. Finally !! (i've been waiting 10 days for them to come.. what a mess...)
I really do hope they'll be able to replace the speakers with good one :/

 

I haven't noticed any white noise on mine,...

 

Did you configure it yourself, or not?
Where did you buy it ? (Us, Uk, Europe, else ?)

If you have win7 with realtek drivers, the white noise is very subtil : only appears 'just' before a sound. Or, launch any music e.g. in Windows Media Player, pause it, and listen.... You'll hear it. Close WMP : it's gone :/

If you uninstall realtek drivers it's worse : the noise is constant. Even when muting! (it goes to higher pitch)




I just read that win8 users have the same problem.
I did hope it would fix it, but no...

 

Did not configure it and was bought in the USA...Have tried several times with WMP and sincerely can not her any white noise..

 

I start to think it only appears to people having configured their laptops themselves...

 

I only get the white noise on mine if I plug in headphones. If no headphones are plugged in, no problem.

 

Even with headphones plugged in there is no white noise

 

Just got my Vaio Z from the repair : Sony declared "nothing anormal"

They did not touch anything at all.
10 days for that


I am SO PISSED OFF


Sony is a company that REALLY dont get a s**** about its customers.


This is the most expensive laptop

They wouldnt even call to ask (I called them 3 times to ask the technicien to get in touch with me, they said ok.. but no call)

Thay dont get a s******

 

It is better if you have a local sony store near your home and bring it in to show them.
You can also go to some other stores (not sony) to see if they have new Z13 to check.
Also, hear and see are different from person to person. One can hear high pitch note, but others may not.

 

Hi,
Did you try to find new version of Realtek High Definition Audio driver?
Not via Vaio Update but on Realtek official site. Maybe there is a newer version of it

 

Newest from Realtek is R2.7 which supports Windows 7/8 32/64bit

 

Unfortunately there is no sony store close by.

I used to have one, but it closed a couple of years ago..


Realtek High Definition Audio driver : I already tried those last week and it was even worse (R2.70) than the one supplied especially for the VAIO-Z from realtek !!

 

Did u try plug in external sound card? If so, there is some difference?
I have same issue like u but don't have external sound card to try.
I observed that if I connect external speakers, the sound coming out from a speakers is clear, but this white noise comes directly from vaio..
And another thing that this problem doesn't exist always.. If I turn on vaio there is no white sound for a few hours. It appears after a while (2, 3, 4 maybe 5 hours - I don't know exacly)

 

That is why i made bios password, and make sure they listen to what i want.

beside they repaired your laptop in a busy room, i don't think they can hear this white noise.



Is the white noise something like spinning fan or other white noise?

 

Anytime I plug something (hearphones, speakers..) in the 3.5' jack, the noise is gone. The sound is perfect.
The "white noise" only comes out from the 2 tiny speakers under the Vaio-Z

Not sure if this is the same problem. The one problem I described in the thread original post is quite clear and significant : it happens all the time, and I can clearly distinguich from another noise (like fan etc..)

Right.. should have done that :/
No, the sound is a "high pitch" that is coming out from the speaker. Very very high, but you can clearly hear it if you start "Windows Media Center" : the noise is constant !! it wont stop. As soon as you close WMC, it stops too. (there are other exemples like windows movie maker.. etc)

I'll try to make a small video with a microphone so that you guys can check it. But I dont knox if a mic can catch this white noise. I'll see that soon..

 

Just to mention : if I change the volume, the noise WONT change.

It's always the same.
So even at the minimum, I hear it the same way :/

 

But if u mute the sound, the noise will mute also?
Try to make a video and I will compare it to mine white noise.

 

Hi,

Here's a video I sent today to a customer services manager who finally called me today.

link : Speakers problem - Brand new Vaio Z

I had my iphone mic close to the speakers, so it's not 'as' loud in real, but it is loud enough to give me headaches every time I use my brand new vaio Z...


I appreciate if you could tell me if you do have the same behaviours in the same tests.
Thanks !





Tests details

1) WMP : white noise at the very start (1sec), then when the music is on pause (continuous). Stops when WMP is closed

2) Winamp : Same behaviour : white noise when the music is on pause. Stops when the program is closed. (only difference on winamp the noise stops when you 'stop' the music and dont 'pause' it, but only after 5 seconds)

3) Any online music website (here's sony 'music unlimited') : exact same behaviour. Stops when I close the webpage

4) Win Media Center : It's worse : the noise goes on constantly, filling any moment without a sound. You can heat it in the starting screen -and- when browsing up and down

5) Win movie maker : The sound is just constant. No matter what, we need to close it for the noise to stop

6) Browsing : Anytime we hit a folder, the noise appears just prior the windows sound. (I tryed many many time cause I wanted to show how it sometimes gets stuck : the white noise will just stay there 5 to 10 sec when browsing, but it didnt that time. Anyway, you got the picture of this horrible sound i guess now!)

 

Yes, if I mute the sound, with the realtek drivers the noise will stop.
(without the drivers it wont, meaning with windows 7 drivers i just cant stop this noise at all!)

check the video to compare with yours ! thanks !

 

Yes, It is the same like yours. The problems looks the same but only difference is that my vaio begins to emit this white noise a few hours after boot.
Next week I will check it with external sound card. I think that if I plug in a external sound card via USB the white noise should disappear. This will mean that the problem for sure causing the Realtek's driver.. but if not.. I have no idea what else may causing this problem.


What did customer services manager say when he saw this video?

Sorry for my English

 

Well, I'm waiting for his call.
I sent him the video yesterday, same time as posting here. This is a SERIOUS issue, something needs to be done for us !
I hope they will fix the problem quickly

Thanks for checking the video, I'll keep you up to date with his answer

 

Hi

He asked me to send him some printscreen of the process used when playing a music / when the white noise is going on..

Also my DxDiag report..

They are working on it, hope then can find something..

 

Ok thanks, hope they can....

 

I connected external sound card and like I was thinking the white noise disappear. So now I am quite sure that Realtek driver causes this problem.

 

Very interesting..
Thanks for that. It means the speakers are not in fault..

May I ask which drivers your sound card is using ? Windows7 drivers or special drivers installed for the occasion.??

 

Do you ask about external or built-in sound card?
External card has their own drivers (from Creative).
Built-in card has official drivers from Sony (Windows 7). The one supplied especially for the SVZ series from Realtek.
(Driver version: 6.0.1.6570)

 

Yes I was talking about the external card.

Internally, there is 2 possibilities : either the generic "Windows7" drivers (if you uninstall realtek drivers, then windows 7 take the lead) ; and, of course, the realtek drivers (v6.0.1.65.70)

We know there's a difference (it's much better with realtek) but in both case the white noise is here


I was just wondering if uninstalling your creative drivers would change something. Because if you uninstall those, then windows7 will use its generic drivers again and this time with the external card.
I'm curious if it would have the problem also on the external card.

 

I can't try it because I borrowed this card from friend for 2 days and now he leaves my town.. but I think that after uninstalling creative drivers, card will be unable to use.. I really don't think that generic windows' drivers take the lead in this case..

Is there any answer from Sony?

 

Oh ok not a problem then, I thought it was yours.

No answers since last week from sony....

 

The Vaio is in repair for the second time now...

fingers crossed

 

Could this be a case of electrical interference and not a driver issue? When the drive mutes the speakers presumably no current is going to the speakers so no white noise, however if you just pause the music maybe the line to the speakers remains electrically active and susceptible to interference from other components in the laptop. Just a thought.

 

For me it's all the same.. I mean it's the drivers that manage the 'electric flow' anyway, so if the drivers are bad, they will be sending an unwanted signal at the wrong moment (thus giving the white noise).


But again, maybe it's the speakers that are bad quality, and they just play a sound when they just should stay on "stand by". Something like "Hi Mr. Speaker, a program that usually uses sound has been launched, please be ready to work when asked, please stay in stand by mode".


Really no idea

(I'm being quite imaginative tonight I know...)

 

Problem finally fixed !!

Sony, after 2 returns for repair, have changed the motherboard. So, it was a hardware problem indeed ! (the speakers? the board?? have no idea)

If you experience this same problem from day 1, then you "might" have the same issue : just check with sony.

Hope this thread will help some folks
CastAway

 

Are you in the USA or Europe? How long did Sony have your laptop for this 2nd repair? Did they cover shipping both ways or did they make you pay to ship it to them?

 

Hi,

I'm in Europe.
Sony kept the laptop about 1 week : they had to order the board that was changed.

I did not pay anything (under waranty)

HTH

 

Hello! Im going to take it into my Sony in the middle east to repair the same issue. Do you happen to have any details of the part changed/work done sent by sony that I could pass on to the team here? I do not think they are quite as efficient as Sony Europe Thank you!

p.s. Do/did you also get processor noise/squeal when running on power saver mode?

 

Hi,

Yes, they changed the motherboard entirely.

For the other sound, I dont think I have that. I remember hering something once but wasnt too loud and cant remember in which situation. Sorry

 

Xpercert, are you in Dubai? any idea where I can get a vaio svz base model in Dubai for a reasonable price?

 

I have the same problem on my SVZ13 in Taiwan.
It makes me annoying. I sent my laptop to Sony Vaio maintenance center and after two weeks they never fixed it.
I think all of this series have the same issue, but some people didn't discover it.

 

Mine is silent.

 

those with problems - have you installed the latest realtek driver and disabled the noise cancellation function? "disable all sound effects" under the driver menu. This should also make the Z much louder.

 

I tried this - didn't work. I already sent in my laptop once, they replaced the motherboard and audio board, I got it back today, same hiss problem. Looks like nothing was fixed. Will probably have to send it in again.