Audio sample rate of 44.1 kHz not available on HP Envy 17 laptop

[jmnielsen7]

When I try to set the Audio Sample Rate of my HP Envy's Realtek audio device to lower than 48 kHz I do not see 44.1 kHz as an option, even though I have installed the latest Realtek Audio driver from HP's support site. See screenshots below. I am running Windows 11 22H2 (Build 22621.1848).

What is concerning is that this problem has been reported before for other HP laptops and it appears there has been no solution. For example:

1. Audio sample rate of 44.1 khz not available on HP Pavilion - 15-ec1073dx
2. Set Audio Sample Rate on Realtek Audio 
   
3. Set Audio Sample Rate on Realtek Audio (Identical title, different thread; also implicates a hardware limitation)

This HP Envy 17" cr0000 laptop is brand new (arrived a week ago) and I intend to use it especially to run a DAW (Pro Tools), and some of my projects necessitate 44.1 kHz sample rate else they will not even open in Pro Tools. The problem is not specific to Pro Tools though and affects the whole OS. 

Can HP work with Realtek to provide a driver that gives me more options than 48 kHz? If not, I am strongly considering returning this HP Envy.

 

Pro Tools informing me it cannot open a music project due to the sample rate limitation:

Please advise on how to resolve this.

[sandytechy20]

@jmnielsen7 

Welcome to the HP support community.

I have brought your issue to the attention of an appropriate team within HP. They will likely request information from you in order to look up your case details or product serial number. Please look for a private message from an identified HP contact. Additionally, keep in mind not to publicly post personal information (serial numbers and case details).

If you are unfamiliar with how the Community's private message capability works, you can learn about that here.

Thank you for visiting the HP Support Community. 

[jmnielsen7]

Thank you, Sandytechy20.

I will say for the record that I spent 2 hours total on the phone yesterday with tech support, who did open a case number, and they were not able to resolve this, and so a returns process was kicked off and a shipping label sent to me to return the laptop.

That being said, I went onto an audiophile technical forum on Techpowerup and asked about why a Realtek ALC chip would support a higher rate like 48 kHz but not 44.1 kHz and someone pointed out to me that the built in speakers in the laptop may actually be the limiting factor. That was news to me because I thought only the source audio chip's capabilities mattered. But it turns out Windows 10/11 can change the sample rates which appear/are offered in the drop-down menu based on what output devices are plugged into it at that particular moment in time. Someone at Techpowerup recommended to try different speakers and headphones to see if it adds new kHz sample rates. I will try that soon and report back.

In the mean time, for those enamored with the current wave of growing use of ChatGPT I learned some interesting things from ChatPGT about why an operating system such as Windows 10 (or 11) might (in a sense) artificially limit your sample rate options even when the chip is technically capable of processing other sample rates. Here is how that conversation went:

Q: Even though supported sample rates can vary between different sound card models and manufacturers, will Windows 10 offer a selection of more sample rates if I change my output audio device such as speakers or headphones? Can certain speakers or headphones support different sample rates, or does only the sound card itself determine that regardless of the output?

A (ChatGPT):
Windows 10 typically provides a range of sample rates that are supported by the audio device itself, whether it's a sound card, built-in audio chipset, or an external audio interface. When you change the output audio device, such as speakers or headphones, the available sample rates may vary depending on the capabilities of that specific audio device.

The sample rates that a speaker or headphone can support depend on its design, specifications, and intended use. While some audio devices, especially higher-end ones, may support a wider range of sample rates, others may have more limited options.

However, it's important to note that the audio device itself can only support sample rates that are within the capabilities of the underlying sound card or audio chipset. The sound card or audio chipset acts as the primary audio processing component, and its supported sample rates determine the maximum sample rates that can be used by any connected output devices.

When configuring the sample rates in Windows 10, the available options will be based on the combination of the audio device (speakers or headphones) and the capabilities of the sound card or audio chipset. Windows will present you with the sample rate options that are supported by both the output device and the underlying audio hardware.

In summary, while the output audio device may influence the available sample rates to some extent, it is ultimately the sound card or audio chipset that determines the supported sample rates.


Q: Why would Windows 10 show certain speakers as only allowing a 48 kHz sample rate, but not the lower sample rate 44.1 kHz? Doesn't it stand to reason that if speakers can support 48 kHz that they should be able to support the lower sample rate of 44.1 kHz? If not, then why not?

A (ChatGPT):
It is generally expected that if speakers or headphones can support a higher sample rate, such as 48 kHz, they should also be able to support lower sample rates like 44.1 kHz. However, in some cases, you may encounter situations where Windows 10 or other operating systems do not display the lower sample rate as an option for a specific audio device, even though it supports higher sample rates.
The reason for this discrepancy can be attributed to several factors:

1. Software and driver limitations: The sample rate options presented by the operating system are determined by the audio drivers and software. It's possible that the drivers or software for a particular audio device may have limitations or configuration settings that prevent the display of certain sample rate options. This can occur due to compatibility issues, default settings, or design choices made by the manufacturer.
2. Certification requirements: Some audio devices, particularly those targeted towards specific markets or certifications, may have restrictions on the available sample rates. For example, certain audio devices designed for professional or broadcast applications may prioritize compatibility with specific standards and only offer sample rates that align with those standards.
3. Marketing or feature differentiations: In some cases, manufacturers may choose to limit the sample rate options for specific audio devices as a way to differentiate their product lineup. This decision may be based on marketing strategies or intended target audiences, where higher-end devices are marketed to audio enthusiasts or professionals who require a broader range of sample rates.
4. Hardware design considerations: While it is generally expected that a device supporting a higher sample rate should also support lower sample rates, there can be technical considerations that impact the design and implementation of an audio device. Variations in analog circuitry, internal processing, or other hardware-related factors might result in certain sample rates being omitted or not advertised for a specific device.

In summary, while it may seem logical for an audio device supporting a higher sample rate to also support lower sample rates, the display of sample rate options in Windows 10 can be influenced by various factors, including software limitations, certification requirements, marketing strategies, and hardware design considerations. It is always advisable to consult the manufacturer's documentation or support resources for specific information about the supported sample rates of a particular audio device.

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[jmnielsen7]

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@sandytechy20 

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I have 6 days left to decide whether to return this laptop or not. One thing that would be a big help is being able to know the true ID of the Realtek sound card/chip in the chipset so that I can read documentation for what Sample Rates it truly supports. That is proving VERY difficult. Please see the new post I made here about that:

https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Notebook-Audio/What-Realtek-ALC-chip-does-the-HP-Envy-17t-cr000-have/t...

Any assistance with that would be very helpful!

[jmnielsen7 · Accepted solution]

Well, that theory about different output devices (headphone & speakers) offering different Sample Rates was a nice one, and probably worth trying for anyone else running into this issue, but fruitless for a simple 3.5mm headphone jack output which I doubt can distinguish what is on the far end of its output to adjust the OS' driver options. If you had external audio outputs that connected via USB (like some headphones have) and registered it as a separate device in Device Manager perhaps that would have been the case though. But my Realtek device for headphones remained locked in at 48 kHz the whole time unfortunately.

That being said, I found a solution(!) -- but primarily for Digital Audio Workstations like Pro Tools. Basically, I installed an ASIO driver along with ASIO management software. I installed ASIO4ALL and it provided an independent driver that I was able to tell Pro Tools to use and it enabled the ability to set a Sample Rate of 44100 Hz (44.1 kHz). This proves that the chip is actually capable of 44.1 kHz but that the Realtek driver at the OS-level which is used for the headphone jack and the internal HP speakers self-limits itself to 48 kHz. 

It took a few hours of testing, but ASIO4ALL 2.14 includes not just the ASIO driver but also a control panel "Offline Settings" app, which you will need to use to enable the other frequencies.

I had to disable the 48Hz option and select the 8-192kHz, 24 bits option and then Pro Tools detected it.

There is also an option on the right side you can play with called "Always resample 44.1 kHz <-> 48 kHz", which you can read about briefly here.

I found that I had to upgrade to 2.15 with a separate install, but not replacing the 2.14 install files, in order to get the latest driver support while keeping the Offline Settings panel. Oddly, if you simply install 2.15 it does not offer you the Offline Settings app. So I installed 2.15, then navigated to the 2.14 folder and launched the Offline Settings app manually and like magic it even upgraded the skin/options of the Offline Settings app somehow (which actually is more cut down, but somehow still worked fine in Pro Tools).

I mention all those details for someone else like me who wants to do audio engineering work in a DAW when the Realtek drivers refuse to let you set 44.1 kHz at the OS level. The good news is that you can override it at the application level if you have an ASIO driver. Basically just install ASIO4ALL and then it will show up as new option in the "Playback Engine" menu for Pro Tools.

Enjoy!