Audio volume keep auto adjusting

[AndreaParducci]

Hi everybody. I'm going mad, 'cause in lot of audio/music software (ie. MusicBee, that I use A LOT), when I lower the audio volume with the slider, for a sec or two I hear the volume going down... then it turns up 100% again!

I read this thing can be related to Beatsaudio that it's inside the notebook, but I want it OFF. This is NOT a feature, men it's the first time in my (long) life I see a system that actually is blocking me to adjust the volume as I please.

I read the forum for older similar issues, for example this one:

https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Notebook-Audio/HP-Envy-15-15-3040nr-keeps-adjusting-the-volume/td-p/13...

But when I try to follow the hints, and I go in my Audio Settings, then I choose  the device, then Proprerties, I cannot find the Enhancements tab, so I can't put the V on "disable all enhancements".

I'm using Windows 10 64 bit, Realtek High Definition Audio Driver 6.0.1.7553 x64 edition (I found it in the HP Support section), and, of course, an HP ENVY 15-k208nl, as in the title.

Any help could be precious, this think it's haunting me.

[MKazi]

@AndreaParducci

Let me take a moment to thank you for posting on the HP Support Forums. 

I came across your post and would like to help. I read that you have an HP ENVY Notebook - 15-k208nl. I further read that when you lower the audio in music applications like MusicBee, the volume goes down for a moment and then goes up to 100% by itself. I appreciate the steps you have performed and have certainly done a good job.

I recommend you to perform the following steps to isolate the issue and arrive at a fix: 

• Please  "sound" in the search and open it.

• Right click on speakers and select properties.

• In the sound properties window, select the "Enhancements" tab.
• Check "disable all enhancements".
• Click on Apply and OK.

You may try to lower the volume and check. If the issue continues or if the enhancement tab is absent then I suggest you to uninstall the audio drivers by following the below steps:

• Open the device manager.

• Expand "Sound, video and game controllers". Right click on the drivers on it and select uninstall.
• Close the device manager. You may download and install the audio drivers from this link.

I genuinely hope the issue gets resolved without hassles and the unit works great. Feel free to let me know. Cheers! 🙂

[AndreaParducci]

Hi MKazi, thanks for the fast reply.

Sadly, I (already) did all those passages, no luck with that (PS: I'm an IT technician, so I hope I can bring all my experience to resolve this issue).

Said so, I did several tests:

1

With a fresh Win 10 64 bit installation + all the main, useful HP drivers (downloaded from the HP site, they are not so updated, as I can see most of them are dated 2015), included the SP72139 (Realtek driver 6.0.1.7553), I can see the (B)eat icon near the windows Clock, with all the special Beat settings. None of those settings is helpful to stop the auto-adjusting issue. ALSO, in windows audio settings, there is NO "enhancements" tab.

2

With a fresh, NOT UPDATED, Win 10 64 bit installation + NONE of the HP drivers, I have no (B)eat icon near the windows Clock, BUT in windows audio settings, I can see "enhancements" tab! So, I can deactivate them, and I have the auto-adjusting issue NO MORE! This is obviously good, WHILE sadly I lose all the special (B)eat settings, that greatly enhanced the sound of the integrated speakers, when I use them.

Side note: in this situation, I can see that Windows is using "High Definition Audio microsoft 10.0.15063.502" driver.

3

BUT if I let Windows to do its various updates, after a while it proposes me to update the audio drivers... It updates them to the 6.0.1.7553 version (the same version I can find in the HP site). In this situation, I have NO (B)eat icon, so no extra settings, AND in windows audio settings the Enhancements tab IS NOW DISAPPEARED. Bad.

4

Another test I did: I went in Realtek site, and found the "standard" High Definition Audio drivers: "Realtek...R282.exe". When I install them, the audio is working, and windows tells me that now I have the 6.0.1.8186 version, so I think these are the latest aroud. Still, I can't have (B)eat things, AND there's NO Enhancements tab in windows audio settings. Bad, again.

_ _ _ _

Now, what?

[MKazi]

@AndreaParducci

Thank you for your reply. You've been fabulous to work with considering your superb technical skills, remarkable patience and great attitude. Kudos to you for that.

Please install and check if this driver helps (sp63555.exe). This worked for one of our customers who had similar issues with the Beats audio. Also, please view this Youtube video1 and Youtube video2.

I suggest let us run a hardware test on the audio just to confirm that the hard part is alright. Please review the following steps:

• Hold the power button for at least five seconds to turn off the computer.

• Turn on the computer and immediately press the F2 key repeatedly, about once every second.

• The HP PC Hardware Diagnostics (UEFI) main menu is displayed.

• Select Component tests.

• Please initiate a test on the Audio - The Audio Playback Test checks your system to make sure the audio device is functioning properly. During the test, a few music notes are played in sequence and then repeated. This test takes 1 minute to complete. Click Audio, then click Run once. Choose either the speakers or the headphones. When asked, enter the number of notes you heard.

If the issue persists during the audio test then it points towards a hardware failure and you may have to contact our HP phone support to explore the service options for the laptop. 

Hope this helps. Let me know how this pans out. Good luck! 🙂

[AndreaParducci]

Hi MKazi. Sadly, all those things weren't useful. However, here's a recap:

- sp63555.exe won't install in my PC. It can't recognize the right chipset, so I suspect it's an old driver for a different chip (ITD, I think, it isn't mentioned in other drivers I tried).

- Youtube video 1 uses that driver, so it's not useful.

- Youtube video 2 it's a workaroud for having the realtek panel, which I don't actually need, in place of the Beat panel.

- About the Hardare test. My F2 menu brings me to a lesser detailed Diagnostic Test, with only Memory and Hard Disk as choices. Not useful, here (side note: the audio hardware however it's correctly working with every driver, so I don't think an hardware problem it could be related to my situation: the only problem is the auto-adjusting volume - that I can tell after my test with various drivers it's software related, more specifically Realtek side, not Beat panel side).

Last note: this is more a curiosity. I was surprised when I read this as first operation:
* Hold the power button for at least five seconds to turn off the computer.

I understand this is a generic list made for copy/past, however to shutdown the PC in that way isn't healty, at best.

I'd put a bullet before, something like:

* Shutdown the PC using the windows Start menu. If this doesn't work, or if the PC isn't responding for a minute or two, you can try the emergency shutdown, holding the power button for at least five seconds until the machine is off.

Ok, do we have the chance that HP could contact Realtek and bring us a patched driver that brings back the Enhancements tab?

[Chimney_83 · Accepted solution]

Thanks for the reply, request you uninstall the audio driver from device manager, delete the driver when prompted. Download and install the driver from this link and let me know if it helps.

Keep me posted. Good Luck. 

[AndreaParducci]

Thanks Chimney_83. This last driver did the trick!

The linked file is SP78631 (t installs the version 6.0.1.8004 revA).

After the installation, I have the usual Beat panel, I still find no "enhancements" tabs in the windows audio panel > properties, HOWEVER now when I use various software (as the aformentioned MusicBee), and I lower the volume, it doesn't do the unpleasant auto-adjusting to 100% volume. So I think this can be a good resolution for that issue.

PS: it's useless to removing the older driver versions. That installer does a great job, forcing the user to uninstall the other driver, then it ask to reboot, then it completes the installation, and it ask for another reboot. Yeah, pretty long but foolproof 😄

Ok, that's all, falks. Thanks again.

[Chimney_83]

Thanks for the reply and glad that the issue is resolved.

Please do post your technical queries on our Forums for assistance.