Crackling sound while playing music in HP SPECTRE X360 Ultrabook

[andrewiam_com]

In my tries with previous drivers the control panel is just the UI for the enhancements. Removing it does not disable them.

[andrewiam_com]

I finally got around to installing the Realtek Audio driver update ( 6.4.10041.130) and BIOS update (F.2D).  The clipping/crackling has been significantly reduced, but not eliminated.  The Enhancements still enable themselves on reboot and when I plug my headphones in.  I hope HP is continuing development on the driver because nether issue has been fixed. 

[TedSteel]

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@andrewiam_com wrote:

I finally got around to installing the Realtek Audio driver update ( 6.4.10041.130) and BIOS update (F.2D).  The clipping/crackling has been significantly reduced, but not eliminated.  The Enhancements still enable themselves on reboot and when I plug my headphones in.  I hope HP is continuing development on the driver because nether issue has been fixed. 

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Yep, same here. 

One thing I noticed while streaming Spotify that I would mind hearing from others if they are experiencing the same.

A couple days ago I started to hear the cracking. For some reason, I went into the DTS panel and started messing around with the effects sliders while the enhancements were on - I had forgotten to disable them as part of my now normal startup routine. Specifically the "center, space, and focus" sliders. When I maxed out the Focus slider (slid it to the top), the crackling got horrendously bad. Pretty much the same thing with the other two sliders. But when lowered those 3 sliders all the way, or when I unchecked Audio Enhancements (twice) to truly turn off the DTS stuff, the crackling completely disappeared. I streamed for probably 3 hours after that with no crackling.

Has anyone else tried this when they experienced the crackling? I can't help but wonder if the DTS stuff is never completely turned off despite the user "disabling" it. And, could the DTS stuff be the root of the issue, not the Microsoft or audio card drivers?

Just a thought I had - I haven't had time to test any part of my theory...

[andrewiam_com]

As far as I can tell, DTS Enhancements are actually disabled when you uncheck the box. The audio sounds pretty close to my phones, tablet, and desktop PC. It looks like the DTS control panel was bundled with the Intel Smart Sound driver, which itself is bundled with the Realtek driver.

[Technocrazy]

I had crackling going on and played with the variouse DTS adjustments.  Lowering or raising them did nothing to affect the cracking.  I even disabled the DTS. What I got was lower volume crackling with no DTS enhancements. 

Keeping working on this HP!  These laptops are too expensive to have sound issues.  Everything else is great.

[goldflame09]

A few days ago i got the crackling back, but through process of elimination even after uninstalling and letting windows re install the driver, pandora was the only thing crackling, and only through google chrome. I opened pandora in Edge, and it sounds fine, no distortions or anything (of course after disabling DTS). I'm thinking that it has to do with the way chrome plays audio and the way it interacts with the driver is other web browsers sound fine. Just some food for thought.

[Technocrazy]

I get crackling in both chrome and edge. Seems to gave gotten worse lately.

[Snoweternal]

I have got a HP Spectre Pro x360 G1 Convertible PC Model P2C38UT, the sound problem still exist for this model, which I believe it's the newest model. With the newest driver support for this ultrabook, which was delievered by HP around the month of Novermber 2015, the sound issue still hasn't been resolved.

It would very well e a hardware issue. Don't know what we as consumer can do to help them figure out what needs to be done for this problem. 

These Labtops are not cheap, I really hope HP take this matter seriously and at least provide a solution that's acceptable. 

[sempi601]

Hello Guys,

Just wanted to let you know my experience. Since I downgraded windows 10 to the factory Windows 8, ca. 2 months ago I haven't had a single crack.

Maybe it won't work for everybody, but worth a try. In windows 10 it was cracking like hell. I'm quite sure it is not hardware issue.

[Technocrazy]

@sempi601 that was one of the recommendations that HP told me to do.  However I brought it to their attention that the marketing of this computer was heavily mixed with references to HP and Microsoft working together on it.  The media mentioned that HP and MS worked on optimizing drivers for faster startup, etc.  The laptop that MS should be building, etc. Don't really want to migrate BACK to Windows 8 to make it work.  PITA option.  Seems like a lame option rather than the standard "did you install the latest drivers?" And I really like Windows 10.

Some other observations.  Running the Windows 10 Pandora app. Works really well - the app.  Crackling has been better but I have lost all audio and have had to reboot after I plugged in an external speaker.  This has happened 2-3 times.  Still get crackling with the occasional bluetooth connection to the same external speaker.  Slowly getting better I think.  I get small pops when switching between audio sources and sometimes between songs.