DTS Audio Control Panel Audio Enhancements dont stay off

[andrewiam_com]

As a reminder, there is a more active thread over here: http://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Notebook-Audio/Crackling-sound-while-playing-music-in-HP-SPECTRE-X360/t... that generally covers all issues with HP's audio drivers for Spectre x360 laptops.  Recently, a BIOS update was released that promises enhanced sound quality and volume.  Unfortunately it does not fix any of the existing issues. 

[daxliniere]

I did it!!! I did it, I did it, I did it!!!!

RIGHTO! Download the latest HP Spectre x360 audio drivers (sp74372.exe) and run that file. It's not the installer itself, but just unpacks the installer (and runs it). You will be asked where to unpack to. Choose a location you know and go there once the unpacking is done.

Now navigate to (unpack folder)\Fre\ISST\ and delete these 19 files:

dts_intel_coinstaller_x64.dll
IntcADSP*.* (7 files)
intel_coinst.dll
MaxxAudio*.dll (6 files)
RtkMic??.dll (2 files)
WavesS*.exe (2 files)

You may not need to delete all of those, but I did and the issue is solved.

Now run the installer. In a very handy turn of events, the installer will uninstall the previous drivers for you, restart Windows, then install the new driver. Thankfully it doesn't complain that some of the files are missing and therein lies the solution. I have removed the DLL files that contain the horrible DSP code.

Time to verify.
The DTS control panel won't run from the installed shortcut anymore, but if you go to the ISST folder, you can run RtkNGUI64.exe, go to Listening Experience tab and toggle the Audio Enhancements checkbox - it will make no difference to the sound... FINALLY!!!

<sarcasm>Once again, I congratulate the HP service team for acknowledging the problem and working so hard to fix it quickly for their paying customers. 😐 </sarcasm>

[daxliniere]

Congratulations, Dax!

You just earned the badge of Warrior Of The Ignored People!

You have successfully solved a problem that HP and RealTek staff have successfully ignored and provided the valuable support to our community that we should have provided!

Thanks from the HP Support Forum Team for doing our job for us.

[andrewiam_com]

Dax, can you confirm this is actually fixing the problem?  After the Windows 10 build 1511 update, drivers will automatically update and install even when you disable automatic device installation in Advanced System Settings.  To test the modified driver, I first removed the old drivers then installed the modified new drivers.  To do this, you turn on airplane mode, uninstall both the Realtek and Intel SST drivers in device manager without restarting, uninstall the Realtek I2S Audio driver from Programs and Features, kill the Realtek services in Task Manager, delete C:/Program Files/Realtek, delete C:/Program Files (x86)/Realtek/Audio, delete C:/ProgramData/SRS Labs, and then reboot.  Then you extract the installer and delete the files before actually doing the installation (you can just leave the installer open right after extracting the files and pick up installing after deleting the specified ones).  I found that without IntcADSP.sys the Intel Smart Sound driver doesn't work.  After turning airplane mode back off Windows just redownloads the stock driver and reintroduces the problem (regardless of the automatic driver installation setting). 

[daxliniere]

Hi Andrew, I can indeed confirm this is a working solution for WIn10 #1511. I am playing music and war-toggling the DTS encrudments checkbox and it makes no difference in either position. (and it's not stuck in the on position 😛 ).

I have disabled the autodriver update, but the thing is, it's actually irrelevant since the driver is correctly installed as far as Windows can tell.

The procedure you define is unecessarily complex. If you follow the steps I've set out you should be good.

If you still can't get it to work, perhaps we can try to replicate my last week of testing which involved installing (and uninstalling) the Lenovo drivers, installing (and uninstalling) the previous driver version (2.71?)

** If we can get some other users to test this procedure to confirm that Andrew is having some other problem, that would be great. **

[andrewiam_com]

@daxliniere I have been trying to follow your instructions to no avail.  After installing the full sp74372 and then the modified sp74372, the driver behaves like HP "intended" (it still crackles and resets).  I think connecting to the internet quickly installs a new driver and adds it back to the Driver Store.  After purging the Driver Store (using a tool called RAPR) and enabling Airplane Mode, I tried the same procedure and found that the Intel SST driver simply wouldn't work and was not recognized as a driver.  Installing the normal sp74372 and manually deleting any of the relevant files in System32/drivers also breaks the Intel SST driver.  Could you see if any of the files you specified are still in your System32/drivers, and if they are, are they different from the ones in sp74372?

[Zshani]

Hey Dax,

Thanks for the struggle you have been through and the efforts made to nail those 19 files, as you have mentioned in the given link. I did as you have suggested:

1. Unpacked the sound driver pack
2. Deleted the file
3. Then allowed to run the setup

The laptop booted/started twice but then the audio icon on the right bottom corner was having a red dot on it, showing that no audio device was installed.

So all I did was clicked on the icon and it started detecting the device and then the voice was back.

It is still crackling... Although the DTS disappeared from control panel but it can be accessed by RtkNGui64.exe.

I have played with the listening enhancements tab i.e., audio, music, movie/video and it is affecting the sound. Even the bass and trebble bars also affect the sound when they slide up and down.

Please suggest what you think about it.
Many thanks once again...

[TedSteel]

That badge is hilarious.  

[daxliniere]

Hey everyone,

Sorry, this terrible forum software isn't emailing me about new replies.

So, this morning, after it working perfectly for some time.. my drivers must have refreshed/updated themselves without consent or notifications because it's gone back to s-h-i-t.

I'm about to use my method again, but I wanted to drop in to let everyone know it's not flawless, but I can definiely confirm that the problem was fixed for a week or so.

Just when I had finally stopped hating my Spectre laptop...

HP, JUST FIX THIS CRAP FOR GOOD!!!! IT'S YOUR JOB!!!

[daxliniere]

For some **bleep** reason, the install procedure I specified is not working.
I will backtrack and attempt to repeat my steps of installing the current Lenovo Realtek drivers and the previous version of official Realtek drivers (r2.79) and report back.