Headphone output WAY too loud.

[Lloreli]

Still looking for a fix for this issue.

The auto volume drop to 4% is better than nothing - but it doesn't actually fix the issue as the sound quality when running a 4% is very poor.

I have mnanaged to get a sensible listening volume by putting the windows volume at about 4% and the media player at about 10% - but at this level the sound can distorted and choppy where the resolution of the audio source isn't very fine (normal CD quality audio sounds terrible, even on high spec headphones) - I guess this is because it's only using 0.4% of the available velocity range.

I don't have this issue with other laptops using the same headphones and this happens with USB headphones and well as through the headphone socket and so is possibly a fault with the sound card or drivers.

[Epione]

Same here! Way too loud, even when my volume is set to 1. I suppose I could always go out and buy a pair of headphones that have a volume control on it, but I shouldn't have to do that. I am very satisfied with the ones I have now. Other than this, I love the laptop. It does everything I need it to do extremely well and then some.

[jarjarbuggle]

I sympothise.  I'll just let you know that I spent many hours with HP tech support, and I was only able to speak to someone who was self admittedly technically incompetent, or someone from India who knows how to check if your drivers are up to date.  

I never was able to talk to someone who was iterested in what the problem was.  I think there strategy is to update your drivers, if that doesn't work, wipe the OS, if that doesn't work, then lastly, check the hardware, and if THAT doesn't work, finally, look at what the user is actually complaining about.  

After dealing with various people, I eventually felt like I needed to speak to someone who at least understands what the problem is.  I asked to speak to a manager.  The person I was talking to paniced, and offered to have my laptop shipped in physically for repair.  I again stated that I wanted to speak to a manager, since they coudn't understand what the problem is.  They explained that they weren't a technical person, and assured me that the problem could be fixed if I sent in the laptop.  I gave up.

It is exhausting spending hours on the phone with various people that don't know nor care about what issue you are facing.  So, I say keep at it if it still bothers you.  Find a way to have some moral support.

[speculatrix]

I was issued at work with an HP Z Book, Haswell core-i7 with nvidia GPU, so pretty decent, but it weighs a ton, especially compared to my sleek Dell Ultrabook at home.

I very quickly discovered the hard and painful way that the headphone socket output level is ridiculously loud. I have to set the level down to 3 or 4.  It doesn't matter if I use the socket on the laptop or the socket on the dock. The control panel indicates that the ZBook thinks there are speakers plugged in. There doesn't appear to be a way to tell it there are headphones instead (I am using Sony MDR-ZX610)

I have been through the windows control panel and the DTS settings and there's no settings that make a difference.

After some weeks struggling with this I googled for a fix and found this discussion. I tried again to find the audio enhancements referred to by someone.

Overall then I'm not too happy. If I'd bought this personally I'd be taking it back as faulty.

[Mario555]

Exact the same issue with a brand new HP EliteBook Folio 1040 G2 and Windows 10 with all updates, including BIOS etc

[Kezza_Duggit]

send it back because they will never fix it!!

[speculatrix]

Mario555, I agree with kezza_duggit, I'd send it back as faulty.
I suspect it's an unusual hardware fault, possibly rare, otherwise this discussion would be overwhelmed with "me too" posts.
Those of us with the problem haven't fixed it with driver changes etc.

[Mario555]

how can i do that? it seems like i cannot open a case without have a care/support pack?

can i call them?

the support menu is really confusing 

[Kezza_Duggit]

Return it to the place you purchased it from if you can.

[Mario555]

Problem is NOT solved after HP replaced the Motherboard