Looking for updated Bang & Olufsen Audio Control for Windows 11 on Envy 17-aexxx

[taberconsulting]

I did the Win11 upgrade, and the old B&O audio app works only marginally.  Missing many features on the microphone/input page (specifically regarding noise cancellation, beam forming, etc.).

Is there an install package that includes a proper version of B&O?  The last upgrade for the audio drivers on this model is back in 2021, before Win11 was really out there.

[Pallipurath]

Hi @taberconsulting 

Welcome to the HP Support Community.

Thank you for posting your query.

I understand that you have updated window 11 and the B&O audio works only marginally.I understand your concern regarding the missing Bang & Olufsen microphone features after upgrading the ENVY 17-ae series to Windows 11. However, the availability of features such as noise cancellation and beam forming depends on the audio driver and hardware-specific components, not solely on the B&O Audio Control application.

I checked HP'sdrivers page and HP provides drivers is based on the operating system supported for the specific product. For the ENVY 17-ae series, HP's driver page does not currently list Windows 11 for the model I checked, so there does not appear to be an officially supported Windows 11-specific B&O/audio package for this platform.

Check the installed audio hardware:

• Device Manager
• Sound, video and game controllers
• Note the exact audio device/driver, e.g. Realtek High Definition Audio.
• Also check Audio inputs and outputs for the microphone device.
• Check Apps → Installed apps for:
  • Bang & Olufsen Audio Control
  • HP Audio Switch
  • Realtek Audio Console
  • DTS/other audio-processing components

Run Windows Update → Advanced options → Optional updates → Driver updates. I specifically recommend Windows Update as another source of tested driver updates when an appropriate HP Windows 11 package isn't available.

Take care and have an amazing day!

[taberconsulting]

Thanks for your detailed reply!
The driver I'm currently running for the Realtek High Definition Audio is 6.0.8940.1

Looking at installed apps:

• B&O audio control is not shown (even though the app sort of runs, it was installed on Win10 before the upgrade)
• HP Audio Switch is version 1.0.179.0
• Realtek audio console is not there
• DTS stuff is not there

I don't see a download for either the B&O or the Realtek audio console -- were they all bundled with the audio driver package?  My current driver is newer than what's shown on this page https://support.hp.com/us-en/drivers/hp-envy-17-ae1000-laptop-pc-series/model/16895972?sku=2RX65AV&s... 

Should I uninstall what I've got and then download/install the latest driver from that page?  https://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp95001-95500/sp95337.exe 

Thanks in advance for your response.

[Pallipurath]

Hi @taberconsulting 

Thank you for responding.

Since your system is currently running Realtek High Definition Audio driver version 6.0.8940.1, which is newer than the version listed on the HP driver page, I would not recommend uninstalling the existing driver or downgrading it solely to install the older SoftPaq.

I would recommend the following:

• Keep the current Realtek 6.0.8940.1 driver installed for now.
• Check the Microsoft Store for Bang & Olufsen Audio Control and see whether it can be installed or updated.
• Check Settings > Apps > Installed apps for any remaining HP/B&O audio components.
• If the B&O application is not available through the Microsoft Store and the audio enhancements are missing, we can investigate whether HP provides a compatible software package for this specific model.
• I would not recommend installing an older Realtek driver as a first step, particularly if the current audio driver is functioning correctly.

Have a good day.

[taberconsulting]

Following your steps:

• Keep the current Realtek 6.0.8940.1 driver installed for now.

Absolutely.  I know what hell audio drivers can be!

• Check the Microsoft Store for Bang & Olufsen Audio Control and see whether it can be installed or updated.

The Store's search engine is really bad, and it showed nothing useful.  But, by reading a bunch of Reddit posts, I found this:  https://apps.microsoft.com/detail/9nvbxd9b5ctj?hl=en-us&gl=us, which takes you to a page that points to the right place in the store for the updated app.  YAY. 
But when I click "get", the install fails because of a missing required driver:  Realtek-BOaudiocontrolHSA.inf
Is this inf & driver available somewhere?  
That file doesn't exist on my machine...from poking around in Google that inf file seems to be looking for version 11.0.6000.248 of BOAudioControlHSA.cat, part of the HP Audio Hardware Support Application (HSA).  I don't know if that cat file can be downloaded separately from the overall Realtek driver bundle.

• Check Settings > Apps > Installed apps for any remaining HP/B&O audio components.

Done -- nothing to uninstall from the "installed programs" list.  As I mentioned before, the B&O app was installed & running properly on Win10, and the app sort-of made it through the Win11 upgrade...but it's not officially "installed" on my system any more.  I suspect that the Win11 upgrade corrupted things...as the HP update system had updated my audio drivers 6 times since I first bought the machine.
NOTE:  it is clear https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hn3P6eN1oE0 that the app has indeed been updated and shipped with HP laptops on Win11.

• If the B&O application is not available through the Microsoft Store and the audio enhancements are missing, we can investigate whether HP provides a compatible software package for this specific model.

Please do! 
HOWEVER, we may have an alternate path.  All I really need is a way to turn off or control the "noise reduction" feature for the laptop's microphone array--the rest of what's on my machine is fine and I'd like to minimize disruption. If it's just a registry hack, let me know the key name/value. As it is now, the settings make it so the built-in mics essentially don't work -- my voice is nearly cancelled as "noise"...which may be what humans think, too...but that's beside the point 😉
Let me know what you find...thanks!

• I would not recommend installing an older Realtek driver as a first step, particularly if the current audio driver is functioning correctly.

Got it.