# External speakers sound muffled



## PrimoPapa (Sep 10, 2008)

I have a Compaq PC running windows XP which was an up grade from ME. The entire time I have use a set of powered Altec Lansing speakers. For an unknow reason they started sounding muffled and rattling like the cones were torn. 

Thus far I have adjusted every volume control I know of in XP and on the speakers with no success. There is only one wheel on the speakers for "On" / "Off" and volume control. 

*I have also tested them out on my laptop and they sound great.* So that is where I am stumped. Why one computer and not the other? 
I did make sure that the speaker is plugged into the audio out and not a mic jack.

What do I need to do to my desktop to fix the issue? 

Thanks in advance!


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## mike2020learnin (Feb 28, 2007)

Hello & welcome to TSF,

now what i need to do is go to your (device manager)

now once there you will want to select from the toolbar of the window(veiw) then a drop down menu / from it you will select (show all hidden devices) 

now if you see any (red or yellow) quotation marks , make a note of what they 

now go to the (event veiwer) this is thru the (administrator tools) in the control panel 
here you will find 3 to 4 subcatagories 

you will want to check each of them for this is where windows keeps track of all errors 
now you will want to make notes of the errors that have been recorded ( you do not have to make notes of double entries just of the dates of their happenings & how many there is)
you will get more information on the errors if you (right) click them / then select properties 

then get back to us 

Mike


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## PrimoPapa (Sep 10, 2008)

Mike
Thanks for the quick response. 
In the device manager there is 1 yellow exclaimation under Keyboard:Standard 101/102-key
In event viewer there are lots more. The Type on most are Information, a couple on 9/10 and 8/25, several on 8/5 and 2/27/05. There are 6 Warnings: 3 are between 9/10-8/5 Source is Userenv for two and Windows Product Activation for the 3rd. The next 3 warnings are from 2/27/05 Source: Userenv, Windows Product Activation and Winmgnt.

The last two are errors one on 8/25 and 8/5, both are Application Hang. The total is 71.

In Security there 747 lines. 737 are Success Audit and 10 are Failure Audit

In System there are 396 lines. Almost all are Information. Two are Warnings, Source is tcpip and 24 are Errors the source is acip. The dates on Errors are from 8/5-9-10 of '08. 

Thanks again and I let me know if you need more info to provide possible solutions.


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## mike2020learnin (Feb 28, 2007)

Hello , 

okay while in the setting for you audio did you check for your system to use s/pidf ?

also i see you need to download & install this program 

follow link 

http://www.majorgeeks.com/User_Profile_Hive_Cleanup_Service_d4841.html

it will help with some of the entries 

let me know 

Mike


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## PrimoPapa (Sep 10, 2008)

Mike,

So what is s/pidf and how do I get back to check and see if it is working or not? I will try to find out on the web and then try the link you gave. Thanks again, I will keep you posted on the progress.

PIT


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## PrimoPapa (Sep 10, 2008)

I found the s/pidf In setting for recording and it has been checked. I have unchecked it and there is no change. I will restart the pc to see if that make a difference. That was the only s/pidf I found.


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## PrimoPapa (Sep 10, 2008)

Mike,

Unchecking the s/pdif In didn't make a difference. The one thing that did is to take the Wave volume setting all the way down just before the last notch with mutes the sound. 

Two problems with this:
1) The sound is much better but still has a static quality to it, not clear. 
2) I have to have the main volume and the manual volume on the speakers all the way up to hear. 

Does this give you any clues?

Thanks,

PIT


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## mike2020learnin (Feb 28, 2007)

Hello , 

sorry i have not asnswered sooner 

been busy with home life & other post 

so now s/pdif is an added componet that is way to send sound out of your system to another device & receive sound / it connects to your mobo in 2 forms directly 

#1 pci card 
#2 thru a cable that connects to the mobo 

okay your sound having lots of static can be due to usb cable being interwined with your speakers / usb has the ability to penitrate into the speaker wires & distort the tranmission of sound pulses to the speakers / end result static 

now i want you to select the speaker icon next to your clock / if you do not have one there then you need to go into the control pannel & select (sounds & audio device ) 

now select the audio tab

now tell me what you see in the 3 sections & what happens if you click on the arrow selector of each section 

if there is another name of a device that is hiddn there then change them overto that name for that is another device that is installed on you system and it may be the device that you need to be useing to be able to here you sound 

get back to me and let me now 

Mike


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## PrimoPapa (Sep 10, 2008)

Mike,

I check the cables to make sure that none are touching the speaker input cable. Thank didn't change anything.

In the Audio tab I have
Sound Playback: ESS Allegro is the only option in the drop down
Sound Recording: Same as above
MIDI Music Playback: Microsoft GS Wavetable SW synth, the other option is MPU-401.

It doesn't make a different if I change the last one and apply or restart. 

Thanks for getting back to me. Any other ideas?


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## mike2020learnin (Feb 28, 2007)

Hello Primopapa, 

now do you know about the settings in the Windows Media Player ?

some time they can get adjusted buy maleware / trojans / ect..

in the WMP there is an EQ / sound affects / mute next to the volume control / & othersettings that can be adjusted / also with that version of sound device i think it all works thru you media players & uses it devices to control the sound 

also 

have you tried the (Add Hardware ) function in the control panel ?

this may add the other devices that you need to have the device work compleatly!!

steps 
--------------------------------------------

start / select (control panel / then select (add hardware) by left clicking it 

then select (next / a scan will happen 

you will then need to make sure that the ( yes i have already connected the hardware ) is checked 

then select (next / another window will appear / you will need to use the scroll bar to scroll down to (add a new hardware device ) 

then select (next / then you need to make sure that (search for and install the hardware automatically (recommended ) is checked 

then select (next 

another scan will happen / if it finds any thing you will want to install those devices & their drivers 

then close all windows & reboot to ensure the are installed properly 

if not just close all windows 

and get back to us


Mike


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## PrimoPapa (Sep 10, 2008)

Mike, I don't know what else to try. The only thing that seems to have any effect on the sound is lowering the Wave volume. If you have any other ideas they are greatly appreciated. Again, thank you for the help.

PIT


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