Acer Predator Dolby Audio issues

Robitzik

Hi everyone! I started this topic regarding the audio issues with the Dolby powered laptops! Let's all gather some info and try to discuss and solve some of them! I am sure there are a lot of issues that plague audio experience. As great as Dolby Audio is, it comes at some expenses that are rather easy to fix by manufacturers and some by us. From older Dolby laptops to newer, the issues differ. For example some laptops face problems like Dolby software gets turned off and audio is very low when starting games with voice chat support or even without, the same said when using the microphone for recording or using VoIP software like Skype, Teamspeak, Raidcall, etc. This defeats the purpose of a gaming laptop specifically, when you try to coordinate with your team in a match. Anyone who faces these issues, please post here so we can help everyone, i got a few ideas depending on the scenario

beststevie

Realtek Semiconductor Corp.

29.11.2016

6.0.1.8004

 

Preator G9 791

 

No more problems since I use this driver. Ok if I start Windows 10 guest on Virtualbox on Windows host, it still turns out the Dolby Audio...but no more errors found in the last 2 months.

Robitzik

Predator GX-792
official Realtek drivers from Acer, v6.0.1.7926, gave me these issues, aswell as latest v6.0.1.8036 from Realtek site.

I found two fixes for the problems till now:

Completely uninstall audio drivers and disable windows update from automatically installing driver for the device. Also restart windows with driver signature verification disabled, then you can proceed with installing the new Realtek unlocked driver with SRS Premium sound, google it and find it. they work very well and sound is awesome.

The second fix i found to be easier and better, it works as an add-on and you don't need to remove your original driver. You just need to install EqualizerAPO both for speakers and microphone (in the configurator menu), reboot and enjoy. If you are experiencing lower overall volume, go to the editor in EqualizerAPO and raise the preamplification to 0 decibels or more until your speakers start to distort on max volume. APO tends to knock back a little the gain to avoid problems across multiple devices. I am currently using this method and it works flawlessly, volume level across different types of content got much better, no more fluctuations, even microphone got better because APO disables the poor processing manufacturers use and Dolby Audio panel works perfectly in corelation with EqualizerAPO.

Hope this helps and do remember that these methods and results may vary on other devices with different hardware and drivers, you may have to disable all sound effects for this to work or you may have to use a specific version of driver.
This is why i started this topic so people cand post their problems and we can discuss multiple scenarios regarding the issues, to be able to help everyone

Robitzik

beststevie, if you try any of these methods out, please post back so i can know how it worked out for you. Thanks!

beststevie

Hi Rob,

 

I did update the driver to the mentionned version. Driver routine does complete uninstall before.

Windows setting for disabled driver updates should be default setting (is mine).

 

I don't seea  bigger difference as 8004 has worked finde for me already. This equalizer tool is a bit confusing for me (I must spend some time do understand the settings which are really available (some seems to be nonsens and don't work).

 

So I cannot see any Dolby Audio any more (the driver does not show it because it might be replaced bei dis Apo Equalizer).

 

But driver seems to be more stable. As I usally use external speakers of HDMI Monitor, I cannot say, if there is any difference in quality.

 

My advice is, not to use the oudated audio drivers from Acer Site which are really old and buggy. Acer should feel ashamed a bit because they let us sitting here without a propper driver. Just because they don't care or they want to save money for the driver?

 

Drivers of the 791 on Acer Site are for me a reason not do advice my friends to buy a Acer Predator, because I don't want to do to much private support.

 

 

 

steve

Robitzik

please mind that HDMI uses your Nvidia codec, not the realtek one. Dolby panel getting disabled is a normal behaviour on the majority of laptops when EqualizerAPO is installed, as it usually disables all supplementary processing. Also, don't wait for Acer to update the drivers, there is no company that i know of, that keeps the audio drivers up to date on their site. You can always download the latest from Realtek site, their driver also contains OEM specific files (like Dolby Audio for Acer or MaxxAudio for Asus) for all manufacturers. Also this very rarely guarantees that will fix your problems. EqualizerAPO is a very useful tool. On my laptop i found that it doesn't disable the Dolby panel so i can use it, with the benefit of also fixing my audio issues. If APO is a bit complicated, try out the Realtek unlocked drivers with SRS Premium (v6.0.1.8036) that i mentioned before and see how that works out for you. i tried them out and in some scenarios the audio fidelity is superior, besides the fact that it fixes the issues with audio and microphone

beststevie

I certainly know that. But that's the reason, why I don't know how internal speakers sound. I was a littel confused as you posted on older audio threads I answered something to your driver on the other thread. Installing the newer driver leads my system to a 1minute hang while booting. I restored the OS version with the 8004 driver.

Robitzik

it's not about how the speakers sound, it's about what the fix does. Dolby works on a separate stream, it processes audio playback on a near driver level and gets interrupted by the microphone that is basically an input device, not output. The fix is meant for people that experience issues like Dolby getting turned off when the microphone is being used, or other instances, but mostly related to the mic. Dolby does not have processing for recording devices. The 1 minute system hang that you are experiencing is not a faulty driver, nor EqualizerAPO that is simply a driver level controller that uses your own driver to control and maintain, or modify the audio stream already processed by your very own driver by disabling the supplementary or overlapping sound processing done by multiple modifiers. To give you an example, it works exactly like ViperFX on android. Nexus devices have a very poor volume leveler and ViperFX comes into play to fix that, besides the ton of other benefits the mod has. This is exactly how EqualizerAPO works, comes into play and fixes your Dolby processing, forcing it to maintain the stream even if the mic tries to stop it because Dolby will not process unsupported streams like recording. You firstly must understand how Dolby works and what it actually does. Acer did not provide faulty drivers and i am not trying to be on their side as there are some things i disagree when it comes to their products, that make me not to buy their next laptop. Their only mistake was choosing Dolby for a gaming laptop, and this is simply not acceptable and not the right choice. I recommend you try a fresh windows install with the official audio drivers from Acer and then EqualizerAPO. This way you can filter out the real reason for the system hangup at startup, that i think is mostly related to chipset drivers or incompatibility issues. For this i can recommend a very good driver update utility from www.drp.su without updating the audio drivers. Also to troubleshoot, you can try and see what codec your HD Audio Manager says you have. if you see a value of 0 at the codec, instead of an ALC XXX, it means you have generic drivers that are not specially coded for your audio device, be mindful of this too. Good luck and please post back so i can try to help if further issues arise

beststevie

I tested the developer preview of windows10. It has some newer Intel IO drivers, which solved my IRQ less or Equal BSODs with Killer Networking.

 

Maybe there are some other changes?  Realtek 79.. is installed automatically if you do not disabel this function. I didn't have too much time for testing, but with this old driver, problems with Dolby where still there.

 

Maybe someone wants to test?

Robitzik

As i know from experience if you leave automatic driver updates enabled, Windows usually installs the latest driver that is on the manufacturer's site for the specific laptop model and not from Realtek site. On some laptops installing the driver from Realtek site and not from the manufacturer can bring dramatical changes to audio, better or worse, or it can get some manufacturer specific implementations and processing disabled or the replacement of custom driver with the stock Realtek one. Test out the best scenarios that suit you. Sometimes they can fix some issues

daga89

MEN PROBLEM FIXED installing the APO EQUALIZER omg THANKS Robitzik just install, select the audio and mic device for the program to take control and restart, open the dolby to see if its activated or not leave opened fot reference... and click cortana mic or any program that use the mic device, and see if still deactivating if not problem fixed like in my case. if still desctivating you are DOOMED!! haha

 

 

Robitzik

Happy to know it works for you aswell! Enjoy!

Andy2535

Hello Everyone! I still have the problem with Dolby on my Predator G9-591. I tried the method with the Equalizer APO 1.1.2, did everything as told, but still Dolby turns off when I'm using Skype or Cortana.

In the configurator I choose speakers, microphone and stereo mix then I restart the system, raise up the preamplification to 0 but still no changes.

Robitzik

Maybe the audio codec is a bit different on your device. Try disabling all effects from control panel under Sounds, for your Speakers and Microphone, and if it still doesn't work, try to untick the "Allow exclusive control" for both. Test it out and reply so we can now how it works for you

Andy2535

Hello Robitzik!

There are still problems with Dolby after disabling all enhancements for both speakers and microphone. Unckecking "Allow applications to take exclusive control of this device" for both of them doesn't help as well. Thank you so much for your help, I think this method just doesn't work for my series. 

Robitzik

To everyone using my fix or trying to use it, i have some news. Tested out a few scenarios and seems that Windows 10 build 1703 breaks my audio fix (Windows 10 Creators update). If you have Game Mode (Game Bar, Game DVR) in your settings section, it means you have the 1703 build Creators update and EqualizerAPO will not work anymore with Dolby. I suggest people with the Creators update to try out the Premium SRS driver until i figure out how to make EqualizerAPO work on Windows 10 Creators update! Thanks!

daga89

Hello, I have the update of windows 10 creators (I know because I have the options of game bar as comments and why I install manually) and also I have the equalizer APO and still working perfectly, I have the model Acer Predator G9-973 I do not know if it affects but in my case it works perfectly.

 

I even had to reinstall the audio drivers and the dolby by mistake, and when I finished I realized that the detail with the microphone persists, but installing the apo equalizer solves the problem again.

Robitzik

That's good news, maybe a reinstall of drivers and EqualizerAPO works for the Creators update. Good to hear this

Metal_Masher

I also had this problem as well, and it worked for me, windows version is the falls update 1709 OS build is 16299.192

Interlaced

I have this problem for the Helios 300. Before I do these changes, how do I install DAX2 (Dolby Audio) back? Do I need to create a restore point before or create a copy of the folder in C:/ProgramFiles/Dolby/DolbyAudio and save it to my desktop? Thanks

Skelomorph

Interlaced said:

I have this problem for the Helios 300. Before I do these changes, how do I install DAX2 (Dolby Audio) back? Do I need to create a restore point before or create a copy of the folder in C:/ProgramFiles/Dolby/DolbyAudio and save it to my desktop? Thanks

What changes?

Skelo