Acer Spin 5 Loss of audio when plugging in anything to top USB C port

marcelnerd
marcelnerd Member Posts: 2 New User
I got a new Spin 5 a few weeks ago, worked great until I tried plugging in a usb c dongle. When I plug it (or any usb c cable/device) into the top usb c port (top meaning the one closer to the screen) I lose audio. It only happens if I'm using the onboard speaker or a speaker plugged in through the 3.5mm jack. No new audio device shows up in settings or device manager, so it seems to be redirecting audio through the usb c port. Sometimes it goes away if I plug in a usb headphone but usually I have to restart the computer to get my audio back. I've updated Windows and all my drivers. Does anyone know what I can do to fix this?

Answers

  • billsey
    billsey ACE Posts: 34,932 Trailblazer
    When it's in failure mode, if you bring up the sound settings, what's listed as the default output device?
    Click on "Like" if you find my answer useful or click on "Yes" if it answers your question.
  • marcelnerd
    marcelnerd Member Posts: 2 New User
    billsey said:
    When it's in failure mode, if you bring up the sound settings, what's listed as the default output device?
    When I lose audio when plugging something into usb c the default output device is the onboard speakers "Speakers (Realtek(R) Audio"
  • billsey
    billsey ACE Posts: 34,932 Trailblazer
    Just tested with my Spin 5 (10th gen CPU, so might be a model older than yours). I've got a uGreen USB-C adapter that gives me 192KHz output to my headphones. If I plug it in to either USB-C port I get sounds on the headphones and if I pull the sound shifts to my internal speakers. The two ports should act the same, so perhaps it's time to contact Acer support.
    Which specific Spin 5 model do you have? It should be something like SP5xx-xxx. Mine is a SP513-54N.
    Click on "Like" if you find my answer useful or click on "Yes" if it answers your question.
  • ishaan
    ishaan Member Posts: 6 New User
    edited October 2021
    Having the exact same problem on brand new Acer Spin 5 SP513-54N-56M2 2-in-1 PC; Model n19w3. 
    The problem is in the same port, the two ports do act differently. The problem occurs with any usb-c device, including power supply.
  • billsey
    billsey ACE Posts: 34,932 Trailblazer
    @ishaan mine is the almost the exact same model as yours (74V2 vs. 56M2, yours is the i5, mine the i7 otherwise identical specs) and I don't see the issue. It almost has to be a Windows configuration problem.
    Click on "Like" if you find my answer useful or click on "Yes" if it answers your question.
  • ishaan
    ishaan Member Posts: 6 New User
    edited October 2021
    Good to know that they don't all have this problem! In that case, I'll probably try and do a return and swap it out for a similar model that doesn't have this issue. Unless there is there a way to fix windows configuration on this front? I could try resetting to factory default or something, although given that I've barely had this machine for a couple days I doubt it would change anything.

    Also I tried what the OP noted and yes, when you plug in the headphone jack it sometimes fixes itself - but not always, I haven't quite figured out what makes the difference, it might be some combination of plugging in the usb and headphone jack at the same time but I'm not sure.
  • billsey
    billsey ACE Posts: 34,932 Trailblazer
    Be sre and let us know if you can pin it down...
    Click on "Like" if you find my answer useful or click on "Yes" if it answers your question.
  • ishaan
    ishaan Member Posts: 6 New User
    edited November 2021
    Followup: resetting to factory settings did not fix it. Updating to windows 11 did not fix it. Have returned as defective, will be ordering another of the same model.
  • ishaan
    ishaan Member Posts: 6 New User
    The new one didn't do it at first, and then two months passed and then it had the same problem. Frustrating.
  • ishaan
    ishaan Member Posts: 6 New User
    Also, I tried updating the previous one to windows 11 in the hopes that it would fix any windows config issues, nothing. 
  • ishaan
    ishaan Member Posts: 6 New User
    edited January 2022
    The problem on the new machine has started spontaneously resolving and resuming, seemingly at random.  I am not sure what to conclude other than this is a loose contact or hardware problem somehow.