Acer Predator Helios 18 PH18-71 This is unaccaptable! Speakers produce distorted sound!

Dale_Blackburn98
Dale_Blackburn98 Member Posts: 13

Tinkerer
edited August 2023 in Predator Laptops

I worked hard to be able to buy this laptop and the Realtek speakers of this is a mess!

Yes, i uninstalled the Realtek device from the device manager and restarted my PC. Windows installed the Realtek drivers again but the problem persists. Especially when i turn the volume above %50, the distortion is really easy to notice. It pops and sounds peaked as if my speakers are broken or the material is very cheap!

Also after restarting i saw 2 failed driver updates for Realtek but i doubt that is the main issue here. The code was this= Error 0x80248007

But checking back again, i cant see those 2 failed Realtek sound updates anymore. Everything looks up to date after doing an another restart. Is my device broken or what? I seriously cant believe Acer would produce this bad of speakers for a 2500 eur laptop.

Please fix this issue, Acer Predator Helios 18 PH18-71 my model is this and i bought it just few days ago from Germany.

Answers

  • Dale_Blackburn98
    Dale_Blackburn98 Member Posts: 13

    Tinkerer
    edited August 2023

    I now also saw different types of drivers here, Acer's page. Do i also have to download those from here?

  • Dale_Blackburn98
    Dale_Blackburn98 Member Posts: 13

    Tinkerer

    Yep i installed the drivers on Acer's website and it made my problem WORSE!

  • Dale_Blackburn98
    Dale_Blackburn98 Member Posts: 13

    Tinkerer
    edited August 2023

    Hi, i have distorted sound on my speakers. They peak as if the volume is too much. I know a lot about audio so i checked everything to fix it. I updated drivers, re installed them, disabled audio enchantements, played with settings and other stuff, you name it!

    It is still distorted, it sounds like the speakers made in 1990 with broken materials. My laptop didnt receive any external damage to speaker area and i just opened this boy 2 days ago fresh out of box!

    My model is 4070 Acer Helios Predator 18 with 165hz screen.

    [Edited the thread to add model name to the title]

  • StevenGen
    StevenGen ACE Posts: 12,064 Trailblazer
    https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/690663/why-nobody-is-helping-me-distorted-speakers-on-new-helios-18

    The Predator Helios range of laptops are not made as a Hi-Fi laptop with outstanding bass, mid and high end quality sound, these laptops are made for playing games and listening to sound through a ear bud or a high-quality noise reducing headphones, so be aware of this right from the start!

    These laptops are at the higher end of the Acer gaming laptops range, also with sound there are allot of factors that affect the sound quality of the speakers like the drivers that are linked to the graphics audio and other drivers, and it could also be that the speakers in your laptop are faulty. Seeing that your Predator Helios model PH18-71 laptop is brand new, the only thing that I would try to do is to update the drivers, and if this does not solve the problem then send your laptop to Acer Tech Support in your country so that they can diagnose the sound problem of your laptop, don't open the back cover or do anything physically to the laptop as it will void your warranty. .

  • m1sterd
    m1sterd Member Posts: 21 Networker

    I have the PH16-71 which I assume has similar/same speakers, and I get that its a gaming laptop and designed for use with headphones of some description (so you dont need to listen to the fans when gaming), but the speakers/sound is pretty poor, I am sure a little more effort could have been made on the speaker design and speakers used, more volume, more bass, clearer sound.

  • Dale_Blackburn98
    Dale_Blackburn98 Member Posts: 13

    Tinkerer
    https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1225092#Comment_1225092

    Do you also have that peaking and distorted audio problem?

  • JCSpence
    JCSpence Member Posts: 2 New User

    I had this problem, but with my earphones. I tried turning off DTS:X Ultra and that didn't work, but when I uninstalled DTS:X Ultra and DTS Sound Unbound and a reboot, that fixed the issue. I hope this works for you.

  • Muhil
    Muhil Member Posts: 511 Skilled Practitioner WiFi Icon
    edited November 2023

    @Dale_Blackburn98 use the oldest realtek driver from the support page it would work, even in older laptop model this audio driver is causing the issue, what i did was rollback the driver it fixes the issue

    install this one

    image.png

  • JCSpence
    JCSpence Member Posts: 2 New User

    The latest Realtek Audio driver fixed this problem for me. The driver is Realtek Audio driver 6.0.9629.1 (1/8/2024).

    You can get this driver from the Microsoft Update Catalog. As of today it is at the top of the list on this website: https://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/Search.aspx?q=Realtek%20High%20Definition%20Audio(SST)%20%20windows%2011

    After you download the driver CAB file, open with File Explorer and copy all files to a new folder. There will be a warning, but continue if you trust Microsoft and Realtek. Next update the Realtek Audio driver from Device Manager and select your new folder as the location of the driver.

    I also have uninstalled DTS:X Ultra and DTS Sound Unbound.

    If you still are having issues try also the following:

    Run mmsys.cpl from the start menu search.

    Under the Advanced tab for the speakers set to 16-bit, 48000 Hz and uncheck Enable audio enhancements and click the OK button. Next plugin headphones and under the Advanced tab for the headphones set to 2 channel, 16-bit, 44100 Hz and uncheck Enable audio enhancements and click the OK button.

  • JCSpence2
    JCSpence2 Member Posts: 1 New User

    Fixing Acer Predator Helios 18 PH18-71 Audio Problems

    First uninstall DTS:X Ultra and DTS Sound Unbound to fix audio video sync issues.

    Second use Microsoft’s High Definition Audio Device driver (10.0.22621.2506 - 10/19/2023) to fix clipping and distortion.

    1 Right click on start menu and select Device Manager

    2 Scroll down and expand Sound, video, and game controllers

    3 Right click on Realtek Audio and select Uninstall device

    4 Select Attempt to remove the driver for this device. and click on Uninstall

    5 The computer will require a reboot

    6 Go back to Device Manager and click on Scan for hardware changes from the toolbar

    7 Right click on Realtek Audio and select Update driver

    8 Click on Browser my computer for drivers

    9 Click on Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer

    10 Unselect Show compatible hardware

    11 Under Manufacture click on Microsoft

    12 Under Model click on Microsoft High Definition Audio Device Version: 10.0.22621.2506 [10/19/2023]

    13 Click on Next

    14 Click on Yes on Update Driver Warning

    15 Click on Close

    Third enable 24 bit audio.

    1 From the start menu search type mmsys.cpl and hit Enter

    2 With headphones unplugged right click on Speakers and select Properties

    3 Click on the Advanced tab and change the default format to 24 bit

    4 Click on OK

    5 Plug in headphones and right click on Headphones and select Properties

    6 Click on the Advanced tab and change the default format to 24

    7 Click on OK

    8 Click on OK

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