Audio randomly jumps between normal volume and low volume

[christian.nuse]

I own a GS66 Stealth and apart from the speakers being rather bad, it doesn't stop there. The speakers will randomly and very often suddenly switch to low volume, but not in the volume settings. Let's say you're at 80% volume, then suddenly it can make it sound like you're running at 30% volume but you're still at 80% officially. Then you crank it up to 100% to compensate and all of a sudden it reverts and you're blasted with way too loud speakers instead. It keeps doing this very often, especially when watching a movie. It gets extremely frustrating.

As recent as today I did a full wipe of speaker drivers and speaker software (realtek and nahimic) and did a fresh install but the issue is still present. I have tried using speakers without nahimic but doesn't fix it either.

Anyone experienced this as well?

 

[Crazydonkey]

What is your playback device? Make sure you are using Realtek Speaker but not MSI Soundtune.
Will the same problem occur on headphones?
Did you get the latest Audio and Nahimic driver from MSI website?
To confirm if it's related to hardware, you can try to clean uninstall Realtek Driver with DDU and uninstall Nahimic without network connection and check if the problem still remains or not.

 

[christian.nuse]

What is your playback device? Make sure you are using Realtek Speaker but not MSI Soundtune.
Will the same problem occur on headphones?
Did you get the latest Audio and Nahimic driver from MSI website?
To confirm if it's related to hardware, you can try to clean uninstall Realtek Driver with DDU and uninstall Nahimic without network connection and check if the problem still remains or not.

Thank you for your reply.

I have this issue on all playback devices. Locally I use VLC and there Realtek is chosen. But I also experience this with Youtube, Netflix and Disney+. With headphones this issue does not occur, ever. Yes I have the latest drivers directly from MSI.

I did do a clean uninstall of Realtek and Nahimic without network connection. But your suggestion is to also test the sound with the drivers uninstalled, before re-installing?

Sometimes it feels like the left side speaker is louder than the right side speaker as well.

 

[Crazydonkey]

Uninstall all the drivers, and test with Windows in-box drivers (High Definition Audio Driver) to confirm if the problem is related to software.
As you mentioned, if the problem still remains with Windows driver, it may be related to a hardware issue, then I will suggest you contact MSI to make a further check.

 

[christian.nuse]

Uninstall all the drivers, and test with Windows in-box drivers (High Definition Audio Driver) to confirm if the problem is related to software.
As you mentioned, if the problem still remains with Windows driver, it may be related to a hardware issue, then I will suggest you contact MSI to make a further check.

Seems to be software related, at least partly. Uninstalled everything connected to nahimic or realtek. The computer auto installs realtek drivers upon restart though. Sound levels now seem to be normal levels and seem to stay there, so far anyway. The left speaker is stronger than the right one though, it's like mono sound, the left speaker is so much stronger that all sound comes from one side only.

Edit: Nope, commented too early. Sound still goes roller coaster, without the official % volume changing. Which means even 100% is very low when it decides to go low volume mode.

Piece of [***CENSORED***] hardware. Last time I buy MSI. Never had any issues with my Asus ROG. You spend $2500 on a laptop and it can't even play a movie properly.

 

[Crazydonkey]

Could you click on the speaker icon in the system tray and check which device is using?
If it's MSI Soundtune, try to switch to realtek audio.
If the problem still remains in Realtek audio, I suggest you open a web ticket to report the problem to msi.

 

[christian.nuse]

Could you click on the speaker icon in the system tray and check which device is using?
If it's MSI Soundtune, try to switch to realtek audio.
If the problem still remains in Realtek audio, I suggest you open a web ticket to report the problem to msi.

It is using Realtek audio. What is a web ticket going to do? Sure, I could leave the piece of sh*t to the retailer since it is less than a year old, but then I'm out of a laptop while they investigate the issue and try to replicate it.

How much could a pair of replacement speakers cost? Any good site for original hardware such as this?

 

[Crazydonkey]

SupportCenter

www.msi.com

Here to open a web ticket.
As for the cost, you have to confirm with them directly.

Service Location

As a world leading gaming brand, MSI is the most trusted name in gaming and eSports. We stand by our principles of breakthroughs in design, and roll out the amazing gaming gear like motherboards, graphics cards, laptops and desktops.

www.msi.com

 

[muminki778156c02e5]

Hello,
I bought MSI GS66 Stealth in May this year (2021) and have the same problem described above. I don't think it is accident, and I'm sure there are more people with this issues.
This is new (2021) laptop with RTX 30, there must be something wrong they just missed. I don't wish to pay for repair. I paid enough for new machine which is only 1 month live.
In my case the volume changes by itself, one time down, another time up, underestimated in relation to the system volume. For example, a volume of 34% once heard as less than 10% once as if 60%. Sometimes 100% sounds like 30%. The left speaker is crackling sometimes. It is hard to describe and predict. But it's very annoying. When headphones are on it's ok.
In my opinion, it is not physical damage to the speakers or the computer, it must be something other like the driver or incompatibility with the system.
I went thru the websites exploring similar cases not only with MSI, I have tried some solutions ( one was similar like above ), nothing helped. I'm giving up. I had GT72 before, I was 100% satisfied, unfortunately due to video card and screen fault, no point to fix it, I have chosen MSI again blind with a belief of its value I'm bit disappointed now. Hope it's going to be solved without involving customers pockets.
Please let me know if there is any solution of it.
Kind Regards

 

[Crazydonkey]

Did the problem only occur when using a specific program?

https://storage-asset.msi.com/global/picture/faq/10016371@2020-1208-1203-045895@kb_03640_en.pdf

Have you tried to reinstall the latest realtek and nahimic drivers from msi website?
visit your product page, and download the latest drivers from utility page (Nahimic).

 

[muminki778156c02e5]

Did the problem only occur when using a specific program?

https://storage-asset.msi.com/global/picture/faq/10016371@2020-1208-1203-045895@kb_03640_en.pdf

Have you tried to reinstall the latest realtek and nahimic drivers from msi website?
visit your product page, and download the latest drivers from utility page (Nahimic).

Hello,
Thank you for your answer and advice, I have all drivers up to date, the latest version and it still is the same. About the specific program/software I mostly use youtube and play the game The Witcher(1,2,3). So, is there any incompatibility with those?? Thanks

 

[Crazydonkey]

I'm not sure if there is a compatible issue.
Could you share the system info exported from Dragon Center?
And also try to disable the sound effects in Nahimic to confirm if the problem still remains or not.

 

[muminki778156c02e5]

Hello, thanks for answer, here is system info.

 

[arrow765129502ac]

I have the same problem here gs66 same issue in my speakers become the voice very low and one is working the other is work but almost u cant hear it. I updated everything unstalled and installed both apps Realtek , Nahimic but same issue still there sometime it back normal for 15min when I start the window but back to be low even in 100 sound not as 40 from normal voice. I tried to put in Msi sound tune speakers but it sound worse now I am in realtek one speaker

 

[prasans.prasann156502dd]

I have a GS65 Stealth 8SF.
I also have same problem since yesterday, I bought this device on 2019 for 2400€. since then I did not use it as I was sick and not at home when I started using the laptop yesterday for some YouTube and webinars video's the speakers started crackling, tried all the driver uninstall/updates and Windows updates nothing solved the crackling problem. I shutdown the laptop now the problem is speaker sound is too low with 100% volume in the volume controller!! I don't to what to do with this expensive broken toy now. Feeling bad for buying this laptop without even using it has such problem.

 

[Crazydonkey]

Have you guys checked the playback device?
Click on the speaker icon in the system tray and make sure "Realtek Speaker" is selected.
Do not use MSI sound tune or other devices.

 

[jtrevor9158302e0]

Did anyone find a solution to this? I have exactly the same problem on the GE66 Raider I purchased in December. I even reported it in an RMA when I sent it in to MSI in May (for a motherboard replacement due to random hard freezes) and they did not resolve or try to address it. Similarly, their Help Center just suggests factory resets or another RMA - both of which it's gone through.

As with everyone else, I have tried Windows Update, updating all drivers to the latest, updating UEFI and the battery firmware, and uninstalling/reinstalling/disabling all of the following: Nahimic, the Nahimic driver, Nvidia HD Audio, Realtek Audio, Intel HD Audio, and Windows' built-in HD driver. I've made sure Noise Cancellation is turned off, I don't have any version of Dolby installed, I've tried disabling the microphone, I've tried disabling Audio Enhancements, I've checked that app-specific audio levels are correct, and I've disabled the Windows setting that lowers volume during calls. I've even checked Event Viewer for ideas. Nothing. I continue to have random lowering of one or both speakers, followed (several minutes later) by one or both returning to normal volume, followed by repeats, plus occasional static out of one or both speakers.

I have confirmed that I am using Speakers (Realtek Audio) as the output device on the system tray; I tried Nahimic and the other devices but none of them actually output (unless I'm connected to an external device such as headphones or a TV). Interestingly, a headphone volume of about 15% is equivalent to speaker volume at 80% for me - they are very quiet.

As mentioned above, my laptop went both through an RMA and a factory reset / full Windows installation, compliments of MSI. Neither resolved this. It's enormously frustrating to pay so much money for a laptop with audio I have to constantly adjust and strain to hear.

 

[jtrevor9158302e0]

Looks like others have reported the same (or similar) issue:

https://forum-en.msi.com/index.php?threads/disappointment.345238/#post-1998132

https://forum-en.msi.com/index.php?threads/ge73-raider-rgb-8rf-volume-too-quiet-no-loudness-eq-limited-options-help.321832/

https://forum-en.msi.com/index.php?threads/low-audio-speakers.314262/

https://forum-en.msi.com/index.php?threads/sound-gets-very-low-without-changing-volume.297943/

 

[dvair]

There is a setting in the windows sound control panel, ( Control panel > Sound or Settings > System > Sound > Sound Control Panel) Click the communication tab and be sure to select Do Nothing.

 

[jtrevor9158302e0]

There is a setting in the windows sound control panel, ( Control panel > Sound or Settings > System > Sound > Sound Control Panel) Click the communication tab and be sure to select Do Nothing.

Thanks for the suggestion, but that was the setting I meant when I said I disabled the Windows setting that lowers the volume during calls. No effect. EDIT: I have also unchecked "Enable Audio Enhancements" and "Allow Applications to Take Exclusive Control of This Device" on all playback and recording devices. Those are other suggestions I found online, but those, too, had no effect.