Windows 10: I re-installed an audio driver and now all headphones are useless!

This started when I had the following problem: I regularly stream using OBS. After two or three hours of streaming, my computer has been regularly freezing. The stream would continue to work, and usually the game would continue to work thought it would lag a little, BUT everything else would pretty much freeze. If I tried to minimize windows or move windows, it would take MINUTES to catch up. And sometimes it would freeze entirely, locking me out of any input at all. This was very strange because I’ve been streaming for years without issue. I tried looking at Task manager and everything

:)

 

Headphones do not show up when Realtek is installed

OK, so this happened to me on my laptop. It wanted to use the realtek drivers no matter what. Let me show you what to do.
Step 1. Open the start menu and type 'Device Manager' in the search bar. Click on the result.

Step 2.

You'll see this window appear.

Step 3.

Expand the 'Sound , video and game controllers' category.

Step 4. Find 'Realtek High Definition Audio' in the list, then right click it and select Properties.

Step 5.

Click on the 'Driver' tab near the top of the window.

Step 6.

Now click on the button that says 'Roll back driver'.
If the button is dimmed, make sure your Realtek drivers are currently installed.

Step 6. If you did it correctly, the system should ask you to restart to finish. If it does then you finished the tutorial correctly!
Once restarted, Open device manager again using step 1. Expand the 'sound, video and game controllers' category again.

Step 7. If it says 'High Definition Audio Device' then you did it right. Here's a pic for example purposes:

 

Headphones not working and Realtek HD Audio Manager

Hello,

Thank you for updating us on the above issue.

Please reply:

• Did you check if your headphones work on other device?
• Did you check if your headphone drivers are detected under Device manager?

I suggest you to check if similar issue persists on connecting the same headphones to another computer. If the issue does not persists, I suggest you to check if the headphone drivers are detected under Device manager by following the steps below:

• Press Windows logo + X keys on the keyboard select
  Device Manager from the options.
• Expand Audio inputs and outputs option and check if the headphone drivers are visible in the window.
• Right-click on the headphone driver and select Update this software
  option.
• Follow the on-screen instructions and wait for the update to complete.
• Close the window after the update is complete and check if the changes are effective.

If the headphone drivers are not visible, I suggest you to download and install the latest and most compatible driver software from the device manufacturer’s website and check if the issue is resolved.

Write to us with the status of the above issue for further assistance. Your reply is most important for us to ensure we assist you accordingly.

Thank you.

 

headphones directional audio issue

Hi

Welcome to Microsoft community.

It sounds like you've identified that your Razer Kraken headphones have suffered some physical damage that affects the directional audio, and you're looking for a way to make them usable by playing all audio through the working part of the headphones. Here are a few steps and suggestions you can try to achieve this:

Step 1: Enable Mono Audio and Adjust Volume

Since you mentioned that enabling mono audio makes the sounds incredibly quiet, you can try to increase the system volume and the application volume to compensate. Here’s how to do it:

1. Enable Mono Audio:
   
   • Open Settings.
     
   • Go to Ease of Access > Audio.
     
   • Toggle on Turn on mono audio.
     
2. Adjust System Volume:
   
   • Right-click the sound icon in the taskbar and select Open Volume mixer.
     
   • Ensure all volume sliders are set to maximum.
     
3. Adjust Application Volume:
   
   • Open the application you are using (e.g., Fallout 4).
     
   • Go to the audio settings within the application and ensure the volume is set to maximum.
     

Step 2: Check Realtek Audio Console Settings

Since you have Realtek Audio Console, ensure it’s configured correctly:

1. Open Realtek Audio Console:
   
   • Search for Realtek Audio Console in the Start menu and open it.
     
2. Check Speaker Configuration:
   
   • Go to the Speakers tab.
     
   • Ensure that the Headphone Virtualization and Front left and right full-range speakers are configured correctly.
     
3. Use Loudness Equalization:
   
   • Go to the Enhancements tab.
     
   • Enable Loudness Equalization to help balance out the audio levels.
     

Step 3: Hardware Fix (Optional)

If you're comfortable with a bit of DIY, you could try to repair the headphone cable. This involves:

1. Cutting the damaged part of the cable.
   
2. Soldering the wires back together or using a new 3.5mm jack.
   
3. Covering the exposed wires with electrical tape or heat shrink tubing.
   

There are many tutorials online that can guide you through this process. However, this requires some basic knowledge of electronics and soldering.

If none of these solutions work, it might be time to consider investing in a new pair of headphones.

Let me know if you need further assistance.

Best regards

Derrick Qian | Microsoft Community Support Specialist