Windows 10: Problem with sound

Hello Group. I haven't begged for help lately, but here it comes!

I have been working for days to get my sound working properly and have exhausted many times over all of the advice I can find on the internet, youtube, etc. Most of that is just updating drivers, it seems.


My windows 10 system is driving me crazy about the sound setup. I have custom built computer system with Creative SoundblasterX AE5 soundcard.

My problem:

I want to have both speakers (plugged in back of computer) and headphones in the front audio jack which will work together. Formerly all I had to do was pull the Headphone (front panel) jack, and the speaker then took over the sound. I don't even care at this point if I have manually change between speakers and headphones, if I can just get both to work.

I've deleted all of the sound devices in Device manager and let them reinstall.

I've check drivers for everything.

I have downloaded and installed the latest drivers for the sound card. The Soundblaster software, by the way is very skimpy and does not give me any way to set up the speakers other than all of the complex speaker location choices. But in terms of activating speakers or headphones, nothing.

Now I've tried very configuration I can imagine in the Windows sounds/playback module but I can't get that configuration to work. Sometimes I can get the speakers to play, enabling one setting and disabling another. Occasionally the Headphone on the front jack will play, but not from the headphone setting, but from one of the speaker choices, the Soundblaster speakers choice.

I've tried to use Windows troubleshooter choosing one or the other sound source to troubleshoot, but that hasn't helped.

In Windows Settings/Bluetooth and other devices/audio I see two of the devices in Sounds: Microphone and Speakers (SoundblasterX AE-5) but the only choice there is "remove device"


I have a number of choices in the sounds module, but discounting all of the NVIDIA Output choices, here's what I see from top down:

Speakers 2 High definition audio device disabled

Headphones 2 High definition audio device, not plugged in (false -- it is plugged in)

Digital audio 2 (S/PDIF) 2 High definition audio device, ready

NVIDIA output (6 of these listed, one after the other)

Speakers SoundblasterX AE-5 (currently checkmarked as default device, but I've switched it to the speakers 2 at top of the list off and on)

SPDIF -Out SoundblasterX AE-5 Ready


So as I say, I have enabled, disabled made default all of them in what seem to me to be every permutation, but I can't seem to get a working sound system. Sometimes the headphones will play from the front jack, but usually it's when I have one of the speaker selections enable, not the headphone selection.


Could I start over from scratch and delete all of the sound things, and try to get a working system? I thought I was doing that when I deleted all of the devices in device manager.

Any help greatly appreciated!


Jack

:)

 

Sound problem

Hi,

We need to investigate further so that we can identify the cause of the issue. We suggest running the Troubleshooter and see if it helps. Follow the steps below:

• Type and select Troubleshooting on the Search bar/Cortana.
• Click Hardware and Sound.
• Select Playing Audio under Sound.
• Follow the steps that will be provided.

If the steps does not work. We suggest downloading a fresh copy of the audio driver from Realtek and see if it helps.

Looking forward to your response.

 

Good surround sound headset

I know you say you're not that guy, but stepping into the $250+ range really brings a change in build quality that might have you never having to buy another set. Otherwise, getting 6 speakers with decent sound in a headset is hard, and that's what you are asking for, and I have no suggestions, but just a bump up the list. *Stick Out Tongue

 

Sound Quality


One thing that sticks out from looking at your "My Computer" specs. You list "ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)" which suggests you do not have the correct sound hardware driver. Your motherboard has Realtek sound and the first step is to install the Realtek sound drivers. My ASUS also came with Sonic Studio 2 which is a sound enhancement package. Check the ASUS install disc to see if you have something similar.

May not be a speaker problem.