Surface 2 Speaker/Sound Problems

Anonymous
2013-10-23T17:22:07+00:00

I just purchased two new Surface 2's and I am noticing a significant reduction in volume from the speakers compared to my old Surface RT.  The speakers also lack any kind of bass.  They are very "tinny" and shallow sounding.  When using headphones, there is plenty of bass sound and the volume level is not an issue.

I am also experienceing a significant amount of sound crackling (from the speakers and attached headphones) when streaming video from Amazon Instant Video using both the desktop and metro versions of IE.  I do not experience this crackling problem with other sound sources like Xbox music, gaming, or other website streaming video (i.e. YouTube).

Since I was experiencing this on two different Surface 2's, it seems unlikely that this is a hardware issue.  This is most likely a software/driver issue.  Is there anything that I can do to resolve this problem, other than wait for a possible software or firmware update?

Thanks.

Surface | Other

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  1. Anonymous
    2013-11-08T19:32:58+00:00

    Thanks for that!

     

    I'm also getting exactly what you're describing but for me, it's on all audio.  even the little "ding" that you hear when you adjust the volume from the tray icon on the desktop.  Do you get that too?

     

    I haven't tried Halo or a video though but I would be suprise if it was all good with that.

     

    The sound was great at the begining, it only started to have:

    • very low volume
    • left speaker about 50% of the volume of the right speaker
    • right speaker crakling

    ... only since an update a few days after I bought it.  Before that, my surface was sounding awesome.

     

    I sure hope this gets fixed soon... I want to keep THIS surface and not exchange it :)

    This is my experience exactly.

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  2. Anonymous
    2013-11-08T18:46:23+00:00

    hrmmm my volume is only lower if I disable audio enhancements in speaker preferences...my left and right are equal in volume.

    I do get crackling if I keep hitting that digging sound.

    Both of speakers crackle playing xbox music when volume is over 70 and the audio enhancement is enabled.

    The Netflix app sounds good, full blast with the enhancement, as do games.

    Mine has always done it, right of out of the box.

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  3. Anonymous
    2013-11-08T18:25:07+00:00

    Thanks for that!

    I'm also getting exactly what you're describing but for me, it's on all audio.  even the little "ding" that you hear when you adjust the volume from the tray icon on the desktop.  Do you get that too?

    I haven't tried Halo or a video though but I would be suprise if it was all good with that.

    The sound was great at the begining, it only started to have:

    • very low volume
    • left speaker about 50% of the volume of the right speaker
    • right speaker crakling

    ... only since an update a few days after I bought it.  Before that, my surface was sounding awesome.

    I sure hope this gets fixed soon... I want to keep THIS surface and not exchange it :)

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  4. Anonymous
    2013-11-08T17:49:10+00:00

    My built in speakers didn't work right with any sound source while Bluetooth and wired headphones were great.  I went to support and ultimately was recommended to exchange.  hope the new one works.  My partner got his the same day and same store as mine and still sounds great with built in speakers.  during tech support I had to do backflip for the surface to reinstall the sound drivers.  it kept appearing as an other device with no driver or would appear as installed but bad settings.  but even when forced to see the drivers correctly the speakers still didn't work correctly.

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  5. Anonymous
    2013-11-08T17:03:39+00:00

    Thank you for taking the time to chat with support.  I hope this helps get this issue escalated.

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