Windows 7: default sound card plays only one speaker, driver update?

terrorist96 · 23 Apr 2012

See my computer specs below. I feel that I might need to update a sound driver because I recently got new speakers and they only play sound from the right speaker, like my old previous ones. My old ones might still have both speakers working. And I tested the new speakers with my phone and both speakers would work, so the issue is with my computer. Can someone help me with a walkthrough on updating my drivers and/or determining the problem? Thank you

James7679 · 23 Apr 2012

First try this;
Right Click on your speaker icon on the task bar>Click Playback Devices>Right click the default playback device>select Properties>click the Levels Tab>Select Balance>move slider on both speakers from left to right to ensure they are even.

Did that work?

terrorist96 · 23 Apr 2012

No, both speakers are at the same volume. When I right click on the default speakers and select test it shows that it is sending the tone to the left speaker, then right, but I still hear nothing from the left.

F5ing · 23 Apr 2012

And I guess you're sure the plug(s) are connected to the correct jack(s)?

terrorist96 · 23 Apr 2012

I double checked them. Like I said, both speakers and the sub worked fine when I connected the end wire to my phone. The only problem is when I connect it to the back of my computer.

stormy13 · 23 Apr 2012

terrorist96 welcome to the Seven Forums.

You don't need a driver update, you need to install the driver first. Looking at what you listed as your sound card (high definition audio device) it is running on the default Windows driver, which while usually enough to provide sound doesn't always work properly. According to the specs for your motherboard,

GIGABYTE - Motherboard - Socket 775 - GA-G31M-ES2L (rev. 2.3)

it has the Realtek ALC883 audio on it, and you can find links to the latest version of it here,

Latest Realtek HD Audio Driver Version

Start with that and see if it fixes the left/right issue.

terrorist96 · 23 Apr 2012

On the Gigabyte site it lists that the latest Realtek audio driver is version 5.10.0.6554, 104.11 MB and released on 2012/03/06 however on the second link you provided me, the latest one that shows up is version R2.68, Driver Version in Device Manager: 6.0.1.6602, March 30th, 2012 and 67762k...
I just went ahead and installed the one in the second link, linked to by Brink.
It asked me to restart so I did.
After restarting, I went back to the playback devices menu, right clicked on default Speakers and selected test and it still only plays from the right speaker. :\

Addendum: If I select configure speakers, it does give me more options this time (stereo, quadraphonic, 5.1 and 7.1) however mine are 2.1 and no matter which of those options I'd select, the sound coming from the left one still didn't work.

James7679 · 23 Apr 2012

What speaker set do you have? Can you switch the left for right?

terrorist96 · 23 Apr 2012

I have the Logitech Z623. The right speaker connects to the subwoofer via what looks like a VGA link and the left speaker connects to the subwoofer via an ordinary speaker connecter cable. And from the subwoofer to the computer is a regular 3.5mm jack.

stormy13 · 23 Apr 2012

Double check all connections on the speakers, as well as double check that the speakers are connected to the green jack on the computer.

It could also be that the front/green jack is bad on the motherboard. You should be able to test it by plugging into the blue jack and then setting it to 5.1 in the Realtek controls, and you should then get sound from the speakers when the test tines play from the rear speakers.

Windows 7: default sound card plays only one speaker, driver update?

default sound card plays only one speaker, driver update? problems?