Laptop speaker lost its sound quality...

[DRKGMR-A]

i am using hp probook 440 g3 , around 7 years old now,... had no issues with the speakers till 1 month ago.. but nowadays the sound is very distorted and high bass and zzzzzz when i put in full volume (necessary because youtube videos are hard to hear at low volume without earphones..)

i have a lg bluetooth speaker which fell down from table and also has similar issue where the i think the top part of the speaker got shaked or damaged and that speaker now makes ZZZ and loud distorted bass like sounds at louds parts of songs... 

but my laptop hasnt fallen down recently ... do speakers become bad as time goes on with normal usage wear...  or have i f**d up some audio setttings that makes boosting high frequencies 

[Waqas409]

1 hour ago, DRKGMR-A said:

i am using hp probook 440 g3 , around 7 years old now,... had no issues with the speakers till 1 month ago.. but nowadays the sound is very distorted and high bass and zzzzzz when i put in full volume (necessary because youtube videos are hard to hear at low volume without earphones..)

i have a lg bluetooth speaker which fell down from table and also has similar issue where the i think the top part of the speaker got shaked or damaged and that speaker now makes ZZZ and loud distorted bass like sounds at louds parts of songs... 

but my laptop hasnt fallen down recently ... do speakers become bad as time goes on with normal usage wear...  or have i f**d up some audio setttings that makes boosting high frequencies 

i think you need a replacement speaker, check aliexpress if you can find one and simple replace this. 

[E-waste]

Try EQ in VLC.  It allows a large 40 db difference between two frequencies, and should allow you to test bass response.  Try setting the equalizer preamp to -12 so you don't over power the speaker and learn at what volume causes the distortion.

 

Setting system volume to 75% or 50% may help also.

 

You could also try slowing down your music library using vlc, by disabling time stretch.

 

Timestretch allows the pitch to be maintained in faster speeds, which is great for speech, but slower speeds cause a poor sound quality.

 

Go into vlc settings

 

Audio / save playback speed

 

Advanced / uncheck timestretch

 

I bring this up because I am obsessed with it, but because dropping speed also reduces the bass note frequency. So instead of being 60 Hz bass note, playing at 80% speed is now a 48 Hz bass note.

 

Combine that with stepping up the 31 Hz slider in vlc equalizer, you can test what frequency of bass works, and what distorts, all the while hearing a new way to enjoy your music, in a new tempo.

 

I hope you can work around the hardware issues through software, and keep the speakers that you have for many more years.  I have a set from, I don't know exactly, but well over 10 years, and they still work great.

[Heats with Nvidia]

Your speaker might have collected some metal shavings on it with its magnet. You should be abled to see them through the speaker grille, if thats your problem. If they are there, they are easily removed by gently touching the cone of the speaker with some tape.

[DRKGMR-A]

Thank you @E-wasteand  @Heats with Nvidia

[E-waste]

3 hours ago, DRKGMR-A said:

 

So, did you find what volume or bass frequency causes the distortion?  Can you crank up the volume, but have less deep bass and still enjoy the sound?