Audio - Quality Poor, Then Non-Existent - and Audio Test Silent

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Since getting my new shiny Samsung laptop, the sound quality on Zoom meetings has been really poor through the speakers. In a regular meeting I have, where the host plays a piece of music, I can only hear tiny fragments quietly.

BUT, if I put iPods in the quality is perfect. I've been putting up with it as I couldn't find a solution. Today I've been testing the audio in Zoom settings, and there's no sound through either speaker option (it gives 2 options but they both look the same 1. Speakers (Realtek(R) Audio or 2.  Same as system Speakers (Realtek R) Audio!)

From googling solutions, I've changed the audio profile to Zoom background noise removal Low (previously it was Original sound for musicians). No difference. 

I've looked to see if there is an AI Sound setting on my laptop, but it doesn't come up with anything (other Acer users found this solved their same issue).

Any ideas gratefully received !  (and I do have volume turned up, not on mute 🙂 )