Sound distorted when volume is loud

[wbierman]

I have a Dell Inspiron 24 5415 AIO with a Realtek audio device.  The computer came with the MaxxAudioPro app installed as well.  I have two weekly calls.  One which is a discussion and one which is a musical performance.  During the discussion call, I have no problems.  During the musical performances, I constantly have problems.  It works until the volume from the source gets loud (musical instruments, loud voices, etc.).

I have found online a suggestion of uninstalling the Realtek audio driver.  When I do this, no sound works on the entire computer.  I can listen to even louder audio from other sources (e.g. a YouTube video) without issue.  I assume this is going to be some sort of interoperability issue between Zoom and my audio device, perhaps related to compression?  I have gone through some more of the obvious troubleshooting steps (Windows updates, driver updates, Zoom update, etc.) with no effect.

Changing the output format in Windows sound properties from 24 bit, 44800hz to 24 bit, 44100hz, or vice-versa.  This fixes it, but only temporarily.  Next week the same problem happens again.  It also does not seem to matter which setting I use.  It will be broken with either, and switching to the other fixes it.  When I make the change while on a call, Zoom will say "Failed to detect your speaker.  Please make sure your speaker is properly connected."  Then I will click on "Check My Audio Devices" and things start working.  I'm guessing something is being reinitialized here that just so happens to also resolve my issue.

I am using Zoom 5.11.11 (8425).

Thank you in advance for any insights or advice anyone can offer to me.

[ZoomTestKitchen]

Have you by chance been able to query others who are also tuned into this meeting on whether they also experience audio challenges?

Have you had the chance to speak with the party that is producing this audio to see what their audio levels are, etc?

It sounds like they might be overdriving their audio into the meeting.

[wbierman]

Yes, I have.  There are dozens of people in the call, and no computer except this one is affected.  Other computers in the same house work fine, and when I join from my phone next to the computer with the issue it sounds fine.  It's definitely something unique to this computer.   At first I thought maybe the speakers had been blown or something, but like I said other loud volume audio works fine.

[newGma]

I have the same problem. I have a new Dell Inspiron 16" Touchscreen Laptop - AMD Ryzen 7 5825U - FHD+ (1920 x 1200) - Windows 11 with Realtek(R) Audio speakers, driver version 6.0.9381.1.  I installed Zoom on 10/14. YouTube videos and music from iTunes plays fine. But as a participant on a Zoom call, the sound/music from the video kept cutting out.

[wbierman · Accepted solution]

I eventually figured out that I had paid support, and how to contact Zoom.  After numerous troubleshooting steps, I was given the solution.  It was to reinstall Zoom, specifically using their uninstaller (available at https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/201362983-Uninstalling-and-reinstalling-the-Zoom-applicati...).  After I did the "clean uninstall" and reinstalled.

[lihis]

Do you have a Dell? I have Dell Inspiraion 16 5620 and like everyone else here, this solution didn't work. this issue is now 2 years old, I wish Zoom will fix this bug!

[Mark_B]

I have exactly the same problem with the same symptoms. I have a Dell Inspiron 14 7425 2-in-1. The fix suggested to run cleanzoom did not work. All realtek drivers are bang up to date and all other audio works fine. Google meet works fine too - this is a zoom issue that is crashing / over driving the realtek audio drivers. We need a proper zoom fix.

 

[maylis]

same issue as Mark_B and others with DELL inspiron 16
Dell support said that is none of their business.

Uninstall ZOOM with "uninstall" exe + reinstall does not change anything.

Only music and high-pitched sound are filtered

[maylis]

I 've just faced something weird.
I re-tried once again the uninstall and clean procedure.
The first time I launch zoom, audio with music is quite correct (not good but correct).
The second time I launch it, same as before, music is filtered or partially filtered (depends of kind of music I guess).

I did the same procedure twice (uninstall - clean - install - join a zoom meeting once - join a zoom meeting a second time) -> same issue.

I hope this will help to fix this issue.

[wbierman]

I just experienced this with another Dell, this time a Latitude 5540 and Realtek audio.  Using zoom version 5.15.3.  The CleanZoom reinstall fixed the problem in this case too.