Every few months, audio from my PC headphones stops working completely. Music and game audio disappear, and using Windows' "Manage Sound Devices" test produces a fuzzy, garbled tone instead of the normal sound.
I've reinstalled the Realtek audio driver, disabled and removed NVIDIA audio devices in Device Manager, and set NVIDIA's digital audio configuration to turn HDMI audio off. I also disabled every audio enhancement. Changing the bit rate fails with a "Device in use" message, and every setting still produces distorted audio in both ears.
The headphones work normally on another device, and the monitor's built-in speakers work, but the monitor's headphone jack does not output sound either. I've tested both the front and rear PC jacks, and Realtek detects when the headphones are plugged in. Only the headphones are installed as an active sound device, and restarting has not helped. What else should I check before assuming the PC's onboard audio is failing?
1 Answer
Since the headphones work elsewhere and the monitor speakers are fine, focus on the PC’s onboard Realtek audio path rather than the headphones. Check the BIOS for onboard audio and front-panel audio settings, then inspect the internal front-panel cable if this is a desktop. If both the front and rear jacks produce the same distortion, the built-in sound hardware may be failing. A USB headset or inexpensive USB audio adapter is a practical workaround because it bypasses the motherboard’s sound chip.
I’ve already tried both the front and rear jacks, and Realtek detects the headphones in either one, but neither produces usable sound. I also tested the monitor output without success, so a USB audio adapter may be the next thing I try.