I recently switched from Windows 11 to Linux Mint on my HP Spectre 14-eu0097nr, and while I'm getting used to things, I've noticed that the sound quality from my speakers has taken a major hit. The speakers work fine, but they just don't sound as good as they did on Windows. I've come across some forums mentioning this is a common issue specifically with HP devices, but the suggested fixes seem outdated or just don't work for me. I found a GitHub page with potential installation steps, but I'm feeling pretty lost with the terminal commands. Can anyone share some advice or solutions for improving sound quality? I'd really appreciate any help since I want to be able to enjoy YouTube videos without going back to Windows!
3 Answers
Laptop speakers typically have their sound tuned with software that compensates for their small size. Unfortunately, Linux often just plays the audio raw, without those enhancements. To improve your experience, consider using Easy Effects – it's a great tool that can add some of those missing audio effects back in. It might not be perfect, but it could help get your sound closer to what you had before!
It sounds like the issue is mostly due to the audio drivers. Windows usually has special drivers that optimize sound for HP laptops, but those aren’t readily available for Linux. I found a similar link that suggests how to get the Bang & Olufsen audio drivers to work on Ubuntu-based systems like Mint, but some users reported it doesn't work on all HP models. You might want to check out that link for guidance, just in case it helps you out!
I tried that link, but sadly, it didn't work for me either. I ended up on that GitHub page you mentioned.
If you're looking for additional resources, try checking out the migration page in our wiki for helpful tips. It could also be beneficial to see if there are other users with similar hardware who’ve shared their fixes. Just remember to be cautious when installing third-party software and always verify your downloads!
I played with Easy Effects a bit, and while it did change the sound, it still doesn't feel quite right. Feels like the speakers really lost quality.