G751 Imbalanced Sound Problem OFFICIAL SUPPORT THREAD (thread closed)

[BRSxIgnition]

I've created this thread to condense the information we've gathered on this issue over the course of the old thread, which can be found here.

Current Fix Status:
Fix Here: https://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.php?57462-G751-Imbalanced-Sound-Problem-FIX-IS-OUT!

Current Probable Issue Diagnosis:
Regular Signal instead of LFE (Low Frequency Effects) Signal to Subwoofer

Description (In different states):

Installed Drivers (Main Issue):

All speakers "working", but WITH massive imbalance issue.Sub greatly overshadows L/R Speakers & also distorts at volumes above 35%. Can hear sound very faintly coming from L/R speakers with ear pressed up against them.

Uninstalled Drivers (Temporary Fix):

Subwoofer (Only) is default playback device, with L/R Speakers being listed as a separate playback device. Left and Right Speakers working at full volume when selected as default playback device, with no sound
coming from subwoofer. Subwoofer can play audio when selected as default device, but distorts at volume levels above 35%, and does not work in conjunction with rear speakers in this configuration. (Either/Or Situation)

Reinstalled Drivers (Main Issue, Again):

Same effect as "Installed Drivers" every time. (All speakers "working", but WITH the imbalance issue. Sub greatly outpowers L/R Speakers & also distorts at volumes above 35%. Can hear sound very faintly coming from L/R speakers with ear pressed up against them.)

**NEW** Subwoofer Disabled (New Finding/Confirmation):

L/R Speakers can be heard perfectly fine when Subwoofer is disabled using the "Vbcmd_mute_int_woofer" Mute.exe file provided by MarshallR@ASUS on the ROG Forums. Cannot comment on volume level, but volume seems to scale fine without the subwoofer to overshadow it. This confirms the situation is a software issue, and all speakers are physically fine.

This issue is known to arise both brand new "out of box" units as well as on units where the OS has been cloned or reinstalled on a new drive and the ASUS Support Site drivers have been used. All G751 Models can have this issue.

Temporary Fixes:
As mentioned in the description, the speakers still work fine, proving that the issue is Software, not Hardware-related.

To get your Left & Right back speakers working correctly, follow the temporary fix guides below.

**NEW** TEMPORARY FIX - DISABLE SUBWOOFER:

• Download and extract this RAR file.
  
• Make sure you have the ASUS G751 Realtek Drivers installed. You can find them here.
  
• Unzip Vbcmd_mute_int_woofer tool, and run Mute.exe.
  
• If it returns a "Success!" message, your subwoofer should now be disabled.
  
• If you ever need to enable your subwoofer again (when a fix is issued), simply unzip Vbcmd_unmute_int_woofer and run Unmute.exe.
  
• Viola.
  

Enjoy your tinny-back speakers with no sub until we get a fix from ASUS. Until then, keep checking in here for updates, and let us know if you find anything!

Edit by cl-Albert 2/5/15: Very late thanks for looking into this and apologies for the delay, BRSxIgnition.
The new *.7432 G751 audio driver has finally been released, so this thread has been closed (to avoid 2 competing threads) and a new thread started.
If anybody is interested, please post your testing results or comments about this new audio driver at the post below. Thanks!

G751 Imbalanced Sound Problem FIX IS OUT!
https://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.php?57462-G751-Imbalanced-Sound-Problem-FIX-IS-OUT!

[sk3tch]

x7007 wrote:
Is the Alienware 17 is better performance than the Asus G751JT ?

No. It's just a different machine - which has its own set of potential issues. 🙂

I'm really happy with my G751...it's an amazing machine. Perfectly designed and mine is pretty much flawless. Funny, too - since mine was open box at NewEgg. I actually figured that was a "safer" way to go than new - because I heard of a lot of initial quality issues with this machine (bad keys, dead pixels, etc. - relatively minor stuff).

Anyway, the cooling system is unmatched. I am not interested in being able to upgrade my GPU (MXM-compatibility missing) - so it's great.

Anyway - back on topic...I guess I have some issues with the sound, but I use headphones. Sure, the touchpad isn't perfect, but I use a gaming mouse. 🙂

[thamann2000]

I only proposed the alienware 17 because I thought it met most people's needs. I can't speak for everyone but the ch71 was perfect for me (if working) because it had 16gb of ram, an IPS screen, great cooling, and good support. Well the alienware has all of that plus high quality sound and an optional touchscreen. The cooling is great, the weight is reduced, and dell customer service has legitimately gotten better. I made an order online and before sending my order I chatted online. Told them what I wanted and asked for a deal. They gave me one $1700 out the door with touchscreen, true life display, 16gb ram. I have zero use for an optical drive and got an amazing deal on an m.2 ssd. After buying that and getting the dell reward money back it's almost a wash. Plus. Alienwares just look cool. But for the record, if ASUS had fixed the issue in the last 70+ days since I opened three escalations I would've just stayed with Asus.

[sk3tch]

thamann2000 wrote:
I only proposed the alienware 17 because I thought it met most people's needs. I can't speak for everyone but the ch71 was perfect for me (if working) because it had 16gb of ram, an IPS screen, great cooling, and good support. Well the alienware has all of that plus high quality sound and an optional touchscreen. The cooling is great, the weight is reduced, and dell customer service has legitimately gotten better. I made an order online and before sending my order I chatted online. Told them what I wanted and asked for a deal. They gave me one $1700 out the door with touchscreen, true life display, 16gb ram. I have zero use for an optical drive and got an amazing deal on an m.2 ssd. After buying that and getting the dell reward money back it's almost a wash. Plus. Alienwares just look cool. But for the record, if ASUS had fixed the issue in the last 70+ days since I opened three escalations I would've just stayed with Asus.

Definitely not hating on the decision to go Alienware 17. I have owned a couple of their machines in the past myself. You have no need to justify your purchase - you will surely enjoy that laptop!

[thamann2000]

It's quiet!! Everyone return their systems or just waiting extra patiently?

[egs42]

thamann2000 wrote:
It's quiet!! Everyone return their systems or just waiting extra patiently?

I am waiting for a new driver that covers all issues - balance between sub and L/R as well as LFE settings to keep highs off of the sub. I still don't understand why this wasn't working from the initial version. I know my old G73 had a subwoofer and that sounded fine from day one as well as having the correct controls.

[opruitt]

Same as egs42. I love my G751JY, and I've used Asus for years and they have never let me down. I feel, hope, this will be addressed, so I'm hanging in there with mine. For me every other aspect of this laptop is great. Right now I'm using a UE MegaBoom as my audio. But I (like all of us) want the stock audio to work too.

[fabrimacator21]

thamann2000 wrote:
It's quiet!! Everyone return their systems or just waiting extra patiently?

My extra patiently is gone...... Now I'm just waiting 😉

BRSxIgnition wrote:
Sorry, I cant actively help test anything since I've sent my G751 back. (And bought an Nvidia Greenbox GTX + Asus Transformer Flip in its place for just a little bit more.)

I hope those of you that are keeping your machines end up getting working fixes, though!

I think I speak for most, if not all of us when I say thanks for all your time and effort helping to figure this out BRSxignition....hopefully it wasn't for nothing 🙂

[smallj53]

I don't know about everyone else but I remember when I first got my 751JY the sound from the speakers was just awful. The sub woofer rattled and I just ended up telling myself that I didn't care about it, that I would be using my headphones all of the time anyway. Then I was trying out my new modded Skyrim and I wanted to show it off the other night and the sound was way better than I remember.

The only thing I tried was I uninstalled the original driver, installed a realtek one that was recommended here, then I tried the modded driver that Marshall had without paying too much attention to it. Anyway I never did any real troubleshooting. But I would say that the sound is acceptable now. I can even put the volume way up high and I hear sound coming from all three speakers and the only thing I would say is it sounds kind of thin. No real bass, but not horrible. Oh and I did twindle with the settings in Windows a little. Anyway, my two cents on a thread that I regularly read.

[viper3000]

I have tried install Realthek 6.0.1.7348 and I hear sound coming from all three speakers. BRS please try install this driver and let us know your opinion.

[BRSxIgnition]

viper3000 wrote:
I have tried install Realthek 6.0.1.7348 and I hear sound coming from all three speakers. BRS please try install this driver and let us know your opinion.

Sorry, I cant actively help test anything since I've sent my G751 back. (And bought an Nvidia Greenbox GTX + Asus Transformer Flip in its place for just a little bit more.)

I hope those of you that are keeping your machines end up getting working fixes, though!