2025 ROG STRIX Scar 18 Sound Quality is terrible

[0atz]

A couple months ago I picked up a 2025 scar 18 (model G835LX). The laptop is incredible, except for the speakers. The sound quality is TERRIBLE. It is 100% tinny, no bass whatsoever. I have tried everything I can think of to fix the issue, because surely a laptop wouldn't ship with sound this bad.

I tried uninstalling and reinstalling sound drivers found on the asus site. I tried installing EQ mixers and fiddling with dolby atmos settings. Nothing I do adds any bass, it is like there is a whole spectrum of frequencies missing on this laptop. For reference, I went back to my 2023 strix scar and it sounds like a freaking full spectrum bass machine compared to this 2025 version, and that isn't saying much considering laptops usually have lower sound quality.

When I first got the laptop the sound was even worse - when resting your palms on the laptop you couldn't feel the sound vibrations at all and sound could barely be heard. After reinstalling all sound drivers and rebooting many times, I then noticed much more sound vibrations or resonance in the laptop frame which told me something was amiss from the get go, at least I was able to get some sound out of this thing after the driver reinstalls.

Anyways, any advice? What the heck is wrong with this laptops sound - there is no way it is this bad, right? Literally 0 bass. I tried opening up the laptop and checking the wiring, things look good - the little woofers seemed ok, but I also don't know much about this. Help 🙂 

[Zalevskiy]

I have a theory that through bios updates, devices sold in "gray" are filtered out, and the situation is similar with the 2023 model. As soon as the bios is too new, the sound becomes quieter and more terrible. Is this a bug, or are there restrictions based on environmental laws or energy conservation (Europe)? However, I know how to make the sound very loud on external devices by installing the DAX2 drivers from Lenovo or the PCEE4 drivers without driver signatures, DAX3 for 3D Surround, and the APO Driver. Switching between these presets can significantly alter the volume. I'm not sure if this will work on laptop speakers. For my model, installing the AAF mkdded drivers for the 92xx-93xx series (many links have been removed from the network for an unknown reason, but webarchive has preserved some of them) significantly improved the sound quality. Additionally, installing the AAF driver that redirects the ISST sound to Realtek resulted in crystal-clear audio, but it also increased the PCH temperature to 80+ (which is strange).

Another feature, before it was possible to apply Cirrus calibrations from the G614JI model (CAF) instead of CCF and they sounded louder, clearer, more detailed, but after the bios update, this trick does not work alas. Our laptops that could compete with HiFi audio turned into a pumpkin.

https://asus-linux.org/guides/cirrus-amps/
https://web.archive.org/web/20250215235518/https://cirrus.com/products/cs35l41/

[0atz]

Thanks for the reply! That is very interesting information, the volume however is fine on my laptop (the speakers get very loud when cranked up) but there is just no bass, it's all treble and high frequencies. It just sounds so bad, I can't believe Asus would think this is OK for any sound output on a laptop that costs this much. 

[zygote_rog]

Did you try creating a custom EQ profile in the Dolby Access app?

[0atz]

Hey thanks for the response - that was one of the first things I tried after reinstalling all the sound drivers. Moving the sub bass and bass frequencies doesn't do anything to the sound - if I make them 0 or as high as they go, there is no difference in sound output. 

[zygote_rog]

This is then actually a good clue, it means the Dolby drivers are not working at all, since changing any of the EQ levels should make very noticeable differences. Check in the windows services if the "Dolby DAX API service" is installed and running.

[0atz]

Thanks for checking back 🙂 I looked and that service is indeed running - I should have clarified that only those eq sliders dont do anything (essentially the far left 2 sliders)... all the other EQ sliders in the dolby access app work and affect the mid and high range frequencies. It's like my laptop is missing the lower range frequencies that is bass. Honestly, i'm comparing this laptop to the last two generations of strix scars that I have - the older ones sound incredible and this one sounds flat and dead inside in comparison. Maybe that's just how it is, a huge step backwards in sound quality. I dunno

[Zalevskiy]

Found one of the possible reasons for sound issues — Cirrus Amp driver + EC firmware.

DriverStoreExplorer > delete csaudio and csaudioext (all copies)

then install sequentially 1) csaudioext and 2) csaudio (if no sound after installation, try Realtek driver > disable > update driver to OEM version and switch headphones > USB card > laptop speakers back and forth) then you can save time on reboots.

my tests
#
754 > sound tilt to Left
SmartAMP_Cirrus_CC_Cirrus_C_V23.26.47.754

747 > sound tilt to Left and Center speakers (original OEM driver)
SmartAMP_Cirrus_DCH_ROG_Cirrus_J_V23.26.47.747_31671_2.exe

725 > dip in Right (strong)
SmartAMP_Cirrus_DCH_Cirrus_F_V23.26.47.725_28995.exe

as you can see, it is necessary to "catch" the correct driver revision for the dip to align. drivers for the range 725 > 747 have been removed from the network, I couldn't find backups, I searched everywhere possible. the versions in the MS w update catalog only have csaudio.inf without the csaudioext folder.

I managed to work around this by taking driver 725 as a base, copying calibrations from 747 into it, and manually (ctrl c, ctrl v) adding the lines related to my device into the .inf file. in test mode in Windows with driver signature enforcement disabled, the sound balance plays evenly in the middle. volume is normal.

the driver itself is here:
Cirrus SmartAmp 725 from Zenbook (driver version is slightly older than the production date of my strix g814 board 2023)
https://www.asus.com/supportonly/q409za/helpdesk_download/
or
https://www.asus.com/supportonly/ux3402za/helpdesk_download/

a tricky driver, if the protection activates, then this sound dip will be reflected on the second Windows installation, and you will think there is a hardware problem. the catch is in the firmware and certificates.

This is a betrayal from Asus, why artificially degrade audio quality and prohibit returning to a stable firmware with working certificates. I am forced to learn how to write drivers and digital signatures myself instead of enjoying a $1700 device. Absurd.

[Zalevskiy]

Additionally, I would recommend downgrading Windows to 23H2 and testing APO driver 2.7.4 or 2.10.x + Dolby DAX API service.

Based on my observations, 24H2 exhibits some unsolvable audio issues on laptops.

By the way, I tried older drivers, the folder name is Realtek UHD Audio Driver Nahimic PCEE4 DTS X Creative DD DDP Atmos G RC4. For some reason, they detect laptop speakers as LR, C, and subwoofer. This might be a bug, but at least DDP / PCEE4 significantly boost bass and surround sound. It's very difficult to achieve correct audio operation on ASUS due to certificates; the driver's old version protection is cringe.

check this video:

https://web.archive.org/web/20230223000554/http://puresoftapps.blogspot.com/2018/05/sound-enhancer.h...