Latitude 5430 Audio issue

Question

Hi,

I would like to share about the Audio issue on this model laptop, Latitude 5430.

So far I have more than 3 Latitude 5430 having the same issue with the same symptom. I believe upcoming will a lot of Latitude 5430 users to report the same issue.

Let me share out what happened in these few days.

I received 3-5 user report in 1 day, the Speaker icon from the taskbar is working fine, when the user open the Google Chrome or Teams Meeting, will be no sound, even put the speaker to 100% also no sound.

After that, I reinstall the Audio Driver to the latest version (6.0.9363.1, A03).

Once the reinstall is done, the sound is back to normal.

The next day, the issue is back. And then I tried to reinstall the Audio driver also no sound on Chrome/Teams.

After that, I open the Dell Optimizer to disable the Audio feature, then the sound is able to work on Chrome/Teams.

Here is the Dell Optimizer version: 3.1.175.0, A00

I have a question about the Dell Optimizer Audio feature, is it the beta apps? This is very unstable on the Audio feature.

Same on the Audio driver also unstable.

Previous to the Latitude 7480, 7490, and 7400, was using the Waves MaxxAudio Pro, and there is no audio issue happening.

Why I will open the Dell Optimizer to check? Because these 2 model laptops(Latitude 5420, Latitude 5430) don't have the Waves MaxxAudio Pro.

As I have experience on Latitude 5420 also the Dell Optimizer caused the Audio issue on the USB headset.

so that I know to open the Dell Optimizer to check.
Now I know the issue, so I am always to keep the Audio feature disabled on Dell Optimizer.

I hope this issue can be fixed permanently, and bring it stable!
as our user always needs the Audio for meetings, training, and calls on business.

jnm1 · Answer

I have also see the same Audio issue on every 5430 (30 or so) that I have deployed. They seem to work via the volume bar in Windows but not in a browser. The device manager show the Audio driver installed and they all have the latest Dell Optimizer. After updating the Audio driver they start working. I am able to play and here a youtube video.

I did that fix on them all once already about two weeks ago. I have only had one user come back and once again reinstalling the Audio driver fixed it. The user mentioned it broke again after an "update". I don't know if that was a Windows driver replacing the dell audio driver via Windows updates and causing the issue.

I have not tried removing the optimizer and installing wavemaxx while leaving the Audio driver alone.

Also to note I have never had this issue on a 5420 or any other older Dell models.

B4ttleduck · Answer

Hi all, Had some users come in with the same issue.We fixed it by disabling Audio enhancements.KR, Roy

Gianni_2020 · Answer

Hello Roy,  We have 3 laptops with the same issue. How did you disable Audio enhancements ?  Thanks. Gianni

Gianni_2020 · Answer

We have tested your solution and it works well. You need to untick this option :

Right click on Sounds --> Sounds --> Tab Recording --> Microphone Array --> Tab Advanced --> untick "Enable audio enhancements".

We have tested in Zoom and in Teams and we do not have any problems of audio anymore.

Hope it can help

Gianni

kevo_ · Answer

We're still testing to verify, but after our first reports in late October of teleconferencing apps like Zoom, Teams and Google Meetings have microphone failures during meetings with a fleet of Latitude 5430s, we have been increasingly become aware that the issue has been systemic with this model. That said, my team so far has also have discovered more reliability by disabling the audio enhancements in the Microphone Array properties (via Sound settings control panel). I'm hoping this resolves it!

We have a large number of deployed 5420 machines, and Latitude 5530 machines, and these all seem to work fine in virtual meeting applications. Our 5420 machines have this setting enabled and we haven't had our users with those laptops report the same issue. Our 5530 users have been surveyed and all of them say they regularly are in meetings and have no issues.

I have an open ticket with L3 ProSupport right now and will inform them of my progress. I'm just a professional tech and not an engineer, but it looks like this is most likely a driver issue that doesn't play well with this setting.

sven.jaeger90 · Answer

Hello kevo_

If you get any update from Dell we would appreciate if you share your wisdom here.

In the meantime could you possibly check wheter the clients that had the problem also had crashes in the eventviewer regarding the AUDIODG.EXE

Best Regards,

Sven

kevo_ · Answer

Just reporting back that after extensive testing, we have concluded that turning the "Enable audio enhancements" setting on the Microphone Array properties off has resolved the issue. These machines no longer have microphone failures and application crashes in Zoom/Teams/etc. meetings.

Some more information:
I'm unsure if it is required, but we had two machines that may have had outdated or basic drivers that at some point re-enabled this setting automatically. Because of this, we made sure all machines had updated drivers via Command Update and we rebooted after changing this setting before starting a test.

Our test method for replication was to use a Zoom professional account (so there was no maximum time limit) and have 5430 machines testing various builds of Windows or other variables join the meeting. We tested the OEM image from Dell (Windows 10 21H2) that we restored using the Dell OS Recovery tool, Microsoft Windows 10 x64 20H2, 21H2, and 22H2 images, our own custom image, and a number of different audio and driver setting toggles.

The test meeting needs a source of audio to fill the audio channel for the Audio Enhancements to actually work and crash the meeting, as testing while just idling without any dialogue led to no failures. So we had one of the meeting participants play a long audio book on YouTube (The Hobbit or LoTR were enjoyable!) with external speakers directed into the microphone to simulate a virtual meeting. Yes it may occasionally have feedback. We've found with great consistency the machines that had Enable Audio Enhancements toggles on would have a microphone failure at some point in the meeting. Meeting participant machines needed audio turned on and not muted -- We usually kept them around 5-20% volume.

Hope this helps someone out there...

Lars Roth · Answer

Same here we're testing new devices from Dell and having issues that the audiodg.exe is crashing after some time and often. We had opend cases at Microsoft, Dell and Poly and the put all the finger on the other. All test with drivers and updates were not successful. Also with setting "audio improvements". It's a nightmare!

Teams latest version (no Preview)
DELL Latitude 5590 and Dell Precision 7770
Plantronics Blackwire 5210 Series
Windows 11 (latest updates)

JonpAG · Answer

Besides disabling audio enhancements, why can't we get an updated audio driver to address this issue? We need to escalate this ongoing issue. Dell support has been nothing but a mess!

kent.yap · Answer

Hi Everyone,

I think the current solution is update the Audio driver to the latest version, now all the Latitude 5430 I have updated to the latest version, and so far now don't have audio issues happened, just the Dell USB headset will have issues with Dell Optimizer's Audio features. When during the call with client, the client will hear there is a sound breaking or muted. it could be the auto mute features affected. have to disable the Dell Optimizer's Audio's top 3 options to sort out the headset issues, same with Latitude 5420.

https://www.dell.com/support/home/en-my/drivers/driversdetails?driverid=nnj2d&oscode=wt64a&productcode=latitude-5430-laptop

Best Regards,

Kent

allan_k · Answer

all our 5430 clients have been complaining about having audio dropouts from Teams. disabling audio feature in dell optimiser and audio enhancement is not helping.  we really need a fix for this issue.

kent.yap · Answer

Hi Everyone,

We found the audio issue again on Latitude 5430.

When users plugged the USB headset with any brand to the laptop, the laptop input cannot detect the headset microphone.

We tried to update the audio driver in Dell Command Update, but it does not fix the issue.

Have to manually download and install the audio driver latest version (6.0.9472.1, A46) to fix the headset mic detection issue.

To: Dell Support Team, could you guys release the Audio latest version driver on Dell Command Update, please?

Best Regards,

Kent

GauravSyst · Answer

Well you can try the following it might help you out: heck volume settings and set the default playback device for low or no sound. Run the Microsoft Sound Troubleshooter. Update your audio driver

Icantthinkofaname · Answer

I have a user reporting this exact issue today.. This is a brand new laptop out of the box with all command updates + windows updates... Yet still has issues.

Also saying - When people speak on google meet under the normal setting it is very, very tinny - like they are far away speaking to me through a tin can telephone

Looks like wont be buying anymore 5430's.

cbrwill · Answer

Is there a further update on this? We are experiencing issues where users are on teams calls and there is static/echo when using the mic/speakers on the laptop (no headset etc).

Latitude

Latitude 5430 Audio issue

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