Only left earbud works when inside audio jack

catssss

New Member
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I just got my new laptop with Windows 8.1 a few days ago and everything worked fine until now. When I plug in my earbuds, only the left earbud works. I've tried nearly everything I found online but to no avail. I've tried reinstalling the Realtek HD Audio drivers and system restoring to the earliest point, but nothing works.:confused: Any ideas?

Also the speakers seem to work correctly, its just when I have earbuds in.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
In the properties a lot of time there is a balance setting in the sound menu somewhere, maybe it got changed? Maybe the headphone port is bad? If there is dust or something in it that is blocking the top, maybe bottom ring (one ring is right headphone one is left I can't remember which is which) from making contact.

You were referring to the laptops speakers and not external ones correct?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo Y500
    CPU
    Intel i7-3630qm @2.4Ghz (8 CPUs)
    Memory
    8gb
    Graphics Card(s)
    2gb Nvidia GeForce 750M
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Antivirus
    Avast Pro, Malwarebytes (Premium), SUPERAntiSpyware Free
In the properties a lot of time there is a balance setting in the sound menu somewhere, maybe it got changed? Maybe the headphone port is bad? If there is dust or something in it that is blocking the top, maybe bottom ring (one ring is right headphone one is left I can't remember which is which) from making contact.

i tried dislodging any dust but there wasn't any.

And while looking at the Sound menu, are my headphones supposed to show up in the playback/recording menu? All I see is speakers, realtek digital output, microphone, and line in (which is showing it is not plugged in)

And yes, I mean the laptop speakers.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
If your ear buds are 4 zone, like this:
000038.png
and your laptop is like this:
000035.png
you should be OK,

however,if your laptop is like this:
000036.png
then you need one of these:
000037.png
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 7 Home Premium
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    HP Pavillion
  • PC2
    Tablet - Windows 10 Home
If your ear buds are 4 zone, like this:
View attachment 56098
and your laptop is like this:
View attachment 56099
you should be OK,

however,if your laptop is like this:
View attachment 56100
then you need one of these:
View attachment 56101

yes, my earbuds look like the first image and my audio jack looks like the second image but its just a picture of headphones, not with the mic in it. But when I first got my laptop it was fine, so I assume I have the right things, it just stopped working correctly today.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
Hmmm..., can you get your hands on another pair of regular headphones you could try out?
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 7 Home Premium
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    HP Pavillion
  • PC2
    Tablet - Windows 10 Home
Hmmm..., can you get your hands on another pair of regular headphones you could try out?

I tried it with a pair of Apple ear buds, no luck. It works perfectly fine when I plug it in my iPhone, just not in the computer.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
I'm thinkin that female input is only 3 zone or there's something jiggered in it.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 7 Home Premium
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    HP Pavillion
  • PC2
    Tablet - Windows 10 Home
I'm thinkin that female input is only 3 zone or there's something jiggered in it.

It's just so strange because one day it was working perfectly with the same ear buds and such, and one day its just isn't working correctly. Is it possible there is a setting I accidentally switched off or something?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
Could be dirty.
Try a Q-Tip lightly dampened with rubbing alcohol.
Go nice and easy though, and feel for snags, you don't want to leave any cotton in there. Give it a minute or two for the alcohol to evaporate.

EDIT: You've gotta trim the Q-Tip a bit to fit. Wind the cotton on the stick tight and turn the stick going in and out the same way the cotton is wound so you don't unravel the cotton while inside.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 7 Home Premium
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    HP Pavillion
  • PC2
    Tablet - Windows 10 Home
Could be dirty.
Try a Q-Tip lightly dampened with rubbing alcohol.
Go nice and easy though, and feel for snags, you don't want to leave any cotton in there. Give it a minute or two for the alcohol to evaporate.

EDIT: You've gotta trim the Q-Tip a bit to fit. Wind the cotton on the stick tight and turn the stick going in and out the same way the cotton is wound so you don't unravel the cotton while inside.

Nope, didn't work :/

Edit: Tried again, still nothing.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
I've never needed a mic and headphone plug adapter, that's typically what you'd use to use like apple headphones with a mic to use the mic and headphones at the same time I believe. 2, 3, or 4 ringed headphones should work in the headphone port as the bottom two rings should always be the left and right headphone contacts. So I imagine maybe the rings are dirty or broken on the inside.
With your headphones plugged in see if you can find anything with a balance option (usually by clicking on the little orange speaker thing that pops up when you plug in the headphones) and see if maybe the balance is set to one speaker or something.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo Y500
    CPU
    Intel i7-3630qm @2.4Ghz (8 CPUs)
    Memory
    8gb
    Graphics Card(s)
    2gb Nvidia GeForce 750M
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Antivirus
    Avast Pro, Malwarebytes (Premium), SUPERAntiSpyware Free
I've never needed a mic and headphone plug adapter, that's typically what you'd use to use like apple headphones with a mic to use the mic and headphones at the same time I believe. 2, 3, or 4 ringed headphones should work in the headphone port as the bottom two rings should always be the left and right headphone contacts. So I imagine maybe the rings are dirty or broken on the inside.
With your headphones plugged in see if you can find anything with a balance option (usually by clicking on the little orange speaker thing that pops up when you plug in the headphones) and see if maybe the balance is set to one speaker or something.

Gyazo - 7ed4328f5aa04358e372a919d14066bb.png is this the right menu to find the balance options?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
Yeah that looks right! I believe there is a balance setting in there, and if you have something in the headphone port it should allow you to adjust it. I use my aux port on my stereo to go to my laptop, one speaker is closer to me in my room so I set more balance toward the farther one to make it sound even. I believe that menu will do the trick. I was helping you from work so I wasn't able to go search for the menu till now.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo Y500
    CPU
    Intel i7-3630qm @2.4Ghz (8 CPUs)
    Memory
    8gb
    Graphics Card(s)
    2gb Nvidia GeForce 750M
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Antivirus
    Avast Pro, Malwarebytes (Premium), SUPERAntiSpyware Free
Yeah that looks right! I believe there is a balance setting in there, and if you have something in the headphone port it should allow you to adjust it. I use my aux port on my stereo to go to my laptop, one speaker is closer to me in my room so I set more balance toward the farther one to make it sound even. I believe that menu will do the trick. I was helping you from work so I wasn't able to go search for the menu till now.

It's no problem, thanks for guiding me there, but I'm only seeing Speakers, Digital Output, and Microphone. No headphones or anything. Could that be part of the problem of why my headphones aren't working?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
After taking a second glance now that I'm home, if your speakers are okay then I'm guessing the balance isn't off as winodws just makes sure it is playing through speakers. So you can right click the white speaker icon and press playback devices. Then click speakers then down at the bottom the properties box will ungray click that, make sure it says the 3.5mm jack is hooked up. You may also check the balance settings by pressing the levels tab then balance.
I would personally try to remove the drivers, reboot the system, and it should install it's own drivers, then try again.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo Y500
    CPU
    Intel i7-3630qm @2.4Ghz (8 CPUs)
    Memory
    8gb
    Graphics Card(s)
    2gb Nvidia GeForce 750M
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Antivirus
    Avast Pro, Malwarebytes (Premium), SUPERAntiSpyware Free
Yeah that looks right! I believe there is a balance setting in there, and if you have something in the headphone port it should allow you to adjust it. I use my aux port on my stereo to go to my laptop, one speaker is closer to me in my room so I set more balance toward the farther one to make it sound even. I believe that menu will do the trick. I was helping you from work so I wasn't able to go search for the menu till now.

It's no problem, thanks for guiding me there, but I'm only seeing Speakers, Digital Output, and Microphone. No headphones or anything. Could that be part of the problem of why my headphones aren't working?

No, the headphones are placed under the speakers section, as they are just external speakers so the laptop and sound driver handles them the same.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo Y500
    CPU
    Intel i7-3630qm @2.4Ghz (8 CPUs)
    Memory
    8gb
    Graphics Card(s)
    2gb Nvidia GeForce 750M
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Antivirus
    Avast Pro, Malwarebytes (Premium), SUPERAntiSpyware Free
After taking a second glance now that I'm home, if your speakers are okay then I'm guessing the balance isn't off as winodws just makes sure it is playing through speakers. So you can right click the white speaker icon and press playback devices. Then click speakers then down at the bottom the properties box will ungray click that, make sure it says the 3.5mm jack is hooked up. You may also check the balance settings by pressing the levels tab then balance.
I would personally try to remove the drivers, reboot the system, and it should install it's own drivers, then try again.

Ok, this is what I came up with: Gyazo - 05f476683af1e3cb448e0e963dc888e4.png Gyazo - 46864783d0c24ced65c7e22d362c45c4.png
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
Try looking into the balance option right there in your second photo, although after reading and looking at it when I got home I am in disbelief that it would be the issue now, but doesn't' hurt to check I imagine. But I would delete the driver and reboot the system, that helped me when I had problems with my Nvidia drivers, removed them, rebooted, for some reason problem solved updated the drivers again and everything was okay, blew my mind but it worked. Haha
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo Y500
    CPU
    Intel i7-3630qm @2.4Ghz (8 CPUs)
    Memory
    8gb
    Graphics Card(s)
    2gb Nvidia GeForce 750M
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Antivirus
    Avast Pro, Malwarebytes (Premium), SUPERAntiSpyware Free
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