Solved Sound keeps resetting every time an application plays sth.

Hi everyone, this problem is driving me insane:

I'm on Windows 8 (but I've also had it on my previous PC with Windows 7), 64-Bit.
My soundcard is Realtek HD.

Every time an application plays sound (e.g. youtube, a computer game, mp3 player) for the first time after it's loaded up, the sound is massively loud.
However, if I go to the volume control and put the volume down a notch and then back to the original setting, it is back to normal. So what happens is that for some reason the sound goes super loud even though the windows setting is on average, and only modifying the windows setting makes it use that setting again.

Now, things that I've already tried:
* Googled this problem like crazy, but every single solution that I've found has always been:
* Sound -> Communications -> Do nothing. My setting has always been on Do Nothing, but I've tried the other settings as well, just for fun. Same issue. So for now it's back on do nothing.
* De-activated the Realtek HD Audio Manager in case it was interfering. No success.
* Looked at the Dell and NVidia audio settings, but they are all very minimalistic and none of the settings there look like they would do anything.
* [DEL]Installed the latest Realtek HD drivers and now my audio is all tinny and crap, it sounds like through a phone, wtf! [/DEL]Phew, fixed that by completely kicking the realtek drivers and just using the default windows ones.

Please help my poor damaged eardrums!
Thanks!

The Realtek drivers are not the problem, unless this is an old PC that has been upgraded. What is the actual Dell Model number? such as OptiPlex 360, etc.

Having the Stereo Mix (may be called System Mixer) as the Default Recording Device may help this.

The default Windows installed High Definition Audio Driver (Codec) is only a generic, basic function driver. I don't think it has the Stereo Mix.

I have a Dell Precision Tower 5810.

And you're right, the stereo mix doesn't show up with the default drivers (I have a Volume mixer, but that's not what you mean I think).

But you know what, I think the volume jump might actually, finally, be gone. I'm gonna have to observe over the next couple of days and report back, but I think it might have been the drivers after all.

Dell doesn't list a 5810. The list shows a T3610, T5610 and T7610?

Weird. It's definitely 5810.

Either way, it hasn't been happening since I nuked the drivers, so I'm happy

Thanks!

Edit: Just as an update, it's been over two weeks now and I've not had the problem again. Driver nuke = :thumb: