How Do I Stop Speakers From Echoing?

Configuring new speakers before they're used may eliminate echo.

An echo effect is a nuisance on a computer, causing each audible sound to repeat itself during your movie, music or gaming experience. Unfortunately, there are a variety of causes for this issue. Age can deteriorate the sound quality of built-in and external speakers, while new speaker systems may be equipped with factory settings that cause the effect. Even without extensive computer knowledge, troubleshooting and testing the problem can help you find and fix the source of the speaker echo.

Instructions

1. Select the "Start" menu from the bottom-left corner of your screen, and click on "Control Panel." Find the "Hardware and Sound" button and click to select.

2. Click on the sound icon and select the third tab labeled "Sounds" in the window that appears. A list of sounds will appear, beginning with "Asterisk." Click on a sound to highlight and select test. Listen to hear if the echoing problem occurs. If it does, you need to configure your speakers or check to see if it is a third-party issue.

3. Select the first tab labeled "Playback" from the same window. Right-click on the "Speakers" icon. Click on "Configure Speakers" from the top of the list.

4. Choose a setup from the list that appears and select test to test different sound configurations for the speakers. Listen to decipher if one configuration has less echo than another. If so, choose the speaker configuration without the echo to fix the problem. However, if none of the configurations remove the echo, you need to attempt to troubleshoot the issue from "Safe Mode."

5. Turn on your computer if it is off or restart your computer. Continuously press the "F8" key until the "Advance Boot Options" screen appears. Use your arrow keys to navigate the screen, pressing down until you have highlighted the "Safe Mode" option. Hit "Enter" to select. Wait for the drivers to load.

6. Log on from the "Administrator" account. Test the sounds again, and if the echo does not occur, the cause is a third-party driver or service. Seek the help of a professional or call the speaker company for further assistance.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't attempt to remove or delete programs from Windows without assistance from a professional, as these drivers can effect the performance of your computer.

References

• Microsoft Answers: Speakers' Echo Effect -- How to Turn Off?