Audio faults on a Nitro V 15 reported in the Acer Community are mostly software: crackling, popping or muffled sound traced to the Realtek driver and to Windows power management. The pattern is that the audio chip goes to sleep to save power and crackles when it wakes, especially when you multitask, such as playing a game while a video runs in a browser. The fixes owners and guides report are to remove the Realtek audio device in Device Manager together with its driver, install the current Realtek audio driver from Acer's support page for your exact model,
turn off Audio enhancements in Sound settings, and turn off power saving for the audio device. If the sound is muffled only in calls, check the microphone's own enhancement setting and the speaker output that the call app has selected. Silence from the speakers with sound in headphones points at a hardware fault. Games with their own audio settings can also be the cause: set the game's output to the Windows default device so that it follows the speakers, and make sure the sample rate in the sound properties is a standard value such as 48,000 Hz.
Differential
Likely causes of “Acer Nitro V 15 has no sound or distorted audio”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
The audio chip sleeping and waking
What separates it Crackling when two apps play sound
How to confirm Turn off power management for the audio device in the Realtek manager or Device Manager
- 2
An outdated or damaged Realtek driver
What separates it No sound or distortion after an update
How to confirm Uninstall the Realtek audio device with its driver, restart, and install Acer's driver for your model
- 3
Audio enhancements
What separates it Muffled or tinny sound
How to confirm Sound settings, your device, Audio enhancements: Off
- 4
The wrong output device
What separates it Sound plays in another device
How to confirm Choose the speakers as the output in the taskbar
- 5
A hardware speaker fault
What separates it No sound from the speakers but sound in headphones
How to confirm Contact Acer for a repair
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- The model number such as ANV15-51-7172
- Whether the problem occurs with one app or all
- Whether headphones work
- The Realtek driver version in Device Manager
Try in this order
0 of 7 completedPick the right output
ReversibleClick the speaker icon in the taskbar and select the laptop speakers as the output.
Turn audio enhancements off
ReversibleSettings, System, Sound, choose the speakers and set Audio enhancements to Off.
Remove and reinstall the driver
ReversibleIn Device Manager, uninstall the Realtek audio device and tick the option to remove its driver, restart, then install Acer's driver for your model.
Stop the audio chip sleeping
ReversibleIn the Realtek audio manager, or in the device's properties, turn off power saving for the audio device.
Update Windows and the BIOS
ReversibleInstall the latest Windows updates and the BIOS from Acer.
Test with headphones
ReversibleIf they work and the speakers do not, the speakers need service.
Set the sample rate
ReversibleIn Sound settings, the speakers' properties, Advanced, choose 24 bit, 48000 Hz and test.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Two sources at once
- Crackling that begins when a game and a video play together points at power management.
- Driver by model
- Acer's driver page lists audio drivers by exact model, which avoids a mismatch.
- Headphones test
- Sound in headphones but not speakers separates software from a speaker fault.
- Game settings
- A game set to a different output device sounds silent in the speakers.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If the speakers are silent but headphones work after the driver steps, contact Acer
- !If crackling persists with the latest driver on a clean start, ask Acer
- !Distortion at all volumes is a speaker repair
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Speaker noise when two sources play at once.
Crackling on a related Nitro.
A list of fixes for a Nitro V 15 with no or poor sound.
Exact questions
Common questions
Why does my Nitro V 15 crackle?+
The audio chip sleeping and waking, or an outdated Realtek driver.
Where do I get the driver?+
From Acer's support page for your exact model.
Why is the sound muffled in calls?+
An enhancement setting or the wrong output device.
Does Nitro Sense affect audio?+
It can change profiles, so check it if sound changes.
Does the sample rate matter?+
A mismatched rate can cause crackling.