How To Fix Distorted Audio? (Problem Solved) 2022

This post will show you how to fix distorted audio files, how to fix video with distorted audio, or how to fix your damaged music tracks. You’ll learn everything about audio file distortion.

One thing you need to do if you want to make your vocals sound professional is to get rid of all the peaks and noise caused by the distortion and softening. Sometimes you could end with a great result that sounds almost like the original.

Now let’s see how to fix the distortion. You can fix a distorted audio file by using a de-clipper plugin, which will regenerate the regions affected by clipping. To use the plugin, just set the threshold, above that threshold you will remove the distortion and the rest of the audio file will be unaffected.

What Causes Distorted Sound

Here’s what causes distorted sound. Clipping happens when an audio signal exceeds the range of an analog (or digital) signal. For example, recording too close to the mic or having a weak or noisy input signal can cause clipping.

Microphone: Some microphones are better suited for vocal recording than others. The more expensive ones may have less noise and a hotter sound.

For guitar or keyboard, you need to understand what amplification is and how to manage it.

Amplifier: An amplifier that is put into overdrive generates a signal that demands more power than it has. The audio begins to clip once it has reached its maximum capacity.

Speakers: most speakers can’t handle playing at high volumes for a long time. So when they’re pushed past that, they’re easily overwhelmed and clipping is only a short step away.

Mixer/DAWs: Sometimes clipping is the result of very aggressive mixing.

It could be that you’re listening to the wrong mic and using the wrong mic preamp settings. In this case, you may be able to correct it by going back to the original recording and finding a cleaner version.

For to prevent this, you’ll want to add a limiter to the channel you’re recording in. You can use any software that allows you to limit the volume, and many allow you to go up to 200% or more. But you should set all of your volumes to 100% or lower.

You can’t go wrong by setting all levels to 100%, as that will ensure you get the best sound possible. However, if you find that you need more volume, you can boost the volume of your speakers or headphones to get more volume.

How To Fix Distorted Audio On iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch Speaker?

If you don’t hear any sounds coming out of your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, or if you’re having problems with sound quality, you might have something wrong. In that case, find out what to do.

Check your sound settings

To check your sound settings, make sure that Ring/Silent is not on. If you’re using an iPad, swipe up from the bottom to view Control Center and make sure that Silent Mode is off.

Open Settings > Focus > Do Not Disturb and make sure that Do Not Disturb is off.

Clean your receivers and speakers

Your device should be free of any screen protectors, films, or cases. Look at the speaker openings to make sure they’re not blocked or dirty.

If necessary, clean the speaker or receiver opening with a soft-bristled brush. Make sure the brush is dry and clean.

Check the sound on your device

Go to Settings > Sounds (or Settings > Sounds & Haptics) and drag the Ringer and Alerts slider back and forth a few times. 

The volume control on the iPhone and iPod touch doesn’t always work. This could be because the speaker needs service.

For support, visit the Apple Support Website for iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.

Try making a call

Make a call on your iPhone and see if you hear a sound. If you do, try making a FaceTime call. If you still can’t hear, then your network or reception might be the problem.

You can try calling again later, or from a different location. FaceTime may not be available in all countries or regions.

How To Fix Distorted Audio on Windows 10?

1. Reinstall drivers

Open the Device Manager. From there, navigate to Sound, Video, and Game Controllers. Right-click the sound device, and open Properties.

Choose Hardware Ids from the drop-down menu. Then copy the first value of the signature, paste it into a browser and search for it. Open the official website and download the driver.

You can install it and restart your computer. If you’re 100 percent sure that the hardware is functioning properly, you should look into the sound driver.

Some drivers work perfectly, no matter where you download them from. On the other hand, there are GPU and sound drivers that will work just fine if you decide to go through the manual route.

Windows Update can install those, too. But don’t let that fool you into thinking it’s all you need to get things fixed. Now, they may prove fitting for some users.

Download and install the driver for sound drivers from OEM manufacturers. Make sure you do the above as it may not be enough if you have a driver problem.

2. Update drivers

Go to Start > Settings > System > System info > Hardware > Audio > Hardware devices > Audio Devices > Sound > Uninstall device.

When the uninstall process completes, restart your PC. Open Device Manager again. Select the Scan for changes to the hardware option. Windows should automatically install fresh sound drivers. Restart your PC again and look for improvements.

Some users have reported that the manual approach has resulted in sound issues and distorted audio playback. That’s because Windows has a lot of different settings that can cause audio problems.

Sometimes, what they’ve done is the right thing to do. But, when things start taking a turn peculiar, we need to change the approach. And the approach is very simple:

These are the steps that should tell you what to do next. To make sure your drivers are updated, you should use a driver updater tool. With it, you can save time and properly update all the drivers you need.

3. Run Windows Audio Troubleshooter

Open Start and click on the cog-like icon to open the Settings app.

Choose Update & security.

 Click on the audio troubleshooter icon and select the option to troubleshoot audio devices.

To listen to the audio, click Play. Click on the Troubleshooter button to start troubleshooting. And while we’re at it, the specified Audio Troubleshooter can help you resolve the issue, too.

It’s no fun having audio issues. While drivers can work fine and the sound quality can still be subpar, the Windows Audio Troubleshooting tool should at least give you some idea of what is causing the problem.

We might even fix the problem in this case. If you don’t know where to find Audio Troubleshooter, then try the steps above.

4. Inspect hardware

Are there any chances that something went wrong with your hardware right after you upgraded your operating system?

Yes, we would agree. That’s why we want you to make a checklist for yourself. You’ll need to check everything – from the operating system to hardware, and software.

If you have any PC issues, or maybe you’re experiencing technical problems such as slow startup time, missing Windows files, or a corrupted repository, or you just want to check if all of your Windows

If you encounter an error, it might be best to restart the system and fix it from a fresh start.

You should install Restoro to diagnose the problem. It will scan your machine and tell you what’s wrong.

You’re about to download a tool that will scan and repair your documents and files, so they are free from corruption and errors.

This can be a very easy task if you’re having a problem with your sound system. If you are using a sound system, make sure everything is properly connected. Double-check speakers and triple-check sound cards. The best way to do so is to connect your speakers to an alternative device and see for yourself.

The sound card in your computer is either working correctly or it isn’t. If the problem is present only on your current device, continue with the additional steps below. 

5. Disable the option Allow applications to control this device exclusively

Click on the sound icon in the notification area. Open Playback devices. Right-click on the Playback device that you wish to select and select Properties. Open the Advanced tab.

Under the Exclusive mode section, disable Allow applications to take exclusive control of this device by unchecking the box.

Save changes and look for sound improvements.

The system-related options section includes a checkbox that allows your app to continue playing music even if you launch another app or switch to a different app.

System-related options can and do affect playback, which is why it’s important to be informed about them.

Disabling the first option you should consider disabling is Allowing applications to take exclusive control of this device.

It makes it possible for applications to use audio directly from the microphone or speakers. This is theoretically great for various reasons.

However, in practice, allowing apps to take over when needed can result in a bag full of issues. Some people might have issues, and others might work just fine.

It’s no mystery that Windows 10 is a big step forward for Microsoft. So, follow the steps above to disable it and we’ll move on to the next step.

Do you still hear distorted audio in your favorite song or system sounds? Let’s disable both.

6. Change the default format and disable Sound Effects for the default Playback device

6.1 Disable all sound effects

Open Playback devices by right-clicking the sound icon in the notification area.

Open the properties of your default Playback Device by right-clicking.

Click on the Enhancements tab.

Disable all sound effects by checking the box and confirming changes.

Moreover, there are some settings you can disable and adjust to avoid annoying distortions. Let’s start with Sound Effects.

In most cases, these are controlled by the Realtek driver and are disabled by default. You are safer off disabling the system Sound Enhancements completely. To do so, follow the steps above.

6.2 Sound format changed

Open the Playback devices by right-clicking the sound icon again.

Open Properties by right-clicking the default Playback Device.

Go to the Advanced tab.

Test the sound by switching between formats, clicking on the Test button, and listening to the differences.

Once you have found a format that performs without distortion, make sure you save the changes.

Furthermore, some users were able to resolve this problem by simply switching the sound format within the Playback device settings.

The only issue with this solution is that you’ll need to check multiple formats until you, so to speak, hit the right chord. You can change the default sound format on your PC by following the instructions above.

7. Reset Windows 10

As a first step, you should back up your data on an alternative partition or cloud storage.

Press Windows key + I to open the Settings app.

Updates and security can be found here.

On the left, click Recovery.

Under Reset this PC, click on Get Started.

Click Next after selecting Remove everything.

You should no longer have any sound issues following the procedure.

Finally, if none of the previous steps have worked for you, it’s time to reach for the big guns. In other words, certain problems might occur if you upgrade to Windows 10 rather than performing a clean reinstallation.

For some users, Windows 10 can work like a charm. Others will find it difficult to handle a bag of problems.

In any case, Windows 10 might lack some features, but it is packed with troubleshooting and recovery options.

By choosing the Reset this PC option, you will avoid performing a clean reinstallation, but the system will still be renewed.

Please be sure to follow the instructions above if you are uncertain how to proceed.

It’s the same procedure as a factory reset on smartphones and similar devices. Reinstalling might be your only option if you are still experiencing distortion.

Feel free to share your questions, alternative solutions, or suggestions regarding the sound distortion issue we discussed today in the comments section below.