Midrange distortion after switching HDMI output

Voices or music sound rough after you switch audio to a monitor or TV over HDMI. The same speakers may have sounded normal before the change, so it is not obvious whether the HDMI output, the speakers, or an audio setting is responsible.

Test the sound outside the app where you first noticed the problem. The Speaker Test can play a frequency sweep and tones, which helps you check whether distortion appears in the midrange and compare the HDMI output with another sound device.

Test the HDMI output

1. Open the Speaker Test and make sure the computer is sending sound to the HDMI-connected monitor or TV. On Windows 11, check Settings › System › Sound. On macOS, check System Settings › Sound › Output.
2. Set the output volume low before playing anything. Start the test's frequency sweep, then listen for a rough, rattling, or fuzzy sound as it passes through the middle of its range. Stop if the sound is uncomfortable.
3. Use the tone generator to check a few steady tones in the midrange, around 300 to 3,000 Hz. You do not need to play them loudly. Note whether the distortion happens at one tone, across a band of tones, or not at all.
4. Repeat the test through headphones or another speaker pair. Change the selected output in your system settings, then play the same sweep and tones at a similar listening level.

Use the same browser and test for both outputs. A browser test checks the audio path currently selected by the system, but it cannot tell you whether an HDMI device's internal amplifier or speaker driver is damaged.

What the result means

The HDMI output distorts, but headphones sound clean

The problem is likely after the computer's audio signal reaches the HDMI device. The monitor or TV may have a sound mode, equalizer, or speaker limitation that makes midrange tones harsh. If you are listening through an amplifier or soundbar connected to the display, its input settings may also differ from the computer's previous output.

Both the HDMI output and headphones distort

Check the computer's volume, audio enhancements, and the application playing sound. If distortion follows the computer across outputs, the HDMI speaker may not be the cause. An audio effect or a signal that is already clipped can sound bad on more than one device.

Only one or two tones sound rough

A narrow frequency problem may come from a speaker resonance, a loose panel, or an audio effect. If the sound is a buzz or rattle at one particular tone, check whether anything on the desk or the display casing is vibrating. A broadband hiss or harshness is more likely to involve volume, equalization, or the speaker itself.

The test is clean, but one app still sounds distorted

The speakers can reproduce the test cleanly, so look at the app or the audio playing in it. Try another recording, turn off that app's equalizer or effects, and check whether the problem happens only with one video, call, or music track.

How to fix it

1. Lower the volume and retest. Reduce the computer's output level and the monitor or TV's volume, then listen again. If distortion disappears, one of the volume stages was being pushed too hard.
2. Confirm the selected output. On Windows 11, open Settings › System › Sound and select the intended HDMI device under Output. On macOS, open System Settings › Sound › Output and choose the display or connected audio device. Selecting an output does not guarantee that the display's speakers are the ones playing, so check its own audio settings too.
3. Turn off audio processing for a comparison. On Windows 11, open Settings › System › Sound, select the HDMI output, and turn Audio enhancements off if that option appears. Also check Spatial sound and any sound-control software. On macOS, start with System Settings › Sound › Output and check that the correct device is selected and the balance is centered. If the display has an equalizer or sound mode, temporarily choose its standard or neutral mode.
4. Check the display's channel and speaker settings. Look in the monitor or TV's audio menu for a surround mode, virtualizer, or unusually strong bass or treble setting. Return those controls to a neutral setting and test again. Menu names vary by display.
5. Reconnect the HDMI cable and restart the apps. Disconnect and reconnect the cable, then close and reopen the app that sounded distorted. A brief reconnect can make the computer and display renegotiate the audio connection. If sound cuts in and out as well as distorting, try another HDMI port or cable.
6. Compare another source. Play a different recording and repeat the browser test. If only one track or app distorts, adjust its settings or replace the damaged source file rather than changing the display.

When it's the hardware

If the HDMI display distorts during the test at a low volume, while headphones and another speaker set remain clean, try the display with a different computer or HDMI source. If its speakers still distort, especially at the same midrange tones, the fault is probably in the display's speakers or amplifier. Check the warranty before arranging a repair. For a display with small built-in speakers, using external speakers may be the practical fix.

If the distortion follows the computer to other outputs, test with a different browser or audio app and restart the computer. Persistent distortion across outputs and sources may need a system audio or driver check.

Why a voice can expose the problem

Speech has much of its recognizable detail in the midrange. A small change in that part of the sound can make voices seem nasal, harsh, or buzzy even when bass and treble still seem normal. Built-in monitor speakers also have less room to reproduce deep bass than larger speakers, so a tone sweep may sound different from headphones without indicating a fault. Focus on clear crackling, rattling, or repeatable distortion, not on whether every output sounds identical.