Brand new X40 - very tinny sound

[pdstanbridge]

Hi guys, first post.

Proud owner of the X40. The one with the Nvidia 4800. Upon first inspection it is generally very nice. Solid, well built with a decent screen. I've upgraded from a MSI Raider, and there are subtle differences. The one thing I am struggling with is the sound. I am using the Nahimic companion, and everything appears to be working. The sounds is very clear, but to me there is no bass. It's exceptionally tinny. I've had a look at various settings, inc adjusting the Nahimic bass settings to no avail. Compared to the sound on the MSI, it is pretty awful, which surprised me. 

I'd like to hear from others who have the same laptop - is this as good as it gets?

Thanks

[Major_ToM]

Hi @pdstanbridge ,

we kept this topic in  focus for a while, but there are no other useses with similar complaints.
Maybe @Sarria , @DistraughtBanan , @Tijgert ,or @r3nfolly would like to comment on this one.

Cheers

Major ToM

[Tijgert]

Hi Tom, I'll take a crack at it.

Yes, the sound is not great at all. It works, but that's about it, though I have had worse.

There is no bass speaker and the speakers are tiny, and also tinny.

If you want to check beyond a doubt then do a fresh Windows install on a spare SSD and see how the sound is there, both clean and with drivers. You can also listen to the speakers individually after taking the bottom cover off to see if one is worse than the other. Maybe one is defective and ruining the sound for you. It'll never be as good as my old GE76 or even my far older XPS, but I use external sound anyway.

Seeing the amount of space they had to work with I think it's very sad the manufacturer just chose a tiny standard speaker and not something more custom made. But it's not Medion's fault, they just buy the laptops and slap their sticker on it.

[pdstanbridge]

Very interesting, thank you. So it's not me going slightly mad - I could tell straight away that something is a bit off with the speakers, but both appear to be working fine. So if the bass is completely missing I presume it is being compensated for via software? You mentioned an external source - what do you use if you don't mind me asking? I'm actually wondering if the speakers can be upgraded internally by myself. 

Digressing, this laptop is actually very good indeed, apart from the speakers. My productivity has increased which was the main reason for buying. I can run it very quietly on battery, and off battery, and the battery lasts a surprisingly long time. Compared to my old MSI anyway it is a big improvement.

[Major_ToM]

Hi @pdstanbridge and thumbs up for your answer @Tijgert !

I for myself have to admit, that I have no comparable laptop system available, but due to the fact, that I early "fell in love" with moderate priced extrenal sound systrems like Creative Labs e2500/2900, I´ve never paid attention to internat solutions.
Bass requires resonance space (even if my neighbours sometimes see it differently) 😄

Cheers

Major ToM

[Tijgert]

For my regular setup I use a Creative X4 external sound card because it has 5.1 output (a thing this laptop misses sorely that bugged me extremely). I hook that up to a Logitech Z906 5.1 speaker system. It is perfect this way for immersive gaming or music, though not very mobile.

For mobility where I don't use earbuds (that also sound better than the laptop) I use a pair of Creative Pebble Pro 2.0. They're very small Bluetooth speakers (but also wired) that take power from the laptop or external (for maximum power and bass it does require an external power source though, but the difference is not earth shattering). It is a very versatile set and the sound is incredible for speakers this small. I did not believe it would work so well. VERY good bass for speakers this small. You also have much cheaper versions of these speakers that have less RMS power, but I haven't tested the difference.

I myself have the 4090 version and am also very pleased with this machine as I can also get community support from both XMG and Eluktronics since they're the same machine. (there are more brands that carry this clone).

There's even a store that sells spare parts should you feel the need to mod or replace something quickly.

A plus for Medion: my screen died and they replaced it under warranty IN JUST 1 WEEK. I never had a repair done so quick before, also when my GE76 had a faulty screen. So other than the sub standard  bios support, Medion service is real good.

As far as modding different speakers into it: yes you can. If you can find better speakers that have the same impedance and might fit, just duct tape it in there after you make sure the wires are correct. You gotta be handy though...

Just wanted to say this 🙂

Hope this helps!

[pdstanbridge]

So the issue continues.. but I think now it’s a hardware fault rather than software. I want to open the case and have a look. Are there any schematics showing the internals? I’ve removed the case screws but cannot find these clips that hold it in place? 

[Tijgert]

The little clips are all around and not very.. clippy. Just stick a spudger in and pry, it'll pop off.

Start at the front corner.

[pdstanbridge]

It's definitely a hardware issue unfortunately. The bass has completely stopped working today. It was originally the left speaker and I don't know how the bass works - but the speakers are working, just not properly. So I either need to get it repaired or I try and fix it myself. Does anyone have any contact information I can use? I can't seem to find anything useful.

[Tijgert]

How did you determine it is not software related?