Mp3 file plays with headphones but not on built in speakers?

In summary, the conversation discusses a strange issue where one particular MP3 file only plays with headphones and not on the built-in speakers of a home laptop, while it plays fine on a work PC. Suggestions are made to try removing and reconnecting the headphone jack, reinstalling sound card drivers, or downloading the file from a different source. Another possibility is that the file was recorded with high input levels, causing the built-in speakers to disable playback as a last resort. The solution proposed is to use a free application like Audacity to tweak the file and then save it in a different format.
  • #1
Doc Al
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mp3 file plays with headphones but not on built in speakers??

This is driving me nuts. I have an mp3 file which plays fine on my PC at work, with or without headphones. But the same file on my home laptop only plays with headphones, not on the built in speakers--I get no audio output. (I have plenty of mp3 files, which all play normally, both with and without headphones.)

How can this be?
 
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  • #2


Doc Al said:
This is driving me nuts. I have an mp3 file which plays fine on my PC at work, with or without headphones. But the same file on my home laptop only plays with headphones, not on the built in speakers--I get no audio output. (I have plenty of mp3 files, which all play normally, both with and without headphones.)

How can this be?
Try removing the headphone jack. There must be a short in the jack connection or just a bad connector in the jack. Just plug in the headphone jack a bunch of times.This might help .
If not then please reinstall your sound card drivers or install other compatible drivers for your card .
 
  • #3


This weird situation only happens with one particular MP3 file. All my other MP3 files play just fine on internal speakers and headphones.
 
  • #4


Doc Al said:
This weird situation only happens with one particular MP3 file. All my other MP3 files play just fine on internal speakers and headphones.

:confused:
Please try the procedure .
 
  • #5


Doc Al said:
This weird situation only happens with one particular MP3 file. All my other MP3 files play just fine on internal speakers and headphones.

Try updating your sound card drivers.
 
  • #6


I am absolutely baffled at why this could happen.

To get this 100% clear, you can listen to other MP3's fine out of your speakers, then when you get to this one, it doesn't play or output sound unless you have headphones?

Try turning your speakers up really loud actually, it might just be that it is quiet.

If it's a bit more complex than that, try downloading(from a different source) or ripping another copy of the file, it could have some weird corruption problems.
 
  • #7


KrisOhn said:
I am absolutely baffled at why this could happen.
Me too!

To get this 100% clear, you can listen to other MP3's fine out of your speakers, then when you get to this one, it doesn't play or output sound unless you have headphones?
Exactly.

Try turning your speakers up really loud actually, it might just be that it is quiet.
Nope. And that same file plays just fine out of the speakers on my office PC.

If it's a bit more complex than that, try downloading(from a different source) or ripping another copy of the file, it could have some weird corruption problems.
I may try burning it to a CD on one machine just to see if the CD will play on the other.

Very strange!
 
  • #8


Have you tried re-downloading the mp3 directly onto the affected computer? Maybe it got corrupted during the download in such a way that only the driver for your speakers is affected.

The other possibility is that that particular song is using an mp3 feature that your speaker's driver doesn't recognize. Do you have the same audio driver versions on your two computers?
 
  • #9


Doc Al said:
This is driving me nuts. I have an mp3 file which plays fine on my PC at work, with or without headphones. But the same file on my home laptop only plays with headphones, not on the built in speakers--I get no audio output. (I have plenty of mp3 files, which all play normally, both with and without headphones.)

How can this be?

One thing that occurred to me is that the mp3 was recorded 'hot'
but with input levels low. The header for the file would indicate
a very loud signal is to be expected whereas the file itself never
reaches it's potential peak levels. Your work pc ignores the high setting for
the relative volumes and plays it anyway with no problem. Your home pc,
not wanting to lose the internal speaker diables playback.
The internal speaker is used as a last resort beep when all
other attempts to indicate a problem is occurring fail.

mathal
 
  • #10


Borg said:
Have you tried re-downloading the mp3 directly onto the affected computer? Maybe it got corrupted during the download in such a way that only the driver for your speakers is affected.
I've tried that. No luck.

The other possibility is that that particular song is using an mp3 feature that your speaker's driver doesn't recognize. Do you have the same audio driver versions on your two computers?
No idea. Funny, but the laptop giving me the problem is much more recent than the creaking dinosaur on my desktop at work.
 
  • #11


mathal said:
One thing that occurred to me is that the mp3 was recorded 'hot'
but with input levels low. The header for the file would indicate
a very loud signal is to be expected whereas the file itself never
reaches it's potential peak levels. Your work pc ignores the high setting for
the relative volumes and plays it anyway with no problem. Your home pc,
not wanting to lose the internal speaker diables playback.
The internal speaker is used as a last resort beep when all
other attempts to indicate a problem is occurring fail.

mathal
Interesting! Anyway around that?
 
  • #12


Doc Al said:
Interesting! Anyway around that?

I use Audacity 1.3 13-beta -(a free application -support it if it works for you) to record my old 78s and 33s. You can import the file and tweak it there and then save it in a more amenable form for your home pc.

mathal
 

FAQ: Mp3 file plays with headphones but not on built in speakers?

1. Why does my Mp3 file only play with headphones and not on the built-in speakers?

There could be several reasons for this issue. One common reason is that the audio output settings on your device may be set to headphones only. You may need to adjust the settings to allow audio to play through both the headphones and built-in speakers.

2. Can a faulty headphone jack cause an Mp3 file to only play with headphones?

Yes, a faulty headphone jack can cause this issue. If the jack is damaged or not making a proper connection, the audio will only play through the headphones and not the built-in speakers. You may need to have the jack repaired or replaced.

3. Is the Mp3 file itself the problem if it only plays with headphones?

The Mp3 file itself is typically not the problem. Most Mp3 files are designed to play through any audio output, so if it is only playing through headphones, there is likely an issue with the device or settings.

4. Can outdated audio drivers cause an Mp3 file to only play with headphones?

Yes, outdated or corrupted audio drivers can cause this issue. It is important to regularly update your audio drivers to ensure optimal performance and compatibility with different audio outputs.

5. Why does my Mp3 file play through both headphones and built-in speakers on other devices but not on this one?

This could be due to compatibility issues or different audio settings on the two devices. Make sure both devices are set to play audio through both headphones and built-in speakers, and try using a different Mp3 file to see if the issue persists.

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