Problem with sound on my computer

[Agalloch]

I got a major problem with the sound on my new PC. It's a refurbished HP Pavillion that I got from newegg.com. Here is the link: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883107718

The problem is that when I listen to any kind of music be it online or on Itunes it compresses and tries to regulate the volume. Say for example a clean guitar section is the intro to a song and it is quiet, well it will be loud as hell and when the band comes in the computer will quickly regulate the volume down. This is EXTREMELY frustrating. I've tried looking through all my sound settings. I don't have any compressors enabled. Is this Vista? Is it my sound card? Does anyone know what is happening here or experienced anything like this before? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Pђoenix]

Never heard of that problem before :s I suggest you ask the people who refurbished and sold you the PC.

 

[Charvelguy]

I have not experienced that problem on Vista Home Prem but I do mostly my own builds. You have HD audio but it sounds like a software issue.

Have you checked the BIOs settings?

Sounds alot like that Smart feature Magnavox had implemented into their TV line to help regulate late night TV commercials from knocking you off the couch when they came blaring into your viewing area.

Looking through Google, it sounds like something with the Vista mixer.
Something called the "Pre-Application Volume Control"


If you deem it unsolvable.. 100.00 bucks will get you a nice aftermarket soundcard. If you have one around.. you could disable the onboard audio and try using the cards features.

You know, Newegg has a 30day return policy. BUY.com just had a sale on a Compaq Presario refurb...pretty much same deal with a slightly higher end processor...230.00, looks like the sold out of them.
http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=210191647&adid=17654&dcaid=17654

I also check techbargain.com quite often when shopping a new PC.
Just thought I'd toss that in there in case you want to send it back.

Good luck, thats as much as I have to add on this for today.