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Speakers identified only as 'Line' (Win 11)

Anonymous
2022-03-09T21:31:51+00:00

Hi

I'm running Windows 11 Home on a Dell desktop. When I plug my speakers into the audio port on the back of the PC it only recognises them as "Line" (in, presumably). I've tried connecting other devices via USB which it detects as speakers, but even with these unplugged and uninstalled I cannot get the speakers correctly recognised. The front port thinks anything plugged in there is a headphone. I've tried running the audio troubleshooter but it cannot identify a problem. I've tried accessing via Device Manager but there doesn't seem to be a way to alter the device type manually. I've tried updating the audio drivers (Cmedia Audio).

This prevents a number of my programs from identifying the audio system correctly.

Any suggestions for resolution would be appreciated please.

Thank you!

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Devices and drivers

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  1. Anonymous
    2022-03-12T13:03:06+00:00

    Hey Rodrigo

    Thanks very much; sorry to take so long to reply to your kind offer of help.

    Here it is:

    You can see the problem - the middle one is my speakers but only recognised as Line, not Speaker

    Thanks for your help

    Ben

    2 people found this answer helpful.
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  2. Anonymous
    2022-03-12T13:18:57+00:00

    What model Dell do you own and what does the User Manual show for your speaker set up? The image below is for my Dell XPS 8940.

    Image

    Have you checked with the Dell Community?

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  3. JosephT71 9,210 Reputation points
    2022-03-12T18:09:07+00:00

    The manual also says stereo is supported (which is the main issue I think with third-party audio software not recognising these as speakers) but I can't seem to find a way to determine this for a Line rather than Speaker.

    Have you fully inserted the jack into the hole?

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  4. Anonymous
    2022-03-12T14:05:02+00:00

    Hey Horace

    Thanks for your reply. Its a crappy Inspiron 3891 (cost cutting error; should definitely have gone with an XPS) which I've upgraded with some RAM and an i5 chip, none of which should affect this as far as I can see. My manual says the same as yours, a Line Out port (not In, as I stupidly suggested in the OP), which is the same as my last Dell and its subsequent motherboard upgrade, both of which were able to detect (I think, or maybe it was just configured somehow) that this was speaker output. The manual also says stereo is supported (which is the main issue I think with third-party audio software not recognising these as speakers) but I can't seem to find a way to determine this for a Line rather than Speaker.

    No I've not checked with the community, and its a really good point. I guess as I'd seen that Windows wasn't recognising the speakers as anything other than generic line out I started here (and CMedia is a piece of Windows software, I think?), but I should definitely try the community. If these fail I'll have to go through the various audio programs I am trying to use and see if there is a work around for each individually.

    Thanks for your advice

    Ben

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  5. Rodrigo Queiroz 77,500 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2022-03-09T22:14:29+00:00

    Hi Ben.Clayton,

    I'm Rodrigo and I will help you.

    Go to Settings > System > Sound > More Sound Settings and send a screenshot showing all devices

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