Hi! @peripa, Welcome to HP forums.

I understand you have audio issues with your PC.

Don't worry I'll try to help you out.

Did you make any software or hardware changes on your PC?

As you mentioned when you play audio on your PC the audio is very low on the left speakers.

Please provide the product number of your PC to assist you better.

Please try the steps recommended below.

Go to Windows Device Manager > Sound, video and game controllers section.
In the list of audio device drivers, look for Realtek or IDT High-Definition Audio. This is the device driver for BeatsAudio (a little bit sneaky, wouldn’t you say?).
Right-click and select Disable. The downward arrow displays on this driver, indicating it is disabled. (NOTE: At this point, you won’t be able to play any music files.)
Right-click and select Update Driver Software.
Select Browse my computer for driver software.
Select Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer.
You should see a window that says Select the device driver you want to install for this hardware. NOTE: If you see a window that says something like This is the best driver for this device, exit the window and repeat steps 4, 5, and 6.
In the Model box, highlight High Definition Audio Device (this is the substitute audio device driver) and click Next.
At the Update Driver Warning window, click Yes. You should see a confirmation window with High Definition Audio Device displayed. Click Close.
In the list of audio device drivers in the Sound, video and game controllers section, you’ll notice that the High Definition Audio Device now displays instead of Realtek or IDT High-Definition Audio.
At the prompt to reboot, click Yes.

If the issue still persists try the steps recommended below.

background intelligent transfer service (BITS) transfers files (downloads or uploads) between a client and server and provides progress information related to the transfers. If the BITS service is turned off, windows update may have problems delivering files to your computer.

Start the BITS service click start, and then click run.

Type services.msc in the open box and then click ok.

Right-click background intelligent transfer service, and then click properties.

On the general tab in the startup type box, click Automatic, and then click apply.

In the service status section of the properties dialog box, verify that the BITS service is started. if it is not started, click start.

Click apply, and then click ok.

Restart the computer and try to reinstall KB982381

Also, uninstall the audio drivers from device manager and install the latest audio driver on your PC using HP support assistant.

Refer this article to know more information about using HP support assistant.

If the issue still persists uninstall the audio driver from device manager and install the drivers using HP recovery manager.

Refer this article to know how to restore drivers using HP recovery manager.

If the issue still persists try running a system diagnostics test from your PC and check if the hardware components on your PC are functioning correctly.

Refer this article to know more information about running system diagnostics on your PC.

If the solution provided worked for you, please mark accepted solution for this post.

If the solution provided worked for you, please mark accepted solution for this post.

Let me know if this works!

Have a great day! 🙂

Please click “Accept as Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution.

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Thanks for the suggestions. However, when reaching the step "In the Model box, highlight High Definition Audio Device", there is no "High Definition Audio Device" listed, only Realtek...

For what it is worth, the product number of my PC is 2LU96UA#ABA.

Hey! So I had the same issue, and granted I JUST fixed mine, and haven't had much time to see if it is a permanent fix, I do have a solution. When I heard the crackiling to decresed volume, it made me think that there is a faulty ground or something. What I ended up doing was removing the bottom and looking at where the left speaker plugs in. It seems as if it just falls out of its port very easily. It is just a little black input with a black and a white wire running from the left speaker (when you are looking into the laptop it'll be on the right side since it is upside down). Just trace the wires from the speaker to the input and give it a little shove in. Since doing that I've been playing music all day and have had no audio issues at all.

Two things helped me with the bad audio on my Spectre.

1. download an older driver.  https://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp87501-88000/sp87996.exe.  Uninstall your current audio device and select delete driver.  Then install this one.

2. power off the laptop.  Press and hold Power +F6 (mute) together for 15 seconds.  Then power on.