Latest Realtek HD Audio Driver Version

How many times a day does realtek update their drivers. On the odd occasion I use a driver finder/updater, it tells me every time that realtek HD Audio needs updating. When I do, I rerun the software later on and 'realtek HD Audio Driver needs updating'. When I do it manually, its the same. Do I even need to bother?

Guitarmageddon said:

I asked the same a few days ago. Tough to say without release notes, but some on here do notice a clear difference. Ive been using UAD-Nahimic, and so far have only noticed on version in the last 6 or 7 that affected my sound negatively, but none that were crazy positive versus the others. But again, just my ears. And I am using a modi 3, jds atom, and sennheiser hd600s to thoroughly listen

Modi is a USB dac...has nothing to do with Realtek driver. Once plugged into your USB it uses Microsoft USB audio and not the Realtek audio device! You use the Realtek driver only when you listen directly from the headphone output or your speakers.

ddelo said:

KB, Mike,
My reference for years, was The Chain, by Fleetwod Mac, which as Mike said, was ripped to flac from the CD and remastered in Adobe Audition to 16 LUFS (I've always been against the loudness war).
But testing exhaustively 8648, I saw this Dire Straits tune, which reminded me my high school years. It's from a vinyl and I think that it gave my cans a run for their money... I'm know ripping it from the CD, to try it from a flac too.

Sweet! I might add this to my collection of tunes to test with.

Being a vinyl rip, that says a lot - if I could get a decent turntable, as well as a decent sound capture card, I have a lot of 80s vinyl lying around that I'd love to rip to FLAC - Miami Vice soundtrack, KISS - Alive II, Michael Jackson - Thriller, and a couple of others, a few disco platters, and, if I can find them, a few Madonna 45s. All that is off the top of my head, I'd have to go back and look to see what exactly I have.

Neat fact: Miami Vice soundtrack includes this little song:

Phil Collins - In The Air Tonight (Official Music Video) - YouTube

ddelo said:

Give your Audio device a spin..... and test its limits!!!

Try this tune:


You'll be surprised... as I was, with 8648!!!

On 8648 with my Astro A40s (first gen) plugged directly in to the front panel headphone jack (with EQ optimizations, I must admit), this sounded very crisp, beautiful and AMAZING!

Thank you, @ddelo

EDIT: Added the following

I actually went back and reset the EQ and am listening to it again - it still sounds beautiful!

Guitarmageddon said:

I use optical out from the board to the modi

I stand corrected!

Guitarmageddon said:

I use optical out from the board to the modi

ddelo said:

I stand corrected!

Thanks to the both of you! I never even considered that I could use an external device and still go through the RealTek drivers - now I know I can!