Why does the sound echo when I play songs or videos in RealPlayer?

RealPlayer may echo for the following reasons:

- Reverb option in the RealPlayer Equalizer is set.
- Direct Sound is disabled.
- Sound card drivers are outdated.

First you will want to check the reverb settings in the RealPlayer. Then see if Direct Sound is disabled in the RealPlayer. If you still encounter echoing in the RealPlayer, you will want to download the latest drivers available for your sound card.

Solution 1: Check the Reverb in the RealPlayer Equalizer.

RealPlayer Plus has a 10-band equalizer with a Reverb setting. If the Reverb is turned on, it will simulate the sound as if you were in a large room or hallway.

To turn off the Reverb setting, turn off the Equalizer feature:

1. Open RealPlayer and click the Tools menu, then Equalizer.
2. Turn off the equalizer by clicking the On/Off button (should be green when on, red when off).
3. Close the Equalizer window.

Solution 2: Disable 16-bit sound and custom sampling rates, then enable Direct Sound.

To resolve the echo problem, disable 16-bit sound and custom sampling rates and enable Direct Sound in RealPlayer:

1. Open RealPlayer.
2. Click the RealPlayer logo in the upper left corner, then click Preferences. The Preferences box opens.
3. In the Category pane, click Hardware.
4. In the Sound Card Compatibility section, click the Settings button.
5. Click the Disable 16-bit sound check box.
5. Click the Disable custom sampling rates check box.
5. Clear the Disable Direct Sound check box.
6. Click OK, then OK again.
7. Try using RealPlayer again to see if it improves the quality of audio playback.

Solution 3: Update your sound card driver.

RealPlayer is designed to take advantage of the latest advances in driver technology. Older drivers can cause unexpected errors.

If the installed driver is more than six months old, it may not be compatible with RealPlayer. Please update the sound card driver on your system. Driver updates are usually available for free download from manufacturers' websites. The drivers are usually updated every few months. After installing the drivers, be sure to restart your computer so the configuration changes take effect.