If you have sound lag on Realtek based motherboards, this worked for me

[Piglet]

Just in case you have sound problems on Realtek-based boards, I've finally had time to work through enough websites to work out how to fix the problem on my machine:

Symptom: Sound lags behind video - by around 0.1 to 0.2 seconds.

Root cause: Realtek audio drivers

Fix: Use Microsoft drivers as described here: https://neosmart.net/wiki/fix-realtek-audio-delay-lag/

After removing Realtek drivers and using Microsoft HD driver the sound and video are in synch to the point I can't notice any difference.

You may have noticed on Freon last night that my accuracy also went up as I am now hearing everything a little earlier...and can react to it...

[Piglet]

Another note: Every time you get a windows update it resets you to Realtek crap drivers with sound lag. Just reset to the Microsoft ones to remove the lag.

[Nardaq_NL]

Microsoft disabled the option to disable driver update by windows update. (all hail windows 7)

Needs to be done by Group Policy or by regedit. See:
https://www.windowscentral.com/how-disable-automatic-driver-updates-windows-10

did you use the realtek driver from mainboard site or realtek site?

[Piglet]

I'm not sure. I think I tried both.

Whatever I tried...it was awful. Truly awful

[Veica]

Thankfully, I haven't noticed any latency issues with sound, until I try to run my guitar through a DAW. At least that's expected latency.

I've been replaying Skyrim for a little bit though, and it's super freaking quiet. I have to turn my PC volume to the max and my speakers to the max to even hear it. Of course, this makes literally everything else unbearably loud.

There is an option in the sound device settings for loudness equalization which makes everything even out... but it makes everything quiet even when I turn up the speakers.

Any ideas?

[}TCP{Cloud]

What worked for me was go to your RealTek audio manger and set the speaker configuration to 5.1 and uncheck all the optional speakers, but leave the full range speaker settings checked.