Any one notices the cracking/popping sound of new 16 inch MBP?

[dmstasinos]

I want to point out that the popping on 15 inch models (at least mine) is also sequential. This means that even if you don't scrub videos it's produced randomly almost every minute, even if you do nothing, just starring the machine while it's on or while surfing.

Is this also true for the 16 inch model before or after 10.15.2 update?

 

[impulse462]

If this is a software bug, is it worth picking it up? I have a 2012 air right now.

I tried it on many videos and only one video, when I closed its tab, made the noise. Honestly 99% of the time it’s no big deal. I realize these are expensive though so I can understand why people expect a perfect product (at least one without these sophomoric issues)

What I can say is I’ve been enjoying the new keyboard and improved thermals. Been doing some batch image processing in matlab, some java development in an IDE, running a VM, running some simple models in pytorch (although training will be done on a remote GPU), and adobe illustrator for making a figure for a paper and it’s handled everything flawlessly. If your Air is starting to struggle with multiple tasks being run simultaneously the upgrade is definitely worth it.

 

[Donnation]

View attachment 882338

Thanks so much for letting us all know, we were all desperately wondering what your plans were with your order. I know I can rest easy now knowing that your cancelled it.

And FWIW, the popping has completely gone away for me with the latest Catalina update.

 

[BarrettF77]

Did a full install not the delta and now it isn’t popping in scrubbing and closing during play. Testing is limited do the verdict is still out but it’s worth an hour of anybody’s time to try and let it update versus the delta installer. We shall see.

 

[Hammond_z_Texasu]

Macbook 13, 2018 user here. I am experiencing I think same issue. I havent test build-in speakers enough yet but my headphones are affected by this issue. When I play ANY sound a short crackling sound/interference appear and so after sound ends. Even in After Effects if I hit space for preview, there is same quiet crackling sound no matter if I have any soundfile on timeline (could be reproduced in empty document). Quicktime solution or any sound stream in background fix this issues logically, because it happens only if there is sound on/off system command. Update absolutely didnt fix my issue.

Can anybody confirm that this is same problem as you talk about here?

PS: I think I dont hear that crackling on my second different headphones which are old and has overall low sound level.

Thx

 

[fokmik]

Thanks so much for letting us all know, we were all desperately wondering what your plans were with your order. I know I can rest easy now knowing that your cancelled it.

And FWIW, the popping has completely gone away for me with the latest Catalina update.

give him a rest...hes just trolling...he cancel the 16" that has proper cooling,keyboard but he keeps his 13" 2019 that also has this software pop issue

Bottom line for me only safari+youtube still has this issue...the rest are fixed

 

[foldpages]

Did a full install not the delta and now it isn’t popping in scrubbing and closing during play. Testing is limited do the verdict is still out but it’s worth an hour of anybody’s time to try and let it update versus the delta installer. We shall see.

I'm going to give this a try tonight.

 

[littlepud]

10.15.2 update has eliminated the problem for me.

 

[orsino]

Did a full install not the delta and now it isn’t popping in scrubbing and closing during play. Testing is limited do the verdict is still out but it’s worth an hour of anybody’s time to try and let it update versus the delta installer. We shall see.

If 10.15.2 full install(recovery install) is conducted, Audio output sampling freqnecy is forced to be changed to 48kHz even if the last value is 44.1kHz (I believe MacBook 16" must be shipped with the factory default setting 44.1kHz in 10.15.1). In 10.15.2, higher Audio output sampling frequency has popping noise become less. (96KHz is the best to reduce popping noise most). So you can see different occurrence frequency between delta update and full update.

 

[foldpages]

If 10.15.2 full install(recovery install) is conducted, Audio output sampling freqnecy is forced to be changed to 48kHz even if the last value is 44.1kHz (I believe MacBook 16" must be shipped with the factory default setting 44.1kHz in 10.15.1). In 10.15.2, higher Audio output sampling frequency has popping noise become less. (96KHz is the best to reduce popping noise most). So you can see different occurrence frequency between delta update and full update.

Interesting. I did the delta update and format was set to 44.1kHz. Just changed it to 48kHz and popping in Safari is gone!

 

[MikeVera]

Interesting. I did the delta update and format was set to 44.1kHz. Just changed it to 48kHz and popping in Safari is gone!

I can confirm this! I did the normal delta update (using the installer through 10.15.1). Popping was reduced in most applications but in safari remained... I didn't want to just switch to chrome since I have iCloud Keychain.

I went into Utilities, Midi setup, and changed sampling rate from 44.1kHz to 48kHz, and restarted the computer. I then confirmed that it was still set to 48kHz (it wouldn't be an effective solution if I had to reset it to 48kHz every time I started the computer, so fortunately it was)!

I then went into safari and tested all the same videos at max volume and was scrubbing around, and did not get one pop.

I did force close Safari using activity monitor however and did get a quieter pop....

So between the update and change to 48kHz the only time I get the pop now is if I force close safari while it's blasting sound.

 

[covedrop]

I changed the sampling rate from 48 (and further to max just to see) and it definitely made it better; however (and maybe I have really sensitive ears?) there is still a noticeable noise - not so much a pop anymore than a "thunk" of sorts -- at this point it's entirely more that I'd like it to not do ANYTHING unnecessary, but it's 100% not a bother anymore. It'll bother me in particular just because I know it's there =P

 

[de.ke]

The easiest way to test the popping sound issue is to press cmd + q frequently on your desktop. Just klick on the empty desktop and press it frequently and than you hear the popping sound. You hear it on the 2016 2017 and 2018 model 13 inch and 15 inch. With or without headphones. It has to be a hardware issue a design flaw with the logicboard or T1/T2 chip. The replacement of the speakers doesn't help. Can anybody recreate this issue for me ?

 

[covedrop]

The easiest way to test the popping sound issue is to press cmd + q frequently on your desktop. Just klick on the empty desktop and press it frequently and than you hear the popping sound. You hear it on the 2016 2017 and 2018 model 13 inch and 15 inch. With or without headphones. It has to be a hardware issue a design flaw with the logicboard or T1/T2 chip. The replacement of the speakers doesn't help. Can anybody recreate this issue for me ?

Yeah, just tried it and there's definitely a popping. Unsure if it's 100p related to the same issue in this thread, but likely in the same vein.

 

[de.ke]

Yeah, just tried it and there's definitely a popping. Unsure if it's 100p related to the same issue in this thread, but likely in the same vein.

I think it is the same issue. In the end it is a problem with the sound output. If they fix this, then any other issue with popping is resolved. I find this is the easiest way to check fot this problem across the mac lineup. I would be interested if the new Mac Pro and the Imac Pro have the same issue while using my method.

 

[MikeVera]

Yep Command Q repeatedly makes it sound like popcorn in the microwave LOL

 

[de.ke]

I also think the popping issue is related to the hissing noise of the speakers. You can hear it if you pause a video for 10 seconds. It is like some kind of white noise. I think the iteration of this sound also has role in this problem. Every mac that popped had also the hissing sound. Every macbook that i checked for this since 2016 has this problem. No repair can fix it. This white noise also distorts the sound quallity in the low volume spectrum. Your hear it when you use the speakers at one bar.
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Yep Command Q repeatedly makes it sound like popcorn in the microwave LOL

I think the best method to annoy the apple stores. Is the show them this trick because now software can fix this and you can recreate it almost perfectly every time. I can bet that every mac in the store makes this pop with cmd + q.

 

[MikeVera]

I know this is beating a dead horse, but i'm continuously blown away how this wasn't flagged as an issue prior to release.

Im not even referring to the pops from skimming in Youtube...but especially the pre-update FCPX issue.

Since FCPX is an in-house program, and a big use case for a "pro" machine, there must have a been a load of testers that heard popping while doing some rendering perf tests in FCPX, that either just "ignored it" since it was too late in the process to really go back to the drawing board, or knowingly deferred it to a future software fix.

This isn't like coil whine, where it varies widely, and some people don't have the hearing acuity to really notice, in FCPX it was literally Orville Redenbacher when skimming through video...

 

[de.ke]

I know this is beating a dead horse, but i'm continuously blown away how this wasn't flagged as an issue prior to release.

Im not even referring to the pops from skimming in Youtube...but especially the pre-update FCPX issue.

Since FCPX is an in-house program, and a big use case for a "pro" machine, there must have a been a load of testers that heard popping while doing some rendering perf tests in FCPX, that either just "ignored it" since it was too late in the process to really go back to the drawing board, or knowingly deferred it to a future software fix.

This isn't like coil whine, where it varies widely, and some people don't have the hearing acuity to really notice, in FCPX it was literally Orville Redenbacher when skimming through video...

It is the same in every industry. You compare the cost of redesign with the cost of replacing or repairing. Here we can clearly see that apple decided for the cost of repair and they hope that it doesn't get to much attention. But here were are. Somebody in this thread put it very good when they said that our complaints are not heard because we don't have the reach like a youtuber or other media persons.

 

[robvas]

Doesn't do it on mine after the update

 

[orsino]

I can confirm this! I did the normal delta update (using the installer through 10.15.1). Popping was reduced in most applications but in safari remained... I didn't want to just switch to chrome since I have iCloud Keychain.

I went into Utilities, Midi setup, and changed sampling rate from 44.1kHz to 48kHz, and restarted the computer. I then confirmed that it was still set to 48kHz (it wouldn't be an effective solution if I had to reset it to 48kHz every time I started the computer, so fortunately it was)!

I then went into safari and tested all the same videos at max volume and was scrubbing around, and did not get one pop.

I did force close Safari using activity monitor however and did get a quieter pop....

So between the update and change to 48kHz the only time I get the pop now is if I force close safari while it's blasting sound.

Even in 48kHz setting, popping noise is hearable when forcing coliseum safari using command +q. 96kHz would reduce the pop more in closing safari compared to 48kHz.
I recommend you to change the setting to 96kHz.
Judging from the fact, it seems to be related audio output buffer(FIFO) size software design in audio device driver level(or CoreAudio). Because generally, high frequency needs more buffer size.
But more buffer size causes High audio latency generally... So just my assumption, but if buffer size can be changed manually to more even in 44.1kHz, the occurrence frequency of the pop might be reduced.(it’s trade off between the symptom and the latency).
Unfortunately, MacOS doesn’t allow users to change audio output buffer size.

 

[de.ke]

Doesn't do it on mine after the update

If you are talking about the 10.15.2 Update. It didn't helped.

 

[katastropoulos]

I installed Catalina 10.15.2 and my sound pop problems are fixed

YouTube, Netflix Apple TV, all working fine, great

Hi, I just noticed that the pop problems are not completely fixed in Safari.
When watching Videos or scrubbing everything is fine since 10.15.2.
But today I had a loud pop while closing a YouTube tab in Safari while it was playing.
So the pop is not 100% gone.

In Chrome I still get pops but noticably less and more low volume than before the patch.

I am using YouTube, NetFlix and Amazon Video in Safari and Chrome.
Apple TV does not pop anymore and Spotify worked fine always.

I am still not sure if I want to send this machine back.
What I also find annoying is the fan noise that even occurs while the i9-2,3GHz CPU is doing virtually nothing when connected to a 4K monitor. Alone switching to the Radeon 5500M is enough to let the fans kicking in.
I really don't get it. They claim that the thermals are improved and the fans spin up for nothing.
My MacBook Pro 15" 2016 was dead silent for most of the time connected to the 4K monitor.

So it seems that only by activating the Radeon the computer heats up significantly.
I do not mind when the fans spin up under load. That's what they are designed for. But a completely idle laptop should not act this way. Light web surfing or word document processing should be silent.

When I use it as a laptop with the integrated graphics the fans remain silent.
I am not sure if it is better to switch to the 6-core i7 with the Radeon 5300M and lose some GPU power which is only important for me because I do some gaming on my Mac like Civilization VI and the GPU is a massive improvement over my AMD Radon 455 in my Macbook Pro 2016 and makes gaming possible using MacOS. I did not try BootCamp because I read that under BootCamp the fans really go crazy. I have a dedicated Windows PC when I want complex games.

Has anyone a good comparison temperature wise between a Core i//Radeon 5300M and the i9 2,3 GHz/Radeon 5500M 4GB?

Greetings Janni

 

[morze]

I did a clean install of 10.15.2 and the issue has not been resolved. The popping is still there, although lower than prior to update. Apple tried to address it quickly after the media picked up on it but it's clearly not resolved.

 

[fokmik]

Ok, its clear the pop sound related with safari is not fixed...
Apple still need some work..and macrumors should not let this go...and we need some red flag for Apple
FCP is fixed...its clear that Apple is fixing 1 thing over 1 year
With Mojave they fixed the sound issue from Apple Music
After 1 year we have FCP sound issue fix
Lets hope in 1 year we will have safari youtube sound issue fixed
Jesus..is not a big thing but again...why Apple isnt fixing the whole issue but just half of it