Anyone hear a weird sound from their MBA?

[Kan-O-Z]

I hear a weird sound coming from the back of the MBA. It sounds like what a HDD sounds like when it's reading/writing...or another way to describe it is it sounds like a buzzing electrical noise that you can hear from power lines. Mine is the SSD so it definitely isn't the drive. It's coming from the back where the fans are. The noise is very faint and I first heard it when I was in a very quiet room. It's easiest to hear when you hold the rear vents up to your ear. Yes you hear the fans but I also hear this 'additional' noise as well. Does anyone else have these symptoms? I just want to make sure it's not the electrical or fans that are about to go bad or something.

Update: I also hear something as soon as it powers on from sleep. It must be the fans spinning up but it doesn't sound normal...

Kan-O-Z

 

[Ironic]

Dead silent. SSD

 

[Kan-O-Z]

Dead silent. SSD

Well it can't be dead silent. You do have fans and if you hold your vents up to your ear in a very quiet room you will hear the fans

The question is do you hear anything else besides the fans when you hold the vents up to your ears in a quiet room?

Kan-O-Z

 

[NCGolfGuy]

Yes. I have the same problem on my Air Rev B. It started last week after the fan shot up to 6000 rpms. Once the fan slowed down I could hear the noise. The Apple Tech person ordered a new fan module and will switch it next Tuesday. My guess is that the fan units are pretty low cost.

 

[SummerBoy]

+1

It's really annoying !

When I'm using trackpad I can hear the electric buzz sound underneath

keyboard. Also, right side of macbook air seemed to be little lighter than

left side..I can't explain but I'm starting to get disappointed mba's quality..

 

[lucidmedia]

I hear a weird sound coming from the back of the MBA. It sounds like what a HDD sounds like when it's reading/writing...

Its a fan issue. My MBA 1.8/SSD started making the same sound about a week after I got it. Apple replaced the fan in store and the machine is now silent...

 

[Kan-O-Z]

Its a fan issue. My MBA 1.8/SSD started making the same sound about a week after I got it. Apple replaced the fan in store and the machine is now silent...

That's good to know. I'll take it in and see if I can get my fan replaced as well.

Kan-O-Z

 

[phoobo]

some processors and ssd's emit a soft, high-pitched whine

...and you don't even need moving parts to get it. Even the screen can whine.

Could be any of these, or none of them. Just sayin. If it's the CPU or SSD, it could just be bad luck. From your initial description (immediate on waking up), it sounds like CPU whine. Apple has admitted that the older MBPs can whine ( http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1823?viewlocale=en_US ); might apply to the MBA also.

Google "CPU whine" and you'll see a lot on the subject.

 

[shokunin]

I hear an electronic buzz - buzz then a squeek when coming out of sleep. Mines a 1.86/128SSD

 

[Kan-O-Z]

I hear an electronic buzz - buzz then a squeek when coming out of sleep. Mines a 1.86/128SSD

Yeah me too! I think it's the fans spinning up when you come out of sleep. Doesn't sound like a big deal, I just want to make sure the fans don't die on me and I end up with an overheating computer.

Kan-O-Z

 

[Ironic]

Nope, the fans are all I hear with my ear up to it

 

[jackiecanev2]

I've got no whine or buzz either. SSD.

 

[SummerBoy]

I have same problem with op.

Should I visit apple store?

 

[SFStateStudent]

I've only heard noise from my Rev A during the watching of youtube or a dvd, at about the same time that the fan is flying at 6200rpms and the temperature is around 175º F...

 

[sparkie7]

mine made a farting noise

 

[Ironic]

mine made a farting noise

Then you must be running windows.

 

[sparkie7]

Then you must be running windows.

i was running LinuxGas Beta 1.0

 

[SummerBoy]

Keep us updated op !

I'm having same problem, and I want to know what happened to you

 

[NCGolfGuy]

I'm updating everyone from my earlier post in this thread. Apple replaced my fan module and my Air with the SSD is silent again. I'm once again enjoying my quiet Mac. I'm definitely glad I spent the extra money for the SSD drive. The technician allowed me to watch him while he changed it out. The insides are pretty cool the processor board is really small and the battery is extremely thin and light.

 

[SummerBoy]

I'm updating everyone from my earlier post in this thread. Apple replaced my fan module and my Air with the SSD is silent again. I'm once again enjoying my quiet Mac. I'm definitely glad I spent the extra money for the SSD drive. The technician allowed me to watch him while he changed it out. The insides are pretty cool the processor board is really small and the battery is extremely thin and light.

Thank you, so it is defect...I might just return it to amazon..

 

[coupdetat]

I have the electric buzz too. I always just thought it was the CPU or something. Only audible in a very quiet room.