Mac studio v1 fan noise - it's going to be one of the loudest Macs at idle.

[Jrshelby]

I've been using my maxed out M1 Ultra for about a month now and not once have I heard the fan spin up. I constantly have all 20 cores at max usage during bigger renders too. I downloaded MacFan or whatever it's called to max out the fans just to hear what it sounds like and do admit it can be pretty loud. I don't know what you guys are doing to have the fans spin up like that.

Its not the fans spinning up. Nobody has mentioned the Mac Studio is loud or the fans are up in the 3,500 RPM Range. It's curly the high pitched, beeping and whirling noises. We download the fan software to lower the fans from 1,330 ish to low 1,100. Either way, if you have those noises, you're not getting rid of them, especially once you've heard them. They tend to be ANNOYING.

 

[mburkhard]

Its not the fans spinning up. Nobody has mentioned the Mac Studio is loud or the fans are up in the 3,500 RPM Range. It's curly the high pitched, beeping and whirling noises. We download the fan software to lower the fans from 1,330 ish to low 1,100. Either way, if you have those noises, you're not getting rid of them, especially once you've heard them. They tend to be ANNOYING.

Lowering the rpm to 1100 actually made the high-pitched noise even worse as it got a bit louder and changed pitch to an even more audible range.

 

[Jrshelby]

Lowering the rpm to 1100 actually made the high-pitched noise even worse as it got a bit louder and changed pitch to an even more audible range.

I Agee that 1,330 ish hides the pitch a little but the pitch is kinda always there. To be honest I just wish I could put/display the Mac Studio on my desk instead of under.

 

[sn1p3r845]

Its not the fans spinning up. Nobody has mentioned the Mac Studio is loud or the fans are up in the 3,500 RPM Range. It's curly the high pitched, beeping and whirling noises. We download the fan software to lower the fans from 1,330 ish to low 1,100. Either way, if you have those noises, you're not getting rid of them, especially once you've heard them. They tend to be ANNOYING.

It's literally in the title of the thread, sorry I didn't read all 54 pages to give my thoughts.

 

[Jrshelby]

It's literally in the title of the thread, sorry I didn't read all 54 pages to give my thoughts.

You are right but please read the entire thread., Ill link the posts that are relevant. The reason so many are returning their Mac Studios are the high pitched noise. Yes the OP titled this before anyone ever received a Mac studio.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/mac-studio-m1-max-high-pitched-whining-fans-fan-motor.2339924/

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/whine-or-no-whine-does-your-mac-studio-suffer-from-it.2343901/

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/mac-studio-max-its-not-that-quiet.2338488/

Mac Studio: Should You Buy? Features, Price, Reviews and More

The Mac Studio is a pro-oriented desktop Mac that's a hybrid between a Mac mini and a Mac Pro. Equipped with an M4 Max or M3 Ultra chip and tons...

www.macrumors.com

 

[sn1p3r845]

You are right but please read the entire thread., Ill link the posts that are relevant. The reason so many are returning their Mac Studios are the high pitched noise. Yes the OP titled this before anyone ever received a Mac studio.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/mac-studio-m1-max-high-pitched-whining-fans-fan-motor.2339924/

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/whine-or-no-whine-does-your-mac-studio-suffer-from-it.2343901/

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/mac-studio-max-its-not-that-quiet.2338488/

Mac Studio: Should You Buy? Features, Price, Reviews and More

The Mac Studio is a pro-oriented desktop Mac that's a hybrid between a Mac mini and a Mac Pro. Equipped with an M4 Max or M3 Ultra chip and tons...

www.macrumors.com

okay, mine doesn't do it.

 

[dunanos]

After one day with the Studio and the new fans. Again, it took a while to get used to it and start hearing the whine of the coils, or whatever you want to call it. Now it's a different sound, a different frequency. It has to be quiet, during the day it can only be heard up close. In the evening, in silence, one can hear the whistling even a few meters away (one has to find the right reflection of the sound). It is much quieter, I mean just whistling, than the original fans. Much less annoying, but I still think it's a flaw.

I did the original test from default speed to max and back to default speed again. Same problem, it whistles slightly when slowing down. Next test I tried small changes in rpm. The whistling stops for a moment, but then the sound settles down, even getting worse after a while as the system makes subtle speed corrections.

In this state it will be difficult to claim a defect, the service department may not hear it. But as I wrote, humorously for some, with the ear on the back you can hear the buzzing, whistling, etc without any problem. It can still be recorded and that is at least conclusive.

I still need more power for some applications than the Mini M1, which is great but not built for it. I can only hope Apple does a HW update in a year, or a fan replacement in a couple of years. With Studio 2, I'd definitely rather wait a few months. But sales probably won't be high like they are for a consumer MacBook, and it's like predicting what will be around in a few years, and that's hard.


Normal RPMs.

The old unit.

 

[bobcomer]

I've been using my maxed out M1 Ultra for about a month now and not once have I heard the fan spin up. I constantly have all 20 cores at max usage during bigger renders too. I downloaded MacFan or whatever it's called to max out the fans just to hear what it sounds like and do admit it can be pretty loud. I don't know what you guys are doing to have the fans spin up like that.

You don't get it, we don't push it to make the fans go faster, we don't need to, they make their noise *all the time*. (hence why it's so annoying!)

 

[ikir]

I've been using my maxed out M1 Ultra for about a month now and not once have I heard the fan spin up. I constantly have all 20 cores at max usage during bigger renders too. I downloaded MacFan or whatever it's called to max out the fans just to hear what it sounds like and do admit it can be pretty loud. I don't know what you guys are doing to have the fans spin up like that.

It is not a noise caused by fans running fast, its quite impossible indeed to makes those fan running faster than 1300rpm. It is a PSU or fan noise, not a deal breaker but some units especially M1 Max seems to have this issue.

 

[Psychicbob]

Anyone dared to try using a manual fan control app to max out the fans for a duration and see if they bed in and the noise calms down? Done a few quick bursts on my base spec Studio but not wanted to leave it sitting there at the max setting for long.

 

[bobcomer]

Anyone dared to try using a manual fan control app to max out the fans for a duration and see if they bed in and the noise calms down? Done a few quick bursts on my base spec Studio but not wanted to leave it sitting there at the max setting for long.

I haven't, but it is an interesting idea.

 

[bukalemun]

Anyone dared to try using a manual fan control app to max out the fans for a duration and see if they bed in and the noise calms down? Done a few quick bursts on my base spec Studio but not wanted to leave it sitting there at the max setting for long.

I did the opposite. Mine sounds worst at 1190 rpm, so I ran the machine at that speed overnight. In the morning, 1300 rpm had less whine but was not completely fixed. Perhaps that can be a solution for some though.

PS: the whine is from a circuitry component, not from the fans.

 

[Psychicbob]

I did the opposite. Mine sounds worst at 1190 rpm, so I ran the machine at that speed overnight. In the morning, 1300 rpm had less whine but was not completely fixed. Perhaps that can be a solution for some though.

PS: the whine is from a circuitry component, not from the fans.

Re: circuitry component - Ah ok, fair enough. I guess the problem I had with the Hades Canyon was actually fan-based. They resonated at a certain rpm, and some people had some success with leaving the fans running. It could still be the fan bearings though, right? Perhaps they could cause the metallic noise at specific rpm ranges. Otherwise it’s coil whine, but it doesn’t sound like that anyway. What a mystery!

 

[bukalemun]

Re: circuitry component - Ah ok, fair enough. I guess the problem I had with the Hades Canyon was actually fan-based. They resonated at a certain rpm, and some people had some success with leaving the fans running. It could still be the fan bearings though, right? Perhaps they could cause the metallic noise at specific rpm ranges. Otherwise it’s coil whine, but it doesn’t sound like that anyway. What a mystery!

I recorded it while changing fan speed and it is definitely not the fan bearings. It changes its tone sharply, that’s why I believe it is most probably a coil.

 

[Psychicbob]

I recorded it while changing fan speed and it is definitely not the fan bearings. It changes its tone sharply, that’s why I believe it is most probably a coil.

I guess it will take a couple of years for Apple to admit there is a problem and for people to get free replacement parts

 

[ikir]

I guess it will take a couple of years for Apple to admit there is a problem and for people to get free replacement parts

I just want to add that Mac Studio is an incredible machine, still awesome even with this issue that will be probably fixed in production. Still today I heard the noise/coil very little, just to try I will keep fan running high like 2000 rpm for tonight and see if tomorrow is getting better.

 

[bukalemun]

I just want to add that Mac Studio is an incredible machine, still awesome even with this issue that will be probably fixed in production. Still today I heard the noise/coil very little, just to try I will keep fan running high like 2000 rpm for tonight and see if tomorrow is getting better.

It is. It moved my Xcode project build from 2.5 minutes to under half a minute. I was expecting a computer 6 times faster than my 2015 iMac which I calculated from available benchmarks and it was really that much faster. It is a pity that I'll have to let this machine go.

 

[Danfango]

How does it compare to a high end Ryzen with a RTX3800? A friend of mine built one with “silent” parts and the thing sounds like a bloody wind tunnel still. And you can hear the poor little buck converters screaming like an army of drowning rats if you stress it.

 

[bukalemun]

How does it compare to a high end Ryzen with a RTX3800? A friend of mine built one with “silent” parts and the thing sounds like a bloody wind tunnel still. And you can hear the poor little buck converters screaming like an army of drowning rats if you stress it.

I wouldn't be able to compare it to a PC. But I can definitely say that its hum without the whine is nothing to worry about in nearly most circumstances except those that require a complete silent room.

I just checked the sound at my desk using DecibelX on my iPhone while the Studio is off. It hovers at 29-32 dB. When I start it, the sound hovers at 32-35 dB. The Studio is around 30-40 cm (a foot) from the microphone of the iPhone and the microphone is aimed towards it. It is definitely very, very quiet. Not as quiet as my iMac which is practically silent though.

But the iMac behaves like a jet engine while compiling code. Studio has no change in its fan speeds whatsoever.

If only it did not have that irritating whine...

 

[illitrate23]

I think I might need to get my ears checked by a doctor. There's clearly a whole band of frequency that I'm not able to hear.

 

[xgman]

coilgate...

 

[G4towersofpower]

Day two Ultra base, UK , music user

Setting it up on a table in a quiet office next to me for installs, I could hear it. having an m1 air i was a bit surprised and thought it was initial setup demands. but no - thats the constant fan. i wouldn’t call it loud at all -
More lower frequency content in the fan noise , no whine, in no way like the hissing of an Intel fan.
2 metres away i don’t notice it.

In my recording room the monitor controller at listening position measures around 29.5 dba when the room is “quiet” - it’s residential so a plane or general noise outside can still be heard - reads 30-35dba when there’s something like that. a mouseclick is 37 dba near the unit. quiet music 50 dba i can’t hear anything but the music. at normal 70-80dba listening you're not going to hear anything apart from someone standing next to you speaking into your ear.

Ultra placed on a shelf lower behind the monitor speakers. I can hear now my Yamaha HS8 slight hiss more than i can hear anything from the Ultra, and general low level noise from various bits of fanless equipment in the room. I couldn’t hear any of this with my Intel Macmini as the fans would drown all this out all day.

I’m keeping as it’s an impressive machine and real world not a problem for my use. If I was taking it in a silent pro recording room I wouldn’t have it located as near as my keyboard as in some of the promo pics , but it would work a couple of metres away. And nothing i have done maxing it out on test music sessions so far has increased the fan noise at all. Any music on in the room and it’s a non issue, mic recording if no booth available, maybe if it’s a quiet critical vocal in a small room you might move. Haven’t felt need to look into any fan control software as yet but will.

 

[FSmertz]

I'm happy to report that my Max Studio has zero noise issues so far. It's quiet. I feel for the many of you that have purchased noisy Mac Studios and hope you can get things rectified.

 

[PinkyMacGodess]

Dust buildup?

I remember I had an Intel board and the system started having a whining sound that grew worse over time. I checked all of the fans, and finally took the fan off the processor heat sink and found a buildup of fine dust that seemed to be rising out of the fins. I blew it off/out and it was much quieter, much much quieter. I moved the system to what seemed a cleaner area, and it was fine. Just an idea.

Seems hard to believe that dust could build up that quickly, but I was shocked at where all of that fine dust could have been coming from. Yikes... They are like three year-olds, they collect everything...

 

[PinkyMacGodess]

IMP: I can sometiems hear the fans in mine, but it's much more of a whisper than playing cards in the spokes. My MBP often sounds like it's going to lift off at full throttle, and that gets annoying, especially considering all that fan noise doesn't seem to be doing anything to attenuate the amount of heat in the thing. It still gets almost scorching hot for so much fan noise.