Mine made the sound the first time I started it up, but dust buildup in the first few weeks would show a pretty bad design flaw too...
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Mac studio v1 fan noise - it's going to be one of the loudest Macs at idle.
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If it was there from the beginning, it's not dust, and dust buildup happens. Cleaning the system (if possible) a few times a year would be a great idea, but most people don't bother. But dust buildup is NOT a design flaw. I've had systems that ended up being loaded down with dust/lint/hair that were silent. Had a client that sanded and ground metal parts, and some of those systems would have enough dust in them to be able to knock it out onto a table, but they were quiet. None shorted out either, which surprised me. They did have a server power supply fan die, likely due to the metalic dust. We tried to keep their servers as clean as we could but the dust was everywhere. Another client did custom doors, and the clear-coat they used was on everything. The systems and servers had hair, the lint was glued to the boards. It really was quite a sight, but anyway...
I wonder if the fans are rubber isolated from the heatsink and other chassis parts? Could it be harmonics from the fan being 'amplified' by the system itself? THAT would be either a design, or execution flaw for sure...
It certainly is if it's only in the first few weeks. Anything less than a year.. (assuming a normal environment of course) A mill floor is something different!
And something that's not possible for most people. The Studio wasn't built to be easily accessible to clean.
The teardowns didn't show that level of detail for the fans, but I'm willing to bet not. I'm almost positive it's a harmonics problem with the fans, and probably an execution flaw. I think they designed the fan system that any little manufacturing difference throws all the harmonics out of whack. For me there's a sound right on the edge of my awareness that just plain bothers me when I'm sitting at my computer desk. If I were working from home all the time I'd have had to sent it back, but since I don't, I can live with it. It's not like I don't have other machines to use if gets too annoying. I still like the machine too much to get rid of it.
I had an Intel compute stick m3 version and the fan in that made a sound like an angry gnat. The sounds some people are reporting are like an angry, metallic gnat!
A casual observation:
With summer approaching the ambient temperature has gone up. Inside my house it's now >21ºC.
My Mac Studio Max, which was quiet during the past seven weeks, has started to produce the irritating tone some have been complaining about. Luckily it's not very loud. I don't monitor the fan, but fan speed and airflow seem about the same as before.
With summer approaching the ambient temperature has gone up. Inside my house it's now >21ºC.
My Mac Studio Max, which was quiet during the past seven weeks, has started to produce the irritating tone some have been complaining about. Luckily it's not very loud. I don't monitor the fan, but fan speed and airflow seem about the same as before.
It certainly is if it's only in the first few weeks. Anything less than a year.. (assuming a normal environment of course) A mill floor is something different!
And something that's not possible for most people. The Studio wasn't built to be easily accessible to clean.
The teardowns didn't show that level of detail for the fans, but I'm willing to bet not. I'm almost positive it's a harmonics problem with the fans, and probably an execution flaw. I think they designed the fan system that any little manufacturing difference throws all the harmonics out of whack. For me there's a sound right on the edge of my awareness that just plain bothers me when I'm sitting at my computer desk. If I were working from home all the time I'd have had to sent it back, but since I don't, I can live with it. It's not like I don't have other machines to use if gets too annoying. I still like the machine too much to get rid of it.
Wow. Not isolating the fans somehow, for such apparently large fans is inexcusable.
And a comment that surprised me from the Ifixit teardown:
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I have the Mac Studio Max in my home office and I don't hear any noise at all. Of course, that may be because any sound the unit puts off is drowned out by my wife's constant high-pitched "whine."
someone please compare macstudio with mac pro 2013 in terms of fan-noise, thanks.
Speaking for my machines. From a working distance there’s not much in it. They do sound different to each other though due to the different cooling choices made between the two; shape, fan size etc.
At idle, after using both for some time, the 2013 Mac Pro is definitely quieter. However, it’s never at idle for very long and the fan quickly ramps up, while the Ultra‘s fans and noise level never seem to change even during extended and heavy use.
Received my Studio Max today. Under the monitor, there's slight audible noise, but nothing significant. It's more obvious when put my head right next to it. However, I notice a change when the Mac shuts down/reboots and the fans stop—my ears seem to relax a little, and the silence is so obvious. My initial experience suggests it's not so much a loud noise (it's definitely quieter than the Mac Pro tower) but consistent enough to tire the ears. After moving the Studio underneath the desk, it is more bearable. Still audible, but nowhere near as irritating/tiring.
I'll see how I feel about it after 10 days of usage before deciding whether to keep or return it. I hope to make it work—I don't want to wait another 5 weeks for a replacement 🥴
This is what I found also. Normal fan speed is around 1320rpm. I lowered to 1200 and the high pitch got louder and noticeable. Lowering down to 1000 removed some of the sound but it was still audible. I need to test properly, but it does seem like the 1280–1320 range is the "sweet spot". I join the calls for Apple to release some sort of native software update so the fans aren't always on. If the fans on the MBP Max are usually idle, surely the Studio's, with more internal ventilation space, can keep cooler with less fan activity 🤔
That being said, the Studio flies and is super cool even with a lot of audio processing going on. VERY impressed. My old Mac Pro would have fired the thrusters. I'll update if things get worse (or better!) in the coming weeks!
I'll see how I feel about it after 10 days of usage before deciding whether to keep or return it. I hope to make it work—I don't want to wait another 5 weeks for a replacement 🥴
This is what I found also. Normal fan speed is around 1320rpm. I lowered to 1200 and the high pitch got louder and noticeable. Lowering down to 1000 removed some of the sound but it was still audible. I need to test properly, but it does seem like the 1280–1320 range is the "sweet spot". I join the calls for Apple to release some sort of native software update so the fans aren't always on. If the fans on the MBP Max are usually idle, surely the Studio's, with more internal ventilation space, can keep cooler with less fan activity 🤔
That being said, the Studio flies and is super cool even with a lot of audio processing going on. VERY impressed. My old Mac Pro would have fired the thrusters. I'll update if things get worse (or better!) in the coming weeks!
Received my replacement Mac Studio on Tuesday. It has the same problem. Just had a call with apple after sales, I will return it for a total refund. However, I am very disappointed that apple has not managed to address this quality problem in the meantime and keeps delivering faulty products.
My experience:
- Mac Studio M1 is not silent. I can hear it even with my mini server running with a couple of HDs.
- However, it is very unobtrusive
- Can't hear any "whine" over my slight tinnitus...
In practical terms:
- Yes, it's "louder" at idle than my 2017 iMac at idle
- But, it's much quieter under load than the iMac
I think the last point is the important one. Of course, I'm not ruling out the possibility that there are defective, noisy units out there. Nothing new there - back in 2006 I drove my brand new Mac Pro all the way back to the Apple Store because of a noisy fan...
- Mac Studio M1 is not silent. I can hear it even with my mini server running with a couple of HDs.
- However, it is very unobtrusive
- Can't hear any "whine" over my slight tinnitus...
In practical terms:
- Yes, it's "louder" at idle than my 2017 iMac at idle
- But, it's much quieter under load than the iMac
I think the last point is the important one. Of course, I'm not ruling out the possibility that there are defective, noisy units out there. Nothing new there - back in 2006 I drove my brand new Mac Pro all the way back to the Apple Store because of a noisy fan...
Good morning everyone. I just wanted to intervene to tell you that I received my Mac Studio and that I feared the sound it would emit given the facts described here. Good news: I don't have the symptoms that some people seem to suffer from here. The noise it emits is insignificant at the limit of the perceptible. I was surely lucky. Either it emits this noise and I don't hear it, or it has been corrected at the factory (I don't believe it). Max 64/32/4TB
For now, I've settled on 1250rpm for the fans. It's not drastically far from the default 1320–1330. The whirring is quite reduced at this speed, although sometimes I find I have to change the speed up and down for a few seconds before the noise settles when taking it back to 1250.
Blocking the ventilation grill at the back with my fingers for a few seconds also calms the intensity of the whirring. This could be my next workaround to try (small section of tape) which could allow me to keep the fans back on the OS' automatic default.
I'm coming back to you to clarify my feelings.
Insomnia problem and lifted at 4 a.m. So apartment / building in absolute calm.
And indeed we hear a white breath slightly. But it's extremely weak and not annoying for me.
As I approach my head 1 cm from the fans, we actually hear an acute noise "very far away" but that disappears in my ears when I sit in my seat and find me 60 cm from the Mac studio.
So yes, it's not totally silent as my 2017 iMac could be. But I had to be in front of my Mac studio at 4 a.m. to realize it!!
In the middle of the day it's imperceptible for me. The noise is insignificant.
Sod's law, replacement is marginally louder than the original unit. Although the most annoying aspect is an occasional hiss/whine noise, never experience the latter before.
In all probability, the quality control is obviously lower in times where demand massively outstrips supply. Rushing these out the door as quickly as possible.
In all probability, the quality control is obviously lower in times where demand massively outstrips supply. Rushing these out the door as quickly as possible.
This is my concern—I'd rather put up with my insignificant-to-intermittently-annoying machine than risk a louder replacement, and having to wait another 5+ weeks for delivery 😅.
A software update that doesn't have the fans on all the time like the MBP will be welcome. If the Studio 2 comes with no noise, I'll consider trading mine in for the new one and pay the difference. Until then I think I'll hold tight
My original was super quiet, was replaced because of dodgy wifi. It is not a massive issue, just thought I would let people know you could receive a great, average or crap unit.This is my concern—I'd rather put up with my insignificant-to-intermittently-annoying machine than risk a louder replacement, and having to wait another 5+ weeks for delivery 😅.
A software update that doesn't have the fans on all the time like the MBP will be welcome. If the Studio 2 comes with no noise, I'll consider trading mine in for the new one and pay the difference. Until then I think I'll hold tight
Still thinking about returning of my affected Mac Studio, is here any lucky man, who got the new one without this annoying issue? (Europe)
It's good to know that different versions of the same model can vary, and thus some make more noise than others.
There's obviously going to be loads. Hundreds, Thousands, probably. Thing is, they don't join an online forum just to say their computer doesn't have a fault.
Whine, i can live with fan noise, but this whine is annoying, i can't ignore that sound also in case i have my working laptop (and this laptop is pretty loudly) next to the mac studio. I am going to return my mac studio, i should have the new one immidiately, or the second day, so i am currious...hopefully there will be change.
Not entirely true. I was keeping an eye on this post for a few weeks now and I hesitated to order a Mac Studio. I'm a sounddesigner, record most sounds on my desk just a few inches from my studio computer away. The MacMini Intel i7 is getting to hot and makes to much noise when it's working hard. The MacMini M1 doesn't have enough memory, so I was very excited when Apple announced the Mac Studio.
An Apple reseller in The Netherlands had ordered a few BTO's to sell in their shop. They arrived this weekend and I picked one up: Mac Studio M1 max 32GPU, 64Gb 1TB. If it was to noisy, I should have returned it immediately.
But it's almost completely silent! My studio measures somewhere at 15dB and with the Mac Studio at idle it stays at 15dB. I'm really lucky with this machine! And yes, I joined this forum for this post.