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

I moved it. I still hear it even over music playing. I'm sending it back. What a disappointing product compared to the new MacBook Pros. I never imagined there would be annoying, audible fans at idle but there are. Now I have to setup my thunderbolt dock and transfer everything back to the MacBook Pro. Uggh.
 
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ARBORIOSTUDIO said:
I moved it. I still hear it even over music playing. I'm sending it back. What a disappointing product compared to the new MacBook Pros. I never imagined there would be annoying, audible fans at idle but there are. Now I have to setup my thunderbolt dock and transfer everything back to the MacBook Pro. Uggh.
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That’s tough. I had expected it to be louder than my iMac, based on apples own numbers, but not annoying.
 
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There's a reason why this thread already runs seven pages and will go on forever. Whether noise is an issue depends on personal sensitivity to sound, where the computer is located and what the computer is being used for.

At some point, I'll probably record my Mac Studio with a good microphone and then have a look at the recording in iZotope RX, but just out of curiosity. When I'm recording sound, as a matter of common sense I don't have my computer near mikes anyway. I've had a Mac Studio a few feet away from me since last night, and so far I'm not bothered at all by sound, but that's me. I don't doubt that some people think that it sounds like a jet engine. Luckily, I'm not them :)

Basically, I think that debating this is pointless. Either it's a problem for you or it isn't.
 
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I checked out computer sound reduction solutions. ISO Box is for towers and costs more than the Mac Studio Max. Another possible solution would be to buy an audio PC case with good sound dampening and install a large quiet fan if needed for circulation.
 
Here is the problem I see with the Mac Studio....there is no reason for the fans being on at idle or light load. At least they should be set so low (like the Mac Mini) that they are not audible at all. At idle the Mac Studio is around 7W - 14W.
Much like the Macbook Pro's - turn on the fans when you need them. I still can't believe Apple designed it this way. D*mn it.

This reminds me of the "Trash Can" Mac Pro 2013 that I sold because of the idle fan noise it made.

My last hope is a custom fan curve with TG Pro. Maybe someone can try it?
 
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ARBORIOSTUDIO said:
I moved it. I still hear it even over music playing. I'm sending it back. What a disappointing product compared to the new MacBook Pros. I never imagined there would be annoying, audible fans at idle but there are. Now I have to setup my thunderbolt dock and transfer everything back to the MacBook Pro. Uggh.
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This post seems like a stretch. Even when music is playing you can hear it?
 
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This is so disappointing. I have an iMac Pro that is dead silent. I was thinking of upgrading to a Mac Studio to get the Apple Silicon goodness in my desktop (I have a 14" M1 Pro Macbook Pro), but I guess I'll have to wait for a better option. I do podcasting and webcam video recording several times a week. My Shure SM7B mic is mounted to my desk with a swing arm and my iMac Pro is also mounted to the same desk via an Ergotron arm. Everything is right there, close together. If the Mac Studio is audible, it will likely interfere with recording. And it will annoy the #$#@ out of me.
 
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Apple2GS said:
I returned my base model studio. The always on fan was annoying but the deal breaker was the high pitched whine. Reminded me of old PCs with coil whine.
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Yuck! What are the other options here? Maybe they'll release a beefed-up Mac Mini that will have enough power for me. I don't do video editing or rendering, but I work with a lot of high-res photography files.
 
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I have the base Ultra and the display, both have fans, but I don't hear the Studio unless i put my ear right next to it, and I can only feel the air flow on top of the display, can't hear anything. Doesn't bother me at all, and I have the Studio right next to the display on my desk just maybe 20" away from my ears. I guess for younger folks with very sensitive hearing maybe it's a bother, but not to me.
 
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The problem I think with a thread like this is that while it may be a significant issue for some, others who may not have noticed it will now be listening for it and over emphasizing something that was otherwise a nonissue. Princess and the pea syndrome.
 
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ARBORIOSTUDIO said:
My Mac Pro was under my desk and I never heard it, ever. The Mac Studio is right in front of me and it's audible with a constant noise. I am going to move it to the right side of the desk for now so at least it isn't right in front of me, but if this same chip is silent in the MacBook Pro 16" and loud in this thing then something is wrong. Maybe it's just the chassis and nature of the fans. I'm curious to seee if the Ultra is quiet because of the better heat sink.
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MBP doesn't have a big power supply built inside, Mac Studio does in a small enclosure. That's why the fans are always on.
 
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roland.g said:
The problem I think with a thread like this is that while it may be a significant issue for some, others who may not have noticed it will now be listening for it and over emphasizing something that was otherwise a nonissue. Princess and the pea syndrome.
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all this talk reminds of when I was a Mac developer in the 80's and one of the guys I worked with would run the longest SCSI cable he could to a closet so he wouldn't hear the drive noises. :)
 
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I finally got my 2018 Mac Mini with eGPU swapped for a new Mac Studio.

A huge drop in fan noise with the new Mac Studio, and a major drop in heat also.

The eGPU constantly blew a lot of warm air, and the 2018 Mac Mini was always hot on the top.

Not anything to complain about, as far as fan noise, on the Mac Studio. The hard drives sitting next to the hidden Mac Studio are louder for me at the moment.

Might be singing a different tune if I had the Mac Studio front and center, but I tend to mount these computers out of sight. If there was a vesa mounting solution for the Mac Studio, I would have swapped out the Mac Mini's bracket and located the Mac Studio off the side of the desk.
 
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0x2102 said:
Here is the problem I see with the Mac Studio....there is no reason for the fans being on at idle or light load. At least they should be set so low (like the Mac Mini) that they are not audible at all. At idle the Mac Studio is around 7W - 14W.
Much like the Macbook Pro's - turn on the fans when you need them. I still can't believe Apple designed it this way. D*mn it.

This reminds me of the "Trash Can" Mac Pro 2013 that I sold because of the idle fan noise it made.

My last hope is a custom fan curve with TG Pro. Maybe someone can try it?
Click to expand...
Well, I have the trash can MP6,1 and its noise at idle is inaudible at less than 1 meter. It is rated at 14dB sound pressure level.
 
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a.y.n said:
I have the base Ultra and the display, both have fans, but I don't hear the Studio unless i put my ear right next to it, and I can only feel the air flow on top of the display, can't hear anything. Doesn't bother me at all, and I have the Studio right next to the display on my desk just maybe 20" away from my ears. I guess for younger folks with very sensitive hearing maybe it's a bother, but not to me.
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Because it is quite possible the Max and the Ultra have totally different fans, where the Ultra fans do not make sound but the Max fans do make unpleasant sounds. Until someone compares both at the same time we can't be sure.
 
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roland.g said:
The problem I think with a thread like this is that while it may be a significant issue for some, others who may not have noticed it will now be listening for it and over emphasizing something that was otherwise a nonissue. Princess and the pea syndrome.
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I think there's a lot of users who are used to be it being quiet when it's not doing anything e.g. iMac Pro/Mac mini/MacBook Pro users. Who expect that level of quietness in a new system that doesn't have a very a high TDP combined with efficient Apple Silicon.

Why is it not as good as an iMac Pro? The studio has lower TDP and more efficient silicon.
 
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