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

[Homy]

I got my new base M1 Max Studio with $530 discount and been using it for a month. I have the computer about 75 cm from my ears on my desk next to my screen in a quiet room with about 30dB of background noise. 5 cm from the back of the computer, my iPhone and Niosh's app show about 39 dB, and if I hold the microphone directly to the ventilation holes, it shows about 49 dB. So if you don't intend to hold the computer like your phone to your ear, you won't hear anything. The fans do not speed up either, even during long-term heavy loads like gaming, and the computer normally maintains a temperature of around 36 degrees C. It actually always blows cool air instead of hot from the fans, so it has very efficient cooling and the power consumption is ridiculously low, like a LED lamp for everyday tasks like email and surfing.

 

[PianoPro]

No, but humidity and dust does change... It's more like it's the holes to me than coil whine, I know what that sounds like.

As for the fans, you can't really separate the fans from the ventilation, they're all part of the same system

Most "whine" when they are new, when the holes are completely open. Some don't whine at all. We have plenty of measurements that PROVE that. Then some start "whining" after only a few days when the holes should still be clean and open. So did the holes change over a few days? And then some don't start whining until much later, when presumably some holes might be clogged with dust and the holes got smaller, or the "open holes" pattern changed. But the whine can't be caused by both bigger holes when they are new (but only sometimes) and smaller holes when they get plugged with dust (but only sometimes). Anyone fixed the whine by blowing dust out the holes? Not to my knowledge. Reports (unconfirmed) have also indicated that fundamental frequency of the whine can vary over short periods of time while in use (are the holes changing size over minutes?).

Covering some holes will change the load on the fans and therefore the power supply current, and that could possibly be enough to alter the "whine" from a power supply, or affect fan "squeal" if that were the cause (which I doubt from the sounds I've heard in recordings).

My money is on the high efficiency switching-mode power supply. It's not unusual to have noise artifacts due to high current switching related to subharmonics of the switching frequency, coil whine, or singing capacitors, all of which can vary with current changes in a switching power supply (changing fan speed etc). The "whine", which has a 2.2-2.6 kHz fundamental in the recordings I've heard, sounds to me more like piezoelectric singing from MLCC capacitors, but there are plenty of other causes in switching-mode power supplies, and there are at least two different power supply designs being used in both Studio models. Component tolerances, or design differences in the two (or more) power supply designs being shipped would account for the differences in the fundamental frequency of the "whine".

Switching the fans off varies the power supply current so just switching them off wouldn't necessarily prove its fans - but would prove it isn't the fans if whine exists with them switched off.

As I noted before, there have been very few reports of "whine" in this thread from Studio's purchased in the last 4 months (I believe 2 reports is all). Although not definitive of course, it appears that Apple has either done something to reduce the problem or its suppliers have. I doubt very much Apple has changed the holes in the case or that would have been reported by now. But it's logical to assume that one or both of the power supply designs have been altered over the last year, either significantly in the design or by changing marginal components values/sizes, or as simply as changing suppliers of components. (And of course the fans themselves could have been altered/changed if that were the problem - again I doubt that.)

Admittedly, I'm simply guessing from my own experiences designing products and the "whine" recordings and reports posted here. My Studio (now just over a year old) simply doesn't have the whine (as measured and posted here previously) so I don't have first hand knowledge of a "whining" Studio. But this would be a simple problem for Apple to diagnose. If the number of returned Studio's for this problem were significant they would have certainly taken some action with their suppliers by now, and it appears they may have.

 

[bobcomer]

Then some start "whining" after only a few days when the holes should still be clean and open. So did the holes change over a few days?

No, the holes don't physically change of course, but they may get dirt in them to change the acoustics. But anyway, it's just what it sounds like to me, I have no proof. It sounds more like a whistle, a more pure sound than something like a coil whine, but that just may be how I hear or my particular Studio.

And then some don't start whining until much later, when presumably some holes might be clogged with dust and the holes got smaller, or the "open holes" pattern changed. But the whine can't be caused by both bigger holes when they are new (but only sometimes) and smaller holes when they get plugged with dust (but only sometimes). Anyone fixed the whine by blowing dust out the holes?

We don't have all the measurements for frequency. Mine had the whine to begin with and the range the sound was in was pretty low. (2.2KHz) and some it's higher at 2.6KHz, but that's pretty much all the data there is here, nothing equating which sound to age or anything. And just changing the airflow itself might be enough to make it whistle or not. It could be some kind of venturi effect, who knows.

Covering some holes will change the load on the fans and therefore the power supply current, and that could possibly be enough to alter the "whine" from a power supply, or affect fan "squeal" if that were the cause (which I doubt from the sounds I've heard in recordings).

It also changes the airflow through the rest of the holes.

My money is on the high efficiency switching-mode power supply.

And that's as good a guess as mine. Just because it doesn't sound like coil whine to me, and I've been around computer power supplies for 50 years, doesn't really mean anything overall, but it does influence my opinion.

Switching the fans off varies the power supply current so just switching them off wouldn't necessarily prove its fans - but would prove it isn't the fans if whine exists with them switched off.

Agreed. But I'm hesitant to do that kind of testing myself.

But this would be a simple problem for Apple to diagnose. If the number of returned Studio's for this problem were significant they would have certainly taken some action with their suppliers by now, and it appears they may have.

I'm not convince they would take some kind of action, they seem to have to be dragged kicking and screaming to fix something these days. Can't forget the "you're holding it wrong" and how long they championed the keyboard design in spite of the problems...

 

[Skeletor322]

I bought a Mac Studio from Costco about 3 months ago, and it had a tone or whine. It sounded like a hearing test tone. It did not do it right away, but started after a couple of hours after first boot. It varied in intensity, sometimes becoming louder, and occasionally stopping. If I covered the rear vent above the USB A ports with three fingers, the tone would stop.

 

[PianoPro]

I bought a Mac Studio from Costco about 3 months ago, and it had a tone or whine. It sounded like a hearing test tone. It did not do it right away, but started after a couple of hours after first boot. It varied in intensity, sometimes becoming louder, and occasionally stopping.

Proving that the holes change size a few hours after it is removed from its shipping box. And then change again with the tides as the moon's gravitational pull changes.

 

[dunanos]

After almost a year and replacing the fan right at the beginning, the whistling gradually returned. I sent it to a service center where the fault did not manifest itself. Yes, after the return the whistling stopped or sounded intermittently. After a couple of weeks, when it was getting hot at home, the whistling got rapidly worse. Unfortunately, my one year warranty has expired. And Apple still doesn't know about anything, it already seems like a joke to me. Class action lawsuit against them for psychological abuse by the whistling sound!

 

[Feek]

Class action lawsuit against them for psychological abuse by the whistling sound!

 

[Think77]

And Apple still doesn't know about anything, it already seems like a joke to me.

I’m still considering going for a Mac Studio at some point. So, interested in hearing how you got the sense that Apple doesn’t know about the whistling? The whistling (that may develop long after the return window has closed) is exactly why I have steered away from the Studio.

 

[MajorFubar]

13 months into ownership and I have still to encounter the whine/whistling/noise that some people refer to. People who don't believe me in this thread have called me (and those like me) a liar, deaf or both, because "all" Studios Max's do it (according to them). But the simple fact is my Studio Max is quiet and always has been so. That doesn't take away the obviously valid complaint that some Studios do/did have issues. But mine doesn't, nor has it ever.

So @Think77 don't let this thread discourage you. I've no idea what proportion of Studios have an issue, but I'm 100% certain that this thread is an unrepresentative bubble, where mostly only people with issues will post to it. This skews reality. Reading through this thread is basically like canvassing the telephonists in a company's complaints department to find out how many people ring up with complaints: it's gonna be close 100%.

 

[Think77]

13 months into ownership and I have still to encounter the whine/whistling/noise that some people refer to.

Sounds good! Thanks for reporting May I ask what kind of work you do on the Studio? (to get a sense of how much the CPU/GPU is being pushed under what circumstances) Sorry if you've answered this previously in this thread, but it's rather long to read through...

 

[SmallDane]

So @Think77 don't let this thread discourage you. I've no idea what proportion of Studios have an issue, but I'm 100% certain that this thread is an unrepresentative bubble, where mostly only people with issues will post to it, which skews reality.

(Emphasis added)

Yet here you are in this very thread telling us that your Studio doesn't have issues. And there are lots of people saying the same as you. I completely agree that it's very hard for us to know how many Studios are affected. Clearly it's not all. But it's also clear that it's not just a few bad apples (no pun intended).

But can we please get away from this notion that only people with complaints speak up? This and most other threads on MacRumors should really dispel that idea. Any time somebody posts about some problem with an Apple device on this forum, lots of people respond that they don't have that problem. So who it really skewing reality here? I honestly don't know.

 

[MajorFubar]

Sounds good! Thanks for reporting May I ask what kind of work you do on the Studio? (to get a sense of how much the CPU/GPU is being pushed under what circumstances) Sorry if you've answered this previously in this thread, but it's rather long to read through...

Sure, that's no problem at all. Mostly I use it as the digital centre of my home music-production studio. Have to say in my use cases the GPU probably has a bit of a cushy life compared to the CPU which is constantly stressed running dozens of plugins on a hundred or more tracks.

 

[MajorFubar]

But can we please get away from this notion that only people with complaints speak up? This and most other threads on MacRumors should really dispel that idea. Any time somebody posts about some problem with an Apple device on this forum, lots of people respond that they don't have that problem.

We do initially, yes. But we inevitably get shouted down by the vocal majority who only joined the thread in the first place to say 'me too'. So mostly we shut up and let the chaos carry on unchallenged, particularly when we're called deaf or stupid etc. But now and I again every half dozen pages or so I like to just check-in to say "everything is still working fine for me thanks" to add a bit of balance, then I'll disappear until next time.

 

[Think77]

Just created a poll on whether or not Mac Studio owners experience the whistling issue or not. Could shed some statistical light on things (although, of course, users here on macrumors may or may not be representative of the entire Mac Studio owner population). Please feel free to cast your vote if you’re a Mac Studio owner

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/poll-mac-studio-whistle-noise-or-not.2389105/

 

[NeonNights]

My first base Mac Studio in January did not exhibit any whistling or distracting/annoying sounds. At about a foot away I could hear the faint whoosh of air flow but it was not disruptive in any way. At my normal sitting position of 2-feet away I couldn't really hear the Mac Studio over the sound of my own breathing in a quiet room.

I returned that Mac Studio thinking I was going to get the M2 Pro Mini or an M2 Max MBP instead. Fast forward to today and I miss the Mac Studio and ordered it again when Costco dropped the current price to $1499. It should be delivered today and I will share if this second example exhibits any undue noise.

 

[PianoPro]

Just created a poll on whether or not Mac Studio owners experience the whistling issue or not. Could shed some statistical light on things (although, of course, users here on macrumors may or may not be representative of the entire Mac Studio owner population). Please feel free to cast your vote if you’re a Mac Studio owner

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/poll-mac-studio-whistle-noise-or-not.2389105/

This is a thread that attracts people to post in to complain. If you look back in this thread I believe there have been TWO (2) reports of "whine" or "whistling" from New Studio's PURCHASED SINCE JANUARY 1, i.e. in over 4 months. It would seem the problem has been fixed.

Your poll does not put any dates on when a Studio was purchased so I'm afraid it is just going to re-enforce the idea that many will still have the problem even if they will not. You should ask people to post the date they purchased a whining Studio.

 

[Skeletor322]

This is a thread that attracts people to post in to complain. If you look back in this thread I believe there have been TWO (2) reports of "whine" or "whistling" from New Studio's PURCHASED SINCE JANUARY 1, i.e. in over 4 months. It would seem the problem has been fixed.

Your poll does not put any dates on when a Studio was purchased so I'm afraid it is just going to re-enforce the idea that many will still have the problem even if they will not. You should ask people to post the date they purchased a whining Studio.

Mine was purchased 3 months ago and it had the tone problem, so the problem has not been fixed. It sounds like having tinnitus or ringing in the ears, when it increases in volume. When I returned mine, I put a detailed note in the box, so hopefully the tech who services it, will read it.

 

[PianoPro]

Mine was purchased 3 months ago and it had the tone problem, so the problem has not been fixed. It sounds like having tinnitus or ringing in the ears, when it increases in volume. When I returned mine, I put a detailed note in the box, so hopefully the tech who services it, will read it.

Yours was one of the two reports I found of units purchased since January in this thread. (When was it manufactured?) Did I miss any others?

 

[NeonNights]

Just a follow-up, with my January 2023 Mac Studio the fan had a very faint sound that was hard to hear in a quiet room at 2-feet away. I returned that one for reasons unrelated to noise.

I reordered the M1 Max Mac Studio again and it arrived today. Once again, it is whisper quiet. Not completely silent like the Mac Mini but the sound of the fan is extremely faint and no whistle or high pitch frequency of any kind.

To rule out it isn't bad hearing on my part I asked my wife and child to sit and listen. They had to take a few seconds before identifying the faint sound of a fan. I asked does it sound like a whine or whistle and they both thought I was crazy. I had to explain I also didn't hear any whistling but just wanted to make sure. So that's two Mac Studios and both were extremely quiet.

 

[dunanos]

To give you an idea of what I listen to here in the evenings. The first recording is the sound reflected from the wall on my desk, distance 10-20 cm, the second recording is 10 cm to the back of the Studio. Mac is at rest.

 

[NeonNights]

To give you an idea of what I listen to here in the evenings. The first recording is the sound reflected from the wall on my desk, distance 10-20 cm, the second recording is 10 cm to the back of the Studio. Mac is at rest.

View attachment 2200897

View attachment 2200898

That is interesting. I've had two Mac Studios and neither sound like that up close, nor exhibited any whine.

I initially had the Mac Studio on the left of my desk, oriented on its side, and I could hear the movement of air ever so faintly from two feet away. I reorganized my desk this morning and placed the Mac Studio to my right, normal orientation, and can't hear the fan at all from the same two feet away.

I batch-processed 306 photos earlier. It took 18 minutes and I still couldn't hear the fan the entire time. The Mac Studio felt cool the whole time with the slightest airflow coming from the rear vent.

 

[AdamSeen]

Just a follow-up, with my January 2023 Mac Studio the fan had a very faint sound that was hard to hear in a quiet room at 2-feet away. I returned that one for reasons unrelated to noise.

I reordered the M1 Max Mac Studio again and it arrived today. Once again, it is whisper quiet. Not completely silent like the Mac Mini but the sound of the fan is extremely faint and no whistle or high pitch frequency of any kind.

To rule out it isn't bad hearing on my part I asked my wife and child to sit and listen. They had to take a few seconds before identifying the faint sound of a fan. I asked does it sound like a whine or whistle and they both thought I was crazy. I had to explain I also didn't hear any whistling but just wanted to make sure. So that's two Mac Studios and both were extremely quiet.

Thank you - if you can hear the fan, then you would be able to hear the higher pitch if it existed, as the sound of the fan is quieter than the high-pitch frequency.

To those who say there's no whistle - I believe you. But I'd caveat that with if you can't hear the fan in the first place, it's unlikely you would be able to hear the whistle.

I hope the m3 Studio is sonically better.

 

[Shazaam!]

Some will hear it, some will not. But, once you hear it you can't un-hear it.

 

[Feek]

Some will hear it, some will not.

Some make the noise, most don't. That's a subtle difference from what you said.

 

[Traverse]

Were these vertical lines in the M2-series Mac Studio present on the exhaust of the M1-version? I'm wondering if this hints at the white being related to the airflow out of the small holes as theorized.