The Issue
Since the introduction of the Mac Studio, there have been a number of complaints posted here by owners regarding an annoying noise emanating from the computer. It is often described as 2,600 Hz “coil whine” or “whistle”, a sound distinctly different than the sound of air flow from the fans.
Some owners report their units are silent, raising the question whether some units are defective and also why they don’t exhibit the problem when tested in Apple stores.
This has resulted in several on-line discussions about whether the noise is being masked by ambient sounds, sometimes masked by damaged hearing, or simply that some of Apple’s Studios are defective. This defect theory is reinforced by some owners reporting that two or more replacement units still continue to exhibit the same problem.
Therein lies the clue to the solution.
As one poster (kepler20b) noted, if you got three replacements from Apple, and you still had the same noise problem, then it’s likely that the problem is with your installation and not with the Apple Studio.
https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...se.2392913/page-7?post=32570691#post-32570691
The Solution
My M1 Max Studio was initially silent, but somewhere along the way (after adjusting connections, I think) it developed an annoying “whine”. Taking the hint from kepler20b’s comment, I disconnected my Mac power cord from a power strip/surge protector and plugged the it directly into an wall AC outlet.
As a result, the 2,600 Hz whine in my Mac M1 Max is GONE!
(When I plug back in to the power strip, the “whine” returns.)
Based on my experience, and kepler20b’s insight, it appears that the Studio’s power supply is sensitive to dirty or weak AC power that can be caused by (among other things) in-line devices like my cheap power strip and/or surge protector.
If you are experiencing “whine”, plug your Studio directly into a wall outlet. Report back.
EDIT: Plugging directly into a wall socket eliminates low voltage and inductance, capacitance and resistance introduced by in-line extensions and commonly connected equipment, but if the problem persists, try a different outlet or an outlet in a different building — or a UPS — to investigate further to see if incoming dirty/low voltage AC is the root cause.
Since the introduction of the Mac Studio, there have been a number of complaints posted here by owners regarding an annoying noise emanating from the computer. It is often described as 2,600 Hz “coil whine” or “whistle”, a sound distinctly different than the sound of air flow from the fans.
Some owners report their units are silent, raising the question whether some units are defective and also why they don’t exhibit the problem when tested in Apple stores.
This has resulted in several on-line discussions about whether the noise is being masked by ambient sounds, sometimes masked by damaged hearing, or simply that some of Apple’s Studios are defective. This defect theory is reinforced by some owners reporting that two or more replacement units still continue to exhibit the same problem.
Therein lies the clue to the solution.
As one poster (kepler20b) noted, if you got three replacements from Apple, and you still had the same noise problem, then it’s likely that the problem is with your installation and not with the Apple Studio.
https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...se.2392913/page-7?post=32570691#post-32570691
The Solution
My M1 Max Studio was initially silent, but somewhere along the way (after adjusting connections, I think) it developed an annoying “whine”. Taking the hint from kepler20b’s comment, I disconnected my Mac power cord from a power strip/surge protector and plugged the it directly into an wall AC outlet.
As a result, the 2,600 Hz whine in my Mac M1 Max is GONE!
(When I plug back in to the power strip, the “whine” returns.)
Based on my experience, and kepler20b’s insight, it appears that the Studio’s power supply is sensitive to dirty or weak AC power that can be caused by (among other things) in-line devices like my cheap power strip and/or surge protector.
If you are experiencing “whine”, plug your Studio directly into a wall outlet. Report back.
EDIT: Plugging directly into a wall socket eliminates low voltage and inductance, capacitance and resistance introduced by in-line extensions and commonly connected equipment, but if the problem persists, try a different outlet or an outlet in a different building — or a UPS — to investigate further to see if incoming dirty/low voltage AC is the root cause.
Last edited:
