MacBook Pro 2018 - Speakers Crackling

[AdamA9]

Most engineers can fix any problem they can reproduce. So if you have a scenario you can use to reproduce this issue it can likely be solved. Help the engineers out and document it well. Include things like the specific video you were watching or music you were playing, volume settings, etc. And then run your documented steps and verify you can make it happen. I don't think I have ever seen a problem with a well documented reproduction sequence that could not be solved.

That was all done for them. I've given them the conditions under which is occurs. Steps to reproduce. What fixes it, e.g., killing coreaudiod and rebooting. I've also told them that it only occurs under 44,100 Hz and not 48,00 Hz.

I've provided multiple videos of this occuring with both ways to cure it temporarily and also provided a system diagnostic file for them to review.

That last step was done about an hour ago and I'm now waiting for further advice.

I've also asked that they extend my return period while I keep the laptop here to run their tests that they are requesting of me.

 

[CreeptoLoser]

That was all done for them. I've given them the conditions under which is occurs. Steps to reproduce. What fixes it, e.g., killing coreaudiod and rebooting. I've also told them that it only occurs under 44,100 Hz and not 48,00 Hz.

It happens at 48hz too, on High Sierra and Mojave.

 

[AdamA9]

It happens at 48hz too, on High Sierra and Mojave.

I've not been able to replicate it on 48,000Hz after heating the MacBook up and running seriously intensive program and games simultaneously. That's not to say it doesn't happen for others, but I didn't have the issue for a week and as soon as I went back to 44,100Hz today it happened.

Coincidence, perhaps.

 

[CreeptoLoser]

I've not been able to replicate it on 48,000Hz after heating the MacBook up and running seriously intensive program and games simultaneously. That's not to say it doesn't happen for others, but I didn't have the issue for a week and as soon as I went back to 44,100Hz today it happened.

Coincidence, perhaps.

Yes, because it is intermittent it can be hard to reproduce without a lot of patience. I tried the 48hz setting on both OS. Still get a rare crackly and pop in the volume controls. For music playback you could wait hours and hours or get it instantly.

 

[jerryk]

That was all done for them. I've given them the conditions under which is occurs. Steps to reproduce. What fixes it, e.g., killing coreaudiod and rebooting. I've also told them that it only occurs under 44,100 Hz and not 48,00 Hz.

I've provided multiple videos of this occuring with both ways to cure it temporarily and also provided a system diagnostic file for them to review.

That last step was done about an hour ago and I'm now waiting for further advice.

I've also asked that they extend my return period while I keep the laptop here to run their tests that they are requesting of me.

Good. Hopefully it will get to the engineering teams in Cupertino and San Jose.

 

[MD7200]

You could perfectly repruduce it under bootcamp but Apple does not care if it's under bootcamp.

 

[CreeptoLoser]

You could perfectly repruduce it under bootcamp but Apple does not care if it's under bootcamp.

Boot camp drivers are released once a year. You won’t see anything until Mojave is released.

 

[AdamA9]

Yes, because it is intermittent it can be hard to reproduce without a lot of patience. I tried the 48hz setting on both OS. Still get a rare crackly and pop in the volume controls. For music playback you could wait hours and hours or get it instantly.

I find it strange that when outputting at 44,100Hz it happens almost immediately but under 48,000Hz it doesn't happen for a week.

Perhaps we are talking about different issues, but mine is not hard to miss. In fact, you'd have to be deaf to not hear it, unless I am reporting on a different issue altogether.

This is not hard to miss.

 

[CreeptoLoser]

I find it strange that when outputting at 44,100Hz it happens almost immediately but under 48,000Hz it doesn't happen for a week.

Perhaps we are talking about different issues, but mine is not hard to miss. In fact, you'd have to be deaf to not hear it, unless I am reporting on a different issue altogether.

This is not hard to miss.

I never had anything that bad. Just a couple of farts and crackling volume controls.

 

[Florent]

I just restarted my laptop and I have no sound at all. Touch Bar sound button are disabled and the audio output list says "No devices found". Everyday I get a new issue with this MacBook Pro ! Anybody else getting this ?

I'm still waiting for my replacement MacBook Pro.

 

[jkehaniii]

I feel like I just heard some sort of crackle in a youtube video I was watching but have not been able to replicate it at all I have a custom config 13" tbMBP

 

[motomotomoto]

I find it strange that when outputting at 44,100Hz it happens almost immediately but under 48,000Hz it doesn't happen for a week.

Perhaps we are talking about different issues, but mine is not hard to miss. In fact, you'd have to be deaf to not hear it, unless I am reporting on a different issue altogether.

This is not hard to miss.

Yes this is what my MBP does, and it also does the crackle sometimes too.

 

[UBS28]

The problem only happens on the speakers with me. If I use headphones, I cannot replicate it.

So should I exchange it for a new unit? Today is the last day.

This machine doesn’t have any other issues so I am a bit worried that if this is a software issue, I might get a machine that is worse if I do an exchange.

 

[tehStickMan]

I'm not having any issues, you may be convinced, but I'm so far not experiencing it

I trust the anecdotal evidence of someone testing the entire Apple Store fleet and saying it’s a problem on 100% of models, more than I trust your anecdotal evidence that you hear nothing wrong.

 

[maflynn]

I trust the anecdotal evidence of someone testing the entire Apple Store fleet and saying it’s a problem on 100% of models, more than I trust your anecdotal evidence that you hear nothing wrong.

I'm not asking you to trust me, all I'm saying is I don't have it. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[tehStickMan]

That’s

Just had another call. My case and video has been assessed by an engineer and they've now installed 'Capture Data' on my laptop to do system diagnostics when it happens again.

Would you believe it I've been stressing this thing out for an hour now and NOTHING!

Ok I’ve sent them capture data with both hissing and cracklings , I got your back lol.

I’ve never had to work hard to get it to crackle the faintest amount. If you’re not a perfectionist you’d never know something was wrong.
[doublepost=1533982272][/doublepost]The issue for me is:

1. Hissing
2. Crackling

I believe crackling to be software problem, and am hopeful that hissing is software too but am not sure.

I deem any form of crackling to fall under the same umbrella - just straight messed up audio.

Issues include pops, crackles, burbles, mutes audio streams, etc. Issue is immediately noticeable and replicable when playing one audio stream and introducing a second rapidly (feedback noise on volume change).

I believe the issue has to do with T2 and such, and the cause of all the ‘crackling’ umbrella items is fixable in one fell swoop.

 

[Marketh]

I'm not asking you to trust me, all I'm saying is I don't have it. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Can also say I haven’t experienced any problems with my speakers either.

 

[tehStickMan]

Can also say I haven’t experienced any problems with my speakers either.

You also use the word “experience”.

To confirm, you’ve performed repeatedly every instruction posted here to replicate, and there are zero issues hat you perceive?

 

[maflynn]

To confirm, you’ve performed repeatedly every instruction posted here to replicate, and there are zero issues hat you perceive?

There are other posters in this thread that stated they do not have this issue, and it seems the response appears to be of disbelief. More people think we're having this issue, but we just don't notice it, or we're not testing it the right way. Its quite possible and more probable that we do not have the problem at all.

 

[AdamA9]

Just had another call. They've told me to replace my MacBook so I have an appointment next week at the Apple Store to get a new one.

Good luck to everyone else holding out for a software fix or those who are exchanging with the hope that they can get a good working machine.

Hopefully, the new one will be free of this issue.

 

[UBS28]

I got a new machine. Currently setting it everything up.

Tomorrow I will stress the hell out of it to see how this one behaves.

 

[motomotomoto]

Quick update. Talked to Apple support manager again today to finalize exchange of my MBP for a new one. They are fully aware of this issue (and are reading these threads apparently to learn more about it). My rep confirmed that this is not an issue affecting ALL MBP's and there are plenty out there with no issues. She also stated that Apple engineers believe this to be a hardware issue and not a software issue (at least in my case).

 

[AdamA9]

Quick update. Talked to Apple support manager again today to finalize exchange of my MBP for a new one. They are fully aware of this issue (and are reading these threads apparently to learn more about it). My rep confirmed that this is not an issue affecting ALL MBP's and there are plenty out there with no issues. She also stated that Apple engineers believe this to be a hardware issue and not a software issue (at least in my case).

I got the same message and was told to exchange it. I'm going in next week to change mine.

 

[fedecape]

I just restarted my laptop and I have no sound at all. Touch Bar sound button are disabled and the audio output list says "No devices found". Everyday I get a new issue with this MacBook Pro ! Anybody else getting this ? View attachment 775325
I'm still waiting for my replacement MacBook Pro.

I had this issue after using boot camp with headphones and disconnecting them during shutdown. Nothing would fix it, until I went back into bootcamp, rebooted again, and that was it.

 

[CreeptoLoser]

The last 2-3 days it has almost disappeared and hard to reproduce. No wonder it was was not spotted before release.