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MBP headphone jack 'clicking' issues on all machines?

T

twentyred

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jun 9, 2007
27
0
Birmingham, UK
Hi everyone,

I have a strange problem with my C2D 2.33 MacBook Pro (the 15" one), where any audio output through the headphone jack results in a little 'click' sound before and after the intended sound. This happens in all applications: when changing volume (with feedback sounds turned on), after IM notification sounds, when playing/pausing iTunes / Logic Pro, etc. It's especially annoying that I bought this laptop with the intention of playing demos of rough mixes to clients.

I went to the Apple Store in Meadowhall (UK) today after two or three repairs not fixing this problem, and the 'Genius' I spoke to discovered the problem exists on ALL machines using Core 2 Duo processors (iMacs, MacBooks Pros, etc.) on display in store. The problem doesn't occur when using iPod earbuds, though (presumably due to their poor frequency range), but any decent pair of headphones should show up the clicking problem. There is no problem with the built-in audio on my Dual 2Ghz PowerMac G5.

Has anyone else noticed this problem on the Intel machines? Seems strange that I can't see a thread about this problem already if this is an issue with all Intel machines.
 
Nothing here. Plugged in my Etymotic ER-6's to test it too, turned down the iTunes volume and flicked through a few songs & applications. No 'click' sound.
 
i've noticed this as well...especially with headphones.

like the volume beeps have this "tap" sound immediately before and after.

However if i plug my headphones into my speaker's headphone jack (speakers connected to MBP), the sound is barely noticeable if at all. If I jack directly into the mbp its more evident.
 
i've noticed it too on the imacs at school, though the clicks came randomly. I was using shure e4's and it was pretty obvious when it did occur.
 
twentyred said:
Hi everyone,

I have a strange problem with my C2D 2.33 MacBook Pro (the 15" one), where any audio output through the headphone jack results in a little 'click' sound before and after the intended sound. This happens in all applications: when changing volume (with feedback sounds turned on), after IM notification sounds, when playing/pausing iTunes / Logic Pro, etc. It's especially annoying that I bought this laptop with the intention of playing demos of rough mixes to clients.

I went to the Apple Store in Meadowhall (UK) today after two or three repairs not fixing this problem, and the 'Genius' I spoke to discovered the problem exists on ALL machines using Core 2 Duo processors (iMacs, MacBooks Pros, etc.) on display in store. The problem doesn't occur when using iPod earbuds, though (presumably due to their poor frequency range), but any decent pair of headphones should show up the clicking problem. There is no problem with the built-in audio on my Dual 2Ghz PowerMac G5.

Has anyone else noticed this problem on the Intel machines? Seems strange that I can't see a thread about this problem already if this is an issue with all Intel machines.
Click to expand...

I have this exact problem on my first generation Macbook Pro.
 
So the only person to report no problem so far has a Santa Rosa machine? You said you turned the iTunes volume down... the problem only occurs if you're not playing music at the time (in fact, when I'm IMing, I usually stick iTunes on to stop the clicks when using headphones at night).
 
twentyred said:
So the only person to report no problem so far has a Santa Rosa machine? You said you turned the iTunes volume down... the problem only occurs if you're not playing music at the time (in fact, when I'm IMing, I usually stick iTunes on to stop the clicks when using headphones at night).
Click to expand...

I assumed when you said "playing/pausing" iTunes that it was, well, when music was playing. This time I turned music off. Now, I played with the volume for a good 15-20s. No clicks with the feedback turned on. Also turned on audio notifications in Adium and cycled through them; no clicks to be heard before the intended sound.

And this is with my Ety's plugged directly into my headphone jack on my SR MBP.
 
I have the exact same problem! My system is on mute and all of a sudden I hear a click sound when Growl informs me of a new IM from Mercury, I thought I was the only crazy one. :)
 
Hmm...I wonder if this is at all similar to what I've heard on some Dell notebooks? Some of those have this nasty "hiss", but also you can hear when audio is going to start, even just for system sounds.
 
This is not something that I've ever heard before, personally or otherwise. I do a fair amount of audio engineering and I also participate in a number of audio recording forums. To my knowledge nobody on those forums has ever brought this problem up and a fair number of them use laptops for live recording/live playback events.

I am going to post a specific query about this problem on the audio forums and see what the response is. I'll keep you posted on this.

Sopranino
 
I just tested my MBP and noticed the same issue. (tested with Shure E2Cs) I wonder if its just a driver issue?
 
i dont think its a driver issue...i think its some sort of interference issue with components on the mbp itself. (i.e. plugging headphones into my speaker's headphone jack instead of directly into the mbp renders the sound inexistent).

edit: nevermind. if the speakers are used to amplify the sound (turned all the way up) it is noticable. but i still think its something with the hardware.
 
I am going to go with yes because my Compaq does not have this problem and neither do the HP's my parents now own.
 
same problem on new macbook pro

I just got a new santa rosa MBP (2.4 ghz) and I am noticing this same problem. There is a click and hiss before a sound, and I can hear the hiss after the audio has stopped. If you wait long enough it will stop and be silent, then if you make another sound it happens again. It is especially noticable with in-ear headphones. Damn, I don't want to have t send this thing back, maybe some sort of firmware update??
 
catachip said:
I just got a new santa rosa MBP (2.4 ghz) and I am noticing this same problem. There is a click and hiss before a sound, and I can hear the hiss after the audio has stopped. If you wait long enough it will stop and be silent, then if you make another sound it happens again. It is especially noticable with in-ear headphones. Damn, I don't want to have t send this thing back, maybe some sort of firmware update??
Click to expand...

That sounds EXACTLY like what I've heard on some Dell's. :mad: Dang nabbit, I've heard a G4 PowerBook that didn't do that at all.
 
does it in XP too

I just installed XP via bootcamp and it does it there too. Definitely some variety of a hardware issue. Anyone else with new MBP having this problem? It would be nice if it were just a firmware issue.
 
Wolfpup said:
Hmm...I wonder if this is at all similar to what I've heard on some Dell notebooks? Some of those have this nasty "hiss", but also you can hear when audio is going to start, even just for system sounds.
Click to expand...

yep, this is true and I've heard it myself, there appears to be some sort of cross-talk/noise within the components causing the interference. I suspect a result of cramming so much into a small case and poor shielding with in the case...
 
shiato storm said:
yep, this is true and I've heard it myself, there appears to be some sort of cross-talk/noise within the components causing the interference. I suspect a result of cramming so much into a small case and poor shielding with in the case...
Click to expand...

Yeah, I figured Apple's hardware didn't suffer from it by using higher quality components...and I guess that USED to be true :( What's really dumb is the iPod sounds great, and it's just a small fraction of the price.
 
Not the answer I wanted to hear, but this is what I'm told by 'Apple US Engineering':

"This doesn't sound like grounding issue. The customer is hearing the transition between states of the codec. Headphones that are particularly susceptible are very sensitive ones that isolates ambient sound and puts the transducer right up to the eardrums.

The Sigmatel codec has a characteristic "pssst" at the start and end of an audio stream. Realtek codec has another type of characteristic "beep". These are below the noise floor but perceptible by sharp eared user.

The analogy of an in-ear noise isolating headphone is putting ones ear right up to a speaker while switching between sources and turning the amplifier on and off. There will be discontinuity in the signal and noise floor.

Relating to bug that tracks the click on start of any sound file"

Doesn't look very good that Apple use such cheap components on a 'Pro' machine. I wonder if the Mac Pro suffers from this...
 
twentyred said:
Not the answer I wanted to hear, but this is what I'm told by 'Apple US Engineering':

"This doesn't sound like grounding issue. The customer is hearing the transition between states of the codec. Headphones that are particularly susceptible are very sensitive ones that isolates ambient sound and puts the transducer right up to the eardrums.

The Sigmatel codec has a characteristic "pssst" at the start and end of an audio stream. Realtek codec has another type of characteristic "beep". These are below the noise floor but perceptible by sharp eared user.

The analogy of an in-ear noise isolating headphone is putting ones ear right up to a speaker while switching between sources and turning the amplifier on and off. There will be discontinuity in the signal and noise floor.

Relating to bug that tracks the click on start of any sound file"

Doesn't look very good that Apple use such cheap components on a 'Pro' machine. I wonder if the Mac Pro suffers from this...
Click to expand...

Well, I'm impressed they actually gave you a real answer, and it's interesting to find out about. But it does really stink. I don't think you have to be very sharp eared at all to hear it. And I hear it just in my iPod headphones and PSP headphones, nothing super fancy. (This was on a Dell laptop.)

It really stinks though. The iPod sounds fine...but they can't make a $2000 laptop have acceptable audio?

I did notice that Creative Labs FINALLY has an Express Card X-Fi...except it's only available in Europe right now (?!?) and presumably it'll only work for Windows, since it's been years since they last supported the Mac.

I wonder if Sony's laptops have good audio? I'd be really surprised if they'd let something like this happen, since their Engineers seem to be pretty amazing. But then I wouldn't expect Apple to use an el-cheapo audio solution, so...
 
Yeah, you know, I just checked Sony's site, and their laptops seem to be using drivers for "Sony High Definition Audio Codec". Now it's possible they're just using the el-junko stuff and calling it that, but I wonder if Sony's actually using their own audio hardware? If so, they should really push that feature, since I don't think anyone else is.

I'm surprised Creative can't get notebook vendors to include their hardware-at least on the high end. I'd gladly take a Live chip over the trash Dell (and now Apple!) are using, and it can't add that much.
 
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