Metallic vibration from 2016 MBP 15"

[hobowankenobi]

I got a fever....and the only prescription is:

MORE COWBELL!

 

[jacg]

If I'm honest, my replacement has just as much cowbell in it as the last one. I'm going to complete my migration (manually this time) and see if the other issues I've had persist (graphics glitches, freezes, hard shut downs on battery from sleep), and cancel my order if they do. I need a new MBP by August and I love the new 15" form factor. I also own a lot of dongles now...

 

[hobowankenobi]

...I don't mean to dismiss the concerns of users with cowbell MBPs, but...it does not seem like anything is wrong with them, does it?

If you don't pound on 'em, no cowbell, right?

Or am I missing something?

I just tested a few old Macs, and the 14" iBook has a dull, hollow, thud, bass drum sound if I pound on the palm rests. Plus the keys rattle/vibrate in near unison, so I get a nice:

tambourine + bass drum

...Not as sexy as cowbell, but plays a nice tune.

 

[bartvk]

...Not as sexy as cowbell, but plays a nice tune.

Thanks for making my day brigher

 

[jacg]

OK, so Apple are going for some sort of percussive range. I like how tbMBP could become cMBP...

As I said before, the sound can be heard when placing the laptop on certain surfaces. It may not be as bad as the clip shared by another user, but it is not a sound which says 'quality' and there is always the worry that something is working loose, only to break 367 days later.

 

[seadragon]

The only parts on the laptop that should move are the hinge and the keys. Everything else is solid state. If it's loose/rattling, its a manufacturing defect and I wouldn't settle for it.

 

[bevsb2]

My 2016 15" base model purchased at launch has no rattling anywhere.

 

[jacg]

OMG this new cowbellMBP has an insane click on the S key and the O key. My original cowbellMBP has no such clicking. I've been doing a manual migration for about three hours and I've just realised that this machine is having to go back... This is mad. I'm going to have a rant at AppleCare right now.
[doublepost=1484343753][/doublepost]And the D key, but only every other click. This is literally the worst MBP I have ever had.

 

[jacg]

Just spent 2 hours with support. Escalation. Escalation. Escalation. But only when it is convenient for them (i.e. in two days). I suggested Tim Cook but apparently they couldn't arrange that for me.

So I currently have two touch bar / cowbell MBPs. Both rattle. The first one glitches out and freezes regularly. The replacement clicks insanely like popping bubble wrap every time I press S, O or (occasionally) D. I can't believe how many hours I have wasted trying to migrate when I have a functional 2013 MBP (before all that retina crap, and when dongles were an expensive dream). Seriously, if you are hoping to upgrade soon, please hold out and see if Apple can come up with something better than this.

 

[jacg]

Here's a video of the faulty S key.

 

[DanDilla]

Just found this thread, didn't before and started another...
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/vibrating-sound-mbp-15-2016.2032618/

@jacg @Kenndac
how did they solve it in your case? You got non-rattling MacBooks now? Did you get full replacements or did they fix it with a new topcase?

 

[jacg]

I got a replacement. Well two actually because the 2nd had a faulty keyboard. My third makes almost no rattle, but it's not the solid feel you'd expect from a MBP. Feels like there's more air inside (more room for things to rattle) which may not be a bad thing in terms of temperature and noise (it makes very little which is good). Hope you got yours sorted. I would not have accepted a repair so soon after purchase.

 

[hobowankenobi]

I got a replacement. Well two actually because the 2nd had a faulty keyboard. My third makes almost no rattle, but it's not the solid feel you'd expect from a MBP. Feels like there's more air inside (more room for things to rattle) which may not be a bad thing in terms of temperature and noise (it makes very little which is good). Hope you got yours sorted. I would not have accepted a repair so soon after purchase.

Perhaps not perfect.....but acceptable? Progress anyway.

Thanks for the update.

Would not be surprised if the was in fact a manufacturing issue. It is not unprecedented. Years ago there were a few models that had way too much thermal paste on the CPU....it had squeezed out and messy. Could not see it without opening the machine up (obviously), but none the less, something not calibrated right on the assembly line.

The Cowbell™ palm rest might be a design flaw and hard to eliminate, or perhaps some tolerances need to be adjusted. But the BubbleWrap™ keyboard seems like a bad part and/or assembly problem that should get sorted.

 

[Obagleyfreer]

My replacement MBP arrived on Monday, and… it has an even worse ratting, this time in the screen. I didn't even take it out of the plastic!

Replacement #2 is on the way…

Damn, the only reason I bought my mbp was to shake it from side to side, this rattling is really going to ruin my shaking enjoyment.
I hope I don't have to return mine 13 times

Seriously guys, just use the machine NORMALLY and enjoy it!