Whine or No Whine - Does Your Mac Studio Suffer From It?

[Killerbob]

As mentioned previously, there are at least TWO different PSUs in play with the Mac Studio. Hence, it is fair to assume that the airflow through the PSU would differ from one PSU to another. I don't know of a way to verify this without having everyone open up their Mac Studios, which would void the warranty. If anyone knows how to identify the PSU without having to check physically, that would be great...

 

[PianoPro]

BasicAppleGuy just released an interesting article speculating that the whine is actually caused by the holes in the case causing whistling. Worth a read for more details on the issue, testing, and possible fixes.

Relevant bit:

I guess the holes change size or shape over time to explain why some units develop the whine problem later? Yeah, sure.

I'd guess this is a power supply component (intolerant design) issue in some units, based on my 40+ years of designing electronic products, but I'd say there's a small chance it is actually a fan problem.

 

[MistD]

I'd guess this is a power supply component (intolerant design) issue in some units, based on my 40+ years of designing electronic products, but I'd say there's a small chance it is actually a fan problem.

On my unit i could hear some “crickets” coming from PSU if i put my ear close to intake.

Kinda like small “insects” noise of something vibrating (“chirping” type of sound). Could be the PSU coils vibrating …

Do you think this can translate and escalate into the constant high pitch noise coming from the fan area ?

 

[Paul Cordingley]

I’ve had my Studio M1 Max/64GB/32C/1TB for nearly a month now, and it’s been operating perfectly like all of my past Macs. I am in no position to hear anything ”high pitched“ being 51, so can’t hear a thing from it. Nothing. I just now asked my wife (who has excellent hearing and routinely tells me about noises in other situations which I simply cannot hear) put her ear right next to the fans. Nothing. Then I asked my 15 year old son. He reports nothing.

I’m satisfied with that This thing is dead silent.

 

[Coltaine]

I've had my Mac Studio (M1 Max, 32 GB, 24 Cores, 2 TB) for about two weeks now. I would not call it dead silent. Depending on the noise level of my surroundings, I can hear the fans running clearly. It is not obtrusive, but certainly louder than the fan noise of my old 27" iMac from 2015 that got replaced. When it is really silent at night, I can hear a very discrete high-pitched sound, like a whirring, for the lack of a better word. Not a dealbreaker for me, but I can absolutely understand, if someone is getting nerved out by it.
I am gonna keep the Mac Studio. I am sure for the next couple of years it will serve me well and is eventually gonna get replaced by the next device.
For people, who are really sensitive to such kind of noises, it might be a dealbreaker, though.

 

[MistD]

I've had my Mac Studio (M1 Max, 32 GB, 24 Cores, 2 TB) for about two weeks now. I would not call it dead silent. Depending on the noise level of my surroundings, I can hear the fans running clearly. It is not obtrusive, but certainly louder than the fan noise of my old 27" iMac from 2015 that got replaced. When it is really silent at night, I can hear a very discrete high-pitched sound, like a whirring, for the lack of a better word. Not a dealbreaker for me, but I can absolutely understand, if someone is getting nerved out by it.
I am gonna keep the Mac Studio. I am sure for the next couple of years it will serve me well and is eventually gonna get replaced by the next device.
For people, who are really sensitive to such kind of noises, it might be a dealbreaker, though.

Exactly. Spot On !
This is what i experienced. It got really annoying late at night when there are no background noises.

You can tell the constant high pitch thing it’s there like a faded tinnitus 😂

I returned mine and i’m trying my luck one more time.

 

[mikeka]

Just received mine today! Ultra, 64GB RAM, 4TB. 10 hours on so far. No whine and the fan noise is extremely quiet.
Recording studio environment - quiet room with treatment. I have to get within a few inches to hear the fans. Maybe Apple has switched the fans to quieter ones? Dunno. The OWC 4 bay enclosure on the floor behind my desk is way louder the the Mac Studio three feet in front of me.

Hopefully the whine won't develop over the next few weeks. We'll see. So far so good though!

 

[Coltaine]

I returned mine and i’m trying my luck one more time.

I think, this is really the best you can do.
From what I am gathering, it seems to be hit and miss with the M1 Max models being slightly more affected.
I would reckon that Apple has become aware of the issue by now, but I don't think they will ever acknowledge it, rather silently tweak the fan design in newly produced and upcoming models.
Many people will not register the noise and from those who do, only a fraction will return their Macs.
But the issue is real and in my opinion due to some specifics of the fan design, which might lead to interference of the sound waves they produce. Or simply the way the air is routed through the Mac. This might also explain the slight predominance in M1 Max models, since the fan design seems to be somewhat different between Max and Ultra models.

 

[pastrychef]

I've had my Mac Studio since mid May. It is a BTO M1 Max model.

I keep it on 24/7 (sleep is enabled). I have never heard any noise from it at all. Even when pushed, the fans never go beyond ~1330-1340rpm.

 

[loby]

M1 Max. Definitely a very light fan noise coming but I only notice it because I used to have a M1 mac mini which was silent. It's still much quieter than my PC build which has near silent Noctua fans.

The Noctua fans are the quietest fans I have ever had! I replace two of my external gears with their fans. What a big difference! Completely silent. I wonder if Apple uses their fans?

 

[jetjaguar]

New Mac Studio .. M1 Max / 32gb / 32 gpu / 1tb

No whine .. dead silent

 

[MistD]

I'm on my second unit: M1 Max / 64 GB / 32 GPU / 2 TB.
Still has the whine and I think it's almost the same as the first one.

For sure, 100%, there are no more "crickets" coming from the PSU when listening close to the intake on the bottom.

At this point, I think I might just keep it. I have a feeling that all of them are the same and either users don't pay that much attention or they have noisy environments .... I just don't know.

It's frustrating to just switch units, wait for refund, place another order, wait a long time for delivery etc.

 

[MistD]

Here's a video with my second unit. Pretty much the same as my first.
I recorded the video in my home office, at night, using my phone (iPhone 12 mini), the phone mic placed next to the exhaust.

At around 0:20 sec you will hear also the change in pitch. Didn't do anything to cause it, the pitch happens by itself.

 

[kofman13]

Here's a video with my second unit. Pretty much the same as my first.
I recorded the video in my home office, at night, using my phone (iPhone 12 mini), the phone mic placed next to the exhaust.

At around 0:20 sec you will hear also the change in pitch. Didn't do anything to cause it, the pitch happens by itself.

ok ur putting the phone literally on the vent. and even then i have to turn my speakers up to max to hear it in your video. how bad is it when just sitting a few feet away from it normally at a desk?

 

[MistD]

Yes, the phone almost touched the exhaust vent.

I keep the mac studio on the desk at arm length near the display.

I can hear the thing mostly at night when the environment it’s super quiet.

Not screaming loud … but the thing it’s there, distinct from fans “hum”.

I think if you train yourself to ignore it and just focus on your work, you can start to get used to it.

During daytime, sometimes i can barely hear the fans when the environment gets animated (a/c, kids, cars on the street etc.)

For me it’s a new thing because my previous iMac 27” 5K late 2015, in the same environment, didn’t emit such sounds (only fans hums when pushed harder)

 

[Coltaine]

I'm on my second unit: M1 Max / 64 GB / 32 GPU / 2 TB.
Still has the whine and I think it's almost the same as the first one.

For sure, 100%, there are no more "crickets" coming from the PSU when listening close to the intake on the bottom.

At this point, I think I might just keep it. I have a feeling that all of them are the same and either users don't pay that much attention or they have noisy environments .... I just don't know.

It's frustrating to just switch units, wait for refund, place another order, wait a long time for delivery etc.

I am of the absolutlely same opinion.
That's why I am keeping mine.
The whole process of replacing unit after unit is just too much of a hassle and the sound is not obtrusive enough to my ears.
But the noise is definitely there and I reckon it is present in any unit sold.
The sound you recorded is exactly the sound it makes.
I also think the M1 Max is comparatively loud in general. It is not a silent computer.
I am actually looking forward to some fanless machine in the future!

 

[pastrychef]

You guys are starting to make me question my own hearing...

Here's a video I made with my iPhone 12 Pro using the built-in Camera app. iPhone is less than 1 inch away from the Mac Studio with the mic facing the back of the Mac Studio.

The Mac Studio is sleeping at the start of the video.
At the 3 second mark, I dropped a Bic pen from about 1 inch away on the top of my Mac Studio.
At the 7 second mark, I clicked the Magic Mouse 2 to wake my Mac Studio from sleep.

Do you guys hear anything or is my hearing just that bad?

 

[SmallDane]

You guys are starting to make me question my own hearing...

Here's a video I made with my iPhone 12 Pro using the built-in Camera app. iPhone is less than 1 inch away from the Mac Studio with the mic facing the back of the Mac Studio.

At the 3 second mark, I dropped a Bic pen from about 1 inch away on the top of my Mac Studio.
At the 7 second mark, I clicked the Magic Mouse 2 to wake my Mac Studio from sleep.

Do you guys hear anything or is my hearing just that bad?

View attachment 2058311

I'm not hearing any whine like in some of the other recordings on here and on youtube. There is a faint "whoosh" sound that I assume comes from the fans. Other that that nothing. So you probably have a good model.

 

[Killerbob]

@pastrychef - you are absolutely right.

IT IS NOT ALL MAC STUDIOS THAT HAVE THE WHINE...

I don't know why some folks just have taken to believe that all MSs are affected by this issue, and are trying to convince us all of that. The majority of MSs are not affected at all. An unlucky group (around 30%) is affected, and no one disputes that.

 

[GlenK]

You guys are starting to make me question my own hearing...

Here's a video I made with my iPhone 12 Pro using the built-in Camera app. iPhone is less than 1 inch away from the Mac Studio with the mic facing the back of the Mac Studio.

At the 3 second mark, I dropped a Bic pen from about 1 inch away on the top of my Mac Studio.
At the 7 second mark, I clicked the Magic Mouse 2 to wake my Mac Studio from sleep.

Do you guys hear anything or is my hearing just that bad?

View attachment 2058311

Yep, mine is the same way. Unless I put my ear against the back of the MS I don't hear a thing.

 

[Random_Matt]

It is the PSU that has coil whine. My third unit does not suffer from it relative to the second unit. What you do get though is the same noise from the fans on all of them. Do not make the mistake of thinking the fan noise resonance is the PSU, it is not.

Secondly, anyone saying they cannot hear are liars or completely deaf. Mine is on my desk, disingenuous to state it is dead silent, unless I have super human hearing.

 

[pastrychef]

Secondly, anyone saying they cannot hear are liars or completely deaf.

So you're saying that I'm lying or deaf when I say I can't hear my Mac Studio?

Do you hear anything from my Mac Studio on post #117?

 

[Random_Matt]

So you're saying that I'm lying or deaf when I say I can't hear my Mac Studio?

Do you hear anything from my Mac Studio on post #117?

You must be.

A) Artificial, I would need to actually be there.
B) Not using professional equipment.
C) Anyone can turn up their volume controls.

I apologise for being rude (to anyone actually), however, I find the "dead silent' statements highly annoying.

 

[pastrychef]

You must be.

You haven't answered my other question. Do you hear my Mac Studio in the video?

 

[pastrychef]

@pastrychef - you are absolutely right.

IT IS NOT ALL MAC STUDIOS THAT HAVE THE WHINE...

I don't know why some folks just have taken to believe that all MSs are affected by this issue, and are trying to convince us all of that. The majority of MSs are not affected at all. An unlucky group (around 30%) is affected, and no one disputes that.

Yup. We are deaf or liars because ours are dead silent.