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Strange clicking/popping coming from iMac late 2012

Hi all, this is my first post 🙂
I've the same tick on the bottom of the screen, just one question:
people that have this problem are using the integrated or external speakers?
I ask this because I've notice that if I configure the internal speakers only for sound effects an the external DAC for music the tick is quite gone

PS excuse for my english 🙂
 
Last edited:
ab.eccolo said:
Hi all, this is my first post 🙂
I've the same tick on the bottom of the screen, just one question:
people that have this problem are using the integrated or external speakers?
I ask this because I've notice that if I configure the internal speakers only for sound effects an the external DAC for music the tick is quite gone

PS excuse for my english 🙂
Click to expand...

Hi, welcome to MacRumors! 🙂

I'm using the built-in speakers. I've not actually heard the noise for a few days now so maybe it's sorted itself out. I'll report back! Also, don't apologise for your English, it's better than that of some native speakers on here! 😉
 
so, let me throw my 2 cents in here.

I've opened 2 of the thin iMac's, recently. The first had a small loose plastic container beneath the fan that was making a rattling noise. The second was perfect. I doubt that everyone's iMac that is making a strange noise has a loose object inside, but quality control is very poor these days. Bottomline, is that you should return it, if it's not to your liking and get a new one.


OTOH, the 2012 imac's fan is much more noticeable than the 2011.
 
I saw reports this noise was linked to the processor a couple of months ago. I'm sure if you search for it here you'll find the threads discussing it.
 
Thanks to all of replies 🙂
I have read that the imacs replaced often are affected of the same problem, so I'll wait to see if the tick goes away.....
 
I got my new 27 inches iMac a couple days ago and I experience the same 'strange' noise from time to time. I would say that it comes from the lower left corner of the screen and I have no idea what could be the issue that causes this little sound.

After having read all the messages in this thread I think it's not something I should be scared of and I can wait before returning it (I have AppleCare).

That is the only issue I found with my new iMac. All the rest is awesome.

BTW, I have the 27 inches, i7, 768GB SSD, 680MX version and I added 32GB Corsair Vengeance 🙂
 
Same prob

I somehow thought it was a notifications sound and my volume is usually low anyway but it does drive me crazy and i have a phone call booked with apple tomorrow. I have tried removing all sound effects etc but nothing works :-(
 
Hi, for me the "problem" is the screen's adhesive on the bottom of lcd: if you gently press the bottom black bar the ticks appears. I noticed that most use the imac more the problem vanishes, so 'I hope the tick goes away completely
 
ab.eccolo said:
Hi, for me the "problem" is the screen's adhesive on the bottom of lcd: if you gently press the bottom black bar the ticks appears. I noticed that most use the imac more the problem vanishes, so 'I hope the tick goes away completely
Click to expand...

I really hope that you're right, because that would mean that there is nothing to be worried about and that the iMac is really close to the perfection 🙂
 
I am just reporting back to say that my issue disappeared gradually over 3-4 weeks of usage. I assume it was the adhesive that was drying out...
 
Hi everyone!! I have the same clicking noise on my 27" i5 1tb. My imac also has Image retention and the power button when you press on it can't even tell your pressing it. It sucks because i sold my 2010 27 imac to get this new 2012 and the 2010 imac never gave me any problems.
 
Has anyone noticed the ticking starts if you dim the screen down to about 4 bars or less? I have this same issue on my late 2012 model 27" with the 1tb fusion and if I brighten the screen the sound stops.

Discussed with AppleCare and they hadn't heard of this. Took it into the Apple shop and they cannot hear the issue when they dim the screen. They could only hear the fan and hard disk. They waited till the shop was closed then listened to it in a quiet room.

As I didn't notice the issue for about 3 months (can't remember if I must have had the screen brighter) I'm told multiple times they would want to repair first, however they can't hear the issue so told me to come and collect it.
 
I've not heard that strange static noise from the lower left corner for a few weeks now. I imagine it was, as someone mentioned, the tape holding the screen on and after x amount of use it's finally settled. Regardless of what it actually was, it's gone now! 🙂
 
eattherich said:
I've not heard that strange static noise from the lower left corner for a few weeks now. I imagine it was, as someone mentioned, the tape holding the screen on and after x amount of use it's finally settled. Regardless of what it actually was, it's gone now! 🙂
Click to expand...

Thanks for the update 🙂 I still have some click but they are decreasing, I hope they will go away soon
 
First Post

eattherich said:
I've not heard that strange static noise from the lower left corner for a few weeks now. I imagine it was, as someone mentioned, the tape holding the screen on and after x amount of use it's finally settled. Regardless of what it actually was, it's gone now! 🙂
Click to expand...

^^^ I would have to agree! I tried lightly pressing on both sides of the screen in each bottom corner where the black meets the aluminum(while it was unplugged). and it definitely clicked just like i had been hearing, it would alternate from lleft to right (but each click has the same velocity, if it were static you would think they would be different from each other after discharging once). Thanks to everyone in this forum for doing their own troubleshooting, and then collaborating here. It made me stop dripping in sweat worrying about my brand new imac27" Cheers!
 
I've had my iMac (i7, 680MX, Fusion Drive, if it makes a difference) for just over a month now, and it was fine up until this past weekend. The problem started when I installed Windows 7. Apparently immediately after the installation, the screen is turned up to full brightness by default, which I didn't really notice. After a while (downloading all the Windows Updates and whatnot), I started to hear what sounds like static, in the form of sporadic individual "pops." I just assumed it was the speakers having a driver issue. It wasn't until the first restart that I noticed there was image retention, which had never occurred before.

Anyway, lowered the brightness to "6" (if you count those squares). Image retention took a few hours to go away, but hasn't been a problem since. However, the noises remain. They seem to happen every few minutes, especially when I'm in Windows and playing a game. It does happen on the Mac side now, but not as often. Usually sounds like it's coming from the bottom right, although sometimes it's sounds like the left, and sometimes top right.

I'm hoping it eventually goes away on its own, as others have reported on here.
 
We have a late '09 iMac that had its HDD replaced with the recall. Apple also replaced the screen when I complained of bleed, replaced the optical drive, and checked the motherboard, etc. I was planning on replacing that iMac but turned it instead in a media server. I heard that ticking sound from the right side of the iMac after the repairs were done as well, particularly at start-up. The sound does go away, or decreases, with time. I did not take it back because I did not think that it was major and, well, I was going to give the iMac to a family member anyhow.
 
Hi all,
I want to tell the epilogue of the story: I find some dead pixels on the screen , Apple service replaced the monitor and tick are completely gone.
I am sure that the culprit is the adhesive of the monitor (which of course apple has replaced)

🙂
 
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