Headphones not Recognized

[Calaveras]

Not sure if this is M1 specific or an OS-wide thing.
But I've noticed on my 14" M1 Pro MacBookPro that it has an annoying inconsistency with audio.
I can have my headphones plugged in and audio will still come blasting out of the speakers.
This seems to happen quite a lot after a reboot. As if it forgets the headphones are there.
Pulling the plug out and re-inserting it fixes this usually.
Makes me wonder if there is a microswitch in the headphone jack?

This is another example of Apple fixing something that isn't broken.

Previous to this, on my last 8 or 10 Macs (dozens if I include work computers) plugging in headphones interrupts audio to the speakers automatically. No need to go tell it what to do in a preference pane or system utility.
The headphones and speakers are both 'system audio'.
Now they show up as discrete items in Audio Midi. I can assign system alerts to one and playback to another.
Great.
What is the edge case scenario that necessitates this?
Do people want to listen to Kate Bush on their headphones but bombard anyone nearby with all the alert noises through their speakers?

It's also doing the same thing to the preferences in Logic.
If the headphones are plugged in during a reboot, they do not show up as a choice in audio prefs.
There is just System and Speakers.

So apologies to anyone at this cafe that got an earful of HardIndustrial1006.logicx at 8am.

 

[Wxchaser]

It sounds like you have a bad case of the Bluetooth Blues!

Not experiencing that using AirPods Max or AirPod Pro's - I can test with myriad other headphones. Also no issues staying paired with Powerbeats Pro which generally sit on a shelf.

 

[Calaveras]

It sounds like you have a bad case of the Bluetooth Blues!

Not experiencing that using AirPods Max or AirPod Pro's - I can test with myriad other headphones. Also no issues staying paired with Powerbeats Pro which generally sit on a shelf.

not bluetooth, that's why I'm talking about headphones "plugged in".
I'm using AKG K240 open back or Beyerdynamic DT770 PRO closed back.
My ears hate those things that go in your ear canal

 

[imnotthewalrus]

I am also a Logic user and use Sony MDR-7506 headphones on a M1 MacBook Air and have not experienced the problem you describe...

 

[Calaveras]

I am also a Logic user and use Sony MDR-7506 headphones on a M1 MacBook Air and have not experienced the problem you describe...

Interesting, have you power cycled your Mac with headphones plugged in?
Also, any clue what impedance your headphones are?
My K240s and DT770s are kind of high impedance compared to most consumer cans.

 

[imnotthewalrus]

I just tried to make sure. Opened Logic, played a portion. Without exiting app I restarted the computer and, after opening Logic played the portion again...no problem. For the tech specs of my cans, go here:

Sony MDR-7506 Specifications | FullSpecs.net

www.fullspecs.net

Edit: I should have mentioned that the headphones were plugged in during the entire scenario 🤣

 

[Calaveras]

Never mind on the ohms tangent. I was confusing these K240s with the K240M I used to own which were 200 or 250 I think. These are a relatively normal 55 ohms not far from the 25 of your 7506.
Maybe this is a 14" MBP thing? Not a giant barrier to my day.
More of a jump scare for anyone sitting near me at a cafe when I play something the first time.

 

[smithdr]

Hi Calaveras:

I have similar issues with my Beyerdynamics 880s where my late 2021 MBP16 intermittently does not switch from speakers to the headphones in a variety of applications (Quicktime, Davinci Resolve, Audition). I find myself either using Audio Midi or rebooting the computer in order to resolve. I have yet to try killing coreAudio.

I have always assumed that this was a more of software issue than hardware. But who knows.

Don

 

[imnotthewalrus]

Hi Calaveras:

I have similar issues with my Beyerdynamics 880s where my late 2021 MBP16 intermittently does not switch from speakers to the headphones in a variety of applications (Quicktime, Davinci Resolve, Audition). I find myself either using Audio Midi or rebooting the computer in order to resolve. I have yet to try killing coreAudio.

I have always assumed that this was a more of software issue than hardware. But who knows.

Don

The one difference between you guys and me is your devices have a high impedance 3.5mm jack. Might be something there… might consider Apple Support.