2018 Mac Mini coil whine

[gusping]

Got my second Mac mini recently and the coil whine is 10 times worse than my original mini (replaced for another reason). It's extremely loud as my room is pretty quiet 90% of the time. If it doesn't improve, it may have to go back. This is ridiculous. No computer with an SSD should have non-fan noises this loud.

 

[GtrDude]

Seems like Apple just can't get anything right in the last few years.
What a disaster.

 

[mrex]

Thank god i this thread exists... was going to order a new mini, but wont do that now. coil whine, huh!

 

[F-Train]

I only regret that "coil whine" wasn't a thing when John Cleese et al. were making Monty Python. Judging from the six pages of posts to this thread, it could have been as good a recurring subject as lupins.

 

[ncrypt]

Me too...
i7/32G/1TB/10GbE

I already had it replaced by Apple, but I have the same issue with the new unit...

For the record, my coil whine seems to have gone away. If you're thinking of ordering a mini, I'd still recommend doing that - there's no guarantee you're going to be affected by it, and there's a chance it may go away during your return period.

 

[madrag]

For the record, my coil whine seems to have gone away. If you're thinking of ordering a mini, I'd still recommend doing that - there's no guarantee you're going to be affected by it, and there's a chance it may go away during your return period.

You mean that it has really gone away?

Did you have a loud whine or just faint?

Could you please make some test where you can stress the SSD (read and write a bit so it can really work) and see if the whine is indeed gone?

 

[xylitol]

For the record, my coil whine seems to have gone away.

Mortal coil whine?

 

[eonaeon]

Ok so my first Mac Mini 2018 exhibited a noises when doing lots of read/writes. It wasn't *annoying* so to speak, but I was unsatisfied that the noise was there so went ahead with a replacement.

The replacement arrived last week and suffice to say the same noises when doing lots of read/writes still exists. Interestingly enough, the fans on the new machine sound a bit coarser too. The worst thing is though, this evening whilst using it, I noticed some high pitched squeaks that were definitely not the fan, nor the same noise as the SSD read/writes.

I can test the SSD read/write noise by firing up Daisy Disk and doing a scan of the SSD, that makes a clear noise that you can hear every time. These squeaks though were very annoying, still quiet-ish and subtle but I can clearly hear them. I even had to put my ear next the Mac Mini thinking wtf is that noise, is that coming from the Mac Mini, and sure enough it was. I got the noise after opening up iPhoto and it was doing some work in the background, however it's stopped now and I'm not sure how I'm going to replicate it.

*sigh* the replacement machine is worse than my original machine. Looks like i'll try for a third replacement, and if that's still no good, I'm not sure what I'm going to do!

 

[leo-tech]

sigh* the replacement machine is worse than my original machine. Looks like i'll try for a third replacement, and if that's still no good, I'm not sure what I'm going to do!

It would be logical to assume that at some point Apple may refuse replace your MM2018, so probably there are a few things you can think about, like for example to insist on testing your next MM2018 replacement in the shop, and for that you better prepare in advance, do some research on the Net related to similar cases, ideally bring with you some fine-tuned noise-meter, use it on your current MM2018 first etc.

 

[ElectronGuru]

Got my second Mac mini recently and the coil whine is 10 times worse than my original mini (replaced for another reason).

Yours may be the first report of two sound levels from a single pair of ears. And suggests the experience differences are from actual differences. Were they the same size drives?

 

[eonaeon]

It would be logical to assume that at some point Apple may refuse replace your MM2018, so probably there are a few things you can think about, like for example to insist on testing your next MM2018 replacement in the shop, and for that you better prepare in advance, do some research on the Net related to similar cases, ideally bring with you some fine-tuned noise-meter, use it on your current MM2018 first etc.

Sadly there are no Apple Shops in my city, so I'm having to do the returns process online. I'm still doing returns based on the 14 day no questions asked. If the third device isn't satisfactory I'll just get a refund instead of a replacement :|

 

[gusping]

Yours may be the first report of two sound levels from a single pair of ears. And suggests the experience differences are from actual differences. Were they the same size drives?

Yep. Both the exact same configs (i7/16GB/256GB SSD). It was worst during a time machine backup, less so during standard use. Don’t think I’ll return it because they all seem to emit some sort of noise (and I’m lazy). With Sunny cove out next year. I may only be keeping this 2 years.

 

[Partron22]

I'd sure like t see an oscilloscope trace on this.

 

[jean512]

Yep. Both the exact same configs (i7/16GB/256GB SSD). It was worst during a time machine backup, less so during standard use. Don’t think I’ll return it because they all seem to emit some sort of noise (and I’m lazy). With Sunny cove out next year. I may only be keeping this 2 years.

I kept mine too, but I put it under the desk...

 

[Spectrum]

I only heard mine once during initial set up and syncing. Never heard since, but then my office isn't exactly quiet...

 

[gusping]

I kept mine too, but I put it under the desk...

Haha, fair enough. I am usually listening to music so it's not too much of a problem, but it's still noticeable. My primary problem is my mouse cursor lagging, when the exact same mouse is fine on my 2014 15" MBP....

 

[ot73nl]

Got my mac mini (a very base model) yesterday. It is dead silent. I can only hear the fan, if I listen very carefully with my ear directly on a case of it. No coil whine at all. I consider myself lucky

 

[ncrypt]

Could you please make some test where you can stress the SSD (read and write a bit so it can really work) and see if the whine is indeed gone?

Okay so if I run a Blackmagic speed test and hold my ear literally against the Mac, I can hear a very faint sound. So for me in general usage, the SSD is silent.

I probably heard it more when the Mac was new due to spotlight indexing etc utilising the SSD more, but like I said earlier, I would really encourage not being put off by this thread, buy the mini and see for yourselves if you have the issue with your use cases and after the Mac has settled down.

 

[tombaja]

Just received my new Mac mini from Adorama (i7/8GB Ram/512 GB SSD), with no coin whine, very silent machine. I don’t know the manufacturer of the SSD, it just says Apple SSD.

 

[deviant]

ok so I ordered one from apple thinking that if I don't like it I can return it.
during the initial setup and iCloud syncing (40gb between files photos), then photoanalisys and spotlight indexing I could hear it in a dead silence room. I wanted to return it.. but decided to use it a little bit more and I can't hear it anymore. its 1 ft away from me and it's perfectly fine, but than again I don't do ssd intensive stuff

 

[RyanC1384]

Is it like this one: https://streamable.com/iwfo2
I've been searching the entire day what this noise is on my new mini.
Thanks!

I have the EXACT same sound...any clue as to what it is?

 

[Fishrrman]

All of you folks hearing "coil whine" -- how OLD are you?

The question is important, because as one ages, one gradually loses the ability to hear higher frequencies.

I listened to the sound file in reply 146 above -- and heard "next-to-nothing"...

 

[brentsg]

All of you folks hearing "coil whine" -- how OLD are you?

The question is important, because as one ages, one gradually loses the ability to hear higher frequencies.

I listened to the sound file in reply 146 above -- and heard "next-to-nothing"...

It was really clear to me even in the context of a NAS right next to it and I'm now pushing 50.

 

[deviant]

All of you folks hearing "coil whine" -- how OLD are you?

The question is important, because as one ages, one gradually loses the ability to hear higher frequencies.

I listened to the sound file in reply 146 above -- and heard "next-to-nothing"...

It’s not high pitched. It sounds more like an HDD, only that it doesn’t vibrate, obviously
It’s fine when your not copying 10000 things at the same time

 

[Ploki]

been running blackmagic and trying to identify anything resembling a coil whine - i cannot hear it.

so happy with this lil' bugger, much better than the i9 mbp i returned.