2018 Mac Mini coil whine

[Jean Du]

Here is the following of what I got lately.

First my mac mini suffers the exact same issue as the one exposed in this thread (it’s a Macbook pro but it remains the same trouble) :

https://www.logicprohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=140386

The noise pitch changes according to the sample rate frequency and the buffer size that I use in Pro Tools and Ableton Live. (And Logic pro apparently). The smaller the buffer, the louder the whine. And if I run a quite heavy session (20+ VSTi tracks) it’s much louder again !

It seems to be present when opening Garage Band too, but, as we can not change the buffer size in Garage Band and it’s set at 1024, it’s much weaker. I still can hear it disappear when listening closely and shutting off the application. Once again it’s hard to hear at such CPU “comfortable and friendly” buffer size.

Did anyone out there, using audio softwares, have experienced the same ?

Aside, I let the computer run the whole weekend, playing back a 24 tracks session in loop to see if the said “coil whine” weakens. Not really conclusive for the coil whine... but weirdly, the fan problem improved and it’s now running real quite. I

I returned my mini this morning at the Apple Store and wait for a new one.

 

[Ploki]

Here is the following of what I got lately.

First my mac mini suffers the exact same issue as the one exposed in this thread (it’s a Macbook pro but it remains the same trouble) :

https://www.logicprohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=140386

The noise pitch changes according to the sample rate frequency and the buffer size that I use in Pro Tools and Ableton Live. (And Logic pro apparently). The smaller the buffer, the louder the whine. And if I run a quite heavy session (20+ VSTi tracks) it’s much louder again !

It seems to be present when opening Garage Band too, but, as we can not change the buffer size in Garage Band and it’s set at 1024, it’s much weaker. I still can hear it disappear when listening closely and shutting off the application. Once again it’s hard to hear at such CPU “comfortable and friendly” buffer size.

Did anyone out there, using audio softwares, have experienced the same ?

Aside, I let the computer run the whole weekend, playing back a 24 tracks session in loop to see if the said “coil whine” weakens. Not really conclusive for the coil whine... but weirdly, the fan problem improved and it’s now running real quite. I

I returned my mini this morning at the Apple Store and wait for a new one.

huh.
Neither my MacBook Pro 13" nor Mini exhibit this.

What hardware are you using with it?

 

[brentsg]

Have we established that any of these are sure to use Samsung (or anything other than Toshiba) at this point?

My Mac Pro just croaked again after working fine for a couple months, argh.

I'm actually considering ordering the base model discounted, in which case I won't even use the internal SSD at all.. just boot and run everything from external Thunderbolt. I think I've given up on caring about performance for the CPU/RAM too, as I'll just be using it to limp along until I'm 100% of the OSX platform.

But.... if I could get a non-Toshiba then I'd prob do it.

 

[Ploki]

I don't think there's any Samsung chips in any of 2018s.
And coil whine is a thing of luck

 

[brentsg]

I don't think there's any Samsung chips in any of 2018s.
And coil whine is a thing of luck

I understand how coil whine works, but I've never encountered it with any device that wasn't using a Toshiba SSD. Of course I've experienced it occasionally with video cards, but strictly speaking SSD.

But I appreciate your response. I'll either pass or go 128GB and ignore it.

 

[Ploki]

I understand how coil whine works, but I've never encountered it with any device that wasn't using a Toshiba SSD. Of course I've experienced it occasionally with video cards, but strictly speaking SSD.

But I appreciate your response. I'll either pass or go 128GB and ignore it.

FWIW; My Samsung 970 EVO 1TB has it. It's louder than the 512GB toshiba in the mini, but they're both quiet enough not to bother me or really unnoticable unless you look for it.

 

[T-Bob]

I've returned mine, but am not very hopeful on a replacement being much better.

Has anyone with coil whine replaced theirs for same spec and noticed a change?

 

[Ploki]

I haven't seen any correlation between specs and coil whine intensity

 

[Spectrum]

What are you guys doing to make it make this noise? Mine occasionally makes some clicks and whines, but they are barely audible above general office/AC background unless I get my ear near it. In fact the same whine noises are much louder on a 2016 4K iMac.

 

[T-Bob]

I haven't seen any correlation between specs and coil whine intensity

Happens across the range? Most reports seem to be from i7 with some i5s, not seen any i3s yet in this thread anyway.

 

[dspdoc]

Here is the following of what I got lately.

First my mac mini suffers the exact same issue as the one exposed in this thread (it’s a Macbook pro but it remains the same trouble) :

https://www.logicprohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=140386

The noise pitch changes according to the sample rate frequency and the buffer size that I use in Pro Tools and Ableton Live. (And Logic pro apparently). The smaller the buffer, the louder the whine. And if I run a quite heavy session (20+ VSTi tracks) it’s much louder again !

It seems to be present when opening Garage Band too, but, as we can not change the buffer size in Garage Band and it’s set at 1024, it’s much weaker. I still can hear it disappear when listening closely and shutting off the application. Once again it’s hard to hear at such CPU “comfortable and friendly” buffer size.

Did anyone out there, using audio softwares, have experienced the same ?

Aside, I let the computer run the whole weekend, playing back a 24 tracks session in loop to see if the said “coil whine” weakens. Not really conclusive for the coil whine... but weirdly, the fan problem improved and it’s now running real quite. I

I returned my mini this morning at the Apple Store and wait for a new one.

Did you get a new one?

 

[Dr. Dr. Evil]

Happens across the range? Most reports seem to be from i7 with some i5s, not seen any i3s yet in this thread anyway.

close to zero coil wine with my mini (i5/32/512)

 

[T-Bob]

close to zero coil wine with my mini (i5/32/512)

Yes, but it is possible that some don't even notice the noise as well. They might be older and have lost acuity for higher frequencies, or need to be closer to hear it. Have you heard similar whine from electronics before?

I am still not sure if it is definitely the ssd and not something like the power causing the noise here. There is very little of the ssd in the Mac mini apart from the flash chips, the controller and power are custom. And all reports so far seem to have only been from i5 and i7 users, both of which have a higher draw than i3.

Of course if someone comes in and hears the same from their i3, that blows that one out of the water.

 

[Ploki]

Happens across the range? Most reports seem to be from i7 with some i5s, not seen any i3s yet in this thread anyway.

people with i3 i suspect are less demading

Yes, but it is possible that some don't even notice the noise as well. They might be older and have lost acuity for higher frequencies, or need to be closer to hear it. Have you heard similar whine from electronics before?

I am still not sure if it is definitely the ssd and not something like the power causing the noise here. There is very little of the ssd in the Mac mini apart from the flash chips, the controller and power are custom. And all reports so far seem to have only been from i5 and i7 users, both of which have a higher draw than i3.

Of course if someone comes in and hears the same from their i3, that blows that one out of the water.

Its not (only the ssd), i hear a coil whistling when i connect my external audio interface and run it at low buffers lol

 

[Dr. Dr. Evil]

Yes, but it is possible that some don't even notice the noise as well. They might be older and have lost acuity for higher frequencies, or need to be closer to hear it. Have you heard similar whine from electronics before?

I am still not sure if it is definitely the ssd and not something like the power causing the noise here. There is very little of the ssd in the Mac mini apart from the flash chips, the controller and power are custom. And all reports so far seem to have only been from i5 and i7 users, both of which have a higher draw than i3.

Of course if someone comes in and hears the same from their i3, that blows that one out of the water.

Im am not a student, but also still be able to notice all sounds and activites around me.
But to ensure the close to zero coli wine for you, even my dauhter hears nothing.
Only if you put your ear onto the chassis during e.g. TM Backup, you can hear very silent coil wine.
Clear enough?

 

[T-Bob]

Im am not a student, but also still be able to notice all sounds and activites around me.
But to ensure the close to zero coli wine for you, even my dauhter hears nothing.
Only if you put your ear onto the chassis during e.g. TM Backup, you can hear very silent coil wine.
Clear enough?

Ok fair enough.

I do think the most valuable data would be from someone who has definitely heard it before, and then noticed its absence in a replacement. In the MBP 2018 thread there were some that received many replacements and never had one without the noise, suggesting it affected all models, or that perhaps they were using different components at different times or to different regions.

 

[dspdoc]

people with i3 i suspect are less demading


Its not (only the ssd), i hear a coil whistling when i connect my external audio interface and run it at low buffers lol

I am in a studio as well and to be honest I’m not sure I could recommend this mini to audio professionals for a variety of reasons. Sadly they keep piling up too.

 

[Ploki]

I am in a studio as well and to be honest I’m not sure I could recommend this mini to audio professionals for a variety of reasons. Sadly they keep piling up too.

Which reasons?
I honestly cant think of a better mac for studio right now

 

[deviant]

The brain filters out ambient noise in real life, whereas the coil whine is easily hearable and distinctive. The recording is not a 1:1 capture of what you would hear on location as the microphone exaggerates background noise. The coil whine is actually so significant that it sounds like something is broken.

Also, people who are 50+ and wouldn't be able to hear it, please don't provide us with your impertinent anecdotes, as it dilutes the helpfulness of the thread.

it's not a coil whine. I have it and I know what is the sound. it only makes it when you're doing SUPER HEAVY ssd work. and it's barely audible even then. check your paranoia.

ps. im 28

 

[dspdoc]

Which reasons?
I honestly cant think of a better mac for studio right now

That’s the sad thing. There isn’t a “better” Mac because Apple doesn’t have any great Macs right now. The mini also suffers from CPU spiking and not spreading processing evenly amongst all the cores. CPU spiking can cause errors in DAWs as well as audio artifacts and playback stopping.

 

[deviant]

That’s the sad thing. There isn’t a “better” Mac because Apple doesn’t have any great Macs right now. The mini also suffers from CPU spiking and not spreading processing evenly amongst all the cores. CPU spiking can cause errors in DAWs as well as audio artifacts and playback stopping.

lolwut cpu spikes hahaha

 

[brentsg]

it's not a coil whine. I have it and I know what is the sound. it only makes it when you're doing SUPER HEAVY ssd work. and it's barely audible even then. check your paranoia.

ps. im 28

All samples aren't necessarily the same. My Mini was about 2-3 feet from my ears, but right next to an 8 bay NAS full of 8TB drives. My Mini was louder than the noises from the NAS.

I'm also 50 and I heard it just fine.

 

[Ploki]

That’s the sad thing. There isn’t a “better” Mac because Apple doesn’t have any great Macs right now. The mini also suffers from CPU spiking and not spreading processing evenly amongst all the cores. CPU spiking can cause errors in DAWs as well as audio artifacts and playback stopping.

That's not a mini problem tho, that macOS Mojave (and mostly Logic) problem.

But it's not really that bad, i can push it to 1000-1100% in Logic out of 1200, which is better than other macs i had.

 

[Jean Du]

Did you get a new one?

Waiting for it...
Should be available for pick up at the apple store next week.
I’ll unbox and try it right there.
Let you know

 

[T-Bob]

Waiting for it...
Should be available for pick up at the apple store next week.
I’ll unbox and try it right there.
Let you know

Do they have a quiet room for you to try it in? No way you'd hear it otherwise surely.