2019 iMac to external speakers- is there some kind of filter for noise/electricity?

[Turnpike]

We just got a 2019 27" iMac, and plugged it into the existing Bose external speaker system. There is a lot of humming noise, and the iMac will not go to sleep (suggesting some electricity or input of some kind) and will click several times upon coming out of the few seconds it IS in the sleep mode.

There is no hum when the wire is unplugged from the iMac and plugged into an iPad or iPhone. Clear music without humming.

There was no hum when the speaker system was plugged into the former Dell desktop computer.

Is there some kind of noise, electricity, or other filter that can be put in between the iMac and the powered Bose speaker system to avoid any interference, noise, or whatever else? Both to make the signal clean and clear without humming and also to protect the iMac from any electrical feedback or other stuff I don't know to think about....?

Thanks in advance!

 

[mmomega]

Personally haven't had an issue with this. Mine are connected to externals as well.
Make sure it is COMPLETELY seated into the headphone jack though.
Not pushing it all the way in 🙃(no pun intended) will cause an electric hum.
I have had some iMacs that seem tighter than others. (swear that wasn't on purpose)🤦‍♂️

Talking the headphone jack here people.

 

[jerwin]

are the speakers and the computer plugged into the same outlet?

 

[chscag]

Sounds more like a grounding error between the Bose and the iMac. That's how hum gets introduced into the system. You can try eliminating the hum by using a good UPS to plug your iMac into. An UPS will provide some isolation and also protect your iMac in the event of a power outage or electrical surges.

 

[Fishrrman]

Could this be a "60-cycle hum" caused by grounding issues?

As mentioned above, are the iMac and speaker power plugged into the same outlet?
Or... different ones?

 

[ajmichmac]

Just an idea but I used to have similar noise problems until I got all the devices on the same AC line. Also added an Audioquest Dragonfly DAC and now get excellent low noise audio.

 

[ajmichmac]

Posted too soon.... now a noise is back when using an external audio recorder.... something has changed but I don't know what. Am starting a new post on this.