I have the Quad Mac Pro, for about 1 month already. I hear an occasional "pop" from the speakers, which I am guessing are the fault of the sound card. Is it me or the build quality has gone down ever since Apple moved it's production line to China???? The FireWire port on the front seems a bit fragile too?
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Occasional "sound pop"
- Thread starter SDAVE
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Any static with the speakers? I had this problem with my old Dell, it would pop when you used any light switches nearby. Probably not the problem, but it probably wouldn't hurt to check the wires and move the speakers & wires away from any electrical lines.
Thing is I had an older Windows box connected to these same speakers and they were in the same place as the current speakers are and the computer is in the same place as the old Windows box.
There is a BIT of small hiss in the speakers, but that's always been the case. I can't move the speakers around. My educated guess is the sound card on the Mac Pro.
There is a BIT of small hiss in the speakers, but that's always been the case. I can't move the speakers around. My educated guess is the sound card on the Mac Pro.
SDAVE - same issue here - 99.99% certain it is a defect in the audio system - not sure how much hassle I want to go through to get it fixed though.
The audio is built into the logic board - yes / no?
The audio is built into the logic board - yes / no?
Good to know I'm not the only one....Yeah, the audio chip is Realtek so it is on the logic board. It is a hassle for me to take it to the store too...I also want them to take a look at the Power supply "buzz" noise as well....it is kinda irritating that during work when I concentrate, and off comes a pop out of nowhere.
I am also dissapointed on the front firewire port assembly. It kind of makes a rubber noise (When you slide 2 rubbers together) when I stick in a FireWire cable. Shame that Apple stuff is all made in China now. Build quality has gone down.
I am also dissapointed on the front firewire port assembly. It kind of makes a rubber noise (When you slide 2 rubbers together) when I stick in a FireWire cable. Shame that Apple stuff is all made in China now. Build quality has gone down.
SDAVE - my "solution" will be to add a sound card and simply go around the built in problem. In the long run it may be cheaper than having it in the shop for a week and getting it back with other issues / scratches / whatever.
SDAVE - I've got slots left so PCIe is an option for me still. Also, the number of "pops" per day is decreasing - maybe it will go away soon.
The onboard sound cards usually suck. I have a few self built computers which use Realtek audio cards on board, and have never even seen anything like this happen. Considering that the Mac Pro itself is about $5,500, I don't know what Apple was thinking when they put this crappy audio on the logic board.
Maybe I need to take it down to an Apple shot. Just 40 seconds ago it popped again!
Maybe I need to take it down to an Apple shot. Just 40 seconds ago it popped again!
Hey guys, I know this is an old post, so not really trying to relive it again...
But I took it to the Genius bar and they had it for over a week, and they can't reproduce this?? Any pointers to make them change the logic board or something? I know it has a problem along with the buzzing power supply, but if they can't reproduce it how will I live with it again?
Thanks
But I took it to the Genius bar and they had it for over a week, and they can't reproduce this?? Any pointers to make them change the logic board or something? I know it has a problem along with the buzzing power supply, but if they can't reproduce it how will I live with it again?
Thanks
are you sure that it is not just something in its immediate environment? my mbp and harman kardons are in the same room as my fridge at uni, and every time it comes on and off my speakers make an enormous pop sound, quite disconcerting really
Thanks for the reply,
I don't think it's anything from the surrounding environment. I have tried a different outlet in a different area of my workplace as well.
I connect directly to the outlet, and the Genius did connect it directly to the outlet during testing too.
I had another PC put in the same location and connected to the same speakers, and that PC had never made any popping sounds...and they were using the same audio chipsets (Realtek)...
I have no clue what to do, I really don't want the Mac back unless the problems have been fixed (Buzzing power supply and the popping)...what should I tell them? They are doing "further tests" now...
I noticed that I am not the only one, after doing some searching on the net...thanks for the reassurance that it's not only me or the Mac Pro's.
I told the guy the same thing that I found a bunch of people who have the same issue...
I doubt it.....this was the same for me on my imac and now on my mac pro. I have Harman Kardon soundsticks and its pretty annoying.
I even have all of my router, switches, monitor, mac mini, macbook and mac pro spread over 2 x UPS's with ample space for more and it still "popped".
I even moved the soundsticks over on to the UPS so that the su0pply was the same as the Pro and a clean supply at that, still the same
I am fairly sure its a combination of static and other electric devices (for me a nearby washing machine/tumble dryer) that create the problem.
After I moved everything over to the UPS's and also used surge protection it seems to have calmed down, although is still present.
I try the above and then just live with it unfortunately
I even have all of my router, switches, monitor, mac mini, macbook and mac pro spread over 2 x UPS's with ample space for more and it still "popped".
I even moved the soundsticks over on to the UPS so that the su0pply was the same as the Pro and a clean supply at that, still the same
I am fairly sure its a combination of static and other electric devices (for me a nearby washing machine/tumble dryer) that create the problem.
After I moved everything over to the UPS's and also used surge protection it seems to have calmed down, although is still present.
I try the above and then just live with it unfortunately
I've owned maybe upwards of 15 different computers...have never ever seen such a thing.
I have another computer in the same room, running from the same wall outlet with a 600 watt power supply and I have never ever heard any pops like these...and they use the same Sound chipset! (Realtek).
Shame on you Apple.
I have another computer in the same room, running from the same wall outlet with a 600 watt power supply and I have never ever heard any pops like these...and they use the same Sound chipset! (Realtek).
Shame on you Apple.
