I am looking into purchasing the HD 515's, but you say they are 120ohms, and so does Amazon. But the Sennheiser site says they are 50ohms. What's up with that? Which are they?
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Does the Penryn Macbook Pro the hissing/popping audio issue like the SR MBP?
- Thread starter Jonguy
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I am looking into purchasing the HD 515's, but you say they are 120ohms, and so does Amazon. But the Sennheiser site says they are 50ohms. What's up with that? Which are they?
I just checked the technical specifications pdf on the sennheiser site, and it lists the HD-515's as having impedance of 120 ohm. I would assume that is the correct number.
Alright thanks! I'm debating the Sennheiser HD-515's or the Audio Technica ATH-M30. Hopefully the one I pick will fix this problem with the MBP audio!
Guys, the MacBook Pros should NOT have this issue at all.
You shouldn't have to buy specific models/impedances of headphones just as a get-around.
Buying different impedance headphones is barely the "solution"!
I've noticed the problem on many pairs of high-end headphones (Beyers, Sennheiser, etc.), as well as high-end near-field monitor speakers (Genelec, Mackie).
It's a problem with your MAC, tell them to fix it, or at least try. Don't limit your choice of headphones, or be forced to buy certain ones, and just put up with it!
You shouldn't have to buy specific models/impedances of headphones just as a get-around.
Buying different impedance headphones is barely the "solution"!
I've noticed the problem on many pairs of high-end headphones (Beyers, Sennheiser, etc.), as well as high-end near-field monitor speakers (Genelec, Mackie).
It's a problem with your MAC, tell them to fix it, or at least try. Don't limit your choice of headphones, or be forced to buy certain ones, and just put up with it!
The last of these three is the one I have coming and is specifically designed for mac, but that's $500, so won't interest most people.
The other two below are options in the $40 and $150 range.
http://www.headphone.com/products/headphone-amps/the-mobile-line/headroom-total-bithead.php
http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/imic
http://www.apogeedigital.com/products/duet.php?section=specs
It's not that simple. Every MBP with the Merom and Penryn processors that i've had a chance to test have this problem. Every single one in the Apple store I tested had the problem. My internal speakers were replaced once already and still the popping problem persist. I am starting to believe it is a software problem. When I go into Windows Vista I don't get the weird sounds. But I did not test it out to much. I will later tonight and post back.
Yeah, my old Merom and new Penryn both had the issue.
But, a lot of other Macs that I come into contact with daily (Macbooks, older MBPs, Mac Pros, Power Macs) don't have any issues at all.
I know that it's unlikely you can't just get it repaired - what I mean was, we all shouldn't just ignore it, and buy certain headphones to get around the problem, we should get onto Apple and try to make them do something about it - because, like you, I think it's a software thing - I too don't have any problems whatsoever in XP under bootcamp!
It would be awesome if everyone that viewed this thread called Apple about it. But most people won't. So Apple probably doesn't view it as a big issue. It really sucks that a $2000 or more computer has this silly problems.
I have just bought a 15-inch mac book pro and have noticed this problem. It feels like the sound coming from this computer has no grace whatsoever. A soft chime from an application is proceeded by a pop, some hisses, and R2D2 trying to tell me something. Then I get static or noise for about 30 seconds. The static has a repeating pattern where it gets louder and quieter repeatedly twice a second. After the 30 seconds another pop occurs and everything is quiet once more.
I have checked in windows xp via bootcamp. The popping does not occur as it seems the sound out is active at all times as opposed to osx where the sound output is activated preceding the sound and deactivated 30 seconds after a period of no output. There **IS** however the same static noise with a 2 Hz cycle still present in windows xp.
I cannot discern any of these issues from the internal speakers. I, however, use headphones 99.9% of the time and cannot bear to stand this. I will be calling apple tomorrow and if the issue cannot be resolved I will be getting rid of this computer and sticking with my 4+ year old powerbook g4 which has none of these problems.
I have checked in windows xp via bootcamp. The popping does not occur as it seems the sound out is active at all times as opposed to osx where the sound output is activated preceding the sound and deactivated 30 seconds after a period of no output. There **IS** however the same static noise with a 2 Hz cycle still present in windows xp.
I cannot discern any of these issues from the internal speakers. I, however, use headphones 99.9% of the time and cannot bear to stand this. I will be calling apple tomorrow and if the issue cannot be resolved I will be getting rid of this computer and sticking with my 4+ year old powerbook g4 which has none of these problems.
This is heart-breaking news. I personally won't get a MBP until the QC improves. I ordered a penryn MBP the 1st day but sent it back after a few days of trying to ignore several sound problems. They offered to overnight a box for me to ship it to the repair center. I pleaded for a refund.
Has anyone had their MBP successfully repaired???
apparently this works very well for mac os
http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/22091/shhmbp
read the reviews....would be nice to have an equivalent for vista...my 2008 mb pro making the hiss and r2d2 noises also....
looking forward to trying this software under leopard however.
smj
http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/22091/shhmbp
read the reviews....would be nice to have an equivalent for vista...my 2008 mb pro making the hiss and r2d2 noises also....
looking forward to trying this software under leopard however.
smj
weird
ok
so i thought i'd try this software in mac os to get rid of the bleeps etc... loaded up mac os and .... no beeps ( r2d2 ).... a bit of static though.... it definitely beeps under vista though.... also a note that installing that bit of software i posted earlier may reduce your battery life by a few minutes...this is based of info from pages employing the process of ( disabling the C4 sleep mode of your cpu ) for pc laptops.... see here at the bottom of the page....
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=169194
I'm not sure I want to install it now given I may lose battery life...maybe I can deal with some static and might try the usb sound jack thingo. For those who are super annoyed by beeping it may be worth the sacrifice... I found this from a user who has employed it for a while with no problems....
http://www.liveabiglife.com/post/technology/4393/
smj
ok
so i thought i'd try this software in mac os to get rid of the bleeps etc... loaded up mac os and .... no beeps ( r2d2 ).... a bit of static though.... it definitely beeps under vista though.... also a note that installing that bit of software i posted earlier may reduce your battery life by a few minutes...this is based of info from pages employing the process of ( disabling the C4 sleep mode of your cpu ) for pc laptops.... see here at the bottom of the page....
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=169194
I'm not sure I want to install it now given I may lose battery life...maybe I can deal with some static and might try the usb sound jack thingo. For those who are super annoyed by beeping it may be worth the sacrifice... I found this from a user who has employed it for a while with no problems....
http://www.liveabiglife.com/post/technology/4393/
smj
Hmm I'd be very surprised if the audio interference we're all talking about is related to the whine issues but it's not impossible.
I've tried it with the normal apple earphones and its very noticeable, but like someone said when you use high impedance headphones like my HD595s, then its not as bad, BUT its still noticeable. It seems to go away after a few minutes of use, but its still a big let down on such an expensive piece of hardware.
So this still hasn't been resolved??? I was going to send my computer in soon to have it fixed under warranty.
I too thought it was software, but Apple seems to think otherwise, and told me to ship it in to them. I just haven't had the time, so they told me to call back when I'm ready. I've also been sitting here watching all other models of Apple products getting new Firmware updates, so I keep crossing my fingers something new will come out. But every time=no-dice!
The powerbook never had any issues. And if it werent' for this speaker pop, I'd be a very very very happy customer!
I too thought it was software, but Apple seems to think otherwise, and told me to ship it in to them. I just haven't had the time, so they told me to call back when I'm ready. I've also been sitting here watching all other models of Apple products getting new Firmware updates, so I keep crossing my fingers something new will come out. But every time=no-dice!
The powerbook never had any issues. And if it werent' for this speaker pop, I'd be a very very very happy customer!
I think YOUR problem is
Ground loop
http://www.epanorama.net/documents/groundloop/
USB sound card will definitely solve the problem
A "Ground Loop Isolator" MIGHT solve the problem. http://xitel.com/USA/prod_gli.htm
No problem with my 17" Santa Rosa (and I do DJ).
Ground loop
http://www.epanorama.net/documents/groundloop/
USB sound card will definitely solve the problem
A "Ground Loop Isolator" MIGHT solve the problem. http://xitel.com/USA/prod_gli.htm
No problem with my 17" Santa Rosa (and I do DJ).
Here is an update to my situation:
I went to an apple store to for someone to take a listen to it and they confirmed there is a problem. They also mentioned that the volume is a lot louder than it should be (given that there were several macbook pros around the place I would believe him).
I then got the laptop replaced by the apple online store. It just arrived today and I just checked, it HAS THE SAME issue as the laptop I got the first time. I would even say the static and the pops and the beeps seem even louder.
I went to an apple store to for someone to take a listen to it and they confirmed there is a problem. They also mentioned that the volume is a lot louder than it should be (given that there were several macbook pros around the place I would believe him).
I then got the laptop replaced by the apple online store. It just arrived today and I just checked, it HAS THE SAME issue as the laptop I got the first time. I would even say the static and the pops and the beeps seem even louder.
How do we navigate the system to get this fixed?? Petition anyone?? Something needs done, this has gone on for months without being addressed. As soon as these computers shipped everyone that I've talked to with a penryn has had these beeps and pops.
Possible workaround?
Hey,
I bought a MBP recently and I too am really annoyed by this hiss-issue.
Maybe the best solution is to buy an external soundcard or so.
But honestly I won't want to have such a thing hanging from my MBP when I am on the train.
At home i got my hifi connected via spdif so noise here.
What I found out is that the noise is most silent if you turn the itunes volume as low as possible and the system-volume as high as possible.
That brought me to the idea.. if you could lower the total volume with some selfmade tool and then put all system-volumes to max.. Well it won't be perfect but maybe more acceptable than the actual - REALLY annoying noise.
Do you think this might work?
Unfortunatedly I got zero coding-skills. But if anybody would give it a try, let me know!
Paul
Hey,
I bought a MBP recently and I too am really annoyed by this hiss-issue.
Maybe the best solution is to buy an external soundcard or so.
But honestly I won't want to have such a thing hanging from my MBP when I am on the train.
At home i got my hifi connected via spdif so noise here.
What I found out is that the noise is most silent if you turn the itunes volume as low as possible and the system-volume as high as possible.
That brought me to the idea.. if you could lower the total volume with some selfmade tool and then put all system-volumes to max.. Well it won't be perfect but maybe more acceptable than the actual - REALLY annoying noise.
Do you think this might work?
Unfortunatedly I got zero coding-skills. But if anybody would give it a try, let me know!
Paul
I compose music on computers and am shifting over to a MacBook Pro within a few weeks, and have been reading about these problems it has with the audio connections.
From my perspective, there are two points. Firstly, I use an external sound card, as internal sound cards are never as good, but should not suffer these kind of problems. My opinion and indeed reason for switching to Mac is partially based on the perceived and much hyped-about build quality they have, which I do have a modicum of experience with, based on a few live performances I've done involving MacBook Pros. None suffered any sort of ground-loop issue (which my current laptop did, terribly so), but all were running off external sound cards so the actual quality of the MacBook Pro's outputs never really comes into it. Ground Loops are caused by improperly earthed power connections; unplug your laptops from your charger and see for yourself, the 50hz magically goes!
Secondly, I find it somewhat laughable that the manufacturer of one of the biggest selling consumer mp3 players can't duplicate the build quality of that product line to the much more expensive MacBook Pro one. Is is not bizarre that Macs are considered the Industry standard for Music/Video/Pictures and yet the MacBook Pros have audio issues, and the iMac range have screen issues?
From my perspective, there are two points. Firstly, I use an external sound card, as internal sound cards are never as good, but should not suffer these kind of problems. My opinion and indeed reason for switching to Mac is partially based on the perceived and much hyped-about build quality they have, which I do have a modicum of experience with, based on a few live performances I've done involving MacBook Pros. None suffered any sort of ground-loop issue (which my current laptop did, terribly so), but all were running off external sound cards so the actual quality of the MacBook Pro's outputs never really comes into it. Ground Loops are caused by improperly earthed power connections; unplug your laptops from your charger and see for yourself, the 50hz magically goes!
Secondly, I find it somewhat laughable that the manufacturer of one of the biggest selling consumer mp3 players can't duplicate the build quality of that product line to the much more expensive MacBook Pro one. Is is not bizarre that Macs are considered the Industry standard for Music/Video/Pictures and yet the MacBook Pros have audio issues, and the iMac range have screen issues?
You could just buy a Griffin iMic for $20 and solve the popping/hissing issue AND gain a mic input.
While not the most ideal solution, it certainly seems like the best since I have had this problem since my 12" Powerbook and it has yet to be resolved.
Quality-wise, integrated audio is always a bad idea.
While not the most ideal solution, it certainly seems like the best since I have had this problem since my 12" Powerbook and it has yet to be resolved.
Quality-wise, integrated audio is always a bad idea.
The audio circuitry on my recent MBP Penryn is way way way worse than the sound quality on my iPod Shuffle.
Just unbelievably noisy - I wouldn't expect this performance from a cheap $10 mp3 play off of ebay.
As an audio professional, I'm mostly using an audio interface so for much of the time it doesn't matter, but when I'm away and just want to work on things quickly on headphones, like I used to do on my Powerbook, it's just horrible...
Go figure...
What can we do about it? Nothing... *shrugs*
Just unbelievably noisy - I wouldn't expect this performance from a cheap $10 mp3 play off of ebay.
As an audio professional, I'm mostly using an audio interface so for much of the time it doesn't matter, but when I'm away and just want to work on things quickly on headphones, like I used to do on my Powerbook, it's just horrible...
Go figure...
What can we do about it? Nothing... *shrugs*
Did we get a definitive answer as to whether this problem is present when these machine are booted into windows or linux?
I only have native OSX on mine.
I only have native OSX on mine.