loud static noise coming from imac

[blazerunnerstl]

hey macrumors forum. how's it going?

my computer has been acting really strange over the past few weeks. i mainly use it for composing for television and trailer music, so i've really been pushing it to the max over the past year and run some pretty large projects within logic. and upgraded to 12 gb ram a year ago, and 16gb ram a few weeks ago. it's been doing alright, though it's definitely a little slow for what i use it for. i've been holding out for about 8 months while i wait for the new mac pro to be released.

here's the problem that started probably a month or so ago:

it began to freeze up and make an extremely loud static noise coming from the internal speakers. other times, it would not make a noise but my audio interface would shut off (mbox2) and the computer would freeze up. now, it is making a new clicking sound coming out of the internal speakers, and out of my 2nd monitor internal speakers, which is a smaller insignia hdtv.

here are 2 videos of the noise:

video 1

video 2

i haven't taken a video yet of the old noise it used to make, but will when it happens again.

this freezing started happening about once a week, but now has increased to a few times a day, so i've been extra careful to save all the time and also extra careful to back up all of my files a few times a day instead of at the end of the day. right now i have a bootable external so i'm not afraid of losing all my work.

MY SPECS
imac 27-inch, Late 2009
Mac OS X 10.6.8
Processor: 2.66 ghz intel core i5
Memory: 16 gb 1067 MHz DDR3

thanks for your time. i hope to find a solution that will hold me off for a couple more months so i don't have to buy an older mac pro right before the new ones are released.

i'm pretty sure it isn't the fan since the noise is coming out of the headphones and the hdtv speakers.

---UPDATE---
here's another noise that started up while i'm in logic tonight. this one sounds similar to one of the other "computer freeze" noises that has been happening but i haven't gotten on video yet. this noise is coming out of the internal speakers

loud static noise 1

this is so loud and this is about the same volume that the noise is when my computer freezes up, except then it is more crackly and wavers a bit more.

 

[John T]

To me, that sounds suspiciously like the fan. Do you have a local Apple Store or Approved Apple Service Provider (check under Support on Apple website) you could take it to? Failing that, a 'phone call to Apple Support should enable them to confirm diagnosis because the sound will be audible over the 'phone.

 

[blazerunnerstl]

i'm pretty sure it isn't the fan since the noise is coming out of the headphones and the hdtv speakers.

update: here's another noise that started up while i'm in logic tonight. this one sounds similar to one of the other "computer freeze" noises that has been happening but i haven't gotten on video yet. this noise is coming out of the internal speakers

loud static noise 1

this is so loud and this is about the same volume that the noise is when my computer freezes up, except then it is more crackly and wavers a bit more.

 

[John T]

Oh!..... Sorry but no ideas

It looks (sounds!) like Apple need to be contacted as suggested in my original post.

 

[iRCL]

I had this happen sometimes when I plugged headphones in to my (exact same) iMac. I ended up selling it but that wasn't the reason. In hindsight I should have taken it to Apple and you probably should too. Moving a 27" is just such a PITA though