Popping sound during audio playback

[lopoz]

Hello,

Since a couple of days I'm noticing a popping sound during audio playback through my external speakers. That means when playing back a video or music through iTunes, basically always when there's audio playing. I'm in the process of figuring out if it also happens on my regular integrated speakers.

My MBP is the recently released 15" Core i7 model. Only thing I changed is I added an Intel SSD.

Any thoughts as to what it can be? Or where to start looking for a solution?

Thanks in advance!

 

[SPNarwhal]

I have the same problem, maybe.
When it happens to me, it makes a pop and there's no sound whatsoever after that point.
comes back when i restart the computer.
this happens on my internal speakers though.

it's now in for the 4th repair on trying to fix it.
so apparently apple doesn't know what is causing it either.

 

[dsprimal]

people have been posting about external speaker static and other issues, im not sure exactly what could be the case...if anything it could be a 2010 mbp audio out port defect although my sennheiser hd 555 headphones sound perfect on mine. best of luck!

 

[lopoz]

Thanks for the replies guys!

I'm aware of the popping sound right before audio is played after the card has gone into 'power saving' mode. That's there too, but always has been. This is different, and a lot more annoying, as it occurs during audio playback.

I'm hesitant to bring it to a shop though, as I can't reproduce it on demand. It occurs quite randomly..

 

[Inside_line]

I am in the same boat... this is with a 17" with the factory installed ram and ssd, the machine has never been opened. It will do it even running off of battery with no peripherals connected besides headphones.

Apple wants me to head to the mall to have a genius look at it, but it is too intermittent and will be a huge waste of my time.

 

[gonafr]

I also have this problem.
I have MacBook Pro 5.1 (late 2008) running Snow Leopard.

My speakers are Logitech Z-2300.

Does anyone know the reason?

 

[Inside_line]

Found out the cause of popping on mine... it is due to electrical switching. For example, the heating thermostat in my house clicks on and causes a pop every time, as does my upstairs neighbors, and perhaps next door neighbors. Microwave ovens switched on, fluorescent lights switched on, all cause a pop.

You might say this is normal, but whats interesting is that if you swap the machine alone with a 2010 15" i5 MBP (w/ 3rd party ram and hard drive), the 15" is silent, the same goes for my 2006 15" MBP. Put my 17" i7 back and boom.... highly susceptible to the interference.

Now that I can reproduce it, might be worth trying to get it fixed. Difficulty will be that the source of the pop is not the machine. The plus is that something about this machine in particular is different than most (as evident by the size of this thread).

By the way, you don't need to have the volume up to hear the pop. In fact, it makes it easier to hear if you play a track in iTunes and turn the volume down to nothing. Start playing with light switches, heat thermostat, or have someone switch your microwave on... shouldn't have trouble reproducing the pop now.

 

[gonafr]

Thanks for your answer Inside_line.

I think my problem is my fridge, if i disconnect my fridge from the electricity there are no more "pops". I also discovered that ~75% of the times the motor of the fridge stops (the fridge is at correct temperature) there is a "pop".

I have my MacBook Pro and speakers connected the a "filter-electric-tab" but maybe it is damaged. Today i will try with a new one and see if the "pops" go away.

 

[Inside_line]

It doesn't even matter if you've unplugged everything from the MBP but headphones, it will still pop through the headphones running off battery with the airport and bluetooth switched off. This is a problem with the computer, not your wiring. Some component is too sensitive... and I am suspecting it is the SSD. It should have been more shielded, or there should be a filter on the audio hardware. No way these things should be this prone to interference from household appliances.

Time to complain to apple.... seriously.

 

[gonafr]

I also realize that running the MacBook Pro from the battery (without plugged to electricity) the problem persists.

But i think that the "pop" comes from the speakers that are catching the "electrical-pop", am i wrong?

 

[Inside_line]

Well, if you disconnect the 3.5mm audio cable from the computer, do they still pop? My guess is no (or significantly less). Further, swapping the machine eliminates the pop, so the problem is not speakers / headphones.

 

[gonafr]

I noticed that with the 3.5 cable unplugged the "pop" in fact doesn't occur, but i thought that the speakers maybe "disconnect/cut" when the cable is not connected...

This is strange to be a MacBook Pro problem because it just start to happen now, and also i found that relation of cause/effect with my fridge.
Maybe you didn't catch a "pop" with the other machines by "luck".

Well, if your right how can i solve my problem? My warranty has void already (more that 2 years with the MacBook Pro).

Thanks for your interest and replies.

EDIT: I don't have SSD hard-drive.

 

[gonafr]

Inside_line, do you solved the problem? If yes, can you tell me how?

 

[Inside_line]

I bought a ground loop isolation cable and it solved the problem. Not sure I will ever get to apple about this, they will undoubtedly want to send me in for service which I don't have time for. Here is the cable:

http://amzn.com/B0031U1ATQ