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Popping sound when starting audio, 16" on Big Sur

mikethebigo

mikethebigo

macrumors 68020
Original poster
May 25, 2009
2,433
1,597
Hey guys, TBH I've never really noticed or had big issues with popping sounds when starting audio on my 16" which I've had for a half a year or so. But since installing Big Sur, I finally hear something. It is a high pitched pop, on the left side, that I hear every time there's no audio playing and then I start something. Is this new for anyone else? Was there ever identified to be a cure? Thanks!
 
Just did a complete wipe from DFU restore of the T2 chip to reinstalling Big Sur. And the same popping sound is still present. I swear I never had this in Catalina.
 
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timelessbeing said:
need to be able to reproduce the problem reliably first, then record it.
Click to expand...
See attached video. It is completely reproducible and happens every time I start sound, or scrub something like a YouTube video. High pitched, relatively loud popping sound from the left speaker.

 
timelessbeing said:
perfect. Send it off to Apple.
Does that happen on every Youtube video?
Click to expand...
Every single one. Every time my speakers play audio. I texted with Apple support and they said it could be a hardware issue and they want me to mail it in. But I'm reliant on this thing for work and can't be without it for a few weeks, so I'm not really sure what to do.
 
Yeah I might take it to Apple Store soon, they're pretty locked down and booked up at the Genius Bar but I'll probably keep an eye out for available times.

Is anyone else out there seeing similar behavior?
 
Hello, I have a 16" i9 Macbook Pro. Never had issues with Catalina but as soon as I updated to Big Sur all these audio pops and clicks started. This is horrible since I'm a music producer / audio engineer and I can't work like this.
 
timelessbeing said:
yeah I'm noticing it more and more. I hope it's just a software issue and not hardware.
Click to expand...
I believe that it is software.

I went to an Apple Store and I listened to some sounds on a MacBook Pro 16” and a MacBook Pro M1 that they have for sale. They had the same problem.

So either it’s a software or several computer from the lineup have serious hardware issues.
 
I know this is an old thread but this problem is still present on the MacBook Air M1 when connected to an external a 3rd party external display (USB to DisplayPort and HDMI) but no issues using Apple's adaptor. Super annoying.
 
I haven't heard any popping yet after the 11.2.3 update. Could it be fixed?
I'll have to do more testing. The problem seemed to get worse the more loaded down the CPU was.
 
timelessbeing said:
I haven't heard any popping yet after the 11.2.3 update. Could it be fixed?
I'll have to do more testing. The problem seemed to get worse the more loaded down the CPU was.
Click to expand...
Mine just started with the latest updates. Mine is on a Mac Mini and it is a series of loud Pops on Boot up. They don't happen again but happen EVERY time I boot up. Like a bid DC offset happening in the audio circuitry.
 
@ersatzplanet
I would be ecstatic if it only happened on boot up since that only happens every few months.
Anyway this is a the MBP section and you're posting about a Mini
 
Same issue, slight pop/crack the split second an audio file starts when played in OS preview using space bar, or in Avid MC, or in a browser with Dropbox. Pop does not occur when played in iTunes, and not in the final file. Super annoying to edit my audio with this interference. 2019 Mac Pro tower, Big Sur 11.2, 128 GB RAM...feels like a cheap audio bug for what should be a top tier OS.
 
Lswing said:
Same issue, slight pop/crack the split second an audio file starts when played in OS preview using space bar, or in Avid MC, or in a browser with Dropbox. Pop does not occur when played in iTunes, and not in the final file. Super annoying to edit my audio with this interference. 2019 Mac Pro tower, Big Sur 11.2, 128 GB RAM...feels like a cheap audio bug for what should be a top tier OS.
Click to expand...
It happens, when video or audio is paused abruptly.
 
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