Speaker crackle issue (software)

[libdom]

I've had a longstanding problem with my 16" Intel MBP that sound would crackle and be distorted. This particularly happened when there was heavy graphics load (youtube video playing and multiple apps open). I reinstalled from a Time Machine backup and things were good at first then slowly the issue would reoccur. Also spotlight search was often unusable, it would take forever to load. Multiple reindexes didn't fix.

I thought M1 would be my salvation. However the issue persisted. I then did a full clean install rather than Time Machine backup. Again, things were OK, but now the issue is occuring again.

It's clearly software related, and that it occurs when under heavy GPU load might help narrow down the issue. I just don't know where to start. My hunch is maybe something I have installed that has a heinous background process run at login? Friend who repairs Macs checked etrecheck report and couldn't see anything obviously wrong.

All help appreciated.

 

[libdom]

The one other thing I will add that might be relevant is:

Immediately after entering password to log in the screen flickers and the brightness dims. It then flickers once or twice again and then logs in.

 

[Love-hate 🍏 relationship]

i'll follow this thread in case someone brings an answer

 

[mouthster]

I've had a longstanding problem with my 16" Intel MBP that sound would crackle and be distorted. This particularly happened when there was heavy graphics load (youtube video playing and multiple apps open). I reinstalled from a Time Machine backup and things were good at first then slowly the issue would reoccur. Also spotlight search was often unusable, it would take forever to load. Multiple reindexes didn't fix.

I thought M1 would be my salvation. However the issue persisted. I then did a full clean install rather than Time Machine backup. Again, things were OK, but now the issue is occuring again.

It's clearly software related, and that it occurs when under heavy GPU load might help narrow down the issue. I just don't know where to start. My hunch is maybe something I have installed that has a heinous background process run at login? Friend who repairs Macs checked etrecheck report and couldn't see anything obviously wrong.

All help appreciated.

I had the same issue with my Intel 16" - and like you was hoping the M1 16" would be my salvation. For me it's easily triggered when using music programs (Logic, Ableton) with a low latency setting and software instrument plug-ins from Native Instruments.

Between the Intel 16" and M1 Pro 16" I had a M1 MacBook Air. That never exhibited the issue. My uneducated theory is that the fancy speakers on these 16" devices have some additional tweaks in the system audio drivers to handle the 6 speakers and force-cancelling woofers and when certain processes affect the latency of the audio subsystem all hell breaks loose!

 

[libdom]

I also sometimes find that the cursor freezes, disappears or becomes unresponsive. Again, only happens when video is playing, usually in conjunction with the speaker crackle but not always. Clearly a laptop (and indeed the previous intel model) of this specification shouldn't be having issues streaming video like this. Wish I could isolate a cause.

 

[Sanpete]

Have you talked with Apple about it? (I suppose you've checked for memory leaks, under Activity Monitor > Memory? Common issue.)

 

[metapunk2077fail]

On the Max my speakers went 'BRRrrr' twice in the last month. Both when playing music in one app and then doing a some heavy graphics operation in another app.

 

[libdom]

Apple support a bit uselsss, or in a positive view thoroguh. Basically run it in safe mode or separate account and install app by app until issue occurs. Thing is, issue is intermittent, would take months.

My mate who works in a Mac repair shop couldnt see anything obvious in activity monitor or etrecheck report. Suggested iStat Menus or Onedrive, which I've uninstalled but it still occurs.

I suppose I may be hoping for a magic wand but was mindful that someone may have had this issue and found

 

[libdom]

@metapunk2077fail Yes, this is most often when it happens. Or if I have a video streaming in a popout menu via Firefox, then start doing something vaguely intensive elsewhere. In addition to speaker distortion sometimes the mouse pointer disappears or becomes unresponsive.

On my 16" and previously 15" MBP I had an issue where the IVPN app would cause the trackpad and keyboard to seize up when connecting, again intermittently. It uses the GPU. They've since fixed this. I've tried uninstalling IVPN and the current issue still happens.