Audio Dropout periodically

I have this problem on my ancient 12" PB, also. So, I'm glad to hear that it's not a hardware issue.

Yes, in Leopard, there is a systemwide issue with audio. I get this skipping with ALL audio: skype, itunes music, system time announcements, etc.

I can only hope that 10.5.2 fixes this very, very serious bug!

I've got the same problem - seems to be with every app that outputs audio. I've only experienced it since going to 10.5.1 and only with my headphones plugged in. Anyone have any ideas?

Ditto. I have the same problem here with my MacBook. Actually, for me it doesn't seem to matter whether I plug in my audio output through the headphone jack or use my Griffin iMic through the USB port--either way I get the same problem. Any suggestions would be helpful. Is there maybe an audio driver that could be used to substitute the Apple one (if this is the problem)?

Yes Im sure this is a system software issue. I have it on my MacBookPro 17". It occurs infrequently in itunes, quicktime, and streaming videos. The audio will temporarily break up and go out for a second or two. I am using the Harman Kardon usb soundsticks. It is not the song file in itunes as it will work on my ipod. This is definitely a Leopard problem.

Well the problem was solved by going back to my OS X.5 disk and reinstalling. It seems that X.5.2 definitely has some advantages but also has some glitches. One major glitch is in how the OS processes audio. I have not had any dropouts or break ups of any audio played since I downgraded back to X.5.0. In addition, my internet connection is much faster. I do not have stalls when streaming videos. So I will stay at 5.0 this time until 5.3 is released.

Just wanted to add that I also use the Harmon Kardon Sound Sticks. Could they be the cause of the problem?

I don't really have any extras installed...maybe even NONE actually...and iTunes 'skips'...when I record into a Snoball Mic, sometimes that playback is a mess...Streaming video drops in and out...even playing DVDs, the sound skips.

Very strange...

Of course, the GENIUS BAR asked me to replicate the problem so they could fix it but the darn thing wouldn't do it. Never fails...

I just isolated a system-wide performance problem that first appeared with 10.5.2; perhaps it will help some of the folks out here. The symptoms were that some apps (games like Masque Card Games) would drop considerably in interactiveness, and audio recording apps (for me, Digital Performer 5.13) would fail to record successfully if used with USB sound input or output devices, and would complain of processor overload.

A scan of the Console application showed that this message could appear several hundred times a second:

3/22/08 9:22:01 PM [0x0-0x1e01e].N124U_ButtonManager[273] Looking for devices matching vendor ID=1193 and product ID=8718

The N124U_ButtonManager component lives in /Library/CFMSupport, and is used with a Canon LiDE 30 USB scanner to scan for button presses on the scanner. It apparently went a little bit nuts with 10.5.2 (for reasons I don't know) and consumes a lot more cycles than it should.

I moved both the /Library/CFMSupport/N124U_ButtonManager and its fellow component N067U_ButtonManager to the Desktop and rebooted, and my performance problems disappeared.

So if you use a Canon scanner and have noticed performance problems since 10.5.2, this might be your culprit...

Bob Ellison

incredible
you have found the problem
bravo thanks for publishing the cure
this is why it was not a mainstream anomily
you must be using a Canon scaner
thanks much for your help

I might have celebrated a bit too soon as I am still having audio drop outs even after removing these files. Boy I was excited at the prospect of tracking this anomaly down to something as simple as this. Are you still experiencing audio problems or did this solution work for you?

Removing the file fixed all my performance problems, including audio dropouts.

Canon, for the record, has stated that they don't support Leopard at all with the software I have, nor do they plan to, and suggest that I purchase a new scanner. :-/

If you've still got dropouts, I'd suggest looking at the Console for any suspicious and frequent warnings; but if that shows nothing, I don't have anything else to suggest, sorry...

Bob

Only 2 things have worked to clear up the audio break up anomaly. I can either downgrade to 10.5.1 or unplug my Harman Kardon USB Soundsticks. I do not get the audio break up when the external speakers are unplugged and I am using the internal speakers. Seems to be a USB I/O problem with OS 10.5.2.