When this problem happened to me, I noticed that the sound on my iTunes would go out even though the MP3 was still moving. At first, I thought it was a software thing, and actually when I rebooted and used Maintenance to erase files, the sound would come back on.
THEN I realized that the sound kept going off when I was typing (I do a lot of writing). Of course, at first I thought that my using Pages was and iTunes at the same time was somehow trying the working memory. Nope. The pressure my hand was putting on the computer, as I moved over the keys, was jiggling something INSIDE the computer -- some speaker cable, something, which when it finally goes, gives you all the problems catalogued here: volume buttons, when pushed, make a NO SOUND icon, no input or output devices are found in System Preferecnes > Sound > Input/Output ...
I really wish I had gotten the MacBook instead of the MacBook Air. I loved the Air, but it might be too delicate. I mean, I never dropped this computer or anything. I was extremely gentle. But somehow it got to the point where the weight of my hands as I used the computer (and no, I wasn't pounding on the keys) helped clip the sound devices.
When this problem happened to me, I noticed that the sound on my iTunes would go out even though the MP3 was still moving. At first, I thought it was a software thing, and actually when I rebooted and used Maintenance to erase files, the sound would come back on.
THEN I realized that the sound kept going off when I was typing (I do a lot of writing). Of course, at first I thought that my using Pages was and iTunes at the same time was somehow trying the working memory. Nope. The pressure my hand was putting on the computer, as I moved over the keys, was jiggling something INSIDE the computer -- some speaker cable, something, which when it finally goes, gives you all the problems catalogued here: volume buttons, when pushed, make a NO SOUND icon, no input or output devices are found in System Preferecnes > Sound > Input/Output ...
I really wish I had gotten the MacBook instead of the MacBook Air. I loved the Air, but it might be too delicate. I mean, I never dropped this computer or anything. I was extremely gentle. But somehow it got to the point where the weight of my hands as I used the computer (and no, I wasn't pounding on the keys) helped clip the sound devices.
On April 10th 2008 bough a rev a Macbook Air from Harrods in London. I'll admit at the time I paid over £2000 for it (ouch!) with 64Mb SSD that was available at the time. So, having invested a lot in it you have a pretty high expectation that overall the basics will work and that apple will support it well. Overall its a very fine product and for me the portability useability aspects have been great.
Until perhaps the iPad arrives, the computer has been my pride and joy and has met my needs well save for two in my view rather major problems: viz.
Early on it suffered the sound totally disappearing problem which is a big blow to user experience and delight with a modern day laptop!
Its kind of a part of the core minimum functionality that you come to expect!
Also, read about the clamshell hinge problem so was ultra careful with opening and closing it but in the end it did very badly crack and the display failed - well, to be fair, if you manage to be lucky and tilt it to a certain degree it appears - for a frustratingly short while!
The failure only happened recently though was aware of problems others were having. Apple appear to have been slow to have addressed this proactively with customers to the point where it has become a FOC repair. In my view Apple should have done a gentle recall to the whole MBA user community affected. This should have been done long ago. They appear to have all the customer purchase contact information from the original point of sale and product registrations. Not to proactively look after this with loyal customers does greatly impact customer's views of Apple and then their customer loyalty in my view - since then I've spent much less money with them and am much more sceptical of them. It saddens me as in many other ways they are really great.
Yesterday took MBA into into Thurrock branch Apple store to be fixed. Apple people there very nice and friendly and helpful. Having backed up as much as possible overnight. Part not in so happy to leave the machine. .
.
What concerned me though was the sound problem for which they want to charge, even if turns out its a hardware problem, by saying as it does on the receipt they gave me to tell the customer its OOW, Out Of Warranty. The amount they want to charge is not a great deal, £27, but its the principle that I object to, especially when its premium product at a premium price. Here's the thing and my question to the MBA user community, my view having considered various postings of the MBA sound problem is that even if its fixed, it may re occur? Does anyone have any experience of this? So it may make Apple somewhat reluctant to properly and honestly admit the problem and like the hinge problem (which maybe stays fixed when repaired???)
offer a full FOC repair? Do others have views on this please? At least with the hinge problem it binary, when it finally does go the product is totally unusable!
Again Apple's less than enlightened stance on this directly impacts customer goodwill and outlook, to the great detriment of Apple - loss of ongoing revenue, customer goodwill and sales. This post-purchase dissonance it leaves their customers feeling is just not good. You don't know where you stand and you feel that they are not being upfront or honest with you. Devious infact? It also makes it an impossible situation for the Mac Geniuses, in the shop, who genuinely go out of their way to do a really good job with every individual customer. As it is I have to return at great personal time and hassle and cost to the store to pick it up.
I had stated on the appointment booking exactly what the problem was in advance.
The Apple staff in the shop whilst very Genial and nice and are doing they're very best to be helpful don't then appear like Apple Geniuses which they are on Apple matters, when they try to argue the corporate line with you about charging to fix the sound problem - which looks exactly like a fit for purpose product design issue in the customer's eyes and just like the hinge/display problem. Like the hinge problem they should've proactively addressed and 'fessed up about it early, no matter how bad it is, or what it is, as we Apple customers are generally an understanding and reasonable bunch.
After all we tend to 'get it' and we are on your side. Again the problem so easily and greatly damages the customer experience and customer feelings - to Apple's loss.
Its very easily resolved and fixed to everyone's complete satisfaction with a tiny, but critical, change of attitude and stance by Apple.
In the end protested dissatisfaction and the issue has been noted and escalated. Am waiting.
Given that Apple are doing so well this cannot be a resource issue, Steve Jobs was saying only recently on an analyst conference call about what he plans to do with the multi-billion dollar cash mountain Apple have - how about spend some of it towards properly addressing these customer base satisfaction issues please? -- its about recognising what is going on post-purchase and working as hard as Apple do and inspired as they do and as well as they do on customer base support and issues and as much as they do on designing magical and sensations solutions in the first place.
Its no good a magical front end if the back end customer support has no, or looses its magic!
Many Thanks
// Ivan
15" MBP 2006, 30" screen 2007, MBA 2008
PS: am very forgiving and the iPad looks like its going to be a really great product and one that is going to be very useful and productive. No hinge here to fail!
Have had a touchscreen PC once before at it was fantastically productive and fast with this way of interacting. From the launch event demos Apple appear to have designed a really elegant solution - especially with the software and core hardware - very well considered and done.
PPS: just though I'd mention it - it bothers me greatly that the batteries in newer Apple products are non-user replaceable from an environmental and a customer convenience view - it appears to serve Apple's interests more than their customer's interests. Hope Apple will do much more work on producing longer lasting and more sustainable solutions for the benefit of all.
PPPS: it also bothers me that they haven't proactively contacted early issue Time Capsule customers about the potential heat problems.
Hope Apple sees the light and change their stance on customer help and support a bit please!
Just thought I'd throw my hat into the thread as well, seeing as I've been following in here for a while wondering what to do about the audio on my MacBook Air.
I initially went through all the software solutions; deleted plist files, reset RAM, even re-installed OS X - nothing worked. Then I tried the solution mentioned by someone else: take apart the MacBook Air and try detaching and reattaching (reseating) the audio flex cable — Did that, still nothing.
In the end I bit the bullet and ordered a replacement audio cable. Installed it today - despite my original cable looking absolutely fine, and I was a bit worried it wouldn't make a difference — but I started up and now the audio is working perfectly!
So it does seem it's certainly that audio cable for the majority of us, but I definitely recommend following all the software reset suggestions first, just in case.
I had the same problem with my Macbook air, its a cable that blows up with the heat! Last year i complained to Mac and got a replacement but the new one has the same problem! If you're under warranty go to Apple store and they will replace the cable for free!
I just got my MBA back from Apple. Because there was a dent on one corner of the case (which I was aware of - it slipped off the bed and because the edge is so fine it didn't take much to dent) and they claimed there was evidence of some kind of liquid exposure internally, they declared the warranty void. There's never been any performance issue since the impact 5 months ago, and I'm unaware of any liquid exposure, but given that the problem I'm having is the same one all of you are reporting, I don't believe those things are the key to my problem, and feel that Apple's using them as an excuse to refuse repair. They said I'd need to replace the case, mother board/logic board, and would charge $800 for it.
I want to try replacing the audio cable, see if I can repair the audio problem - the rest of the computer is working fine, and, since this was originally a refurb, I only paid $1000 for it originally. But I'm worried that the iFixit source mentioned above is only selling
used audio cables, particularly since another poster (sorry, can't read the names on the Reply page) had to replace the cable a second time after the first "burned out". Does anyone have a source for new audio cables?
Yes - I got mine from AppleComponents.com. It seemed to be new. Elsewhere in this thread I left details of the part number, cost and installation process. It way pretty easy - you just have to be careful with the 3 slightly different sizes of screw...
I FOUND THE FIX. Okay if you're like me you tried everything to get your sound back with no results and the people at Apple are no help. What it truly is is a hardware issue. You have to replace the Macbook Air Audio Cable. It's about $25-30 bucks and took me 25 minutes to replace. The website ifixit.com gives you a tutorial on how to do it. TRUST ME it'll work and save yourself headaches.
I just did the hardware fix (speaker wire replacement) and everything is fine now. As someone who's been inside the chassis to do a battery replacement, it took about 25 minutes.
Here's the link to the replacement part & instructions:
Having the same issue. Sound is off and flash videos only play for few seconds. My Macbook is out of warranty so really dont want to pay $250+ to fix this.
Does anyone has a solution or does a clean re-install of OS X will help?
Troubleshooting Tip. When my MacBook Air was about 18 months old, it lost sound & mic intermittently for a couple of weeks before completely failing, including sound from the audio jack. I called the outlet I'd bought it from to be told it would need a motherboard replacement ($#%#@&???). Reading some of the above posts, it seems the most likely cause is the audio cable, but how to check this without going to all the trouble of replacing it? Maybe this is mentioned in some of the myriad posts above (didn't trawl through them all), but I finally hit on the bright idea of testing it with bluetooth. A year ago I bought a Logitech bluetooth headset, but promptly consigned it to the cupboard, as the quality wasn't quite right.... but guess what?... it works great linked to the erstwhile soundless Air. So does the Motorola bluetooth headset & mic for when I want to use skype. The fact that bluetooth works indicates to me that all is well in the bowels of the beast, but not at the extremities... you know, the bits at the end of the .... yep, audio cable. I ordered one today, and expect it to be on hand in a week or 2. Will let you know how it goes.
Yes you've a problem, just we all do, Apple is using cheap material for cables and they burst with heat, mine was fixed 3 times, got a replacement but after 5 months got the same problem! The solution is to complain to Mac and demand the quality for the money you paid for!!!!
We all have that problem, its a cable that burst with heat (Apple using cheap material and charging high prices), the solution is to complain to Mac, mine last year was fixed 3 times and after i got a replacement and my new one (after 4 months) got the same problem again! Complain because Macbook Airs are faulty...its not your fault...just demand the quality worth the money that you spent
There's no solution, you've to contact Apple, Macbook Air is faulty, mine last year was fixed 3 times for the same issue, got a replacement and after 4 months got the same problem again. Just call apple and demand the quality worth the money you spent with Macbook Air! I just did it, was told to fix it again...so Apple is not the same anymore, am so disappointed with the lack of quality...
Complain and let them know that you're not happy, its a flex cable that bursts with heat, its not your fault...
