I just bought and received a new 21.5'' iMac and love it but the screen is making a high pitched noise, similar to a dog whistle. It's that sound that isn't loud but pierces through your brain. And the brighter the backlight is, the louder is gets.
What do you guys think? I love this machine but I don't think it should be doing this and it bothers the heck out of me. Maybe a call to Apple is in order?
Thanks for info, but since there is a chance of scratching th LCD, I would prefer a "pro" doing it while it is no my fault the dust came there in the first place.
The machine has been to service 3 times, coming back dirty yesterday and being clean behind the glass all the time before. The combined length of time it was not on my desk is about as long as the time it was here.
Guess what - I may bring it to a Apple Service guy of my choice or have it picked up to the same "pros" it was before before (which will take about a week in shipping only).
Apple care agents really cared to figure out if I'm a smoker and how my house is built and things.
Got my whistling iMac from the second repair round but no luck. The report says the following (problems were yellow tinge, whistling noise, fuzz left behind from last repair):
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We recommend a display calibration. If color fidelity is required, we recommend a special display (Eizo, etc.).
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No whistling noise audible. Compared to an identical model.
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Yes, I think will will have to settle with these machines - or go for a refund if possible.
For me, I have now a machine with an acceptable panel and a very slight whistle. The whistle just like the screen has been addressed more than once - and I experienced a really defective LED inverter which produced ear-tearing sound in every brightness setting.
Only a design change can better the situation here - so I guess for this generation of iMacs, there will be no perfection.
At least now, it is silent enough that you forget about it if you really DO something with the computer. My main concern was that it might fail early, not that it really gave me headaches.
Now my Mac is scheduled to be picked up a fourth time - for removing of dust that came under the glass the last time. When this is done, I'm good. The Apple Care guy became very suggestive that it was my fault the dust came there - I hate to be treated like that. He even said, I cannot be from the last repair, since the "only opened it in the back" (how do you do this on an all aluminum iMac?). I guess, he really meant they did not have to remove the panel, but they clearly had to open the glass cover to get to replace the LED's cable that was responsible for the extreme whistling noise.
Btw, for all my hassle with the machine, I was not offered any goody, like some voucher for their shop or something.
I have learned my lesson with Apple. They are clearly well thought out machines - but you cannot expect the guts to be any better than anywhere else. Just like with Mercedes, that now and then also produce faulty cars (brake-by-wire E-class, anyone?) but in general are regarded to produce premium quality.
We will see if I become addicted to OSX in the 2-3 years of usage of this machine enough to give them a second try. If possible, I will not buy an integrated machine from anybody anymore 🙂
Since I experienced my share of hardware problems and also ran in a couple of software problems and general OSX/iLife oddities - I cannot really see where they a superior to Windows in a home-network environment. If you look for a comparable machine from e.g. HP, you will find they are even more expensive. If not, they are slower (e.g. Dell integrated machines). Thing is: I could easily settle with a standard PC box&screen setup. I'm only interested in the machine being quiet and hassle free while providing me with a certain minimum of processing power (home videos, light gaming). (QUIET is the key, cheap PC so far were never quiet).
The reason is Apple can reject fixing the computer because of deposits from the cigarette smoke contaminating the computer and also contamination from your house. They will call it a health hazard and will not work on it. It has happened before. It seems if someone is a smoker, deposits can form inside the computer and are considered toxic. Why your home? Maybe they may think of asbestos contamination--I don't know.
You should do what I and others have done: ask for a free upgrade to a 27". I went through 4 21.5" machines, 2 due to whistle, and all four had yellow screens. I told Apple that I just wanted a machine that worked correctly. Since by their own admission only the 27" had all issues corrected I asked to be upgraded for free and they obliged!!! I am now enjoying a perfect machine with no color distortion and no whistle.
I know WHY they ask. Fact is, I bought the machine 26th November 2009 and it has been away 3 times 2-2.5 weeks each. So it was absent from my home sitting on a repair desk with opened glas about as long as it sat on my desk.
It was clean right until I boxed it for repair number 3 and I immediately spotted the dust & fibres afterwards and called Apple. Can I prove this? Not really. But between repair number 2 and 3 was 3 days only - and it was clean when I checked it.
I understand they ask, but he really kept pressing in that direction. I do not want to be treated like this - after all I have been really having a bad time with my iMac. So bad, I really regret having bought something Apple at all.
Of course, I am a non smoker. Machine sits in my private office room (no bed or something dusty around) and the air in our house is always reasonably humid (this binds dust).
Apart from being treated like I was the problem, I am contend with my iMac's display now. Whistling is not fixed, it's now within specs - I call this "failure by design". At least, it is quieter then ever before.
So, I hope the whole cleaning operation goes well and fast, then I can lean back and finally use the computer I bought last year.
My 4th iMac, 3rd replacement is still whistling but in my case notes with Apple, they told me to call back when I feel the issue has been resolved. Then they'll send me a new one.
I'm assuming it hasn't been resolved unless multiple people can tell me that they just bought a new iMac and it's without the high-pitched noise.
Im watching this topic for months now, waiting for some explanation from apple, or a possible fix, but nothing. But yestaerday, I installed Windows XP SP3, and updated bootcamp to version 3.1 and I can confirm that there is NO noise coming from my iMac. Nothing. Its quiet. Perfect. Only when I turn brightness down a bit...noise become noticeable. But on full brightness it definitely isnt there. In the Mac OS 10.6.2 on the same mac, noise is killing me on 2 or three bars before full, and on full its smaller but still fairly noticeable. What I can tell from this experience is that problem lies in Ati or monitor Drivers/firmware, which will be updated soon, I guess with 10.6.3...
Hi,
your machine has a hardware defect. It's the LED inverter or his sync-cable to the panel. If it makes the noise very loud even when not dimmed, it's clearly defective. If it's making the sound rather subtly only when dimmed, this is annoying but considered normal. I have had it both!
The reason it does different noises on windows is because the dimmer-software regulates in a different range in Windows or MacOSX. It's pure coincidence that yours is silent in Windows - mine was louder!
Compare the brightness level if you put it on 50% in OSX or Windows - it's a different level.
The dimmer is really a resonating electronic circuit switching on/off the LEDs really fast - hence the noise. Coils and capacitors buzz, if you care, you design your board to resonate in an inaudible area above 20kHz. If you don't care or constrained in your design (e.g. cost or "electro-smog" emissions), you get an audible sound. If the noise is heavy enough, the electronic parts may even fail physically! (That was my concern with my initial iMac's dimmer, which had a rather faint buzzing compared to what was to come after...)
Long story short: Get it repaired or exchanged! Really!
Hey everyone,
I thought I'd share my experience with this screen noise and how it's worked out for me. I got my first iMac at Best Buy, which had a HORRIBLE noise, I returned it to Best Buy and got a new one. The new one was much quieter, but I still heard the noise. I took it over to the Genius Bar at the Apple Store and they told me that it's part of the equipment, and it stresses the equipment when you turn the brightness different. Long story short, we went around to each iMac in the store and heard the noise, some a bit less obvious than others, but all had it. I am keeping my 2nd iMac, I think I'll get used to it. It's like living by an airport, after about a month the planes going over don't bother you anymore. I think that no matter what you are going to have this problem, whether your hearing is acute enough to hear it is the question. I'd suggest to everyone in this forum to return it until you find one that has less noise that doesn't bother you as much. Good luck
Severely disappointed... New (July 2010) 27" iMacs still have the screen hiss and HD rumbles. Avoid, I'm at a loss to what Apple have that's actually worth buying any more. I know of several Mac Pro deaths from the last batch and if the new iMacs are anything to go by the new Pro's will probably suffer the same traits.
My 27" iMac is going back on Monday... Apple is the new Microsoft!
Having the same issue. Brand new 21.5" iMac with core i3 processor has flickering screen and a high pitched noise that changes pitch with the flicker. Any fix for this? OSX 10.6.4.
