iMac Pro Audio Issues

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Level 1

14 points

iMac Pro Audio Issues

I too have had issues (weird popping/cracking on audio - especially YouTube videos, and other audio, iTunes, etc.) since the purchase of my iMac Pro in May of 2018. This must be fixed by Apple!

Two things that I have heard, and not sure if they are effective or not, are as follows:

1.) Turn off "Set Date and Time Automatically" update (preferences/Date & Time)

2.) Turn off "Set Timezone Automatically Using Current Location" update (preferences/Date & Time)

I just set the 2nd one today. These may have some benefit, but apparently not a complete fix and in a short time (hours) the issues re-surface.

Also, I will re-direct audio output to the Homepod I have and that seems also to fix things, at least temporarily.

My issue seems to somewhat resolve when I do a reboot. But this fix is short-lived (usually only hours). Within hours I have the glitchy audio back. Apple today, when I spoke with a support rep, indicated they didn't have anything in their database about this - how can this be? This has been reported now for over a year.

I spent an ungodly amount of money on this computer. Crazy me, I expect audio to work right.

I have 128 GB Ram, and 18 core processor.

Posted on Aug 12, 2019 9:46 AM

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Answer 1

HMB2

Level 1

13 points

Aug 27, 2019 11:21 AM in response to timefreedom

Yes. I returned the previous unit (same model iMac Pro) 4 times to the Bay Street Apple Store. They were unable to diagnose (it did not recur in the shop) or repair so I received a new iMac Pro replacement. After three months of use the replacement is doing the same thing.

Solutions:

Restart the unit.
Plug in a headphone jack.

Neither of these is acceptable.

There are no genius bar appointments available at any of the Bay Area stores at the moment or it would be in the shop.

For Apple to sell a $15K+ machine that is defective is not acceptable. These units are defective. If there is a software repair available, please let us know. If it's hardware, these units should be recalled.

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Answer 2

timefreedom Author

Level 1

14 points

Aug 12, 2019 9:57 AM in response to timefreedom

14 seconds in on this video is similar to what I experience frequently:

https://youtu.be/DIDN7amA1ZA

Mine often is unusable however - it gets so bad I have to reboot frequently (usually at least daily). The audio (especially on videos) is terrible. Much worse than this.

The next time it happens on my end, I'm going to record it with a different device to provide evidence of what I am experiencing.

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Answer 3

rwb53

Level 1

49 points

Aug 12, 2019 10:23 AM in response to timefreedom

I have the same issue Apple has not fixed it yet. One work around for me that worked is to copy my music to a usb drive and play it from the usb drive, without using iTunes. You can try this and see if it resolves the iTunes noise issues. Good luck. I agree that for what the iMac Pro cost we shouldn't be having this problem.

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Answer 4

timefreedom Author

Level 1

14 points

Aug 13, 2019 8:04 AM in response to timefreedom

Here are two examples of when things have been running all night and in the morning I try and use the computer without rebooting:

https://www.loom.com/share/6a81215fcf634d05b8dd266408f960ef

https://www.loom.com/share/a7435f27a9ac4a52a35c6ad8b57d82f7

This is when things are so "glitchy" that you can see the audio advancing itself as if it was in a super fast forward mode.

The only remedy I have found thus far for this is to reboot, which I now do each day.

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Answer 5

HMB2

Level 1

13 points

Aug 27, 2019 10:16 AM in response to timefreedom

My new (2019) iMac Pro is doing the same thing. This unit is a replacement for another iMac Pro that was also unable to reliably process audio and did this same thing. So there is a problem with the iMac that Apple can't seem to fix.

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Answer 6

timefreedom Author

Level 1

14 points

Aug 28, 2019 9:52 AM in response to HMB2

Absolutely concur. This machine cost a LOT of money (the most I personally ever spent on a computer) and for Apple to not acknowledge the issue or put the resources into fixing it is negligent IMO.

This isn't a one-off thing. This many people having the same issue is not coincidence.

My theory is that the very high-end machines (read iMacPro) don't have as broad an audience as the regular iMacs so it is not a priority for Apple as a result. They'd never admit this obviously, but I believe this to be true. What else would explain Apple's sluggish/lackadaisical response to this KNOWN ISSUE?

For those of us that have such a great experience with Apple products and those of us that are in the business of audio production, and video production that requires great audio, this has been a huge let-down. I invested a lot of money (for me at least) to have the very best machine available and the fastest. To have this constant nagging audio issue is a real PITA.

Apple, either do a recall, or do the software fix! This is LONG OVERDUE!

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Answer 7

HMB2

Level 1

13 points

Aug 28, 2019 10:40 AM in response to timefreedom

I returned the first iMacPro (purchased in 2018) to the Bay Street store 4 times. They could not duplicate this problem or offer any solution aside from reloading the system files which is just a temporary fix. I wrote a personal letter to Tim Cook. Apple then exchanged my one year old iMac Pro for a new iMac Pro. The new iMac Pro cannot process audio either. This is an intermittent problem obviously but still very annoying.

Odd fact: When this problem is occurring the audio keeps jumping ahead, garbling the audio. If you plug in a headphone the problem stops. Unplug the headphone and it starts up again.

Both machines are fully loaded iMac Pros, maxed out memory and processor. I wonder if this is connected.

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Answer 8

timefreedom Author

Level 1

14 points

Aug 28, 2019 10:55 AM in response to HMB2

Mine was "fully-loaded" too. 128 GB of Ram, etc. - the more clear way to describe mine is this: "the only thing I didn't get was the 4TB SSD drive".

I think you are onto something and this again points to a relatively small audience that has this type of machine (they're expensive and hence most won't purchase them - Apple as a result has a much smaller "sampling" of Customers that have this configuration). Perhaps we are zeroing in on the issue? This configuration seems particularly problematic (not just small audio issues, but fast-forwarding of videos, and really nasty audio issues).

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Answer 9

HMB2

Level 1

13 points

Aug 28, 2019 2:46 PM in response to timefreedom

Last night I called Apple support. I was directed to restart after a power off while pressing option/command. This did not solve the problem. Not a surprise as I have already tried this dozens of times as well as numerous system reloads, etc.

Just to recap: Apple replaced my previous iMac Pro (Purchase new from Apple in 2018), after 4 returns to the Bay Street store and a personal letter to Tim Cook, with a new iMac Pro. This new iMac Pro cannot process any audio either. There is at least one other user on this thread with the identical problem.

What these machines have in common is that they have the most advanced processors offered by Apple.

2.3 GHz Intel Xeon W

255 GB 2666 MHz DDR4

4 TB Flash Storage

Cost $17,341.00

Surely Apple by now must know about this persistent problem that makes its flagship machine almost unusable.

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Answer 10

timefreedom Author

Level 1

14 points

Aug 28, 2019 3:27 PM in response to HMB2

You apparently have a bit more recent one than I do. The 255 GB wasn't available when I purchased mine and the 4TB SSD, I didn't elect to get.

Other than those two things, is appears they are identical:

https://www.evernote.com/l/ABL5u4N8q45LGLsTZXsmSUDNuGiAA-Ya2-M

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Answer 11

timefreedom Author

Level 1

14 points

Aug 28, 2019 3:44 PM in response to timefreedom

I have seem some chatter about the USB 2.0 bus being the issue - I don't know how I'd address that, if it is. I have two external Apple 27" monitors that I use and their Webcams are USB 2.0. I have several other devices that I use that are as well.

Another thing that seemed to somehow be related to this was automatic updates of Date and Time under System Preferences. I have tried unchecking the "Set date and time Automatically", as well as "Set time zone automatically using current location". This didn't seem to do any good.

The only thing I have been able to do is reboot when the glitchy-audio takes place, which I now do every morning.

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Answer 12

timefreedom Author

Level 1

14 points

Aug 27, 2019 10:52 AM in response to HMB2

So Apple replaced your iMac Pro because of this issue?

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Answer 13

rwb53

Level 1

49 points

Aug 27, 2019 3:13 PM in response to HMB2

I agree 100 percent. I keep waiting for a firmware or a software fix, yet nothing! These machines are very expensive they just won't address the problem. Very sad.

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