iPadOS 14.5 Audio Skipping and Glitching

Well - I am using a simple USB-C to USB-2.0 into a USB Hub and my audio application, Ecamm Live, which used to recognize my iPad Air-4 and play both sound and video perfectly, now has glitches - this ONLY has happened after iOS 14.6. So it is more than the "dongle" DAC interface... Why it works w some DAC's? Do not know - but I am NOT using ANY dongle - just a cable... and the glitches show up in other apps trying to connect to my iPad Air-4.

[Edited by Moderator]

Just chiming in to say this is happening to me too, with a 2nd gen iPad Pro 12.9". This iPad has the older Lightning connector, and I use Apple's official camera kit dongle to connect to a USB ASIO audio device. As another person mentioned, this bug existed a year or two ago too, and then an update fixed it, but now it's back with a vengeance. This is the worst it's ever been for me with iPadOS 14.6, and it's made it impossible for me to record anything via my external audio devices now because they get filled with crackles. Unplugging and re-plugging temporarily makes it go away, but it quickly comes back and gets worse, like something is out of sync at the driver level.

Same thing for me also on IPad Air 4.

But additionally to that bug i also have the problem that my IPad wont use the speakers which produce the bass anymore. Everything sounds really „high“ and just bad. Normally it sounds like the sound is coming from within the IPad and out the back but now sound is only coming from the left and right side where the speaker holes are. It affects Netflix, YouTube, Spotify etc. and updating to 14.6 also didn’t help. After restarting the IPad its fixed for a bit but every time i open Netflix it automatically happens again.

It’s impossible to enjoy anything that involves audio at the moment. Thought i would share it here in case i am not the only one with this additional issue.

Another update from me: I bought a new USB-C to 3.5mm adapter, and so far no issues. And as I mentioned earlier, no issues with a USB-C to USB 2 adapter and external DAC (Apogee Duet). 

So, I wouldn't rule out a software driver issue, but at the very least, you might be able to get around it with a different adapter. (Though I know some of you still have had issues with other adapters.)

This problem of Glitching audio appeared when I to update 14.6, use a USB-C wired Apple earplug. New iPad 4 Air.

Is a IOS bug. Do not look further for cable problems. Do not see any workarounds. Restart etc. but problem will reappear.

I cannot use YouTube or trainings materials. I need now to use Windows again.

Not happy, just spent money on two a ipad4 air’s which are now useless.

Any one with a workaround?

It is 100% OS-related. Enough of us here have expressed that this wasn’t an issue before the 14.5 update that it should be obvious by now the fault is in iPadOS.

Try telling that to Apple though. I’ve had several conversations with advisers recently to try and get them to escalate the issue but its a serious effort to convince them that I don’t want my iPad servicing/replacing.

Just thinking aloud… This thread has been viewed 282 times as far as I can tell which is a small percentage of the tens of millions of iPads sold, so why should Apple be bothered?. It could be a faulty batch of dongles, but then why is it only happening after ios 14.6? It must be the OS!

something doesn’t add up

I’ve tried two external DACs now, one usb and one Bluetooth and they both work fine and with better sound quality than the dongle.

So the same happens to my iPad Pro 2020. For today I have an appointment at the genius bar in Centro Oberhausen Germany. I have had a contact with the support, but they did not find any issue in software and hardware logs. They send me to the technician apple experts to prove if there is any hardware issue at the USB-C port or headphone adapter.

I believe that is an OS issue, that starts with IOS 14.5 and won't be saved with 14.6.

The funny thing is that i have this issue only on my iPad Pro 11 (2020). On my iPad Pro 12.9 (2018) with IOS 14.6 it seems to be OK.

So I am curious to hear what they will tell me today and I am angry about the situation, that they don't tell us that they are working on this issue. It costs my time and my assets to get support from apple.

My expectation is ...they are not able to solve the problem today ... but may they surprise me.

hello, I have the problem on the iPad Pro 12.9 2021 M1 too. the problem only occurs with me in connection with the usb c to 3.5 adapter and wired headphones. when the music source starts for the first time, things go well for the time being. if I stop the music and wait about 15 seconds and then jump to the beginning of the track, then the error is reproduced 100%. about every three seconds there is a noise as if a record has a crack. I contacted the support. settings and content were then deleted and restored. the problem persisted. on all sources: apple music app, Spotify, YouTube, Safari browser / websites, Amazon music…. then I loaded the music on Spotify and didn't stream it. as a result, the disturbance was no longer phased but continuous and the music was distorted beyond recognition. After an appointment at the Apple Store, I was able to reproduce the error (in phases, every 3 seconds approximately). Headphones, adapters exchanged ... nothing helped. the iPad Pro 12.9 2021 has been replaced. then the same on the new device. Since I am a musician and cannot use the iPad Pro for my purposes, I finally returned it. Then I bought an iPad Air 4 and I am "amused" that the problem also exists here. only then did I discover this discussion on the internet. I now very much hope that the problem can soon be fixed by the software. Since I have sound recordings of the fault (recorded in the headphones), I am happy to offer this to Apple to support you in resolving the problem on request. especially the continuous distortion of the sound could perhaps be interesting. I only had this error once (iPad Pro). the intermittent disturbance (about every 3 seconds) can be reliably reproduced as described on probably many different iPad models with usb c. Sorry about the possibly incorrect Google translation. best regards.

I face this issue on my iPad Air 4 with the original Apple type c to 3.5mm dongle with EarPods.

However as some users pointed out, plugging in and out either the dongle or EarPods will “re-sync” the audio.

Another way that worked for me is opening the Apple TV app and play any video. This will also help re-sync the audio and then jumping back in to apps like YouTube etc will be fine again.

But the above are temporary fixes only and this is surely an OS level bug. I expect more from Apple than this.

One way to get Apple to take notice is to inform App makers about the problem. Leave reviews for Spotify, YouTube etc. on the App Store explaining that their app is seriously compromised by Apple products at the moment. Or contact app makers directly, if that’s possible.

Seems like we have 'Audio-Gate' for Apple.....

Apple, best way to clear this up is to begin acknowledging these discussions, and work toward a solution. Being secretive or at least not communicating at all, even through your Support org, is worse than other alternatives. The negative PR might not bother you, but it certainly can cause even the most loyal users to look elsewhere. I, for one, have already started in that direction.

Mate, this is a not great idea!

Imagine you have bought a brand new car, like Ford Mustang. Then you found out some features don't work. For example, the hand brake. Instead of telling the problem to the company, we will go to supplier and other shops telling the story and hopping the car company will be informed one day!!!

"Spray and Pray"

Mate, it is company's responsibility to respond to its clients' feedbacks and solve the problem.

I do music and usually I'll take my device and plug it into the venue's giant speaker system. These glitchy noises would not be acceptable in that environment. am I supposed to just say "I spent $800 or so on an iPad Air with 256 GB and cellular data but I'm OK with not using it for what I need it for the most?" This needs a resolution ASAP. Forget iPadOS 15 and adding new features. Get the basic features right first!