Crackling/popping noises when playing music on iMac.
Over the last several months I have noticed crackling and popping noises from my iMac (2021) speakers when playing music from Apple Music and other streaming platforms. At first, it was only noticeable on a couple of songs and when set to a higher volume, but it is now happening regardless of song or volume, and appears to be happening more frequently. I also don't usually have my volume higher than 4 or 5 increments. I have not noticed the issue while watching videos. I also hear the crackling/popping noises when using an external speaker. There aren't any audio issues when listening through headphones.
My OS is up-to-date (Sonoma 14.3.1) and I've tried a couple of different fixes that I've seen online (removing dust from the speakers, restarting my device, etc.), however the threads I've seen have been for MacBook Pros rather than iMacs. I'm wondering if there's anything else I can try? Since it also happens with an external speaker, I am thinking it is software related.
iMac 24″