Crackling/popping noises when playing music on iMac.

@Good Old Days

You are right about iMac and as all of us have the same issue on iMac and MacBook it means that it's more likely software problem and solution could be the same as well.

Strange how everyone is having this problem in different ways. I don't even use Safari. But my problem stopped for the most part soon after I first found this thread a few months ago.

Good Old Days wrote:

Strange how everyone is having this problem in different ways.

Not really. Usually what people are reporting here are symptoms. Those symptoms can have more than one cause.

It's funny, because everyone is saying they have the problem when only using Safari, when I am using Chrome and still have this issue.

I’ve found one more thing about crackling, it happens usually during playing very low sounds.

Had the same problem on my MBP M1. Changed it to M3. The problem is still there.

I have noticed the same thing with MacBook Pro with m3 max chip (14 inch). I have yet to get the issue resolved.

I have been having the same issue with my 2021 Macbook pro M1, 14inch.

also nothing has helped so far.

It worked for me on Macbook air M3 Sequoia

Since the issue occurs both with the built-in speakers and an external speaker, it's less likely to be a hardware problem specific to the speakers themselves. Instead, it could be related to software or audio settings on your iMac.

One thing you can try is resetting the audio settings on your iMac. To do this, you can navigate to "System Preferences" > "Sound" and then select the "Output" tab. From there, you can choose your output device (either the built-in speakers or the external speaker) and then click the "Configure Speakers..." button. Follow the prompts to reset the audio settings to their default configuration.

Additionally, you can try adjusting the audio settings within the music streaming apps themselves. For example, in Apple Music, you can try adjusting the audio quality settings to see if that makes a difference in the crackling and popping noises.

If the issue persists after trying these steps, it may be worth contacting Official Apple Support or visiting an Apple Authorized Service Provider for further assistance. They can perform diagnostics on your iMac to identify any underlying software or hardware issues and provide appropriate solutions.