MacBook Pro: Electrical "Hissing" sound

No idea, no logical explaination in my eye. As I stated I purchased my computer from Comp USA...However it was built in the same factory, and is a week 11, which I know other users have reported issues with. As for reasoning supporting my, pure induction. Just something I thought was worth mentioning.

Induction as I recall from last semester in Geometry (Yes, I'm a freshman in Highschool and am currently studying Geo...,) is defined as: Reasoning derived from the act of observing patterns. My hypothesis has no factual basis, just observation. I notice that many owners experiencing troubles ordered direct. Now...why would this affect the performance of a computer? I have no factual explaination. More or less, the reasoning behind observing flawed computers ordered directly through Apple on this forum is most likely to do with the...logical assumption that a person who ordered online, is more likely to visit a forum. (Even more so, because the forum is on the same site they ordered from...) Which is why we hear about more whining computers ordered factory-direct.

Yes. Induction is, loosely speaking, reasoning from the specific to the general (every vertebrate ever observed has eventually died, therefor all vertebrates are mortal). Deductive reasoning is from the general to the specific (all humans are mortal; Socrates is a human, therefor Socrates is mortal).

So you don't think the difference is in the computers acquired through different channels, but rather that there is a differing propensity for those who order though different channels to report negative experiences here.

Well, there's no way for us to know, is there?

By the way, the only facts are observed facts. Facts are empirical. Everything else is inferred from those empirical facts.

Randall Schulz

iMac 20" Core Duo; MacBook Pro Mac OS X (10.4.6)

Sweet Silence!

i have had my 13" MB for about teo weeks and i think it just started making the hissing sound today. i came here first, i figured someone else had the same problem. i installed CHUD and turned of my second CPU. the sound is gone =).

Thank you to every one on here it was a great help.

MB 13" 2.0GHz Intel Core Duo Mac OS X (10.4.6)

I am sad to have to report the same issue, i have a week 24, the hissing sound is only there when running on battery, and when photobooth or the above mentioned mirror widget are inactive. I also have heat issues, the left hand side of my notebook gets so hot that I can not put my hand down, not talking about putting it on my lap.
The noise is driving me crazy, I have it since about 3 weeks and constantly in the "library situation" I get this noise.
If I contact apple care to repair/replace my mbp, what happens to the data on my harddrive, it took me a lot of time to transfer all my stuff, do I have to do it again or will apple transfer my data?

For the entire first week that I had my MacBook Pro, there was no hiss sound from the left speaker. Then one week later, (about 2 weeks ago), right after an automatic Firmware update (not software update), occurred (after I okayed it), I noticed the hissing sound immediately! If you plug your headphones or any audio or optical cable (a dummy plug, for all that matters), into the audio out jack, you hear the audio amp pop as it disconnects the amplifier that drives the speakers, and the hiss is gone! Now, the good news is that the noise is NON-EXISTANT in the headphones!
I believe that the last MacBook Pro firmware update did something with the signal to noise ratio in the amplifier that drives the speakers, assuming that it would have to be after the pre-amp section since you hear a pop as you push the plug into the jack, and the fact that the noise is totally gone in the headphones.) Until they come out with another firmware update, I'll just use either the optical out (same as headphone out, only digital optical) or my external iMic ($35.00) USB D/A for audio. If you're mobile, in the library, you should be using your headphones anyway, and should not hear the loud hiss that I'm describing.
I hope this helps!!!
--M

MacBook Pro 17 Mac OS X (10.4.7) 2gig DDR2 SDRAM

i bought online from a university retailer three weeks ago, couldn't stand the hiss, and brought it to a nearby apple store to discuss with the genuises. they determined that the noise was "within tolerances", but graciously replaced the machine anyway--for those wondering, they "flip" all the information from one machine to the other, so the new machine was identical to the set up of the one i traded in.

the new machine makes pretty much the exact same noise. i've since installed the mirror widget, which totally works for long stretches of time. when the noise comes back, i launch the dashboard, open the mirror, let it run for a few minutes, then close the mirror and the dashboard, and i'm usually good for at least a few hours.

not the most elegant solution, but since this maddening noise is "within tolerances", i don't suppose apple's going to come up with a fix anytime soon.

I have also the hissing sound, which is louder when the power cable is unplugged. Also disappears when PhotoBooth is on.

Funny thing is that when I am using the mac whith windows xp (boot camp beta), there is no troubles with hissing sounds. WITH XP OPERATING SYSTEM MBPRO IS SILENT EVEN IF THE POWER CABLE IS UNPLUGGED.

So, I presume the problem is coming from the battery life optimisation feature, which is working in OSX but not in the XP. Boot camp beta and XP does not yet support battery life optimisation.

This is why I am using my MBPro only with windows XP. If the sound problem can't be solved I quess I try to return this thing back to store before the quarantee expires.

MacBook Pro 1.83GHz Mac OS X (10.4.7)

MacBook Pro 1.83GHz Mac OS X (10.4.7)

Apple is now fixing this issue. I sent mine in and it now has no hissing sound. They replaced my logic bord. Details at

http://www.appledefects.com/?p=21

I am now very happy with my system it runs silent, cool and fast.

Jay

Apple is now fixing this issue. I sent mine in and it
now has no hissing sound. They replaced my logic
bord. Details at

http://www.appledefects.com/?p=21

I am now very happy with my system it runs silent,
cool and fast.

My 2.16GHz MBP went in for repair due to the hissing/whine issue. I was told that it would have the logic board replaced. However, as it turned out I my 2.16GHz machine already had the new logic board (it was delivered in April) so they couldn't replace it.

I am now stuck with the hiss/whine and I am constantly being told by Apple Technical Support that the noise "is acceptable"!

Please can someone help. What should I say to them to get a replacement/fix? The "product specialists" just tell me that there is no fix for this issue. I even had my case escalated above a product specialist and they still tell me there is nothing they can do.

We have the same computer! Mine is a week 24 and I asked that it still be sent in since I can go without it for a week, but the product specialist told me also that based on my serial number and model (2.16 GHz) that there was no logic board update. Will see...

In response to the original question:
I brought my MBP to my local apple store, and told the Genius of my problem, and he graciously acknowledged my problem. They took my MBP in and replaced the Inverter, SuperDrive, Logic Board, and 128 of my 256 VRAM. I thought only the logic board was the problem, but the repairmen must of thought otherwise. They even shipped it back overnight! I was very impressed and can now appreciate my cool running, non whining MacBook Pro!

MacBook Pro Mac OS X (10.4.6)

We have the same computer! Mine is a week 24 and I
asked that it still be sent in since I can go without
it for a week, but the product specialist told me
also that based on my serial number and model (2.16
GHz) that there was no logic board update. Will
see...

Are you planning on contacting them again or are you going to wait?

I called back, spoke with someone else (didn't have it escalated to a product specialist) and the box should be arriving soon to have it sent in. The customer service agent told me that it sounded like a logic board problem, but that those problems all seemed to have been fixed weeks ago!

I bought mine two weeks ago.
Got the hissing sound.
The best temporary fix is to keep the mirror widget on your dashboard.
Even minimised it makes no sound.
But this is not good enough for the price we pay.
I just could not take exchanging the computer and still having the sound.
It's taken me two weeks to load everything up the way i like it.

Cessna, when you say 'cool running' are you serious?
I thought they all ran super hot.