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F150Wahoo
Level 1 (1 points)

Q: Audio Problem with 2012 MacBook Air and Thunderbolt Display

I'm experiencing an audio problem when I connect my 2012 MacBook Air to my 27" Thunderbolt Display. When playing audio of any form (e.g., iTunes, Skype, streaming music via Chrome), the audio starts out sounding fine. After about 1 minute and 40 seconds, you start to hear static mixed in with the audio.  After about 3 minutes, the audio is completely overcome with static; the original audio is totally indecipherbable.

 

I only experience this problem when playing audio through the Thunderbolt Display's speakers using my 2012 MacBook Air.

 

The problem does not occur when playing audio through the 2012 MacBook Air's speakers.

 

The problem does not occur when playing audio through the Thunderbolt display with a previous-generation (mid-2011) MacBook Air.

 

I have installed all currently-available software updates.

 

Is anyone aware of a solution to this issue?  Any help you can offer is much appreciated.

 

----

 

13" MacBook Air Specs

  • Model ID: MacBookAir5,2
  • Processor: 2 GHz Intel Core i7
  • Memory: 8 GB 1600 MHz DDR3
  • OS: Mac OS X Lion 10.7.4

 

27" Apple Thunderbolt Display (MC914LL/A)


MacBook Air (13-inch, Mid 2012), Mac OS X (10.7.4)

Posted on Jun 23, 2012 10:08 AM

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F150Wahoo

Q: Audio Problem with 2012 MacBook Air and Thunderbolt Display

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  • Helpful answers

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  • by HDSLRDude,

    HDSLRDude HDSLRDude Jul 18, 2012 2:50 PM in response to F150Wahoo
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 18, 2012 2:50 PM in response to F150Wahoo

    Same here. Late 2011 17" MacBook Pro i7. So it's not a MacBook Air exclusive problem.

    To me it looks like there's an issue with the display or thunderbolt connection. Hopefully Apple will fix it by providing a firmware update soon.

  • by F150Wahoo,

    F150Wahoo F150Wahoo Jul 18, 2012 3:17 PM in response to JofArnold
    Level 1 (1 points)
    Jul 18, 2012 3:17 PM in response to JofArnold

    Until we get a permanent fix from Apple, I've used the approach below to automate the workaround that JofArnold discovered.

     

    Every 2 minutes, this process automatically switches from the Thunderbolt display's audio to the MacBook Air's built-in audio, and then immediately switches back to the Thunderbolt display's audio. This frees you from having to manually switch the audio output source in the System Preferences pane.

     

    If you want to give it a shot, then ...

     

    1. Download the switchaudio-osx utility. [A]

     

    2. Unzip it.

     

    3. In the terminal, cd into the directory where you unzipped the file. For example:

     

    cd ~/Downloads

     

    4. Run the following command:

     

    while true; do ./SwitchAudioSource -s "Built-in Output"; ./SwitchAudioSource -s "Display Audio"; sleep 120; done

     

    Note: In this command, "sleep 120" tells it to toggle the audio source every 120 seconds (i.e., two minutes). You can adjust that number to whatever frequency you desire.

     

    I hope this helps.

     

    --

     

    [A] It's an open source tool from Devon Weller. It's been around for about 5 years. If you're worried about the safety/security of running this utility, you have a couple choices:

    1) Read the code to make sure you trust it. Or,

    2) Don't use it. ;-)

  • by RiggerIII,

    RiggerIII RiggerIII Jul 18, 2012 3:22 PM in response to RiggerIII
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 18, 2012 3:22 PM in response to RiggerIII

    The update didn't fix the problem. Same issue with TD display.

  • by Marco Meneses 11,

    Marco Meneses 11 Marco Meneses 11 Jul 20, 2012 6:09 AM in response to RiggerIII
    Level 1 (55 points)
    Jul 20, 2012 6:09 AM in response to RiggerIII

    This is getting silly. I am taking my 2012 macbook air to an apple store, walking over to the thunderbolt display...going to connect and stream music.  Should have some blank faces from staff within 10 minutes or so.

  • by diegoodorizzi,

    diegoodorizzi diegoodorizzi Jul 20, 2012 2:57 PM in response to F150Wahoo
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 20, 2012 2:57 PM in response to F150Wahoo

    MBA 2012 i7 same in here, really annoying. Hope they release a fix soon. :/

    My First Apple computer purchased with a Thunderbolt Display and I have to use my Philips Bluetooth Dock, since I can't stand pausing the audio and playing it anymore.

  • by ibminh,

    ibminh ibminh Jul 21, 2012 7:45 AM in response to F150Wahoo
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 21, 2012 7:45 AM in response to F150Wahoo

    I don't know if it's a placebo effect or not but after installing the update, the problems happen less frequent for me. I used it all day yesterday without audio problems. Normally it happens randomly couple times a day.

  • by snow peak,

    snow peak snow peak Jul 21, 2012 6:23 PM in response to ibminh
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 21, 2012 6:23 PM in response to ibminh

    I installed that update for Thunderbolt Display before yesterday too, but got negative result.

    That update just makes the symptom happened later. Originally, the music corruption happened after a few of minutes to 45 minutes arround. Currently, the corruption happened after 1.5 hours to 2.5 hours.

     

    It may be caused by unproper analog/digital power ground layout implementation on Thunderbolt PCBA, or unproper tap setting at TX/RX on both MBA and Thunderbolt display. However, I got no audio issue within one hour while testing my MBA with two Thunderbolt displays in Apple's dealer two days ago!!!

     

    No idea if I should return TB display, MBA, and a bunch of peripherals for Applecare coverage reason, and wait for their new hardware change.

     

    If this issue could be fixed by FW, that is good news to me definitely, but no commitment from Apple so far.

     

    Help me, Apple!!

  • by snow peak,

    snow peak snow peak Jul 21, 2012 6:53 PM in response to F150Wahoo
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 21, 2012 6:53 PM in response to F150Wahoo

    +1

    Same issue here.

     

    My testing environment:

    13" MacBook Air

    • Processor: 2 GHz Intel Core i7
    • Memory: 8 GB 1600 MHz DDR3
    • OS: Mac OS X Lion 10.7.4
    • 256GB SSD

     

    27" Apple Thunderbolt Display (MC914FE/A)

    MacBook Air (13-inch, Mid 2012), Mac OS X (10.7.4)

     

    Pure default SW image from Apple, and just play music from iTunes' lib. which purchased from iTunes store!

     

    No Thuderbolt Display FW update: issue happen after 1.5 minutes to 45 minutes

    With Thuderbolt Display FW update: issue happen after 1.5 hours to 2 hours

     

    Probability to happen: 100% on my MBA and my TB display, which purchased one week ago.

  • by FastForwardNL,

    FastForwardNL FastForwardNL Jul 22, 2012 5:43 AM in response to F150Wahoo
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 22, 2012 5:43 AM in response to F150Wahoo

    I'm running into simular problems, but... I don't use a Thunderbolt display.

     

    Received my MBA 13 inch (2012) 2 weeks ago. At random moments there's a static distorted sound coming from the speakers. Strange, because I'm not playing music or something else at that moment.

     

    A restart or playing a sound fixes the problem temporarily.

     

    Should I exchange this Air or wait for a software fix?

  • by snow peak,

    snow peak snow peak Jul 22, 2012 9:36 AM in response to F150Wahoo
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 22, 2012 9:36 AM in response to F150Wahoo

    Update!

     

    I was running the test underneath same configuration with no static noise issue over 12 hours today.

    Thus, I decided to replicate this test twice, but got this audio problem within 3 minutes for all.

    It is realy frustrating thing, and l recalled those two "no issue" TB display I tested in Apple dealer store might not be tested fully.

     

    Now, I have no idea the problem caused from my new MBA or/and TB display, and just know it is relative to hardware issue definitely.

     

    Hope it could be work-arounded by FW.

     

    Please have a resolution for root cause ASAP, Apple!

    If no fix were available within a couple of days, I have to refund according to policy to protect myself.

    If apple committed to exchange new one in case of hardware issue, I would be waiting for solution from Apple.

  • by John P.,

    John P. John P. Jul 22, 2012 9:45 PM in response to F150Wahoo
    Level 4 (1,161 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jul 22, 2012 9:45 PM in response to F150Wahoo

    Question: For those who are experiencing the issue, is Google Talk plug-in installed?

  • by snow peak,

    snow peak snow peak Jul 22, 2012 10:19 PM in response to John P.
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 22, 2012 10:19 PM in response to John P.

    I purchased my systems one week ago, and haven't install any app and software.

    It's pure default SW environment with Apple firmware updated.

    After Apple fixed the problem, I would install app and other SW, in order to save time.

  • by bh1969,

    bh1969 bh1969 Jul 23, 2012 12:41 AM in response to John P.
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 23, 2012 12:41 AM in response to John P.

    No

  • by RiggerIII,

    RiggerIII RiggerIII Jul 23, 2012 11:31 AM in response to bh1969
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 23, 2012 11:31 AM in response to bh1969

    No Google Talk pluging install here.

  • by ibminh,

    ibminh ibminh Jul 23, 2012 8:28 PM in response to F150Wahoo
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 23, 2012 8:28 PM in response to F150Wahoo

    Ok so far the audio problem stops. I made Skype call today for 20 minutes and there is no problems at all. Normally it happens after 5 mins into the call. Listen to music, watch videos, youtube, so far so good no problem.

    What I did was installed the update. I also have a fan blowing directly to my macbook air to keep it from overheat, I thought it might be the heat that messed up the thunderbolt signals, I dont know. So far so good.

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