Level 1

5 points

clipping sound on new iMac when Logix X is running

I just got the new iMac that was released two weeks ago yesterday. All I did was set it up with Logic X, Main Stage, and Aperture all from the app store. nothing else was put on it. I opened up logic just to check it out and see how much faster the performance would be. I just wanted to give it a quick test and played some apple loops I immideatly noticed it was making a clipping sound randomly. The meters were not peaking everything was in the green and if you turned down the gain the clipping just got quiteter. I called apple support thinking it was a hardware issue. They had me do some trouble shooting like playing the same loops through quicktime and the clipping persisted. they also had me play a youtube video to see if I could hear the clipping. It wasn't as noticible but it was there. Apple decided that it would be a good idea to reformat the computer tomorrow and start over. Sounded fine to me seeing how I didn't have much installed yet. I did a little more trouble shooting on my own after I got off the phone with apple. First I made a copy of three apple loops and put them on my desktop then restarted the computer. Then after a fresh restart and nothing running I opened one of the apple loops off the desktop with quicktime player and it sounded great no clipping. Same with You Tube. I then opened Logic Pro X. Did nothing with it but minimize it. I then went back to quick time player and tried to play the loop again. This time the clipping was back. Same with You Tube.

My conclusion for some reason when logic is running the audio makes a random clipping sound no matter what audio program you play the audio through. (Clipping sound comes out of the internal speakers as well as headphones)

All of my software is up to date.

I am running:

27" iMac

3.5GHz Intel Core i7

16 GB 1600 MHz DDR3

If anybody has experienced this same problem or has any recomendations they would be greatly appreciated.

I am going to reformat in the morning and try and start again.

I will post my results

Thank you,

Aaron

iMac (27-inch, Late 2013), OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.5)

Posted on Oct 8, 2013 11:22 PM

998 replies

Babw

Level 1

0 points

Oct 20, 2013 3:53 AM in response to Deadphish42

Had my 27" i7 3.5 with 1tb fusion drive delivered on friday.

The popping and crackling is driving me crazy.

Apple have really let me down, my 2010 27" iMac needed a new logic board and the repair was what could only be described as diabolical (loose screws, connectors broken etc) so now I have 2 iMac's. One ready for a refund and the other waiting for a re-repair!

Deadphish42 Author

Level 1

5 points

Oct 20, 2013 5:22 PM in response to Babw

Hi Babw,

Sorry to hear about your new iMac. I don't know if you read through the entire thread or not but Art of Sound has informed us that Apple Dev Team is now aware of the problem. So hopefully we will get a fix soon. I have a replacement scheduled to arive tomorrow and I just know its going to have the same problem.

I also had a diabolical repair attempt tried on my 2011 27" iMac. First it was the screen that needed replacing and that went pretty smoothly. Then it was determined that all three of my fans needed to be replaced. After the fans were replaced the logic board went and needed to be replaced that was done and the computer had to be taken into the shop. (All of the previous repairs were done at home on site). When I got the computer back the same problems still persisted and I had two nice big dings in the lower right front of the aluminum skin. Thats when Apple decided to replace it with a 2013 iMac. I thought that was a great deal for me. Then the computer came and I discovered the snap, crackle and pop. This entire process started about two and a half months ago.

Apple has always done me right in the past. I'm sure they will make up for it somehow.

It is a bummer taking a new computer out of the box and it not working properly. It's not like you can run down to best buy and take it back for a replacement. My 2nd one comes in tomorrow and if you just got yours on Friday I will bet money the problem will still exist on my 2nd.

With the Apple Dev Team now aware of the problem I'm sure a solution will be here soon. I just dont want a new computer getting opened up for the fix. I'm hoping a firmware update will fix the problem.

Good Luck and let me know how you make out,

DeadPhish

Babw

Level 1

0 points

Oct 21, 2013 1:19 AM in response to Deadphish42

Where are you based Deadphish? The repair saga for my old iMac has been going on for 8 weeks now, it seems strangely similar to your experience (I too had my screen and logic boards replaced. Now the fans are acting up. The front glass has an internal scratches that was never there as we found out due to the LCD not being screwed in properly and some nuts floating around behind the screen!!)

Even though I bought the new iMac out of my own pocket, I'm keen for Apple to replace it out of theirs. Lets hope they get it sorted otherwise the new Mac Pro is my last hope.

Deadphish42 Author

Level 1

5 points

Oct 21, 2013 7:56 AM in response to Babw

Hi Babw,

Your story does sound oddly similar to mine. I'm based in So Cal. My repairs started about 8 weeks ago also. The only difference is you started with a 2010 27" and I with a 2011 27". So weird we had almost the same exact problems at the same time.

My new 2nd 2013 iMac is on the Fed Ex Truck and out for delivery. I just know I'm going to have the same problem when I open it up. They haven't had enough time to fix the problem. So I will not be surprised if this one goes back also.

One thing I found out returning all these iMacs is that Apple only requires you to send back the computer. They dont want the cord, keyboard, or mouse back. So get Apple care on the phone and don't spend to much time with the first person you get. There going to try and get you to do a bunch of troubleshooting that wont help. I find it best to go along with them for a few minutes till they get stumped then they get you over to a supervisor. The supervisor will give you a case # and stay in contact with you through the return process untill it gets turned over to the return department and they work out the logistics for your return.

I'll let you know what happens when the new one shows up today.

Good Luck,

DeadPhish

Bamboof

Level 1

35 points

Oct 21, 2013 12:40 PM in response to Deadphish42

Often, the snap, crackle and pop you describe can be remedied by matching the sample rate of your audio interface with the corresponding Logic audio setting. Worth checking that...

Deadphish42 Author

Level 1

5 points

Oct 21, 2013 1:07 PM in response to Bamboof

Hi Bamboof,

This problem exist on the iMacs right out of the box as soon as you install logic or garage band. Never even got a chance to install a interface. Thanks for the tip though.

DeadPhish

Deadphish42 Author

Level 1

5 points

Oct 21, 2013 3:12 PM in response to Deadphish42

Hello All,

I just got the new iMac all I've done is plug it in and install the updates. I just tested the sound with itunes radio and it sounded just fine. I don't have time to install logic for about an hour but that will be my next step and see how the sound is then. I will report back shortly.

DeadPhish

Deadphish42 Author

Level 1

5 points

Oct 21, 2013 3:21 PM in response to Deadphish42

I didn't even get to install logic. I have it in garage band. Bummer...........

Oct 21, 2013 3:34 PM in response to Deadphish42

Sadly, I thought this would be the case.

Definitely a Core Audio driver glitch. I found the worst offender is Google Chrome, try playing any audio (youtube,music.google.com) through the latest build of Chrome.

But yeah, when Logic 10.0.3 is open then itunes, spotify pops.

I really, REALLY hope this is address in Logic 10.0.4/10.8.6/Mavericks.

Fingers crossed.

Babw

Level 1

0 points

Oct 21, 2013 4:25 PM in response to RobboHuddo

So can I just confirm that there are machines without the fusion drive who are experiencing the same problem?

I was tempted to order one with an SSD only to see if that would help.

Deadphish42 Author

Level 1

5 points

Oct 21, 2013 4:28 PM in response to RobboHuddo

Hey RobboHuddo,

I agree. I guess all we can do is wait.

Hopefully not to long.

From the LA times Business section today.

http://www.latimes.com/business/technology/la-fi-tn-apple-event-ipads-macs-maver icks-apple-tv-20131021,0,79805.story

Mavericks OS X

This summer, Apple unveiled Mavericks OS X, the latest version of its computer operating system, but the tech giant didn't give release or price details for the new software. It will likely do so Tuesday.

Reports say Apple could release Mavericks OS X as early as Tuesday or as late as Friday. It will likely cost around $19 to download, which is the same price as last year's Mountain Lion OS X.

----------------------------------------------------------

My assumption would be yes but does anybody know if you get the same snap, crackle, pop in Final Cut X? I don't own it yet but was planning on buying it for the new iMac.

Thank you everybody that contributed to this thread. I'm not going to mark it as solved yet. As the issue still persists.

I will keep everybody updated on how apple handles the issue with me. I've already left a voice mail and email for the person assigned to my replacement. There policy is to return phone calls and emails within one bussiness day and there usually pretty good about it. So I will be posting some type of update in the next 24 hours but right now I can't think of anything else to do but wait.

Thank you Everybody,

DeadPhish

Oct 21, 2013 5:07 PM in response to Babw

Babw,

So can I just confirm that there are machines without the fusion drive who are experiencing the same problem?

So far that has not been the case.

The problem being reported.. is only being done so by Owners of 2013 iMacs with Fusion Drives

I have not seen any similar reports (where it wasn't another issue that has since been resolved) from any 2013 iMacs that have standard HDs or SSDs but I can only confirm for sure.. that with my own 2013 iMac with the 7200rpm internal HD I have no such issues....

Interestingly enough, I haven't come across any complaints from Mac Mini owners who have Fusion drives installed and I have several Clients with that configuration of 2012/13 Mac Mini... so it looks like it is something specific to that model of iMac and a Fusion Drive configuration... Maybe something hardware/controller wise that could be fixed by a firmware update hopefully... and not actually a CoreAudio issue as suggested earlier by Robbo. though that is possible too as part of some weird conflict issue...

All I can currently suggest is anyone with this problem report it directly to Apple via the feedback form found in Logic Pro menu option... and at the same time contact Applecare and lodge a formal complaint/request for service. The more people that contact Apple about this issue, the more likely a remedy will be found or a recall made.

Good luck!

Oct 21, 2013 5:25 PM in response to Deadphish42

DeadPhish,

From what i can tell, it is affecting any audio app or app that uses audio.. so I would suspect the same issue would be present in FCPX......

My client who has this issue, reported the same snap, crackle and pop problem. (Hereafter known as the "Rice Crispies" effect.... 🙂 ) via everything from Radium (a 3rd party radio app) to Virtual DJ.. and from editors such as Sound Studio and Fission to games such as Bioshock and COD which kind of rules out CoreAudio itself I suspect....as the single cause of the issue.

Deadphish42 Author

Level 1

5 points

Oct 21, 2013 5:37 PM in response to The Art Of Sound

Thanks Art of Sound,

I just got off the phone with Apple. Got there first support line then was escelated to senior technical addvisor like last time but this time she took the time to write up a report to send to engineering reporting the problem and asking for help.

If everybody here could do the same if they havent already (get them to send a report to engineering) It will probably speed things along. As well as Art of Sounds recomendation for the feedback page. I've been told before by Apple employees that is what they look to for there feedback from the Apple community.

Thanks again everybody,

DeadPhish

Deadphish42 Author

Level 1

5 points

Oct 21, 2013 5:48 PM in response to Deadphish42

Oh by the way when I was talking to the Senior Technical Advisor she did have me do some troubleshooting. She had me start it up in safe mode (hold down shift while you start up the computer) when I did she wanted me to replicate the problem so I opened up garage band and played a loop. It showed on the meter but wasn't coming out of the speakers. So i checked the output in settings and there was no option for internal speakers (safe mode thing I guess) there was a option for my apple tv's and airport epress. So I picked one of them and the Rice Crispie effect came through the Apple TV speakers. I don't know. She is supposed to call me back on Saturday. So I'm in stand by mode.

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clipping sound on new iMac when Logix X is running