MacBook Pro 15" 2016 Touch Bar Speakers Issue

Dear Lyonac

I have just bought my new MacBook Pro 13" 2016 with touch bar (2,9 GHz, 512 GB model, 8GB RAM).

After seeing these posts I have decided not to run BootCamp for my Windows partition and used Parallels.

Here's what happened.

• Installed latest Parallels 11 on my Mac, running latest MacOS.
• Installed genuine Windows 7, activated.
• Installed Parallels Tools
• Installed Chrome, opened YouTube, played a song and speakers started to produce static while changing the sound.
• Speakers produce no sound distortion or low sound, they do perform completely normal as long as you do not change the sound (volume up/volume down).
• Went back to MacOS, sound works fine, just as before.

And just because of this I do NOT recommend anyone to install Windows (7 in my case) via Parallels on new MacBooks Pros.

I am an old time Parallels user and I doubt that this is their fault.

From my research and understanding, it is something to do with sound drivers of Windows (7 as well as 10) that cause this issue.

If you have any questions: Twitter @officialimicca

MacBook Pro 13" 2016 Touch Bar Speakers Issue

MacBook Pro 13-inch 2016, Touch Bar, 2.9Ghz, 256GB SSD, 8GB LPDDR3, Intel Iris 550, Mac OS Sierra 10.12.3

Symptoms:

• Initial symptom: Not audio out driver. Popping sounds on speakers, even in mute. Happened while running OS X with HDMI external monitor attached in extended desk top mode (probably not relevant but may be) while using the HDMI to transmit sound as well.
• Unbalanced, distorted and low power sound Mac OS X and no audio driver to be found.
• Irreversible (even restarting the laptop)
• Whole system slow down with resource bottle neck (Lag in executing commands by 5-10 seconds)

Actions taken:

• Ran reset Audio Codec script from Apple Forum
• Restarted into Safe Mode/Normal Restart
• Reset NVRAM
• Ran Diagnostic System check - OK
• Brought to two independent Mac repair facilities. Both mentioned logic board issue.

Comments

• Seems it is a hardware issue.
• System corrected itself 3 hours later.

Recommendation from Apple:

"Sometimes glitches happen." No fix or comments. I can send it back to the retailer and get a full refund.

My comment

• Do not use an HDMI external monitor in extended mode, use in mirror only with no HDMI audio passthrough. (not tested yet)
• I will use it as a stand alone laptop until I can find someone who figured out this nagging issue.
• It's my first Macbook Pro purchase in 10 years, and I was happy when it ran like a champ for a week. I am bummed that I may have to send it back.

Please comment if you had a similar issue.

Similar issue happened to me and I am NOT running bootcamp.

Issue: Was running a macOS game and the speakers started to crackle followed by a loud pop. This seemed to happen independent from the speaker volume (which was at around 60%). My macbook pro crashed and I had no sound. Sound returned following a restart but there is some static on the higher volume settings (I don't know there has always been static and I am now just noticing it following the speaker pop). I have now encountered this issue 3 times.

Spec: 15" macbook pro 2016 (touch bar model); 2.7Ghz; Radeon 460.

Advice from apple: reset NVRAM & reset SMC. Monitor the issue.

My thoughts: I wonder if the problem is not limited to bootcamp but rather applications / processes that necessitate the higher end GPUs, i.e. Radeon 455 & 460?

Thank you posting. I am experiencing speaker crackling when streaming Steam to the MBP 15 late 2016. I did load and remove windows 10 in boot camp but only heard the crackling in Steam in Home Streaming. Obviously, I will return for a refund if not resolved before the exchange period. Ideally, a software fix is happening very quickly.

Same happened here some minutes ago.

Put my 15inch 2016 with Radeon 460 onto the desk, plugged in power and an Dell USB Mouse using the original Apple USB-C to USB-A adapter. Some seconds later a klicky popping noise occurred. Pressed "sound off" nothing happens, pulled out USB-C adapter sound stops. Since then the left bass unit was distorted, treble was fine.

Through panning the sound from the pref pane I tried to find out what happened (total volume was at about 20-25%). After panning 2-3 times there was a short "plop" sound. no the bass unit is completely silent, treble is still working. I am not sure whats the best to do now.

ps. I don't have bootcamp installed.

Quick question, did apple replace the laptop. I was waiting for the Genius bar and try replicating the noise, but couldn't do it. They said they have to take it in and run stress test on it. I was lucky to get a recording of it, but couldn't reproduce it in the store.

Resolution for Steam in Home Streaming specifically and possibly others.

I went into Audio Midi Setup and moved from 44.1 to 48hz. This immediately resolved my cracking issue.

Hope this helps others. If anything reverts back I will post an update.

Send it back. If it is anything other than perfect it should be returned. The prices Apple is asking demands their products be perfect within the 14 day exchange period. I took my first one back. Depending on the model they may be able to give you a new one on the spot.

I have exactly the same issue with a latest MBP 2016 15" top end. It happens weirdly and randomly e.g. after launching x-plane and connecting the joystick but, even after shutting x-plane down, the distorted / crackling sound remains (e.g. in iTunes or others). Only the reboot completely cleans the sound and it really looks a s/w issue to me.

Any other feedback?

Cheers

Hi,

Same MBP

Left Speaker cracks and only has little volume after crack.

Only happens when putting Volume on lvl 4 or higher

On Bootcamp Windows 10 left speaker works fine

I do not know when it happened first because right speaker works fine and I dont really hear that much difference... just when I mute the right speaker in Audio MIDI Setup.

I dont know if its software or hardware related...

will reset NVRAM now.

What is system check?

Wont do factory settings... I got so much custom stuff going on... cant be bothered to reset everything

Greetings!

I am using the 2017 MacBook Pro, 15" with touch bar.

The same issue has happened with me.

I have not installed Bootcamp or any similar software.

This has actually happened to me twice now. The first time I got it, which was in around June just about 2 months ago, I exchanged it with apple or a new one because I was still under my 2 week purchase date. Then, it happened again with my second MacBook! Both times that it happened, I was not playing any sound or using any heavy software. Then, when I tried playing sound after the occurrence, the right speaker was heavily distorted.

I think it’s not straight Bootcamp issue.

I have the same exact problem. A couple days ago the left speaker of the 2016 15 inch MacBook just started to produce a horrible popping sound. No any kind of music/video was playing at the moment. I was in Chrome on Sierra 10.12.6.

I instantly turned the notebook off and then on, but the speaker was already blown.

I have the same issue, although I do not run bootcamp or parallels. I had my mac muted surfing the web when the popping sound started and I had to reboot to get it to stop. worked fine for a while then started again, although this time it just did it for a very short time and now my speakers are distorted.

The same for me in France on MacBook Pro 15'' Touch Bar 2016 Sierra

The right speaker start to pop when surfing on youtube, had to shutdown my mac to stop pops.

No cable or hub was connected at this time, on boot camp at all.

I previously installed VMware Fusion with Windows 10, not sure it's related.

Now the sound on right speaker is lower that the left one, no more sound if I raise the volume up to 75%.

Lower sound comes back after reboot

Tries Reset SMC, NVRAM, SOS, Diagnostic > no luck

Should I try clean install ?

I had this issue too. My mac was on sleep mode, when I opened I heard a cracking sound, like 'pop corn' and then my speakers were blown. It happened to me on June 2017 and I have my Mac repaired by Apple Store. They changed the logic board and the top case. A few days ago the same issue happened to me (October 2017), and now I have my speakers blown.

I also made a video where you can hear the cracking sound of the speakers. I think it's an hardware issue and now I must return my Mac to the Apple Store team.

[I don't have bootcamp installed]

[MacOs Siera on MacbookPro 2016 15'' Tochbar]

([MACBOOKPRO SPEAKERS BLOWN] - MacBook Pro 15" 2016 Touch Bar Speakers Issue - YouTube)