Popping Sound, MBP 2016

Guys,

after reading, watching and listening may I resume some info:

1. We have loud pops with different MBP’s. ’13, ’15, 2013, 2017, with or without touch bar.
2. The pops are VERY similar, have one tonal and loudness character.
3. All MBP’s with this sad thing work on Sierra 10.12….
4. MBP’s from 16 - 17 have pops very often then older models. They pops with cold start, when overheat, when opening the lead and when touched under logo or near touch bar.

I’m not programmer, but I’m audio electronic engineer, and have some conjecture.

As I think it’s not a mechanical sound from case. hing or display. And it’s not a sound of the thermal expansion. No one element of MBP (which doesn’t have any moving parts inside, except fans) can’t produce this LOUD pop. And if we had hear this sound from electronic components it would mean their total destruction.

As I wrote before, my MPB (early 2013, retina, 15) started to pops when I install Sierra 10.12.3. No pops with previous ElCap. And this sound goes from speakers. Mute or - vol cannot affect, it pops anyway. It seems to me, that it occurs from totally opened input of «power amp», which (hypothetical!!) software-based routed to something like sensor, or logic key chip, or just something which provide electrostatic discharge, for example. So, as I think this is just problem with new Sierras audiodriver.

To insure in this conjecture I made the experiment which consists of removing the AppleHDA from the extensions folder. When I made it, I still have «apple start sound», but no one pops when OS boot and work (and no audoicard in system preferences, of course). I was try and retry cold starts, but still NO POPS.

Hope, this can help.

PS: sorry for my English.

Potentially some good news.

My 2016 MBP 15 inch with Touchbar had the "hinge-pop" on opening the lid. It also randomly popped every 15 minutes or so.

I took it to the Salt Lake (US) store this week. The awesome Apple Store Macbook tech was able to reproduce the pop on opening the lid when he took it into the back room (this was crucial). He told me that sometimes the repair center won't do a fix if they can't reproduce it. However, if a tech has noted that they were able to reproduce it, they will usually go ahead and make the requested repairs.

It was shipped off for repair and came back today. The following parts were replaced:

• Display Assemply Space gray (605-01813)
• Bottom Case Space Gray (605-01815)
• Vent/Antenna Module (631-01782)

They had various "Symptoms" listed on the service summary sheet for each repair (the display said "built in audio device problem", the case said "Enclosure - Mechanical/Cosmetic Damaged", the vent said, "liquid contact indicator tripped"). The strange thing about the "liquid contact indicator" being tripped is that I haven't dropped any liquids on it.

Anyhow, now the lid opens smoothly without a pop. I've had it running for a few hours and no pops from the system at all.

So, I'm probably jinxing it... and will report back here if the popping comes back... but Apple just may have fixed it (at least on my machine).

Hope this may help someone else.

Hey I also have this issue... I am wondering if it is due to something inside heating up or shifting inside due to everything being packed so tightly. See this for example from a previous generation: http://6ixpassions.com/post/1095520847/fix-the-ticking-clicking-sound-in-your-ma cbook-pro.

I just wonder whether apple will fix this...

Same thing on my MBP 13 Touchbar 2.9 16 GB Ram 1 TB HD. What I am hearing sounds very similar to what you are describing. I feel like it only occurs maybe once an hour give or take (rare enough to where like you I didn't feel like it was a huge issue but still not something that I just want to completely ignore). I did notice on mine that it doesn't seem to be coming from the same place every time. I have noticed that sometimes it seems to come from the left side of the keyboard and other times the right side. If I had to guess I would say it has to do with the components expanding ever so slightly as the laptop gets warmer but that's just a guess. Kinda annoying either way.

Same problem here. I went to the Apple Store to get support for this annoying problem. Even after the top case and the battery were replaced in my MBP 2016 the popping didn't stop. My notebook was then replaced by a new one and guess what....the popping sound is still there, although it doesn't occur that often.

My guess would be one of the clips holding on the back metal cover isn't in all the way but not sure that's it. These new MBPs have like 4 metal clips in addition to the screws that hold the back on. Naybe they didn't install it well? Ive heard that sound because I had to check out mine but everything in there is really solid and shouldn't move. If you can't hear it happening right on the metal I'd take it in to the store. You can see them pretty well in this picture from Ifixit, right near his thumbs. https://d3nevzfk7ii3be.cloudfront.net/igi/vD5cOxfEQiVt54N2.huge

I am having the same issue as well. Seems to occur when I open the lid after it has been closed for a while as well as when I am using the computer for a graphic intensive task. I have an appointment with Apple tomorrow. Just a thought, but I have been using a case with a magnetic closure, are any others also using a case with magnetic closures?

You know you could be on to something. Aluminum is paramagnetic but iron and nickel are ferromagnetic and can have spontaneous magnetic events. Wonder if this has anything to do with the large pieces of neodymium in the speakers. If you put a screw or something iron below the cosmetic speaker grill you'll see how strong they are..

I am also hearing the same sound, only happens when the computer is warming and cooling.

It isn't the noise that bothers me, but I'm worried that it is an indication of the batteries slowly coming unglued. It feels and sounds like sticky tape popping, to me.

I just got off a chat with Apple support, and they had no knowledge of the issue. This post was the only mention I could find of it.

Hopefully it is just a benign expansion/contraction noise.

I took my laptop in to the genius bar for this popping noise. They said it is caused by this small dent on the bottom casing hitting the fan. They told me I had to replace the entire bottom casing for $130. Not covered under warranty because it's user inflicted damage / a wearable part. I really don't think that's the only problem. But hey... they're the "geniuses." So check the bottom of your laptops...

This is absolute ********. There are many people who have pop noise on their macbook2016, and not everyone have a dent on their case. Mine has pops, and case is perfect

If the dent would touche the fan, the noise should be permanent. Here we have 3-4 pops when hearing up, and 3-4 pops when cooling dent

Some genius don't deserve their name

@ACA25 : not to be rude, but you should never have accepted to pay any money about that

I hope you will ask for a refund, and make a scene in the Apple Store if they refuse

please let us know their position. at least it would desserve a full replacement, but I am not sure I would change anything

My position is to stay with this, as it is not so dramatic, BUT I will ask for an exchange at warranty end time

I

was hesitant to pay but the technician that I spoke with assured me that after running all the diagnostics, the small dent was the cause. He even told me that leaving it that way would cause irrevocable damage & it wouldn't be covered under warranty or AppleCare. So, I took their recommendation and replaced the casing. They're supposed to know what they're doing, who am I to argue?

I dropped off the laptop on the weekend and have asked for the refund. They said they have to admit my MBP into "triage" to diagnose the problem. If the resolution is unrelated to the replacement of the bottom casing then I may be issued a refund.

Got the MBP back today. Apparently they replaced both fans and the entire chassis, they also said that they ran the laptop for a bit and no popping noise. No refund because they stand by the dent exacerbating the pop. I take it home, open final cut pro, export a video and the popping sound is still there.

So, I have to take it back for a 3rd time. Probably will go to a different store because I'm not happy with the service at the store I visited.

Hi!

I have the same problem here. Got a new Macbook Pro 15" 2016, max specs, no bootcamp used and pop sound coming from the speakers (?) from time to time. To be precise, I feel like the "sound" is coming from the top central part of the body, like right under the centre of the touch bar. Maybe it's just my impression, can't say.

Here's a video I recorded close to the screen:

https://vimeo.com/209637358

I spoke with a Genius last week and he had no idea about this issue. So we did a few tests and we ran the Apple Diagnostics, but the system was ok. He suggested me to format the hard drive and reinstall Mac Os Sierra and all the software from the scratch. And so I did, but it didn't solve the problem.

Also, I've noticed the pop sound in recovery mode and during the boot.

So I'd definitely say this is not a software problem.

You are absolutely right. the same exact place for me. Just behind the MacBook Pro logo, on the other side

When the Mac is heating up, without pressing, its pops exactly here too (I put my ear here and clearly located the place)

Otherwise I still dont have an explanation about the big "clac" at opening the macbook (the first time after a long close)