Volume triggered Muffled Speakers - 2016 MBP 15” Fault (w/ Video Demonstration)

Hi Matt,

did you solve the issue? I am having the same issue now and have the same late 2016 mbp 15 with touchbar. Thanks.

Same issue too on a 2016 15"MBP with touchbar. Left speaker (mids and lows) went out on me, yesterday, while watching YouTube.

I've scheduled a Genius Bar appt.

Same problem, happened again after Apple replaced top of the Macbook pro. Apple needs to address this problem, not just keep replacing the computer.

Has anyone still had issues after the Catalina update?

Seems like it might be fixed, but too early to tell!

Bryan, you just saved me a trip to the Genius Bar. I ran into a the similar type of issue about six months ago with my Late 2016 15' MBP, though in my case, only the right speaker sounded muffled. I actually had run bootcamp beforehand, so I thought I must have blown out the speaker like other users were complaining about late last year. I took your advice and switched the output's hz--now the right speaker sounds just as clear as the left one. Thanks for the tip!

@nicholasfromcarina It happened to me, too. I found this 2 weeks after purchase. And I searched a lot about this issue. And finally I got the right key word, "MUFFLED."

I showed your reply to an engineer here, and he fixed my MBP '17 15 inch in just the same way as you mentioned. Thank you so much. I really was relieved to see your comment, and I am sure the engineer figured out how to fix mine thanks to you. It just took two days to get mine.

I appreciate your comment.

I'm having this same exact problem! It happened out of nowhere for the first time. I was watching a video on youtube and suddenly the sound got muffled and I thought it was a problem with the video and it was not.

All the temp solutions here worked (plug the phone and change the sample rate) but as soon as i turn up the volume, the sound get muffled again. In my ignorance, i really don't think it is a hardware problem, and I hope we can have a software (firmware?) fix for this. I'm using a Macbook pro 2017 15" TBar

I have the same issue, if the speaker is broken should be always sound "muffled" I am trying your solution hope it works but APPLE please listen to us ! We pay a Loy of money for a machine the had issues.

I'm having the same problem.

MBP 15 2017

I heard cracking noise from the speakers two or three times in this month and now I have the same problem: in my case I lose the bass.

I'm going to the Apple Store this weekend to find out.

Hello, unfortunately, I have the same issue ((( reset NVRAM and all recommendations helped for a 10 minutes. I don't believe that it's a hardware issue. BTW just now realized I got this issue only with last major mac os update ....

Guys if someone will fix this somehow, please share the solution

This happened to me two days ago. I have the 2017 model, 15-inch w/ touch bar. It's brand new; I bought it a month ago. I was listening to a youtube video and, out of nowhere, my right speaker starts crackling really loudly. Now, the right side is all muffled. I tried the methods above, but nothing really works. Changing the hz only fixes the issue for a few seconds, and then it goes right back to being muffled. I'm more than sure that this isn't a software issue because I just updated the OS last night and the issue persists. Apple needs to remedy this ASAP.

Same problem here, right speaker completely muffled. Tried all potential fixes, and going in to Apple Store to get it diagnosed. I bought the machine less than two months ago. 😟

2017 MBP 15" 2.9 GHz Intel Core i7

I will go along with the idea of a class action suit if apple does not respond. I was unaware of so many problems people are having with this model Mac. I would not have purchased this model. I just received my new late 2016 MBP 15" and Im already having some issues. I am ready to call the retailer for a RMA.

I don't understand why Apple doesn't do a recall on this model.

Add one more (actually a few more) to the pile of this issue. My company is having this same issue of muffled speakers in several MacBook Pros. There is serious talk within our IT team to move to Surface Books with the thought of "if we're going to have problems, at least we're not spending twice as much for them." Sad really, because I'm an Apple fan, but not if they're going to ignore a known, reoccurring issue with their machines.

MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch, Early 2015),

I have been facing this problem since one month. I am deeply saddened with this, Tried everything on this thread, But nothing worked for me. didn't expect apple devices to have this type quality related issues. Now i doubt how do they get highest customer satisfaction.