My MacBook Pro 2018 version speakers are crackling.

Hello

As I have mentioned multiple times, stating once or twice in Apple Support Communities is fine but Apple Support doesn't know about the severity of this issue.

This is to all users not only those in this thread: If you are concerned/ have a Macbook Pro 2018 (experiencing this problem)/ are concerned

PLEASE CONTACT: Official Apple Support and speak with a Senior Advisor, tell them all you can let them know about what the symptoms you are facing and request follow-ups.

Read Further:

I will provide a bit of information indirectly relevant to this situation but which may assist all Apple users as I haven't seen on any forum or 3rd party website provide what I am about to provide.

As an Engineer after speaking with Apple on another issue "iPhone X Speaker Crackling" (Since I had an iPhone X which exhibited the problem) I provided video as well as system logs to them.

I submitted the report December 2017 as soon as I got my device. I took too long frankly to get a concrete response from them but after persistence I finally managed.

So they said that the "Form Factor"/"Design" in the case of the iPhone X was to blame whilst playing certain audio samples.

It is primarily observed in the case of playing certain but not all "Piano" content. This was due to how the audio processing was done.

Those who work on audio management and editing will understand that there is "Sampling" / "Mixing" and the software need to decide how to manage the highs and lows of various frequencies and accordingly push them to the receiver/speaker.

There was no easy way to address this problem according to Apple other than to impede the listening experience of the user forever.

Because this was a "Design" flaw at the engineering stage it would essentially mean that Apple would have to recall all iPhone X's (Not XS) and this would not only be costly but this issue was observed distinctly only by a few people like me because we are audiophiles (An audiophile is a person who is enthusiastic about high-fidelity sound reproduction)

However this has resulted in Apple fixing the issue in the next Generation iPhone's which are the 2018 iPhone's

iPhone XS | iPhone XS Max | iPhone XR

So my conclusion would be that this is a design flaw and the same symptoms are a stark resemblance to what the MacBook Pro 2018 is experiencing.

Hope this helps Everyone.

I just bought my MacBook Pro Tuesday and it was doing great until after listening to music on it after awhile the speakers start to pop. I really hope this is a glitch because it would suck to have to get another one

OMG AM I DREAMING OR MY LAST COMMENT HERE HAS BEEN DELETED ??!

I was explaining that Apple proposed me to send me a cable as compensation and in any case I would accept such a joke !

I also highly recommended you retweet that if you're also disappointed with Apple service and want a decent compensation :

🇫-1F1F7; on Twitter: "After 4 months, 2 new #MacBookPro with the SAME issues and countless hours of work lost try…

Thanks everyone.

I had to change my MBP 2018 3 times and finally got one without crackling issues and popping issues.

To be clear, there are two separate issues - 1) a random popping sound due to the display panel not being manufactured properly and 2) a speaker crackling issue that probably is software based.

sebasti wrote:

This is probably a problem with the T2 co-processor as some news were quoting these had some other problems and they also control the sound. I have the same problem on my iMac Pro... sound cracking, doesn't matter if I'm using external or internal speakers, it happens on both so it has to be a chip issue. Just to clarify there are two scenarios: 1) Sometimes it is just momentary "one-off" crack or pop and then sound goes back to normal. 2) The sounds cracks and keeps cracking until the output is changed. Changing from one output to another momentarily resets the problem though, but doesn't prevent it from appearing again later.

Did you ever get this resolved? I'm experiencing the same on iMac Pro.

jotapeh wrote:

Same issue. You can fix it temporarily in terminal by issuing a sudo killall coreaudiod. The problem usually returns within 20 minutes to an hour for me. Extremely frustrating when working in Logic Pro.

Did you ever get this resolved? I'm experiencing the same on iMac Pro.

eriq666 wrote:

I have the same or similar problem. After about 50-60 minutes of audio playback or usage in iTunes, YouTube, and Logic Pro, etc., the computer starts to make a low distorted tone every 5-8 seconds. This nasty "bonk" tone oscillates a bit, but it sounds absolutely terrible. It sounds like it may be some kind of internal clocking issue, but I have no idea and neither did the guys just now at the APPLE STORE. Putting the computer to sleep or restarting alleviates the problem, but it then returns on schedule. Apple Store suggested reinstalling OS, but I don't see how that will help. In the meantime they are ordering me a replacement computer, but were unable to run diagnostics on the new 2018 machines and are waiting on information and direction from corporate. I hope that corporate is listening and taking measures to fix this issue. I don't see how a replacement machine will fix the issue now that I've finally found a forum where hundreds of other customers are also having the same problem.

Did you ever get this resolved? I'm experiencing the same on iMac Pro also with Logic Pro X, Quicktime, You tube etc.... ongoing support ticket with Apple but no answers or fixes.

Got my Mac book pro 13” beginning November at the Berlin apple store in Germany had the same kreck sound and got today it replaced for a new one at the same apple store in Berlin. After expland 6 hours installing everything again, I am a music producer!!!! I got after q hours found music the same creep noise again!

I can send to repair and will take me 14 days maximum to get it back, any way will works that?!

Don’t think so....

Funny. About 2 months ago someone posted a very similar solution: change the audio here from the default 48k to 44.1k. I did that and it fixed the problem! 100%, and ever since, except.... A few days ago I did the Security Update 2018-002 (OS v10.13.6, High Sierra), and lo and behold the problem came back! So we know absolutely that this is a software problem! A SOFTWARE problem. Getting a new replacement machine with the same software level is pointless. I went back to Audio MIDI Setup and tried changing the MBP Speakers setting back to 48k just to see. Each time I changed it to 48k it jumped back to 44.1k, repeatedly. And the problem remains!

Same here. Spend 4.5k € on a MBP 15'' and have those crackling sounds after about 30/45 minutes of any audio playback. Running 10.13.6 and won't upgrade to Mojave since it's buggy as well.

Got my topcase replaced by a service partner - no remedy. Apple Support employee told me they are aware of the problem and that hardware replacement won't help and that apple's engineering team works on a software fix.

Here's a video of the issue

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFi2TkSSf_o&feature=youtu.be

#cracklinggate

I'm having the same issue. Speakers randomly crackle. I've noticed it seems to do it also when two applications are playing sound at the same time. For instance, if I'm playing music and then I get the "ding" from an incoming message, it will crackle.

I talked to Apple Support today about this problem on my new MBP 15". I was running High Sierra and getting this defect every 10-15 seconds in GarageBand. Literally a machine fart. The person at Support offered to replace the machine (no possible way!), then to tell me how to reinstall the OS (she had to be kidding!), and then I asked her if she knew about this bug. I told her everybody's got it, that the bug is already world famous. She hemmed and hawed a little and went to ask someone else. She came back and said that Apple says Mojave fixes it. I was skeptical but installed Mojave, which was totally straightforward and works just fine. I've run GarageBand a few times already, played my music, and so far no gas! So if you have this bug and you're on High Sierra, give Mojave a try if your machine supports it.

I work with audio for my daily job with Logic and many other applications. I work for at least 4 hours per day with my MacBook Pro 15” 2018.

I had the problems you describe for a month when I bought the machine in July. After the High Sierra update however, I have not experienced it ever again.

Now I’m on Mojave and still problem free.

I would contact Apple if I were you, because the problems should be gone by now.

I am having the same issues using Audirvana, VLC. All is well for maybe an hour, then crackes begin and become more frequent. VLC will crackle and also suffer dropouts. Temporary remedy in all cases is to quit and restart app. Then you get another 1-2 hours until it starts again. With Audirvana, no change with various converters, Apple Core or not. Hope this gets fixed. os 10.13

Hi all- Updating to Mojave should fix this. I had this issue on High Sierra and early versions of Mojave but as of recent versions there has been no issues. Please make sure your OS/firmware is up to date if you would like an “immediate” fix.