My MacBook Pro 2018 version speakers are crackling.

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.

The problem sounds like a conflicting audio sample rate clocking issue. I noticed the problem started immediately after running one audio program at 44.1 and launching a second one that was running at 88.2

In other answers i've seen that users are selecting a different sample rate in the audio preferences and the problem stops possibly due to the audio clock is reset when you select a different rate. What is interesting is that for some users such as myself, the noise starts after 30 minutes of use. Possibly an audio extension running simultaneously at the same rate but drifting, which would explain why it takes a while for the noise (starting with clicks and pops which is a symptom of clock drift, then distortion) to become noticeable.

on my previous MacBook pro I also don't recall being able to use the speakers if anything was plugged in to the headphone jack. It seems that the running of multiple audio streams (possibly due the new T2 chip) is causing some issues since there might not be any prioritizing of sample rate..

just theories, but I'm looking for solutions too

I’ve been having this issue too. Thought I was the only one until I just read an article linking to this thread.

At first I only experienced it using the internal speakers, and the only solution was to stop listening for a while, restart or switch to headphones. Then one day I was using Logic (previously I had only had the issue with iTunes and youtube, and Konstantin in stand-alone mode with headphones and started getting the same buzzing noise over the headphones. Each time the buzz occurred I got an error message for a sample rate conflict. I can’t remember exactly what I did, so this probably won’t be very useful, but I think I switched some sample rate settings around in the Audio Midi Settings utility, and it seemed to stop it.

Usually it would happen randomly after a few hours, but after that I didn’t experience it for two days of solid use with the internal speakers. Since then I have mostly been listening through an external interface which the problem never occurred through.

Had the same problem. Already swapped the machine for a new one. Working on logic it happened again but with my headphones. (The past machine would happen with headphones on and as soon as I removed the headphones the issue transferred to the speakers. )

I had a call with Apple Support this afternoon. He had me run through Diagnostics, reset SMC and reset NVRAM.

For my machine, the Diagnostics did not detect any hardware issues (ADP000).

The support personnel also asked to see if I can hear the crackling noise when I'm using my earphone. For some reason, I could not hear the noise when I was using my earphone. After disconnecting the earphone, the noise seem to go away for awhile (though it came back some time later).

The support personnel also sent me links to running Diagnostics, resetting SMC and NVRAM. I realized he gave me incorrect instructions for resetting SMC (for MacBook Pro 2018) so I tried the whole process again. So far, I'm not hearing any crackling noise. But I doubt this will hold as some of you have already encountered the problem after performing this process.

I'm keeping my hopes up as it has been 22 days since I bought the MacBook Pro and I do not want to set up new machine again (unless the replacement is the only way to solve the problem).

FWIW --

For me, I have experienced this issue once while playing iTunes on the laptop speakers while connected to a 5K display Thunderbolt cable. 15" Core I7. I was playing music in iTunes. The static sound in 1/2 second bursts began after about 20 minutes, repeating *exactly* every 10 seconds (I recorded it to verify the timing). The sound is identical to what others uploaded to YouTube.

On subsequent days, I've done the same--played music on iTunes, including the same track (Rocking into the Night by 38 Special). Yesterday on battery power (nothing connected to laptop), an today the same 5K display setup as first day when I experience the distortion.

No updates have been applied to the machine over the three days, and no configuration changes have been made. I haven't done any of the firmware resets, OS changes, etc. The machine has been restarted but nothing else done.

Hoping this it's a device driver or similar software workaround-able issue. Based on what others have attempted (resets, hardware swaps) and my own experience so far, I'm not personally inclined to swap out for a new computer before waiting to see if a driver fix gets slipstreamed into the OS to resolve this issue.

I had the same issue. I got a new 2018 Mac book pro , had crackling and visited Apple twice. Both times i went in the told me that it was a corrupt time machine back up or a dodgy third party app. The ran diagnostics and said everything was fun and sent me home. The second time i went in they happily replaced the laptop for me but still insisted to me that it was user error/corrupt time machine. got home and thought everything was working fine and then bam it started happening again. Apple support then told me to reset the SMC setting so i did that and it worked for a day and then started happening again to i reset the SMC settings again and hasnt happened yet but sound still doesnt sound right and after researching and finding out that there are many other people having the same issue i am not convinced that its not me. I am going into apple tomorrow to speak with a technician but highly doubt im going to get anything out of it.

Hi

I too am experiencing the crackling sound problem on my 2018 MB Pro as well, though I have noticed what makes it happen on my machine. When I'm using Blender and the machine is being pushed hard, it seems to mess up the sound which results in the crackling sound that everyone is reporting. As soon as I shut down Blender, the sound returns to normal with no problems, so it looks like it's a software problem which I hope there's a bug fix coming soon, or maybe we have to wait for next month when Mojave is released which will hopefully fix the problem as many have reported while using the beta version.

Fingers crossed! 😉

For my own verification purpose, I reverted the sampling format to 44,100 Hz (both microphone and speakers). Within one hour, the crackling noise came back.

Until there is a software fix, I will temporarily set the sampling format to 48,000 Hz to workaround this problem. I understand that not everyone is able to do the same due to workflow. I hope Apple releases a software fix soon (or you guys come up with a workaround while waiting for the software fix).

You are correct. There is NO guarantee it isn't hardware, however it causes constant and consistent problems when it acts up on my MacBook Pros--after launching Logic Pro X. With a re-install of MacOS, it doesn't occur again. It didn't need heavy load to recur after it had started. It doesn't happen under light load after re-install while it did happen under light load once the system was "broken".

I thought it might initially be hardware due to the type of noise and the nature of the "break". Hardware can't repair itself with an OS reinstall, but parameters governing hardware can.

It isn't a piece that breaks and then is useless. However, it could be an under-engineered piece of hardware that begins developing feedback or arcing once a threshold has been crossed. The initial noise sounded like electrical arcing on AM band radio, then developed over a few hours to sound like rapid/mechanical electrical discharge.

I'm surprised Apple hasn't addressed this issue in some way by now. Even to say where they are headed and a possible time frame for repair. At this moment they could take a year or two until they patch it.

I'm having the crackling issue as well. Talked with AppleCare who acknowledged there was an issue that was being investigated. If you have this issue, please call Apple so they continue to have reports of the problem and understand how widespread it is. They must have their own staff using the computer running into this as well.

I seems to me that Supplement Update 2 fix the sound issue on my MacBook. I have been using for a week under the heavy load without any weird noises. The machine works extremely smooth and responsive.

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.

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.