As nifty as the 2018 Touch Bar MacBook Pro notebooks, a number of them may be experiencing intermittent crackling from the built-in speakers.
The crackling appears to occur spontaneously during audio playback on both 13-inch and 15-inch models, based on a handful of videos shared by customers. As with many crowdsourced issues, there are a lot of variables involved, making it difficult to pinpoint exactly what may be causing the problem.
Some customers have experienced the issue while playing music in iTunes, while others have encountered it in GarageBand or while playing YouTube videos. Still others have heard the crackling when running Windows in Boot Camp. At present, it’s unknown if the crackling is limited to specific volumes or frequencies.
Some users have speculated about possible causes, including radio interference thanks to a lack of shielding, audio drivers, and the T2 chip found inside the notebook.
A few years ago, some customers experienced similar crackling from the built-in speakers on the 2016 MacBook Pro, oftentimes when running Windows via Boot Camp. The crackling was so loud that it often permanently damaged the speakers, resulting in the MacBook Pro needing to be repaired or replaced.
Since a picture’s worth a thousand words, here’s the issue in action:
At least one user claims the issue may have been fixed in the latest macOS Mojave betas, which is unconfirmed. Another user claimed that Apple engineers are looking into the matter. Apple has yet to respond to a request for comment.
Some potential workarounds that are being shared to resolve the issue include resetting the System Management Controller and NVRAM, disabling Hey Siri, or simply rebooting, but these solutions may not be ideal or work for everyone.
If you’ve seen this issue on your end, please let us know about your experience in the comments.
Via MacRumors