How to Fix Cracking and Popping Sound ?

I can't take it anymore, it's pathetic. I have to reboot regularly a 3000 euros professional machine from a company that makes both hardware and software because i have buzzing/clicking sounds in my headphones or speakers connected to a proper amplifier.

Nowadays it comes to a point when I have it connected to my monitor with usb-c, even from scrolling or loading some pages on browser make the buzzing sound appears all the damn time. I hate it. I don't live to a country with an Apple store, nobody will take this to give me a new one here, but it's not uncommon as far I see here or on reddit.

Absolutely insane, a shame. My 4y old 850 euros Xiaomi hobbist hackintosh, experimenting as student without much money, had clearer audio output.

I got a reply on my submittion at Feedback Assistant, I replied back sending a .ktrace file but I haven't heard back for whole 2 months. Rip. We may hope that new os version update will fix it but I doubt at this point.

For anyone that is still looking for a fix for this - on my new Macbook 14" M1 Pro the solution was the following:

• Open up a terminal window

cd /Library/Preferences/Audio
sudo rm com.apple.audio.*

• Breath easy and listen to music without annoying AF pops and crackles

I have this issue!

My Mac is few months old and it just started yesterday! Why does this happen? First time was on YouTube, I and was 100% sure, that my 6.000$+ laptop didn't make this sound, I went a little back in the video - and thank god it was still there - then I tried going back again, just to be sure - and now NO SOUNDS!!! What the danm Apple! I think it is when the machine is under heavy load, but yeah this laptop Apple M1 Max with full specs, so expensive - but I was sure I wouldn't do such a thing!

Are you serious Apple. No feedback about this? We are like 100.000 people that buyed a 2k laptop (around 200M euros), with this issue and no one feedback or answer? #Apple @Apple #Support @Support

The actual problem is right here:

I'm sorry, but I don't know how to do anything about it - if you do, please tell me what to gather of other informations!

default	00:52:29.068202+0200	coreaudiod	 index: 1, start: 0x4ed87457e7, duration: 0x57, fault address: 0x170a60000, fault pc: 0x1071a6e94, faulting TID: 0x22161, fault type: 0x1, PID: 0x1829

default	00:52:29.068643+0200	coreaudiod	 index: 2, start: 0x4ef420a99d, duration: 0x67, fault address: 0x170ae8000, fault pc: 0x1071f3ae4, faulting TID: 0x22166, fault type: 0x1, PID: 0x1829

default	00:52:29.068830+0200	coreaudiod	 index: 3, start: 0x4ef420aa27, duration: 0x19, fault address: 0x170aec000, fault pc: 0x1071a6e94, faulting TID: 0x22166, fault type: 0x1, PID: 0x1829

default	00:52:29.069006+0200	coreaudiod	 index: 4, start: 0x4f0fe02c13, duration: 0x1b6, fault address: 0x131830000, fault pc: 0x184f7ae8c, faulting TID: 0x22166, fault type: 0x1, PID: 0x1829

default	00:52:29.069175+0200	coreaudiod	 index: 5, start: 0x4f0fe02df9, duration: 0x3f, fault address: 0x131834000, fault pc: 0x184f7ae8c, faulting TID: 0x22166, fault type: 0x1, PID: 0x1829

default	00:52:29.069413+0200	coreaudiod	 index: 6, start: 0x4f1946d84f, duration: 0x21d, fault address: 0x131838000, fault pc: 0x184f7ae8c, faulting TID: 0x22166, fault type: 0x1, PID: 0x1829

default	00:52:29.069598+0200	coreaudiod	 index: 7, start: 0x4f1946dac1, duration: 0x53, fault address: 0x13183c000, fault pc: 0x184f7ae8c, faulting TID: 0x22166, fault type: 0x1, PID: 0x1829

error	00:52:29.069854+0200	coreaudiod	  3331         HALS_OverloadMessage.cpp:218   HALS_OverloadMessage: Overload due to HAL client proc exceeding io cycle budget

default	00:52:29.074139+0200	coreaudiod	 Audio IO Overload thread: 22166 inputs: '<private>' outputs: '<private>' cause: 'Unknown' prewarming: no recovering: no

default	00:52:29.074431+0200	coreaudiod	     CAReportingClient.mm:508   message {

    "HAL_client_IO_duration" = 32055166;

    HostApplicationDisplayID = "com.ColossalOrder.CitiesSkylines";

    cause = ClientHALIODurationExceededBudget;

    deadline = 3541862;

    "input_device_source_list" = "";

    "input_device_transport_list" = "";

    "input_device_uid_list" = "";

    "io_buffer_size" = 1024;

    "io_cycle" = 112;

    "io_cycle_budget" = 21354125;

    "io_page_faults" = 0;

    "is_prewarming" = 0;

    "is_recovering" = 0;

    "issue_type" = overload;

    lateness = 557;

    "other_page_faults" = 8;

    "output_device_source_list" = "Internal Speaker";

    "output_device_transport_list" = BuiltIn;

    "output_device_uid_list" = BuiltInSpeakerDevice;

    "safety_violation" = 1;

    "sample_rate" = 48000;

    "scheduler_latency" = 18083;

    "smallest_buffer_frame_size" = 512;

}: (

    26564372725762

)

I have the same problem with sound with pro 14 m1 16 512, very annoying. I think it's a software issue with OS, #Apple @Apple #Support @Support investigate this plz.

From my side, since last macOS update, and since I have deleted this

sudo rm com.apple.audio.*

and staying careful to not have "any" intel process, I feel like it's a bit better.

Each time I got crackling I had a Intel process type in the list (like Loom, Skitch, etc.)

.

Can some ones of you confirm you all have always active these 2 onces as Intel process ? :

• Core Audio Driver (Speaker Audio Recorder.driver)
• CarbonComponentScannerXPC

Same problem with 14" MacBook Pro (M1 Pro). It seems that the sound experience starts degrading quickly after a reboot. I'm a developer and I can clearly see that launching a java or node process impacts negatively. First my USB DAC (FiiO K3) starts getting sound cuts. Then my Kanto TUK (connected via USB as well) start to crack some hours after. Then even the sound directly from the mac is getting impacted.

This has been happening for months, and no fix seems to be available. Restarting coreaudiod doesn't fix much, it starts happening again quickly.

All this equipment works FLAWLESSLY on my Windows desktop. This is rather annoying since the laptop is three times more expensive. Also, image retention problems in my external screen that doesn't happen on my desktop. Clearly the OS needs some polish in these areas.

Having same issue on my new Macbook Pro 16" 2021. It's very annoying! Neither killing coreaudio, nor changing bit rate or deleting com.apple.audio.* files helped me. Stopping all intel processes not helping neither. Have MacOs Monterey 12.3.1. When using my AirPods Pro can hear sound cracking too. :( What other solutions can be helpful?? Please assist.

Same problem with my MBP 2021 16". And with my previous MBP 2019, whose right speaker started to crack instantly as completely broken :(

Hi ,

I have the same damn problem for long time with 16" macbook pro 2019. Just like everyone else here, I am very angry at apple because they haven't fix this since decades. Other than that, the solution that worked for me for some time is the command below. I suggest everyone to try this. It doesn't fix it permanently but it is easy to do

sudo launchctl stop com.apple.audio.coreaudiod && sudo launchctl start com.apple.audio.coreaudiod

Ok, after a few weeks of playing around, I am convinced that this is related to memory pressure somehow. I no longer need to restart to eliminate the problem.

Whenever I get the distortions, I open the Memory tab in the Activity Monitor and sort the processes by memory used. I close/restart the apps that are top users of the memory until the memory pressure is back in the green. This resolves all the distortions until the memory climbs back to orange which will happen as quickly as you make it to.

Now I have to micro-manage my f****** memory like in the olden days.

I regret downgrading from 32gb ram to 16gb so much right now. Thanks to all the damn influencers praising how good the memory management of the new chip is.

It would be more than great if someone is/could testing/test the new beta of Ventura for some hours/days and tell us his results if he still experience the same problems.

I appreciate it!

Same issue with the macbook pro 2021 16 inch. For some time I had only issue listening to spotify, but now it happens with all sound sources

Is there any Apple's developer here?

Using expensive headphones, crystal clear with other devices, how can I have buzzing sound when I move my cursor above PhpStorm or when I scroll on Firefox????? How is that POSSIBLE?!

It goes away after rebooting, and it doesn't start for a while. So it has to be software issue as it has been said thousands times above.

Pls, fix this on new Ventura, I can't mention how terrible it is. 3000 euros machine, Jesus Christ.