Headphone jack issue on M4 Mac Mini

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Level 1

11 points

Headphone jack issue on M4 Mac Mini

I've had my M4 Mac Mini (32/512GB) for a couple of weeks and noticed an issue with the headphone jack. Whenever the audio starts or stops playing (e.g. adjusting volume, music, YouTube video, scrubbing Final Cut timeline) there is a faint but noticeable popping sound. I have tested with multiple pairs of headphones and they all exhibit the same popping sound. I did also test audio through HDMI and the USB-C port and they don't have the issue so this is isolated to the headphone jack only.

I brought in my Mac Mini to the Apple Store but unfortunately, Apple support was not able to do anything for me. They did a lot of diagnosing and even tried reinstalling drivers and doing a factory reset but it still had the same issue. I also tested the demo unit in the store and it also had the same issue. Furthermore, some people I know who also have the M4 Mac Mini are experiencing the same issue so I am surprised that nobody else is talking about it.

I did extensive research and it seems that the turning on and off of the headphone hack is a power management thing. It also seems that people have experienced a similar issue on other M-chip Macs which leads me to believe the issue is caused by the chips. I have an option to return this Mac Mini and order a new one but if the demo unit had the same issue I am afraid it's going to have the same issue and be a waste of time. I'm not sure if this is a hardware defect or a software issue (hopefully the latter). If someone else has some kind of solution or is experiencing the same issue please describe your experience. If this is a widespread issue it would be nice to raise some awareness.

Posted on Dec 18, 2024 10:04 AM

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Answer 1

lanstrad1

Level 3

556 points

Dec 18, 2024 10:28 AM in response to winctech

I’ve never used headphones on my mini 2018 (intel-based), but assuming we are talking same thing, now it makes me realize it also does that on external speakers. I got so used to this, i almost don’t realize it anymore.

However, it is far from a concern as i do professional audio with an external audio interface (in my view, DSP onboard (internal) is the worst invention and this is why pro audio is being done and processed out of the box - not on the same board where all computer processing happens.

Of course, if the popping is really disturbing, frequent and potentially damaging for the headphones or speakers (or even to your ears!) this is another story. And no, it’s not “normal” - at this price tag.

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Answer 2

winctech Author

Level 1

11 points

Dec 18, 2024 10:36 AM in response to lanstrad1

Thanks for the reply! The popping sound is faint so it won't damage my headphones oe ears. However, it is annoying since Apple intentionally moved the headphone jack to the front so that people could easily use headphones with it.

It sounds like getting an external audio interface might be the way to go, is there any in particular that you recommend? I don't do any serious work but I do edit videos as a hobby and often watch videos/listen to music using wired headphones.

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Answer 3

lanstrad1

Level 3

556 points

Dec 18, 2024 12:07 PM in response to winctech

If you don’t do pro audio, maybe it’s overkill : you would not use like 75% of its features. I’m on a Universal Audio (definitely overkill). But you could look at Focusrite, Steinberg, UR series, fir which models around $200 exist. You could go for used ones on marketplace (most have outputs for powered speakers or sound chain and headphones).

At this time though, as your M4 likely comes with macOS Sequoia, please read about compatibility - many of us remain one OS behind as both software and hardware in audio take several months to provide updates.

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Headphone jack issue on M4 Mac Mini

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