How to Fix Cracking and Popping Sound ?

This better be fixed in Ventura. Apple you CANNOT ignore over 100k view posts like this, you even have people with logs exactly stating the problem. Get on with fixing this, enoughs enough now.

I am aware that my answer will not bring anything really new. I was thinking about my problem identical to yours, and I wanted to come back here to say that I bought my MBP M1 Pro in December 2021 and my first crackling worries started around February (as far as I remember). I already had 99% of my applications in place. Obviously I don't remember if I installed anything at all the day it happened to me. It worked fine without a hitch for 3 months before I had the problems... and since then it makes me sicker every time (and I don't have the desire or the time to reinstall everything from scratch (which the Genius Bar suggests I do after claiming my MBP's hardware test was flawless).

MacBook Pro M1 Pro. Monterey 12.4, Apple Music

Have the same issue. Internal speakers and in AirPods too.

Lots more folks still having this issue with the new 2022 M1s. It's so bad that the audio for most things is completely useless unless using headphones or bluetooth speakers. https://discussions.apple.com/thread/253681560.

Drop $4K, get a POS laptop that Apple doesn't seem to care about fixing because not enough people are having the problem? I can't even play audio consistently without pops and cracks hurting my ears at random. It'd be comical if it weren't just plain sad. I exchanged the laptop and the next one had the same exact problem. Unfortunately, needed a new macbook for dev builds, so I had to keep it. If I was a consumer, I'd return the thing and never buy Apple products again given the level of non-support (which is simply astonishing).

Hi everyone, I think I solved my problem of cracking and popping sounds. I have a MacBook Pro 16 M1 - 16 Go RAM (sorry in advance for my english : I'm French :-D

• 1— Everything was working fine with the sound when the MBpro M1 was running the factory version of MacOS. As soon as I made an update to Monterey, BOOM ! The cracking and popping sounds started. I think I try everything described on the internet and nothing solved it really.
• 2— I try a last thing : starting the Mac without any extensions. The problems with the sound were suddenly gone. So I figured out the problem could be an app running on my Mac.
• 3— So I started my Mac on normal mode to desactivate manually a few things running in the background. I found that the app "Magnet" could be a troublemaker because the sound problem was not as intense as before suddenly.
• 4— On that basis, I did an experiment with each software I have : I put music from YouTube in Safari, launch an app and I work with the app for a bit. My conclusion : with softwares that are coded for the Apple Chips (noted "Universal" or "Apple" in the Activity Monitor), there are no sound problem at all. If I open an app coded for Intel (eg : Guitar Pro), the crack/popping sound problem starts at the launch of the app and keep going worst and worst. I can reproduce the same thing with every app that are code for "Intel". So my guess is : the problem appears when an Intel app is going through Rosetta (which is the piece of MacOS that helps Intel app to work on Apple Chip Macs)
• 5— About the Magnet app : the app is noted as "Universal". My guess is part of the app is largely based on the Intel code (don't laugh people, I'm not really an expert as you guys :-). So it's perhaps going through Rosetta to work on my M1 Mac. So the sound problem never stops when Magnet is opened (Magnet is an app that work permanently in the background).

Everything seems OK since a few days. I will give an update if something new. I hope it helps. Best from Paris.

Same issue...This is a joke, 4k laptop to video editing and is imposible mix any audio. i tried in premiere pro and davinci resolve.

Hi - I registered just to share my workaround as this audio popping issue has been beyond annoying... from my testing using a 3rd party audio driver stops this issue... I installed an app call Boom 3D and all pops are gone in speakers / headphones etc.

Boom 3D is designed to enhance audio output. I have all the app audio enhancement features turned off - as I don't want my audio modified but there are 0 pops when using this audio driver / app.

https://www.globaldelight.com/boom/

They have a trial so test it out if you want.

After killing Intel-processes, a couple fsavd-processes were left. They belong to F-Secure, and I'm not sure if I'd like to turn the virus scanner off. Dissapointing F-Secure hasn't made the switch to Apple silicon.

I have the same problem with a 2021 16" MBP with M1 Max and 32 GB of RAM running Monterey 12.4.

I'm very disappointed that Apple has not fixed this really annoying problem.

@one_mile_up’s solution seems to be the only one that makes sense. Setapp or something has noted the same solution before offering to sell their subscription for an app that would the same thing for you that they suggest.

It’s 3.15am and I’m dog-tired, so I will have to try it tomorrow after work. I have about 12 apps open and nearly 64 tabs on chrome and 15 on Firefox, that’s gotta Ben draining my poor M1 cpu and 16GB ram.

I am experiencing this issue as well. I have a 2021 MacBook Pro (M1 Pro chip) and running on Monterey 12.2.1

This is really, really annoying considering I edit video for a living. This glitch adds unnecessary time to my edits because I have to constantly replay to make sure the audio is actually OK.

With the price point of these computers this should not be an happening, IMO.

FYI I installed MacOS Monterey 12.5 Beta (21G5046c) and the clicking and popping is still present, and as bad as ever.

I just bought this Macbook Pro 16" 16GB at Best Buy so I am probably going to return it. The sound of that clicking popping every time I do something intensive, like compiling or loading an app, is so horrible. It makes my dog bark.

Model Name: MacBook Pro  Model Identifier: MacBookPro18,1  Chip: Apple M1 Pro  Total Number of Cores: 10 (8 performance and 2 efficiency)  Memory: 16 GB  System Firmware Version: 7459.140.12.0.1  OS Loader Version: 7459.140.12.0.1

I have the same problem !!! I couldnt fix it with anything !! This are in my logs:

CAReportingClient.mm:508  message {
  "HAL_client_IO_duration" = 16868134;
  HostApplicationDisplayID = "com.ableton.live";
  cause = ClientHALIODurationExceededBudget;
  deadline = 8790888;
  "input_device_source_list" = Unknown;
  "input_device_transport_list" = Virtual;
  "input_device_uid_list" = "GDAudioDevice_UID";
  "io_buffer_size" = 512;
  "io_cycle" = 1;
  "io_cycle_budget" = 12358277;
  "io_page_faults" = 0;
  "is_prewarming" = 0;
  "is_recovering" = 0;
  "issue_type" = overload;
  lateness = 216;
  "other_page_faults" = 13;
  "output_device_source_list" = Unknown;
  "output_device_transport_list" = Virtual;
  "output_device_uid_list" = "GDAudioDevice_UID";
  "safety_violation" = 0;
  "sample_rate" = 44100;
  "scheduler_latency" = 41480;
  "smallest_buffer_frame_size" = 512;
}: (
  1026497183750
)

Also in my /Library/Preferences/Audio/com.apple.audio.DeviceSettings.plist I have this strange entry that gets created all the time even when i dont have my pioneer controller there:

<key>AppleUSBAudioEngine:Pioneer DJ Corporation:DDJ-400:-----:1</key>
	<dict>
		<key>controls</key>
		<array/>
		<key>output streams</key>
		<array>
			<dict>
				<key>bits per channel</key>
				<integer>24</integer>
				<key>bytes per frame</key>
				<integer>12</integer>
				<key>bytes per packet</key>
				<integer>12</integer>
				<key>channels per frame</key>
				<integer>4</integer>
				<key>format flags</key>
				<integer>12</integer>
				<key>format id</key>
				<integer>1819304813</integer>
				<key>frames per packet</key>
				<integer>1</integer>
				<key>sample rate</key>
				<real>44100</real>
			</dict>
		</array>
	</dict>

Here I was able to get the exact moment in the logs of when that POPPING appears. I use Ableton Live, i just load a few tracks (nothing too exhaustive actually). But after some seconds pops start to appear and these are the moments in the log !!

default	14:01:54.418427+0800	Live	 HALC_ProxyIOContext::IOWorkLoop: skipping cycle due to overload
default	14:01:54.436033+0800	coreaudiod	 Audio IO Overload thread: 68c1 inputs: '<private>' outputs: '<private>' cause: 'Unknown' prewarming: no recovering: no
default	14:01:54.437464+0800	coreaudiod	     CAReportingClient.mm:508   message {
    "HAL_client_IO_duration" = 3115172;
    HostApplicationDisplayID = "com.ableton.live";
    cause = Unknown;
    deadline = 23588928;
    "input_device_source_list" = Unknown;
    "input_device_transport_list" = Virtual;
    "input_device_uid_list" = "GDAudioDevice_UID";
    "io_buffer_size" = 128;
    "io_cycle" = 7648;
    "io_cycle_budget" = 3650794;
    "io_page_faults" = 0;
    "is_prewarming" = 0;
    "is_recovering" = 0;
    "issue_type" = overload;
    lateness = 10;
    "other_page_faults" = 0;
    "output_device_source_list" = Unknown;
    "output_device_transport_list" = Virtual;
    "output_device_uid_list" = "GDAudioDevice_UID";
    "safety_violation" = 0;
    "sample_rate" = 44100;
    "scheduler_latency" = 640383;
    "smallest_buffer_frame_size" = 128;
}: (
    1039382085645
)
default	14:01:54.445564+0800	Live	 HALC_ProxyIOContext::IOWorkLoop: skipping cycle due to overload
default	14:01:54.454130+0800	coreaudiod	 Audio IO Overload thread: 68c1 inputs: '<private>' outputs: '<private>' cause: 'Unknown' prewarming: no recovering: no
default	14:01:54.454387+0800	coreaudiod	     CAReportingClient.mm:508   message {
    "HAL_client_IO_duration" = 3021739;
    HostApplicationDisplayID = "com.ableton.live";
    cause = Unknown;
    deadline = 23590128;
    "input_device_source_list" = Unknown;
    "input_device_transport_list" = Virtual;
    "input_device_uid_list" = "GDAudioDevice_UID";
    "io_buffer_size" = 128;
    "io_cycle" = 8;
    "io_cycle_budget" = 3650794;
    "io_page_faults" = 0;
    "is_prewarming" = 0;
    "is_recovering" = 0;
    "issue_type" = overload;
    lateness = 6;
    "other_page_faults" = 0;
    "output_device_source_list" = Unknown;
    "output_device_transport_list" = Virtual;
    "output_device_uid_list" = "GDAudioDevice_UID";
    "safety_violation" = 0;
    "sample_rate" = 44100;
    "scheduler_latency" = 658064;
    "smallest_buffer_frame_size" = 128;
}: (
    1039382085645
)
default	14:01:54.464004+0800	Live	 HALC_ProxyIOContext::IOWorkLoop: skipping cycle due to overload
default	14:01:54.483710+0800	coreaudiod	 Audio IO Overload thread: 68c1 inputs: '<private>' outputs: '<private>' cause: 'Unknown' prewarming: no recovering: no
default	14:01:54.483942+0800	coreaudiod	     CAReportingClient.mm:508   message {
    "HAL_client_IO_duration" = 3091716;
    HostApplicationDisplayID = "com.ableton.live";
    cause = Unknown;
    deadline = 23590940;
    "input_device_source_list" = Unknown;
    "input_device_transport_list" = Virtual;
    "input_device_uid_list" = "GDAudioDevice_UID";
    "io_buffer_size" = 128;
    "io_cycle" = 5;
    "io_cycle_budget" = 3650793;
    "io_page_faults" = 0;
    "is_prewarming" = 0;
    "is_recovering" = 0;
    "issue_type" = overload;
    lateness = 7;
    "other_page_faults" = 0;
    "output_device_source_list" = Unknown;
    "output_device_transport_list" = Virtual;
    "output_device_uid_list" = "GDAudioDevice_UID";
    "safety_violation" = 0;
    "sample_rate" = 44100;
    "scheduler_latency" = 603584;
    "smallest_buffer_frame_size" = 128;
}: (
    1039382085645
)
default	14:02:02.545491+0800	Live	 HALC_ProxyIOContext::IOWorkLoop: skipping cycle due to overload
default	14:02:02.554591+0800	coreaudiod	 Audio IO Overload thread: 68c1 inputs: '<private>' outputs: '<private>' cause: 'Unknown' prewarming: no recovering: no
default	14:02:02.555490+0800	coreaudiod	     CAReportingClient.mm:508   message {
    "HAL_client_IO_duration" = 2714929;
    HostApplicationDisplayID = "com.ableton.live";
    cause = Unknown;
    deadline = 23947336;
    "input_device_source_list" = Unknown;
    "input_device_transport_list" = Virtual;
    "input_device_uid_list" = "GDAudioDevice_UID";
    "io_buffer_size" = 128;
    "io_cycle" = 2783;
    "io_cycle_budget" = 3650793;
    "io_page_faults" = 0;
    "is_prewarming" = 0;
    "is_recovering" = 0;
    "issue_type" = overload;
    lateness = 0;
    "other_page_faults" = 0;
    "output_device_source_list" = Unknown;
    "output_device_transport_list" = Virtual;
    "output_device_uid_list" = "GDAudioDevice_UID";
    "safety_violation" = 0;
    "sample_rate" = 44100;
    "scheduler_latency" = 827375;
    "smallest_buffer_frame_size" = 128;
}: (
    1039382085645
)
default	14:02:02.607587+0800	Live	 HALC_ProxyIOContext::IOWorkLoop: skipping cycle due to overload
default	14:02:02.626005+0800	Live	 HALC_ProxyIOContext::IOWorkLoop: skipping cycle due to overload
default	14:02:02.632869+0800	coreaudiod	 Audio IO Overload thread: 68c1 inputs: '<private>' outputs: '<private>' cause: 'Unknown' prewarming: no recovering: no
default	14:02:02.633066+0800	coreaudiod	     CAReportingClient.mm:508   message {
    "HAL_client_IO_duration" = 3129329;
    HostApplicationDisplayID = "com.ableton.live";
    cause = Unknown;
    deadline = 23950060;
    "input_device_source_list" = Unknown;
    "input_device_transport_list" = Virtual;
    "input_device_uid_list" = "GDAudioDevice_UID";
    "io_buffer_size" = 128;
    "io_cycle" = 20;
    "io_cycle_budget" = 3650794;
    "io_page_faults" = 0;
    "is_prewarming" = 0;
    "is_recovering" = 0;
    "issue_type" = overload;
    lateness = 14;
    "other_page_faults" = 0;
    "output_device_source_list" = Unknown;
    "output_device_transport_list" = Virtual;
    "output_device_uid_list" = "GDAudioDevice_UID";
    "safety_violation" = 0;
    "sample_rate" = 44100;
    "scheduler_latency" = 720936;
    "smallest_buffer_frame_size" = 128;
}: (
    1039382085645
)

I tried many solutions from this thread, (Deleting some plist files, killing Intel apps, using 3rd party equalizer....) but none of them helped. But I think I figured out the exact cause of the problem. (at least on my machine). You can try this to see if it will resolve the problem for you: Open Activity Monitor, go to Memory Tab and check memory pressure graph. If it's in amber color, then you will most likely experience crackling sound from your speakers. If you kill enough apps to bring memory pressure graph back to green, then speakers will work flawlessly. I guess WindowServer process has some memory leak because the longer the laptop stays turned on, its memory usage keeps growing and growing. It can reach even 4-5 GB. Once you logout and login or restart the computer, WindowServer usage drops to only 500MB. That's why restarting computer fixes the speakers issue for few hours. Other processes also might be the culprit. Xcode for example uses ~6GB of memory. If your computer configuration has only 16GB memory then there is not much you can do in killing unnecessary apps. I now regret not buying 32GB configuration. But nevertheless, I hope apple somehow addresses this issue.