Crackling audio w aggregate device after Monterey upgrade

Same experience on my side - MBP 16" Monterey 12.1, M1 Pro.

Other users reporting the same issue: https://community.spotify.com/t5/Desktop-Mac/Crackling-Sound-Mac-OS-Monterey-Desktop-App/td-p/5289192

12.2 doesn’t resolve it either.

Same issue here, no answers for any of us it seems like. Running 2 FireFace 800's through adapters, and independently, they both work fine. But the second you try to use them as an aggregate audio device, it just crackles and sounds demonic.

I contacted Apple Support and they gave me the normal NVRAM / Apple Diagnostics run around and disconnected on me. Really annoying.

I would really like to use the new M1 Mac Mini I spent a good deal of money on for my recording sessions, but I need both interfaces in order to do this with my workflow. Although the M1 is very fast and has a lot of pro's, it seems like they forgot to perfect the Core Audio or something with the software. RME released a driver for a 15+ year old product, but Apple seems more interested in shelling out new products to sell when they haven't even fixed the issues with the old ones we already bought. Very strange since musicians are a huge chunk of Apples demographic. Very disappointed that this seems to have no fix.

Also just started happening for me with the 12.3 update.

No other hardware connected at the time it first started.

No issues like this prior.

16" Intel. So this isn't just an M1 issue.

I found going to applications->utilities->audio midi setup and changing the sample rate on Built-in Output to 48000 or 96000 worked (or at least it works now... just done it). it seems like 44100 isn't working right now. Odd as was fine on Big Sur. I'm on MacBook Pro (15", 2017) Intel, OS 12.2.1.

Also experiencing this. Interfaces are working fine on their own, but pure digital mess when used in an aggregate device. Changing sample rate doesn't solve. Work at 48k, M1 max.

For me, I like to create an aggregate device so I can use 2 sets of headphones inside of Logic Pro X to mix my songs with whatever artist is in my studio. I like for them to hear the instrumental and their voice while recording, and I also want to be able to hear them as they record simultaneously through the use of the aggregate device that I create with the audio Midi Setup on the computer. So I add in my case my Scarlett 2i2 audio interface along with my pair of headphones(it should pop up as External Headphones inside of the audio Midi Setup app) which I plug directly into my MacBook and my artist that I'm recording will use the headphones that plug directly into the audio interface.

When you do this however, you have to make sure to tick Drift Correction for both of the devices that are being linked or however many devices you may have. If you only have 1 ticked, then you will experience weird crackling noise when you try to playback things.

As soon as I ticked both Drift Corrections, my issues went away.

SO you shouldn't have to mess with the Sample Rate at all. Just ticking the Drift Correction box for however many devices you are linking together, and then properly setting up your Input and Output channels in your software and also on your computer settings in the Sounds section SHOULD FIX YOUR ISSUE. 🤓

Just adding my problem to the list here.

I'm an audio producer so always hesitant to update to a new OS. finally updated to Monterey 12.6. Playback through my aggregate device is completely distorted when I play anything from Spotify or through a web browser (youtube, etc) I don't experience the problem when working in Logic Pro, or when playing audio files saved locally.

My temporary workaround has been to change the system sound settings output to a single audio device, rather than the aggregate, to listen to Spotify. This is less distorted, but actually still sounds pretty terrible, I think it's in mono actually.

I'm at a loss, not sure if I should roll back to my previous time machine backup or... deal with it? In any case, I can't believe there hasn't been an update to address this issue - it's a BIG ONE!

iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2017) 3.4 GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i5 Aggregate Audio Device: Universal Audio Apollo x8, Focusrite Scarlett 18i20

I've the same issue. ( monterey 12.6 ) This happens when memory usage is high.

Just wanna add to this discussion as I was having the same problem trying to create an aggregate device with my usb mixer/motu interface. Crackling/weird digital distortion. I'm on a Mac mini M1 running Mac OS 12.6.

The thing that fixes it for me is to add in my "Zoom Audio Device" into the aggregate Device. I have no idea, and it makes no sense (at least to me) but when I add that into the device, the distortion goes away and everything works as it should. Very weird!

You are not alone. This thread about the Crackling/Popping from 2 years ago: How to Fix Cracking and Popping Sound ?. Also in the Apple Community Forums: Macbook Pro M1 16 inch popping audio.

All indicates it is a software issue and Apple Support can't do anything about it. I suggest everyone reading this submit a bug report so that sometime in the next decade they will care to fix this massively annoying problem. Bug report page: Feedback - Apple.

I have the same problem (crackling sound) on input! When I record to Garage Band i get a loud crackling sound every 40sec to 1min.

I get this when using Elgato Wave XLR with podmic from Røde. When I use another mic (like the headset mic) I don't get this problem.

Have tried the aggregate device trick, to no avail. It's a serious problem as I record a podcast! This crackling sound is awful!

Model Identifier: MacBookPro16,2 Processor Name: Quad-Core Intel Core i7 Processor Speed: 2,3 GHz

Still happening in 13.3.1 - any fixes or workarounds in the near future? please help!

Still happening on 13.3.1 for me when I use my Roland SP404-MKII in aggregate.

On a M2 Max MBP 14

I had a similar issue with crackling only through the second aggregated device while recording in Studio One and mayyyybe seem to have found a fix?

I am using a Macbook pro with two Presonus Quantum 2626 devices aggregated - connected both with thunderbolt cables into two plugs in my Macbook and timing with Wordclock. Running Sonoma 14.2.1.

When I opened Universal Control, it indicated that it had an update available. After updating, each of my devices had a firmware update recommended which I also updated. After this, I restarted my computer and it seems I had to re-set up my aggregate device in the Audio-Midi setup, etc, but after all of this, the crackling issue has so far been resolved.

Hope this helps some others!