MacBook Pro 2018 users are experiencing speaker issues

Apple has experienced quite the shaky launch of its premium priced 2018 MacBook Pro laptops, retroactively pushing a fix that stopped its Intel Core i9 from throttling. It seems that the device has more problems under the hood, however, as multiple users have come forward regarding intermittent crackling coming from the built-in speakers.

Complaints have flooded online spaces, with MacRumours noting multiple YouTube videos documenting the issue. The sound issues seem to take the form of an electronic distortion that appears at random intervals when the speakers are in use, in some cases resulting in complete sound loss.

Many Reddit users have noted that the problem arose when running Windows or MacOS with Boot Camp installed. This is reminiscent of a problem that affected both 2016 and 2017 versions of MacBook Pro devices, which could potentially worsen to the point that the speakers were irreparably damaged. Apple eventually acknowledged the issue, issuing a firmware fix in the form of its Audio Driver Update for Boot Camp, using Apple Software Update for Windows to avoid further issues.

It’s unclear whether this will be as simple of a fix for 2018 MacBook Pro users when Apple acknowledges the issue, but it looks as though the problem luckily isn’t as severe this time around. While still unsubstantiated, some Redditors claim that the problem disappeared when installing the latest macOS Mojave beta, meaning Apple might be testing a fix under the radar.

While users wait for Apple’s official fix, there are plenty of workarounds noted by those previously affected by the problem. If you’ve tried rebooting to no luck, some claim that resetting the System Management Controller and NVRAM made the issue disappear, while others swear that disabling the “Hey, Siri” functionality does the trick.

KitGuru Says: Even if the problem is a little less severe this time around, it’s an unacceptable issue for a £2,700 device to have. Still, all signs point to Apple having a fix in the works even if it hasn’t spoken up just yet. Have you been experiencing speaker issues with your MacBook Pro?

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