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Apple has not fixed the macOS audio left/right balance bug for nearly 10 years

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Re: Apple has not fixed the macOS audio left/right balance bug for nearly 10 years

#21

Post by tmikaeld »

donatj wrote: post #18
tmikaeld wrote: post #14

The left/right channels drifting randomly is one thing (SoundSource fixes it), but it gets worse.. I've been trying to raise awareness of Apples horrible audio issues for quite a few years now. Driver re-starts and USB re-connects, for no apparent reason. [0][1] I have the issue on Mac Mini (2018) Intel, Mac Studio M1, Macbook Pro M2, so it's not device specific. [0] https://developer.apple.com/forums/thread/132423 […

I use an external DAC and encounter this crackling problem regularly. I have to unplug/replug my DAC to get it to go back to normal. I just thought it was a hardware problem with my DAC because it’s getting up there in the years, thought the caps might be going. Hmm…

I have 4 external all different sound cards and AMPs (USB), it's the same on all of them.

There is no software remedy, only re-connecting physically works (temporarily)

Re: Apple has not fixed the macOS audio left/right balance bug for nearly 10 years

#22

Post by donatj »

tmikaeld wrote: post #21
donatj wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I use an external DAC and encounter this crackling problem regularly. I have to unplug/replug my DAC to get it to go back to normal. I just thought it was a hardware problem with my DAC because it’s getting up there in the years, thought the caps might be going. Hmm…

I have 4 external all different sound cards and AMPs (USB), it's the same on all of them. There is no software remedy, only re-connecting physically works (temporarily)

Well dang. I have had intention on buying a new DAC largely due to the issue; for better or worse there goes that plan.

Re: Apple has not fixed the macOS audio left/right balance bug for nearly 10 years

#23

Post by tmikaeld »

donatj wrote: post #22
tmikaeld wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have 4 external all different sound cards and AMPs (USB), it's the same on all of them. There is no software remedy, only re-connecting physically works (temporarily)

Well dang. I have had intention on buying a new DAC largely due to the issue; for better or worse there goes that plan.

I haven't tried Apple "certified" Thunderbolt devices yet, but others in the huge Apple thread [0] has and still experience cracks/pops.

Re: Apple has not fixed the macOS audio left/right balance bug for nearly 10 years

#24

Post by addandsubtract »

rented_mule wrote: post #10

I've been happily using an app available for free on the App Store to work around it for years now: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/balance-lock/id1019371109

That's the app linked in the tweet. Seems ridiculous that we need an app to fix this, though.

Re: Apple has not fixed the macOS audio left/right balance bug for nearly 10 years

#25

Post by SllX »

prmoustache wrote: post #20
sammorrowdrums wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yep, I’ve very much discovered and confirmed this behaviour independently, I was so shocked to learn that it was a known issue. I know it’s silly but it helped me with imposter syndrome to see such a major OS that prides itself on seamless “it just works” experiences tolerate bugs like this. That and the fact if you airplay a movie to Apple TV it thinks you want it to cast over the top of it with random advert videos…

Does Apple have a public bug tracker?

No. They have a black hole you can toss your bug reports into, and they’ll swear up and down that past the event horizon they’ll see it, but you more likely than not will never hear about it again.

Re: Apple has not fixed the macOS audio left/right balance bug for nearly 10 years

#26

Post by anon22981 »

I’m not sure if a bug or a feature, but on two different iphones I’ve had the issue where the volume suddenly aggressively goes up or down without me pressing the volume button. Has happened at least in netflix and youtube. Always when I’m actively using the phone.

Might an ill fitted case or something, but those phones had different cases.

Anyone know if this is some bug or am I being dumb?

Re: Apple has not fixed the macOS audio left/right balance bug for nearly 10 years

#28

Post by tgv »

madaxe_again wrote: post #3
Sakos wrote: post #2

What's the audio left/right balance bug?

The audio balance on Apple computers changes randomly, and has done so for at least a decade. https://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/79384/audio-balanc...

I've been using macs since the 90s for "serious amateur" music production, and I listen to music while working on an MBP daily, both via the headphone jack and via a USB audio interface, and I've never encountered that. Is there no idea what triggers it?

Re: Apple has not fixed the macOS audio left/right balance bug for nearly 10 years

#29

Post by andrelaszlo »

addandsubtract wrote: post #24
rented_mule wrote: post #10

I've been happily using an app available for free on the App Store to work around it for years now: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/balance-lock/id1019371109

That's the app linked in the tweet. Seems ridiculous that we need an app to fix this, though.

At least it's free. I've paid for multiple 10$ apps that just work around macos bugs.

Re: Apple has not fixed the macOS audio left/right balance bug for nearly 10 years

#30

Post by orf »

anon22981 wrote: post #26

I’m not sure if a bug or a feature, but on two different iphones I’ve had the issue where the volume suddenly aggressively goes up or down without me pressing the volume button. Has happened at least in netflix and youtube. Always when I’m actively using the phone. Might an ill fitted case or something, but those phones had different cases. Anyone know if this is some bug or am I being dumb?

Happens to me with keyboard clicks on iOS: suddenly they jump from the standard low volume to very loud clacks.
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