G5 Noise
Posted by Pierre Igot in: MacintoshNovember 27th, 2003 • 8:49 am
If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you know that I was (and still am, to a certain extent) a victim of the G4 (MDD) noise fiasco. After that fiasco, the petition, and the subsequent PSU replacement program offered by Apple, it appeared safe to assume that Apple had learned their lesson and would avoid similar problems in future Mac models.
I also remember seeing news around that time that Apple had posted a job opportunity for an acoustics engineer…
Well, whatever Apple did or did not do, it appears that, unfortunately, computer noise issues are not really a thing of the past. In spite of Apple’s claims that the G5 was designed and optimized to reduce noise levels, there is an increasing number of reports on various support forums about several noise issues with the new models.
The latest one appears today on MacFixIt.com. And it’s not a pleasant read. Comments about how “the G5 is barely usable for audio production” because of noise issues that affect USB and FireWire ports as well have an all-too-familiar ring…
Of course, as always, noise is a very subjective issue. But the amount of… noise that is being made on the web about the G5 and acoustic issues is disturbing, once again.
Time to start a www.g5noise.com campaign?
December 10th, 2003 at Dec 10, 03 | 2:01 am
I’ve been trying to get info on noise levels in the new G5’s. Apple isn’t alone at ignoring noise issues… most manufacturers of hard drives and enclosures have simply ignored noise issues until the outcry gets huge.
The hearing loss that results from long term exposure to low level noise is difficult to determine since few if any studies are available. But most experts agree that it would be far better to err on the side of caution and try to eliminate any long term exposure to even to low level noise. For digital audio recording, most computers generate far too much noise to be able to use an open microphone or to do any critical mixing. The problem is that techs and engineers operate in very noisy environments and so they think the unit is stone cold quiet when in fact it could be very noisy… I think this is why they’re replacing powersupplies and fans now.
December 10th, 2003 at Dec 10, 03 | 4:23 am
I am not just concerned about hearing loss, but also noise-induced stress. Yes, these are very difficult to determine/measure. And the market pressures are such that noise issues don’t get the attention that they deserve, and $5,000 machines get equipped with noisy cheapo $5 fans. But you’d think that, with the G4 MDD outcry, Apple would have learned their lesson… I also seem to remember that Steve Jobs himself has a bit of a computer noise phobia. One assumes that he’s never used a G4 MDD in a quiet environment…
August 10th, 2004 at Aug 10, 04 | 12:53 pm
I have the same noise PROBLEMS! I actually had my unit serviced and the noise is still there, it’s actually worse. I had my PSU and Logicboard replaced. I was told by an Apple rep. that the noise I hear is a prception thing… yeah right preception. Someone please tell me that they are going to fix this. I go to school for industrial design and absolutley have to use my computer, this noise though, makes me not want to use my $5,000 machine.
I would like to start a petition to have this taken care of because my PRECEPTION is driving me crazy.
please reply.
August 20th, 2004 at Aug 20, 04 | 5:11 pm
I am really bummed. I have to listen to a buzz about how great the G5 is only to find out personally that the buzz i am hearing is the one through my speakers.
G5 1.6
tascam us122
powercore element
asr-10
krk rokit 5’s