The audio stability drawback is noticeable over headphones
A developer has highlighted how Mac nonetheless has an audio stability bug that will have been round for 22 years and the times of the PowerBook G3.
The bug considerations how the left/proper stereo stability can wander on Macs when listening below headphones. AppleInsider readers first reported the identical problem — again in 2002.
Now it has been introduced again into the highlight by a developer identified on X/Twitter as Fabian.
The app known as fixing the problem is Stability Lock by Tunabelly Software program. Launched in August 2015, it has had solely 5 updates since, with the latest in Might 2021.
It does seem like the identical bug that was reported on AppleInsider in late December 22 years in the past. “I’m experiencing issues with sound stability,” a reader within the boards, who mentioned they have been utilizing an iBook.
“At any time when I plug in earphones or headphones, the sound stability both tricks to the left or the correct and the way a lot additionally differs,” continued the report. “I’ve to all the time modify the stability manually within the sound prefpane.”
One other AppleInsider reader mentioned they’d first observed it after updating OS X to model 10.2.3. That is Mac OS X Jaguar, which was launched on December 19, 2002.
Developer Fabian’s tweet has now additionally been adopted on Hacker Information by a thread discussing a number of audio issues with Macs. Lots of these concern crackling sounds, with one reader noting that “I’ve 4 exterior all totally different sound playing cards and amps (USB), it is the identical on all of them.”
“I additionally did not notice that this drawback was frequent,” wrote one other, “however I switched to utilizing an optical toslink cable to an exterior DAC which appears to have fastened it for me.”
“I’ve discovered a robust correlation between reminiscence stress and audio glitches with my exterior DAC,” responded an additional reader. “I filed a bug on this over two years in the past and it has gotten no traction.”
A number of Hacker Information readers be aware that points together with the the left/proper stability bug will be fastened through the use of Rogue Amoeba’s SoundSource app.
Apple is conscious of the problem
Apple hasn’t commented on the brand new report, however as noticed by MacRumors, in 2012 it did launch — and later take away — a assist doc addressing the problem.
“In some circumstances the audio stability could unexpectedly drift in direction of the left or proper channel,” it mentioned. “This will occur for those who quickly press the quantity up or down keys whereas the pc’s microprocessor is below heavy load.”
Its resolution was notably unhelpful. Apple instructed customers to go to the system audio settings and manually “drag the audio stability slider to the specified place.”
Sadly, that choice not exists in macOS Sonoma. That is in all probability as a result of reasonably than permitting listeners to fiddle with stereo, Apple Music has been transferring to spatial audio as shortly as it could actually.
Right now whereas listening to music over headphones, the stability can shift deliberately so {that a} singer, as an example, seems to be in a set place as a listener turns their head.
