1 Topic by dergar (edited by dergar 2009-12-24 09:04:18)

  • From: greece
  • Registered: 2009-12-23
  • Posts: 3

Topic: MacBookPro 13" CPU whine and heat when FF800 / Duet connected

Hello and many thanks in advance! I am a happy user of a FF800 since 2004 and I recently bought a MacBook Pro 13".

When I connect my Duet or my RME FireFace800 to the FireWire port of the very good MBP (except the display which, in my opinion, is pretty annoying, the machine is awesome!) the infamous CPU Whine is here when in any other occasion the thing is silent! And just when I need to use my Duet or my FF800, to record some airy vocals or a discreet Piano at my work, or when I listen to my favorite low volume parts of my beloved ambient or classical music via the excellent DACs of both the FF and the Duet, when in just these occasions above is that I need the silent computer... :

I hear the little whine always there like a night cricket in a Greek summer night! Plus: the temperature of the CPU Diode is climbing on the 68 to 70 Celsius without any other application than iTunes running! I have to add that the whine is only on the left side of the keyboard and is not getting in the audio signals (in or out) of the audio interfaces.

After vast research without finding the same problem posted somewhere, I tried QuietMBP application and Voila ! The whine disappeared!

But!: The CPU Diode Temperature is then climbing on above the 86 Celsius!!!


Any ideas? Has anybody similar issues?

Peace Forever!
Chris
http://dergar.bandcamp.com [free album download]

dergar's Website

  • Registered: 2008-01-01
  • Posts: 3,025

Re: MacBookPro 13" CPU whine and heat when FF800 / Duet connected

QuietCPU produces CPU load in order to keep the CPU from dynamically changing clock-rates. This is why the heat turns up.

You could try www.coolbook.se as an alternative, but Speedstep problems are a complex issue.

  • From: greece
  • Registered: 2009-12-23
  • Posts: 3

Re: MacBookPro 13" CPU whine and heat when FF800 / Duet connected

Timur wrote:

QuietCPU produces CPU load in order to keep the CPU from dynamically changing clock-rates. This is why the heat turns up.

You could try www.coolbook.se as an alternative, but Speedstep problems are a complex issue.


thanks Timur! yes I could understand this with the QuietMBP...
 
I might give coolbook a try... I also found out from Ableton great forum that heat connecting firewire sound cards to a macbook can be a sort of common issue...

I would only have to find out if I am the only one with the whine because then I might have to talk to Apple (as the MB is on guarantee)...

I have another suspicion... from several older threads i read about the infamous CPU whine I think that Apple has done something in the system library folder settings... but maybe this setting is not working when a firewire audio device is connected for some reason... that is why I need to know if there is anyone else facing the same issue...

best!
chris

dergar's Website

  • From: greece
  • Registered: 2009-12-23
  • Posts: 3

Re: MacBookPro 13" CPU whine and heat when FF800 / Duet connected

Finally the official support in Greece answered to me: "There were a few MacBook Pros 13" in the beginning of their production that had this problem and they fixed it in newer ones". The official support doesn't have any solution...

Maybe I have to write to Apple...

Happy new year to all here! Best! Peace forever!
Chris
http://dergar.bandcamp.com

dergar's Website

5 Reply by Timur Born (edited by Timur 2010-01-08 23:28:08)

  • Registered: 2008-01-01
  • Posts: 3,025

Re: MacBookPro 13" CPU whine and heat when FF800 / Duet connected

Make sure you are really bugged by CPU whine. My new MBP 17" creates noise/whine/digital chatter through it's speakers (especially the left one close to the power and Firewire ports) with the frequency partly being connected to the audio buffer size of any connected audio interface (USB, Firewire, ExpressCard). Turning off the speakers does not help completely, just lowers some of the noise. It's more pronounced on OS X than Windows.

Try plugging off the power-supply of the MBP and run it on Batteries. Also turn off the speakers. If that doesn't help then hold your ears close to the speakers (begin with the left one) and listen if different audio buffer sizes on the Fireface affect the whine sound. The higher the buffers the lower the frequency will get and the lower the frequency the bigger the buffer jump needs to be to reach the next full tone (which kind of makes sense).

MBP seem to have poor ground circuits. My 2008 15" one had creeping current all over its chassis but no speaker noise, the new one has the speaker noise but got rid of the current.

PS: OS X turns off the speakers automatically 30 seconds after the last sound has been played over it. My 2009 17" MBP unfortunately features an audible short pop whenever the speakers go on/off, the 2008 15" MBP did not do that as far as I remember.