Mac Mini M4 Audio Input Crackling Badly

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Level 1

4 points

Mac Mini M4 Audio Input Crackling Badly

Hello, I'm having issues with my Mac Mini M4's audio input jack. I'm trying to record straight into the computer, and I'm experiencing very bad audio crackling every 30 to 90 seconds. I've swapped out different mics, different cables, different programs, and I've narrowed it down to the Mac itself. I've updated the computer and everything, even moved the computer to different location, and it's still crackling. In the back of the computer it has the power cable, HDMI for monitor, wireless mouse USB receiver, and a USBC to the keyboard. It's driving me crazy and I need to get this fixed.

Mac mini (M4)

Posted on Jan 21, 2025 7:03 PM

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Answer 1

hcsitas

Level 6

13,574 points

Jan 22, 2025 11:53 AM in response to MartinR

That is not correct - stereo output fully supported since time immemorial (but mono input).

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Answer 2

MartinR

Level 7

21,991 points

Jan 22, 2025 10:48 AM in response to IcarusLime

The Mac Mini M4 headphone jack is intended to work with an analog mono headset or earpods that have a mic built in. Depending on what you are connecting to your mini, you may be overloading the input.

What mic(s), exactly, are you using?

FWIW, if you are trying to record music, it would be far better to use a USB audio interface rather than the analog input of the headphone jack.

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Answer 3

IcarusLime Author

Level 1

4 points

Jan 22, 2025 11:24 AM in response to MartinR

Tried two mics. Sennheiser ME66 shotgun microphone, and a Sennheiser ME 2-II lavalier. Both create crackling audio. Not recording music, just simple voice over. As a temporary workaround I'm recording backup audio to a separate Tascam device, but for workflow purposes I need to be able to just simply plug the mic into the Mac and record the audio, and avoid a convoluted setup and editing process.

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Answer 4

MartinR

Level 7

21,991 points

Jan 22, 2025 2:48 PM in response to hcsitas

hcsitas wrote:

That is not correct - stereo output fully supported since time immemorial (but mono input).

Yes, stereo output. I re-read my post and agree it could have been interpreted to mean mono output, but I was talking about the mic input.

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