IMac audio output (mini jacket) is mono and distorted

Just got a new 21" iMac, but audio output does not function properly. When I connect my speakers, or my headphones, only one speaker or headphone produces sound, the other speaker/phone produces a soft, high distorted sound. Looks like a technical difficulty, right? I checked the Sysprefs for audio and I can assure you I balanced out the sound, so no software problem I guess.. Any thoughts?

Sounds like you got the right video cables to me too, but no promises.
Kenichi is absolutely right about the audio--if your iMac has optical audio out (it's also called a Mini Toslink) you should use that because analog audio will be of much, much poorer quality, especially if your cables are long. .
I used the Digital Optical Audio TosLink to Mini TosLink Cable, 12 FT (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001ZTXBMO/ref=cmcr_asinlnk) along with a 25ft. Toslink extension cable (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000V06UHQ/ref=cmcr_asinlnk) and a coupler (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002MQGRC/ref=cmcr_asinlnk) to connect my 2009 iMac (24" 2.66 GHz Core2Duo) to my home theater. I bought all the cables and the coupler on Amazon for practically nothing compared to what you can find in a store, including shipping. It sounds fantastic--HUGE improvement over bluetooth or RCA connections. Don't waste money on expensive cables. The cheap ones carry the digital signal just as well.

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The Audio Output Signal is very weak and distorted. The Buil-In Speakers work ok. Whatcould be the problem???

Hello,
I spilled some liquid on my desk close to the Laptop. I proceeded immidiately to remove the MacBook Pro from the spillage site and dried the outside. The MacBook was not in use at the time and the lid was closed. Two hours later my wife used the computer and initially it functioned alright, however, after about 20 minutes it all of a sudden died and could not be re-started. Later that evening I tried a few more times to re-start and was partially sucessful for a few seconds at the time. The next day I opened the Back Cover and noticed the dried residue of the spillage on the battery cover as well as on the motherboard.
I proceeded very cautiously to remove the stains and followed up with a hairdryer to remove any possible residue of moisture.
After that, the MacBook Pro funtioned normally again, with the exception that the analogue audio output no longer supports an earphone, or any outside audio amplifier or TV set. I must add that there is some presence of audio when I increase the volume setting to high, but the bass sounds are very distorted.
My question is, do I have to exchange the "Motherboard" in order to resolve this problem?
I would very much appreciate any suggestions you may have!
Regards,
Hank

Take it back to whoever "fixed" it. Apple won't touch it now.

IMac audio output information

The audio output on the rear panel, is that a standard 3.5mm stereo output or is it an optical output of some kind? I need to connect that port to a 3.5mm stereo male which runs to my TV.

Yes, it is Line-Level
You'll need something like one of the following and an RCA cable:
http://www.cablestogo.com/product.asp?cat%5Fid=118&sku=40645
http://www.cablestogo.com/product.asp?cat_id=2009&sku=40422&relatedItem=true
or if your TV/Stereo has Digital Input, as Jonathan suggests you'll want one of the following cables w/Adapter: http://store.apple.com/us/product/TL955LL/A
Dennis

Audio output changed to 'Digital Out' and speakers don't work! Please help!

I'm not exactly sure what's happened, but after starting up my macbook pro, my speakers/audio haven't worked.
The volume control in the menu bar is inactive (looks light grey) and in the Sound menu, I have no option for output devices except for 'Digital Out' - there is no other option for 'external speakers' (as per usual) or anything!
I can plug earphones in, and sound comes out fine... I don't know what may have happened, but I'm really worried - I use my MBP for home & work; I need my speakers to work!!
If anyone can offer any advice, I'd be really grateful. Thank you in advance.

Talked to Tech Support about this when my machine locked up in this same fashion. There's a little "door" inside the headphone jack that can get stuck in the open position and keep the audio from switching back to the internal speakers / stuck in the digital (optical) output position...
The solution: the iPick... It's a toothpick, but if you use it to poke around inside the headphone jack until the little door gets unstuck, it becomes an iPick, and a box of them are very expensive, but they come in lovely colors and are very intuitive to use...
I'm not kidding... Stick a toothpick (or other non-conductive small stick) in the headphone jack and joog it around until it releases the little door...

Can audio output be simultaneous from HDMI and headphone jack?

I need to be able to output both hdmi and analog audio out of the headphone jack at the same time. Can this be done? Currently, it makes me choose one or the other and won't let me choose both.

As is no. There are some audio rerouting apps out there that could perhaps help, but I am not versed in using them.
Look into AU Lab and JackOSX.

IMac audio output volume

got a 21.5 iMac late 2009 and noticed a huge difference in volume:
-from headphone output sound at minimum is almost harmful and definitely too loud at mid position( I'm using same cheap headset as before )
-from built-in iMac speakers volume looks normal (louder than with my g4 iMac, but never too loud).
Tried with sound prefs but the difference remains.
Is this normal ? I mean, in the new iMac the headphone output is (too) much better or there is a way to fix at the same level the two outputs ? or do I simply have a very Low volume from iMac speakers?(using headphones is now really fatiguing)

Mac OS X and the iMac are keeping two separate sound output volume settings. So the volume setting for the built-in speakers is saved separately from the volume setting for the headphones.
Just connect the headphones and set the volume as desired. Then, disconnect the headphones and set the volume of the built-in speakers as desired. When you connect the headphones, the volume will go back to whatever it was set at before, when you had the headphones connected. When you disconnect the headphones, the volume setting will go back to the previous setting for built-in speakers.
If the above does not work as I described, try resetting PRAM
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1379
Then, try it again.

Premiere Pro CC 7.2.2 audio output won't play L and R channels

Hello,
I am running Premiere Pro CC 7.2.2 in Windows 7 64 bits. I have also a Genelec 8000 series pair working with an AJA Kona 3G and only one of the speakers works for any project. If I test the same audio file in Adobe Audition, it works perfectly for both channels. I tried with another clean new hard drive, and still it doesn't work. I can see that both channels have audio level, but it's just not played.
I tried to change the speakers to all the channels of the AJA K3G Box, and change the Audio Hardware settings accordingly, but nothing help in Premiere.
I would appreciate any help with this issue, because I can't work with one speaker forever
Thanks in advance!!!

Fixed it by renaming the profile folder, see instructions here - Sorry, a serious error has occurred that requires Adobe Premiere Pro to shut down! Frustrated.

URGENT! Audio Output on Administrator A/C is distorted, Guest A/C fine?!

Hey All
My sound just went all strange; very bass-y in iTunes/Logic & the DVD i am watching
Yet sound from a Youtube video/net audio is fine
when i log into my Guest account the problem is gone...so what can i do in my main account settings to fix this?
Any suggestions welcome

View>Video Playback>Apple firewire
View>External Video>All Frames
View>Audio Playback>Audio follows video.
also, make sure your audio material is 16bit/48khz.
If all this is as it should be, have you changed/updated QT? FCP? OSX?
good luck,
x

Audio output port moves and wont let me plug in my cable

Suddenly, when i try and put in the audio jack for my 2 speakers into my iMac it seems to not click in. When i shined a flash light at it the port it seemed to move when i plugged in the cable. This has all happened rather quickly which is making me confused. I use my iMac for gaming and never plug in cables with a heavy hand as i am young and i promised to look after this iMac. After understanding what has happened, i ask my parents what might have happened and they did not have a clue. My question is whether it is normal for the silver ring inside the port's hole usual moves and why my cable isn't clicking in.
EDIT:
- I have tested multiple audio output devices like speakers, earphones and headphones and it still wont click and it still moves.
- My iMac is running with 8gb of ram, Intel Iris Pro 1GB Graphics card and 2.7 GHz Intel Core i5 processor.
If you need any more details please request them.

Clean the lint/debris from the connector.

No Audio Out Of Headphone Or External Audio Output Jacks

We have a Rev. B Bondi iMac that I recently put in my wife's 4th grade classroom for her to use. When trying to hook up external speakers I discovered there is no audio output from the side audio output jack or the front two headphone jacks when listening to the CD player. (I also checked using headphones)
The internal speakers sound fine and normal. I do hear something very distorted and weak from the external audio output jacks but it is so distorted the only way I can tell it is coming from the CD player is by pausing its playing. I have been into OS X now for about 15 months and am starting to forget everything I knew of OS 8.6 which is in the Bondi.
I checked the sound portion of the Monitors and Sound Control panel and all seems set correctly. Is there some other setting that I have forgotten? Any ideas/suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
TIA

Herb Mesler...
Other than exercising the jack-ports with a plug from a headphone, it may need some expensive repair. However I do have a trick for you to try first.
Here is my trick;
Computer must be off! Because there is some light voltage applied to the ports they can slightly arch, spoiling the trick. Arching is the root cause of electrical resistance thus not allowing for proper contact and sound will not pass through to the device.
Next take a plug "softly and full travel" through each port in the side and on the front. I repeat them about 5 times. (any proper spec/type of plug, like from a headphone can work. If it from something that is powered, like from speakers, do not use it)
Boot up the computer and test by avoiding the side ports, using only the front ports. Quite frankly I found the use of the side ports to be somewhat the cause of the problem. Mine has been taped off for about 6 years now and I never have had to repeat my trick to date.
Give it a try and post back if there is any questions. Also, I would like to hear your results.
...Ron

Audio through Mini Displayport (HDMI Adapter)

I'd like to connect my MBP to my amp using a HDMI adapter. Will any audio pass through this? Enabling a 5.1 output?
Cheers

Okay, now I'm confused. I always understood the digital audio limitation on the mini display output to be the result of stepping it down to DVI before bumping it back up to HDMI with an adaptor. Unless there's a mini display-to-HDMI option AND the mini display port is wired for audio, I don't expect anyone will be making a single-port, single-cable solution anytime soon.
In any case, that's not what caught my attention on this thread... I'm still trying to get dolby 5.1 (i.e. AC3 passthrough) to work +at all+ on my audio output with a Toslink adaptor and Quicktime/iTunes. I've noticed that Plex passes AC3 bitstreams over the Toslink without any issues, so I know it's not an Apple hardware limitation. I just don't want to use Plex to watch my movies in 5.1
I've messed around with the output settings nine ways to Sunday, but it's obvious the downconversion to digital stereo is happening in QT long before it ever gets to the hardware. Has anyone heard a good reason yet why AC3 passthrough was disabled in Quicktime and iTunes? It used to work.

Addressing individual audio outputs

Hi Forum,
using Logic Pro 8.0.2 with a Intel Mac. My audio interface is a Digi 003 Rack.
I can route stereo audio track to pairs of audio outputs ie 1-2,3-4,etc. I want to route mono audio tracks to individual mono audio outputs ie 1,2,etc. Mixing down through a external mixer. I have created output audio objects in the mixer layer of the environment but are unable to select or see mono audio outputs in the i/o list when I select the outputs for the audio track that I wish to route to a mono audio output. Can just see and select the stereo audio outputs. Can anybody help me with this.
Peter

Howdy!
I don't know if this applies to your hardware or not, but it might be something to consider or test for.
A while back I had a LynxTWO audio interface. It sounded stellar, but had a strange restriction... its outputs could ONLY output stereo.
For example, if I attempted to output a mono track, the Lynx driver would only allow Logic to choose a ganged stereo track "Output 1-2". I could never choose a mono output (ex. "Output 1" or "Output 2"). This forced me to always send my mono files out using stereo channel strips in Logic, panned to one side... not my choice way of working, but there you are.
This was a limitation of the LynxTWO itself. I have since upgraded to an Apogee Rosetta and don't have that problem... I can output to each, individual output port per channel strip in Logic.
Your interface might have the same restriction, or I might be utterly wrong... but I thought I'd chime in.

Audio output options in GB Prefs is dimmed

I imported an MP3 into GB 2 and plugged in my headset to listen more closely. I set it up as a Real INstrument Basic track. Went to System Prefs and tried to change the Audio Output, but it was dimmed and set to Built-in. What is necessary to change it to the USB headset?

Hi Nick,
Thank you for responding
I have, via optical digital audio (toslink), connected my Mac Pro to my Sony BDV E-300 which plays audio in 5.1 surround with five speakers.
I have also routed the audio tracks in FCP but alas it plays back in two speaker (Stereo).

MacBook Audio Output Not Working, Except for Garageband?

Good day everyone,
I have a 13-inch MacBook '08, current version 10.6.8 (can't upgrade to OS X Mavericks – hardware is too old), and I've had a serious problem, and I feel that I've tried EVERYTHING to fix it.
My Macbook audio output does not work AT ALL while trying to stream video (i.e. YouTube, Vimeo, etc.) or listen to music. When I play with the audio adjustment buttons, it doesn't even make the "popping" sound. It DOES however have audio output when I open Garageband and play the instruemnts i.e. Grand Piano. It also plays the "start up" sound when I boot my MacBook up. Otherwise, the audio seems to not work at all.
I've played with the "Sound" settings on "System Preferences." I've played with the audio jack (note: there's not red light, so that's not the problem), I've blown into the hole, stuck paper clips in there and fiddled around... nothing. Please help, I'll take any advice!
Thanks in advance.

Well, even though the input jack had no red light, I performed the actions demonstrated on YouTube in the video "How to fix macbook red light head phone jack" and the problem is fixed.
- mb

HP DM1Z Netbook audio output issues.

I never really used this netbook for anything with audio, so this could be a pre existing problem, but since I have started frequently watching movies I encounter a strange and extremely annoying problem. The input indication will rapidly switch, every 2 or 3 seconds between the two states below;
The result? Audio output switches between the headphones and the laptop speakers, and in a shared house with uni students the noise is unacceptable.
I don't even know how this is supposed to work, the DM1Z only has one 3.5mm jack! I've tried updating drivers, using older versions too. No matter what, it will eventually start screwing up. I might boot and it will do it right away, or in couple hours time; completely random.
This is driving me up the wall, I'm especially frustrated at why the control panel says there are two inputs which seems to me to be a design fault and not a simple error.

Hey,
What BIOS version are you using? Press FN+ESC for System Information (Ex. F.12)
What version of IDT HD Sound are you using? Press the ? at the top right then check version (Ex: 1.0.6302.0)
I also find it a little odd that your showing the recording tab but the issue is with playback.
I am an HP employee.
Make it easier for other people to find solutions, by marking my answer “Accept as Solution” if it solves your problem.

IMac audio output (mini jacket) is mono and distorted

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