Sound output levels from headphone jack

Has anyone else noticed that the output volume levels from the headphone / external jack are quite low? With my old iMac G5 (rev b) I could have the iMac's volume at 2 bars and it was plenty loud. Now I'm at 6 bars to get close to the same volume with my intel machine.
If I unplug my speakers, though, the volume from the iMac is quite high at this level, so it seems to me that there's a disparity with the output through the headphone jack.
Anyone else notice this?

I agree, and the sound from the onboard speakers is very low as well!
This is frustrating, my first iMac, the purple grape, from about 7yrs ago had kick-***, very good quality sound. Then, when I bought an eMac ,it was far less quality, (as I understood, due to far less cost), but I was bummed at the greatly reduced volume level as well. Also, I really liked the feature, where you set the master volume in preferences, but the desktop reading was relative to that, not the master.
However, now, after buying the top of the line ($$$) iMac, I have the same, if not LESS sound going on What is up with this, ESPECIALLY when Apple knows it's products are favs with we musicians, as well as the many music-lovers that don't play???
We don't appreciate having to set all levels at 10, just to get even a decent level, much less anything loud......very disappointing.

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Do i need a dac for late macbook 2013 retina? or will sound be good from headphone jack?

i have ordered some desktop speakers and want the best sound quality, i need to hook it up to my mac
ive heard 3.5mm aux isnt the best... i would prefer usb, but then i would need to invest in a dac. would any cheap dac do if the soundcard in the mac is good? or is this not the case
mainly listening to music.. just want good quality
not doing any music production to a professional level...
thanks

For listening to music the headphone jack is more than adequate.

Sound Output changes from headphones to HDMI after waking from sleep

My late 2013 Retina MBP has had this issue since I purchased it last year, but I'm hoping there's a solution.
When I'm working at my desk, I have an external monitor connected via HDMI (and a 2nd via Thunderbolt). The Monitor connected via HDMI has (crappy) speakers. Even though I have headphones plugged in, when I wake the machine from sleep, the audio device will revert to HDMI.
Any ideas how to prevent this?
Thanks

Others here are also suffering from similar problems after the last update.
see > loss of sound after waking up from sleep: Apple Support Communities
and > TS4113 Mac mini looses audio output...: Apple Support Communities
For some installing the > OS X Mountain Lion Update v10.8.5 (Combo) over the top of the current 10.8.5 version solved the problem.
It might also help to report the problem to > Apple - Mac OS X - Feedback
and/or > Apple - Mac mini - Feedback

Droid Razr Maxx- No output from headphone jack

I've got a Motorola Droid Razr Maxx phone which I'm very happy with. Only thing I just noticed is that when I plug in extrenal speakers or wired headphones, there is no ouput from the jack. Internal phone speaker is still on with wired device plugged in. Bluetooth works fine, but I've got an external speaker I'd like to use for music that isn't bluetooth capable. I've looked at the sound setting on the phone, but can't find anything for this issue. If anyone has an idea on how to fix this I'd appreciate it.

No as I said before in the post. I still dont believe I abused the first one, and I am not going to take the risk of having to pay 350.oo for the second one.
The only reason i took to the forums is to let others know of the service i received. First individual I talked to told be to go buy one from someone else.
The 2 hours I spent with your customer service reps both placed a request for a supervisor to call me. Its monday I have not heard from anyone.
Just have very little trust or patience with Verizon anymore.
And I haven't mentioned the ebill I received from Verizon for 429.00 for October that NO ONE at verizon can explain.
Just bad service, Period.
Verizon Wireless Customer Support <[email protected]> wrote:
Verizon Wireless Customer Support Verizon Wireless Customer Support created the discussion
"Re: Droid Razr Maxx- No output from headphone jack"
To view the discussion, visit: https://community.verizonwireless.com/message/1007696#1007696
>

No Sound From Headphone Jack, Only Internal Speakers working in Macbook Pro A1278

Hello, the internal speakers of Macbook Pro A1278 OSX 10.7.5 are working perfectly, but no sound from headphones or external speakers when plugged in. Headphones/speakers recognized when plugged in, shown by System Preferences/Sound, and since the sound stops from internal speakers when headphones/speakers are plugged in. No red light seen coming from headphone jack, as I read in other posts. The problem began after a cable was connected between computer and stereo system. Maybe overloaded the sound card and burned out a connection? Wondering if you think that the sound card needs to be replaced or is there another solution possible? Thank you.

Hello JohnBoarkman,
Welcome to the Apple Support Communities!
I understand that you hear no sound from your accessory when you connect to your headphone jack. My first troubleshooting suggestion for this situation would be resetting the NVRAM on your Mac. Please use the instructions in the attached article to complete this process and let me know if the issue continues.
How to Reset NVRAM on your Mac - Apple Support
Have a great day,
Joe

AppleTV distorts sound, output level too high

Hi
I have a problem and have already tried a number of solutions.
My AppleTV sound is distorted, due to the output level being too high. Initially I used the TVs headset jack-connector for connecting to my amp, and lowering the output level from the TV didn't work. It is distorted from the source (AppleTV)
Now I have bought a seperate D/A converter for connecting the AppleTVs optical output directly to my analog amplifier. Still doesn't work. Sound still distorted.
When playing music through AppleTV, I have the ability to adjust the volume level on the source device. And then everything is OK.
But airplaying video/youtube from my ipad (I do that a lot - playing kiddie-flics for my toddler) there is no option to reduce the sound level.
Effectively most content airplayed will be distorted - and I am sick of it. I have a high-end amp and speakers. I do not expect audiophile quality from the AppleTV. Still I didn't expect defective/destroyed sound... And no, the AMP isn't the issue, as this has been replaced as well, due to an upgrade. Same issue on both AMPs.
Any good suggestions? Or should I simply accept that the design criterias for the AppleTV doesn't involve a reasonable audio quality? Or is my particular product defective?
Thanks,
Claus

If the audio is clipped there's not much you can do other than re-record. But there is this: http://www.izotope.com/products/audio/RX/
-DH

Left Audio Only From Headphones Jack With External Speakers

Yes, the balance is set properly under the sound system preferences.
So here's the problem, I have JBL Encounter speakers connected via the headphone jack and since yesterday only the left speaker produces sound.
I've plugged my ipod into the JBL speakers and they work fine. I've also used headphones with my computer and again, left audio only.
I've even switched the right and left satellite speakers and again only left audio is produced... though on the right (side) satellite.
Any thoughts on how to correct this? The nearest apple store is 2 and 1/2 hours away so I'd prefer not to go if there is another fix.
My three month phone service is up but I'm still covered under the apple care for a few more months.
Thanks in advance.

Sounds as if your headphone jack is either defective or has been damaged by having a cord yanked at some stage, Kanji
It is either a trip to your nearest AASP or a mailing box from Apple to get it resolved. Applecare will cover it if the problem isn't due to accidental damage (though a cat tripping on the cord can be enough to produce such results and the price could accordingly be substantial as the port is mounted on the logicboard on recent MBPs as I understand it) .
You might want to try a regular pair of headphones in the socket to make sure the problem also occurs with them, too, though.
Cheers
Rod

System Sound Output Level Reset After Reboot ?

Whenever my iMac Core Duo is rebooted, system sound output level always get reset to value 0.56 (-24dB) as shown in utility "/Applications/Utilities/Audio Midi Setup". I have to increase the system sound output level to desired value of 0.75(-12.75dB) to match with built-in amplifier of Altec Lansing FX6021 speaker system. The desired setting lasts until next reboot. Is there any way I can fix the system sound output level at desired level between reboots ? Why I have to be involved in such constant struggle with the iMac for such simple audio configuration ?
Audio Hijack Pro 2.6.7 wihtout Soundflower 1.1 virtual audio device has been installed. Audio hijack function of this utility has not been used at all. Thank you for any pointer.

Thanks for the confirmation that my iMac is not an isolated case. In case you are not willing to use Audio Hijack Pro, just use Automator to create an Automator script to set system volume (In Automator's Library plane: Applications>System>Set System Volume) and save it as application. Set this application as Login Items for your account through following menu path:
System Preferences>Accounts>Login Items. Whenever you login with this account, the script will be invoked automatically by Mac OS X and sound levels for output, input and alert will be set to user preferred levels. For older versions of Mac OS X (10.3.9 and earlier) without Automator, same effect can be achieved with Apple Script, use Apple Script Editor instead of Automator to create Apple Script and set it as Login Items. This workaround has been working consistently on my iMac Intel Core Duo.
iMac Intel Core Duo 20" 2 GHz 2 GB RAM Mac OS X (10.4.7) Firewire External Drive, Belkin Wireless Router, iPod nano

Help! red light from headphone jack and strange sound issues!

Help! I use my baby for listening to music and watching DVDs almost constantly when I'm working, and just the other day it started doing something really odd whenever I start doing something that involves sound!
If I'm listening to a song, watching a DVD, playing a game, whatever, as long as it involves sound it does this. What happens is, it'll be fine for up to a minute, and then it starts making this staticky skipping noise and losing the tracking on whatever it is I'm doing (game, song, DVD, etc.). This happens whether I've got headphones or speakers plugged in, or I'm using the laptop speakers. Also, a red light flashes from INSIDE the headphone jack with every staticky noise.
Everything else works fine. The problem doesn't appear as long as I'm not doing anything using sound, and it goes away about a minute after I stop using sound when it appears. It just started doing this yesterday, which was an entirely uneventful day and no different from normal. I traveled, but the laptop stayed in its case the whole time and didn't get dropped or jostled or anything.
I depend on my music to keep me sane! I can use my iPod for now, but I've got finals coming up and I need to use music while I study! HELP!

if the red light is flashing at the output, it means that the computer is trying to output a digital optical signal.. which would explain why your audio is cutting in and out, cos it's flipping randomly between digital out and built in speaker, which means the speaker is being intermittently muted.
the reason for this is that the sensor in your audio output port is dodgy. this sensor is supposed to detect when you have a digital optical cable connected, and yours seems to just be going a bit nuts. fraid the only way to get it properly sorted is to take it in for a service.

No sound from headphone jack on 2011 imac 27"

I usually use the headphone jack on the back of my iMac to drive studio speakers thru a mixing console. I recently unplugged the cable from that jack to hear something through the internal iMac speakers, which worked fine, and now that I've plugged the cable back in, I can't get the external speakers to work. In System Preferences/Sound/Output, the display vacillates between "Internal speakers" and "headphones" when I jiggle the cable in the headphone jack, which leads me to believe that the output jack has become damaged. That would mean taking it in for replacement, right? Or does Apple throw the baby away with the bathwater and just replace the whole computer, rather than replacing the jack itself?
In any event, does anyone have any ideas for me from what I just posted? Thanks very much.

Hi all again
After reading through a few other posts here I decided to check "System Preferences." After doing this I discovered that when the headphones are plugged in it set to mute. Not sure how that happened, as I nevered changed anything and I am only one using this computer. I guess it does not matter, as long as the problem is fixed.
Thanks
Michael

No sound from headphone jack -- here's what I've tried -- now Genius bar?

Hi all,
Some time ago the headphone jack on my MacBook decided to stop putting out sound. I've searched a bunch of forums looking for clues but no dice yet. I've looked into a bunch of things trying to diagnose and fix this problem, which I'll summarize below:
In System Preferences > Sound the Output toggles between Headphones and Internal Speakers when I plug in and unplug the headphones, so I know the jack is responding. The mute button is not selected and volumes are up.
In Audio MIDI Setup > Properties for Built-in Output > Source: Headphones, volume sliders for 1 and 2 are up and not muted. (M is greyed and all the way down but I understand this is for mono.)
I deleted these files and rebooted:
com.apple.audio.DeviceSettings.plist
com.apple.audio.AudioMIDISetup.plist
Now here's the crazy part -- my girlfriend has reported the headphones have worked recently with DVD Player. Earlier today it was working with DVD Player only to go out after hitting pause. I quit and relaunched DVD Player and they started working again. Hit pause and they died again; now after several relaunches nothing's happening.
So my next step is probably to visit the "Genius Bar" at the Apple Store. Is there anything else I can try that I've not thought of? I've seen a number of forum posts on this problem, so it sounds like I'm not the only one this has happened to.
Thanks for your help.

Took this in to a repair shop and they ended up having to replace the logic board. Thankfully it was still under Apple Care.

When on windows xp red light from headphone jack and low sound

I put windows xp sp3 on my computer about a week ago. There is a red light that comes from the headphones jack that is always on. The sound is only audible at full, it is extremely low. I don't understand this problem. It only happens when Im on windows (T_T I like to play sims). Does anyone have any information, or helpful suggestions about this? Thank you.

I think this was covered in the update for bootcamp.

No audio output from headphone jack?

I have no audio coming out of headphone jack on my 60 GB 'pod. Its songs will play normally through itunes but output from stereo jack is kaput. What gives?

Now this is an area that I am not familiar with. I do not know what your audio source is (microphone, DVD player?) and exactly what you are trying to achieve. You may have to use the Audio MIDI application so look at that to see what it entails.
I suggest that you start a new discussion listing your specific objectives. There are fellow users well versed in this area, I am not.
Ciao.

Terrible, tinny sound from headphone jack. Satellite

I've looked at all the settings I could find, but the sound from iTunes, out the headphone jack, to a small stereo is horribly tinny. I can plug the exact same wire into my phone which has great sound, so it's sth about the sound card ,not the rest of my system. I am not talking about the speakers

Hello JohnBoarkman,
Welcome to the Apple Support Communities!
I understand that you hear no sound from your accessory when you connect to your headphone jack. My first troubleshooting suggestion for this situation would be resetting the NVRAM on your Mac. Please use the instructions in the attached article to complete this process and let me know if the issue continues.
How to Reset NVRAM on your Mac - Apple Support
Have a great day,
Joe

Sound coming from headphone jack becomes heavily distorted at the slightest movement of the headphone cable.

I use headphones almost exclusively of my Macbook Pro (Early 2011, way out of warranty) so this has really been annoying me. For about 1-2 weeks now whenever the wire from the headphones I have plugged in to the jack moves, even slightly, the sound coming from the left side disappears almost entirely while the sound from the right side becomes quiet and filled with static. Strangely, it doesn't appear to happen with everything that I'm doing on my computer. For example when playing games the sound seems to work just fine for the most part, but playing music or watching Netflix causes issues whenever the cord moves, which is really annoying.
To get it to stop, I have to move wiggle the plug around in the jack and slowly move the cord into a place where it will not be affected by movement very easily. I read that some people have been able to get around this by buying an external sound card and using the headphone jack on there, but I'd rather not do that if possible as there isn't really anywhere that I can put it without most likely picking up some interference. Plus I only have two USB ports, so I have to use a powered USB hub thats about 2-3 feet away from my computer for most things. Anyone know if this is a viable solution or how much it would cost to fix at the Apple Store?

Also, I have tried restarting my computer, messing with the audio settings, and various other settings that I thought might help.

Sound output levels from headphone jack

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