System and App Related Sound Failures in OSX Mavericks

Question

Model Name:          iMac
  Model Identifier:          iMac11,2
  Processor Name:          Intel Core i3
  Processor Speed:          3.2 GHz
  Number of Processors:          1
  Total Number of Cores:          2
  L2 Cache (per Core):          256 KB
  L3 Cache:          4 MB
  Memory:          4 GB
  Processor Interconnect Speed:          5.86 GT/s
  Boot ROM Version:          IM112.0057.B01
  SMC Version (system):          1.64f5
I recently upgraded to Mavericks 10.9 from Snow Leopard 10.6.8. Since the upgrade I have noticed that the "popping" feedback sound that I have turned on in the Sound Preferences only works for a short period of time after a start up or reboot before stopping to work. All other audio output seems to be working correctly.
Also, when using my chat client application, Adium, the same sort of issue occurs with its preset alerts and notifications. Upon start of the application the alerts will work, but after a while for no apparent reason, they stop working.
Any ideas?

Answer 1

Do note that the new iWorks apps have been dumbed down (i.e., missing previous features) to make them compatible with their iOS bretheren. Details in
http://www.betalogue.com/2013/10/24/pages-5-disaster/
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/5468056?start=0&tstart=0
http://9to5mac.com/2013/10/25/new-iwork-ilife-apps-go-for-simplicity-upset-power -users-all-over-again/#comments and
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT6049