Sound crackling during recorded video material

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t0ny

New Member
Hey,

have had a new MacBook Pro 2020 model for a few days. Now I recorded some videos with OBS yesterday and I noticed that the sound sounds like it's overdriven, that is, you hear a cracking sound and stuff like that. I used to have a MacBook Pro 2019 and I didn't have these sound problems until the new MacBook Pro and I don't know what the problem is, I hope you can help me.

Software is up to date, cables are all connected correctly, i have no audio interface, everything is connected directly to the Mac (like the Mac 2019), sound volume in OBS is -5.0 db, so it is almost only in the green range.

I'm linking you to a small recording (pulled the audio file from the video) so you can hear it. You can hear it in the whole recording, but if you fast-forward to minute 6:05, you will get a breakdown and you can hear it more clearly.

recorded sound file
Log File
 
C

cindydoo22

Member
I don't own a 2020 MBPro but I assume it just has the one dual jack for input and output(line-in and headphones).
If so, did you check in preferences that your port has been set to input and that you've adjusted the input level there?
 
T

t0ny

New Member
I do not use the headphone jack , but go to the MacBook via USB. As I said before, I did exactly the same thing with my 2019 MacBook and it didn't have these noises.
 
InfluxxMedia

InfluxxMedia

Member
I'm taking an educated guess here...

I know from producing music that if your sound card/interface cannot keep up with the data rate the sound will break up. For example my sound card can record/play at 44.1 or 48 khz at 16 or 24 bit. If i use the higher quality of those two settings I can play back fewer tracks in Cubase than if I use the lower quality. It will cause the type of distortion you are getting. So take a look at the audio rates and see if you can lower them, or make sure your input and output match - that it, the playback settings match what the recorded data is at.

Its a long shot, as you dont mention multiple tracks so its unlikely that one recorded track will max out your system. Other ideas, maybe it was recorded to hot and is actually distorting/clipping. Digital distortion is ugly, unlike analog distortion which has a nice saturation. You didnt mention any specifics in your post but dodgy cables cause crackling too.

Look into those ideas and report back what you tried and what you find
 
T

t0ny

New Member
InfluxxMedia said:
So take a look at the audio rates and see if you can lower them, or make sure your input and output match
Click to expand...
In the Mac sound settings I can't set anything like that, only input and output. In OBS itself, not only can I choose between 44.1 kHz and 48 kHz. I can't see any bits anywhere.

InfluxxMedia said:
You didnt mention any specifics in your post but dodgy cables cause crackling too.
Click to expand...
What else should I list that might be helpful?

I connected my DJM 750 MK2 mixer (USB B Port) via USB cable to the Mac (USB C). In the sound settings on the Mac, I set the mixer as input source and configured it as input source in OBS. I connected and configured everything exactly the same way as on my MacBook 2019 model and it worked fine there, so I don't understand what the problem is with my new Macbook.
 
C

cindydoo22

Member
Have you tried running the set up just off the batteries on the laptop, ac plug not plugged in?

Are all your devives, mixer, laptop plugged into the same outlet, change power strip?

And if you have your old MBPro and reconnect it still works fine? Not sure reason for getting new machine, original machine only 1 year old.
 
T

t0ny

New Member
cindydoo22 said:
Have you tried running the set up just off the batteries on the laptop, ac plug not plugged in?
Click to expand...
Yes, but nothing Changed

cindydoo22 said:
Are all your devives, mixer, laptop plugged into the same outlet, change power strip?
Click to expand...
Not quite, mixer and the players have their own power strip, but this is connected to the same one where the power supply from the Macbook is connected. I have already tested the usb cable from the mixer to all 4 thunderbolt ports, but the problem still exists.

cindydoo22 said:
And if you have your old MBPro and reconnect it still works fine?
Click to expand...
No, because it is for sale and has been reset to factory settings.

cindydoo22 said:
Not sure reason for getting new machine, original machine only 1 year old
Click to expand...
that had other reasons why i bought a new macbook.

I have now tested the following, I started a recording via Audacity to see if this sound problem also exists there and indeed it does! So I turned down the volume on the mixer, so that the mixer is really only in the green zone, but there is also this cracking sound. The funny thing is, when I record a set on my iPhone (Pioneer Record app) I have a clean sound, no cracking, so it's kind of related to my Macbook, but why didn't I have this problem with my 2019 Macbook, which had less power and even less Thunderbolt connectors? I'm facing a big mystery, which I can't solve at the moment.
 
T

t0ny

New Member
cindydoo22 said:
Did you check this out?
Click to expand...
I just tested it, no change. This has nothing to do with the loudspeakers, because this crackling is in the audio signal and I only have this when I record from the mixer. Even if I cut the videos and upload them to Instagram this cracking is there.

I actually unpacked my 2019 Macbook and installed and tested everything again, the cracking is NOT there, the sound is clean.
 
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