My late 2020 M1 MacBook Air has picked up a brand new quirk: audio from each the left and proper channel is barely popping out of the left aspect speaker. What’s odd about it’s that if I play a “stereo take a look at” video, or if I play white noise and slide the Sound Settings stability slider between left and proper, then the timbre of the sound modifications barely (but it surely retains popping out of the left speaker).
(What I might count on to occur with a failed proper speaker is no sound from the correct channel, not “proper channel comes out the left aspect”!)
The 2 most important methods I have been testing it are
- play music or white noise, slide stability slider forwards and backwards in Sound Settings
- use the “take a look at” buttons on every channel in Audio MIDI Setup
I’ve used an (imprecise) decibel meter app on my iPhone to ensure that I’m not hallucinating. Sound strain is highest on the left aspect and falls off persistently as I transfer away from there, together with over the correct aspect speaker. With stereo white noise, there is a ~15dB distinction between straight over the left aspect of my laptop computer and the correct aspect.
Issues I’ve tried that didn’t repair it:
- eradicating all third-party audio drivers (Zoom, Krisp, and many others)
- upgrading from Monterey to Ventura
- booting into protected mode to check (however there is not any audio in protected mode!)
- creating a brand new consumer and testing audio
- double-checking Accessibility settings, in case I flubbed one thing when establishing accessibility settings for my Airpods
I have never popped the again off but, though actually aside from checking connectors I am unsure what I will do once I do pop it open, as a result of I am unable to give you any rationalization for each channels popping out of the left speaker, or in regards to the timbre change. I’ve received all of the tiny screwdrivers and spudgers I would want, although, and I am comfy poking round a bit.
I’ve had a tough time placing my finger on what precisely the timbre change is. White noise performed by the correct channel (nonetheless popping out the left aspect!) feels extra distant, which may be that it is just a bit quieter, or it could be that it is received much less low finish, I am unable to fairly inform. Nevertheless it’s undoubtedly completely different, and panning that white noise from left to proper is a linear change, there is not any “candy spot” at centre or something so I do not suppose it is a section concern or one thing bizarre like that.
Sadly I do not know when it started. I feel it was current, as a result of once I observed it, it was not refined. Headphones, each wired and Bluetooth, work high quality. I did just lately purchase and join a pair of Airpods Professional (2nd gen) however I am unable to think about how that might influence something.
It’s not underneath guarantee or AppleCare.
Anyone have any concept what could be happening, or what I ought to strive, both once I open it up or in software program?