Crackling MacBook sound: audio flex cable, speaker or logic board?

Finding where the crackling comes from

1. 1

   Try a different sound

   Play another track or video in a different app: a poor-quality file will crackle on any Mac. Restart your Mac as well to rule out a temporary glitch.

2. 2

   Check the output

   Go to the Apple menu › System Settings › Sound › Output, select the built-in speakers and adjust the ‘Output volume’.

3. 3

   Isolate the side

   On the same screen, move the ‘Balance’ slider all the way to the left, then all the way to the right. If the crackling can only be heard on one side, that speaker is the culprit.

4. 4

   Test with headphones

   If the sound comes through the headphones clearly, the speakers or their connection are to blame. If you can hear the crackling in the headphones too, the fault is further upstream, on the audio board or the logic board.

The causes, from the simplest to the most serious

1. Damaged speaker: your MacBook’s sound crackles on one side only, often getting worse as you turn up the volume. Wear, dust, a knock or liquid can damage the speaker membrane.
2. Poorly reseated connector: if the crackling started after a repair, the speaker connector on the logic board may not have been reconnected properly. It is small and fragile.
3. Audio board or its flex cable: on some MacBook Air models, the headphone jack sits on a small audio board connected to the logic board by a flex cable. If this board or its cable is faulty, the sound may crackle in both the headphones and the speakers.
4. Logic board: the headphones crackle too, and replacing the speakers makes no difference. This is the most serious case, often following liquid damage.

The repair: which part to replace

• Speaker replacement: on most MacBooks, the left and right speakers are sold separately. However, we recommend replacing both at the same time to be sure of solving the problem. You can easily find the right speaker for your model.
• Audio / sound board: on some Mac models, the sound board is separate from the logic board. This is the case, for example, with the MacBook Air A1932 and A2337. Here are all the available audio boards.
• Logic board: if the problem persists and your Mac’s sound board is built into the logic board, you will need to replace the MacBook’s logic board.

Find the right part for my Mac

Not sure which model you have? Quickly identify the parts you need for this repair without making a mistake.

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Need help with the repair? We offer tutorials to guide you step by step through replacing the part. Our team of technicians is also on hand if you need any advice.