Apple Admits Studio Display Experiencing Speaker Issues, Offers Only Temporary Fix

Apple has admitted that customers using the Studio Display may experience audio-related issues, including sound unexpectedly and abruptly cutting out, audio playing at a high speed, distorted audio quality, and choppy playback.

apple studio display blue
In a memo to authorized service providers, obtained by MacRumors, Apple acknowledges that customers may find themselves facing speaker issues with the company's $1599 display. Apple says that customers facing issues should unplug the Studio Display from power, unplug any accessories or devices connected to the display, wait ten seconds, then reconnect the Studio Display to power. Apple explicitly notes this is not a hardware problem and implies that a future iOS update may address the issues.

Apple has heavily boasted about the audio, mic, and camera built into the Studio Display. Apple says the speaker system is the "highest‑fidelity speaker system ever created for Mac" and has touted the controversial 12MP built-in camera with Center Stage and the six-speaker array system.

Customers have been reporting both microphone and speaker-related issues with their Studio Display over the last several months, but reports have become more frequent in recent weeks. Michael Tsai this week chronicled some testimonies from customers facing issues, with one customer writing:

The audio on my Studio Display fails intermittently. The only way I can get it to work again is to unplug the display overnight. That resets the display and resolves the problem temporarily. Until the next time. This is simply unacceptable for a $1600 monitor, and Apple should be ashamed of the poor quality control.

Based on the number of customer reports, audio-related issues with the Studio Display do appear to be relatively widespread. Hundreds of customers have taken to Twitter, the Apple Support (1,2,3,4,5) and MacRumors forums (1,2,3) looking for a permanent solution.








The Studio Display runs iOS and can receive software updates that address problems like this. Apple has attempted to address poor webcam quality with the Studio Display through a software update with mixed results. It seems the company will follow a similar route with audio-related issues. Today's memo offers no timeframe on when a permanent solution may arrive, but in the meantime customers are advised to ensure their display is updated to the latest firmware.

Related Forum: Mac Accessories

Top Rated Comments

akbarali.ch Avatar
18 months ago
I feel it's an unnecessarily over-engineered product. I really was waiting for the next version of the thunderbolt display, slimmer, lighter, brighter, cooler.
Score: 58 Votes (Like | Disagree)
SwiftArtery Avatar
18 months ago


Attachment Image
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BootsWalking Avatar
18 months ago
Next up: iToaster - It runs a full iOS installation and requires you to unplug it for 10 seconds before it can make toast.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
contacos Avatar
18 months ago

I feel it's an unnecessarily over-engineered product. I really was waiting for the next version of the thunderbolt display, slimmer, lighter, brighter, cooler.
Right? What happened to "plug and play" and all you need to worry about was having the correct cable
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MajorFubar Avatar
18 months ago
Can't avoid sounding like someone's dad but the rot set in when monitors suddenly were no longer just a CRT or flat panel dumbly displaying an image sent to them over an analog cable from the computer's graphics card, and instead became little computers running firmware.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Loismustdie1 Avatar
18 months ago

Ah feck! I've just ordered one of these. Do I cancel? Are they really that problematic?
I have two nanotexture Studio Displays. I have zero regrets, and debating on buying a third as they're pretty much the only 5K monitor worth getting. That being said I would be nothing but a fanboy if I said these monitors were perfect. The camera situation in my opinion was *slightly* overblown, though for the price you are paying for them it should have been better than what it is. It's decent, but not $1599 decent. The audio issues are very annoying however. I have issues about once a week where sound will stop coming out of my main studio monitor. The solution has been to either restart my Studio Display, restart my Studio, or in some cases both. I'm glad this is a software issue, but I agree with another comment above that this could have been avoided if it weren't so over engineered.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 17

iOS 17.2 Will Add These 12 New Features to Your iPhone

Friday December 1, 2023 12:19 pm PST by
iOS 17.2 has been in beta testing for over a month, and it should be released to all users in a few more weeks. The software update includes many new features and changes for iPhones, including the dozen that we have highlighted below. iOS 17.2 is expected to be released to the public in mid-December. To learn about even more features coming in the update, check out our full list. Journal ...
anker new xmas 1

Anker's Cyber Week Sale Enters Final Days With Up to 60% Off Sitewide

Friday December 1, 2023 12:05 pm PST by
Anker's Black Friday/Cyber Week event is entering its final days this weekend, and it's still offering up to 60 percent off sitewide. There are also a few "mystery boxes" that can include hundreds of dollars in savings, if you're willing to risk not knowing what you're buying ahead of time. All of these sales will end on December 3. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Anker. When you...
top stories 2dec2023

Top Stories: iOS 17.1.2 Released, NameDrop Misinformation, and More

Saturday December 2, 2023 6:00 am PST by
Apple employees are back to work following a Thanksgiving break, and that means this week saw a number of new operating system updates for both public release and beta testing. This week also saw some misinformation about Apple's new NameDrop feature making the rounds, while Apple and Goldman Sachs appear to be on the verge of a break-up in their Apple Card and savings account partnership,...
General Apps Messages

Green Bubbles on iPhone to Gain These 7 New Features Next Year

Thursday November 30, 2023 9:00 am PST by
Earlier this month, Apple announced that it will finally support RCS in the Messages app on the iPhone starting later next year. This change will result in several improvements to the messaging experience between iPhones and Android devices. RCS will become the new default standard for messaging between iPhones and Android devices, but these conversations will still have green bubbles like...
m2 macbook air green

Get Apple's M2 MacBook Air and M3 MacBook Pro for Record Low Prices

Friday December 1, 2023 6:59 am PST by
Best Buy is discounting a collection of MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models to all-time low prices today. We're tracking these deals below in addition to great discounts on the Apple Pencil 2 and Apple Watch Ultra 1. MacBook Air Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the...
iPhone 16 Mock Header Updated 1

iPhone 16 to Include Action Button Across Entire Lineup

Thursday November 30, 2023 4:08 pm PST by
The release of the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max saw the introduction of an entirely new user-configurable button known as the Action button, and now, MacRumors has seen extensive evidence confirming Apple is planning to include the Action button on the entire iPhone 16 range. Designs and plans for the Action button date back to at least 2021, as the button was intended for release alongside hapt...