New Promedia 2.1 buzzing on an iMac 27" (2017)

[dpchristie]

I just purchased the ProMedia 2.1 speakers through Amazon.   Here is what I am experiencing.

 

1. When speakers are connected, there is a constant buzz, all the time. I can decrease the volume on the speaker an it will go away, but then the volume is too low to hear anything. 
2. When I unplug the speakers from the iMac headphone port, and I plug in a headset, there is no buzzing in the headset, and it sounds amazing.
3. When I shut down the computer, the buzzing does stop, when I reboot and the system powers up, the buzzing will start, will have 5 "pops" and then just the constant buzz.  This would seem to point to the soundcard, but again, headphones sound great in the same port.
4. I checked the sound preferences, but there isn't much that can be changed.
5. I did an SMC and a PRAM reset on the iMac, no help

6. I have the iMac plugged into a UPS (CyberPower 1500 full Sinewave system).   I initially had the speakers plugged into the UPS (not UPS outlet).   I moved the plug to a different outlet, but it didn't help the issue.

 

Any ideas out there?  I can't think of anything else to try.   Are these speakers just too powerful for an iMac?   I could reach out to Apple, but my guess that being headphones sound great in this same port, they will say that there system is running fine.  

Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.

[billybob]

Did you try plugging unit in a different oulet in another room

going for a different circuit...

Thanks

[billybob]

1 hour ago, dpchristie said:

I just purchased the ProMedia 2.1 speakers through Amazon.   Here is what I am experiencing.

 

1. When speakers are connected, there is a constant buzz, all the time. I can decrease the volume on the speaker an it will go away, but then the volume is too low to hear anything. 
2. When I unplug the speakers from the iMac headphone port, and I plug in a headset, there is no buzzing in the headset, and it sounds amazing.
3. When I shut down the computer, the buzzing does stop, when I reboot and the system powers up, the buzzing will start, will have 5 "pops" and then just the constant buzz.  This would seem to point to the soundcard, but again, headphones sound great in the same port.
4. I checked the sound preferences, but there isn't much that can be changed.
5. I did an SMC and a PRAM reset on the iMac, no help

6. I have the iMac plugged into a UPS (CyberPower 1500 full Sinewave system).   I initially had the speakers plugged into the UPS (not UPS outlet).   I moved the plug to a different outlet, but it didn't help the issue.

 

Any ideas out there?  I can't think of anything else to try.   Are these speakers just too powerful for an iMac?   I could reach out to Apple, but my guess that being headphones sound great in this same port, they will say that there system is running fine.  

Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.

 

49 minutes ago, billybob said:

Did you try plugging unit in a different oulet in another room

going for a different circuit...

Thanks

Or a cheater plug to troubleshoot...

[dpchristie]

Got it figured out, thanks to the Genius bar at the Apple store.     First they tried a different speaker, and it worked fine.   Then they put the ProMedia on my iMac, and the buzzing was there.  They moved it to another iMac, it still buzzed.  They moved it to a MacBook Pro, worked fine.   As it turns out, the design on the 3.5 jack on the ProMedia is such that it doesn't plug in properly on the curved back of the iMac, but it plugged in fine on the flat side of a MacBook Pro.    So, the solution, a $9 3.5 Jack to USB-C adaptor.  Plug went fine in the adapter, and then into my USB-C port.   No buzz, things are good.  

This is just one of those things, thankfully the Apple genius guy was actually pretty darn sharp and figured it out pretty quick.    Speakers sounds amazing now.   Go

[pdiz]

Thanks for posting this. Will give feedback on if it's an issue with a 2020 Mac Mini once I get delivery of mine. Simple fix, seems like a design flaw on Apple's part, really, not Klipsch. Love both companies.