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Model Number A1707. Released June 2017, this MacBook Pro features Kaby Lake processors up to the 2.8 GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 processor with Turbo Boost up to 3.8 GHz.

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Left Speaker Lost Treble (Twice!)

I have the Touchbar version of 15" 2017 Macbook Pro. About a year ago my left speaker started losing treble. It came to a point where it it was too distracting so I brought it in to the Apple store for repair (under my credit card’s extended warranty). Now a year after the repair, my left speaker is losing treble again! I cannot afford to have it fixed again because I no longer have warranty on the device.

Has anybody else encountered this with their Macbook?

There is no apparent damage of any sort nor do I ever play loud music from the speakers. This issue exists on both OSX and Windows 10 bootcamp so I know it’s not a operating system issue.

Answer this question I have this problem too

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1 Answer

I think you need to do some testing here to isolate out what's really failing.

I don't think Apple did anything to your system! They may have just blindly replaced the speaker but that was not likely the issue.

The speaker design uses both a tweeter (high frequencies) and a woofer (low frequencies) speakers. each is driven by separate circuits via the Digital Audio Converter (DAC) which converts the digital signal into an analog signal the speakers need to work.

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So did you blowout the speaker by over driving it? Or is the connection to the logic board and the pathway to your DAC logic failing, or lastly is the DAC its self failing.

You’ll need a good Audio Test - Tone Generator to really compare your internal and external speakers so you can create a clean tone at the frequencies you are concerned with.

I would start off by using a wired set of speakers to plug into the headphone jack (don’t use Bluetooth as that uses a different circuit pathway and DAC logic) Does it also have problems with the high frequencies with the same side? Use the Sound Control to bias which speaker is active.

Once you know if the internal speaker unit or the Connection/DAC logic that has failed you can then figure out the next steps.

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2 Comments:

Thanks for your answer Dan. I have done a tone test and it is a problem only with the internal speaker. There is no damage to the laptop nor do I ever raise the volume past 50%.

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Good! That removed the DAC Chip its self.

At this point either the speaker has failed again (not likely) or the electrical connections of the speaker connector to the logic board or the pathway to the DAC has a problem!

Carefully lift the ribbon cable off of the logic board of the bad speaker using a magnifying glass inspect both the cable end and the logic board connector faces. I think you'll find one or both have damaged contacts.

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Rob will be eternally grateful.
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