You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

My output sound selection keeps changing

I have a new 16" M1 Max MacBook Pro. I'm running Monterey 12.3


I've got three possible sound output choices:

  1. MacBook Pro speakers
  2. LED Cinema Display speakers
  3. Apogee Quartet audio interface.


I'm really wanting to use the Quartet, but this problem affects even the LED Cinema speakers. Here's what's happening:


If I pick either the LED Cinema or the Quartet as my output sound choice (in the System Preferences dialog), everything works fine for a minute or so. Then my selected output choice disappears from the System Preferences dialog and I temporarily hear through the laptop speakers for a second or two. Then it switches back. This continually cycles and is most irritating.


How do I fix it?

MacBook Pro 16″, macOS 12.3

Posted on Mar 30, 2022 6:54 PM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Mar 30, 2022 7:38 PM

Well, it seems I may have the problem figured out.


Both the quartet audio interface and the Apple LED Cinema Display output to one of the old USB cables. But my MacBook Pro only wants USB C or Thunderbolt. So, I ran the USB devices through a oldish Belkin USB hub that output to USB C.


And this worked for my previous intel-based MacBook Pro.


So, after typing this in, I went and randomly moved the USB cable from the Belkin to a more pricey CalDigit hub.


Everything seems to work now.


It seems the USB hub (Belkin) is no longer compatible with the M1 Powerbooks.


The moral of the story seems to be that you need to check on hub compatibility when you move to newer hardware!

1 reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Mar 30, 2022 7:38 PM in response to Mark Stockwell

Well, it seems I may have the problem figured out.


Both the quartet audio interface and the Apple LED Cinema Display output to one of the old USB cables. But my MacBook Pro only wants USB C or Thunderbolt. So, I ran the USB devices through a oldish Belkin USB hub that output to USB C.


And this worked for my previous intel-based MacBook Pro.


So, after typing this in, I went and randomly moved the USB cable from the Belkin to a more pricey CalDigit hub.


Everything seems to work now.


It seems the USB hub (Belkin) is no longer compatible with the M1 Powerbooks.


The moral of the story seems to be that you need to check on hub compatibility when you move to newer hardware!

My output sound selection keeps changing

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.