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iMacfan · Oct 3, 2006, 02:20 PM

Sorry about this, but I just need to vent my frustration.

AAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRGGHHHHHHHHHH!

After a weekend of enjoying my wonderful new and tricked-out 24" iMac, I've had it declared DOA. The reason? Silly, stupid little noises.

Firstly, either the HD or a fan (which I think far more likely) makes a quiet, but most irritating clicking/scratching noise about 50% of the time. It's the same loudness as the HD, but in an otherwise extremely quiet machine it just gnaws into your skull. Unlike a low drone or rush of air from a normal fan, I just can't ignore this one.

Secondly, only today I noticed that mine suffers from a low hum that comes from the screen, only when you turn down the brightness (which is essential if you want to keep your retinas). Not too loud, but when combined with the fan, DOA was the only answer

So, a returned computer, time, effort, and money - all because I can't get to that bloody fan, and to think that the screen is pixel perfect as well.

Please, someone tell me it is possible, even probable, that the next one will be silent, perfect and pixel perfect?

David

indigoimac · Oct 3, 2006, 02:57 PM

Sorry to hear that!

Hopefully a new one will be better, i'd be willing to bet that it was a fan, but if by any chance it has a seagate drive they do seem to make some odd noises when reading and writing, either way it is still proably worth a return.

quiklee · Oct 3, 2006, 03:07 PM

good thing they have the return policy, eh?

brassplayersrock² · Oct 3, 2006, 03:48 PM

sorry to put a damper on things, but i have heard that there is no mail back option for the 24'' imacs

iMacfan · Oct 3, 2006, 04:15 PM

Originally Posted by brassplayersrock

sorry to put a damper on things, but i have heard that there is no mail back option for the 24'' imacs

Sorry, not quite sure what you are trying to say there - The courier will be contacting me to pick up the DOA unit. Also, Apple have a duty to put faults right. What you might be confusing this with is that a CTO iMac can't be returned for a refund if there is no defect.

David

::maroma:: · Oct 3, 2006, 05:39 PM

Is it at all ironic that your name is iMacfan and your iMac has a fan problem?

Chinasaur · Oct 3, 2006, 05:46 PM

Originally Posted by ::maroma::

Is it at all ironic that your name is iMacfan and your iMac has a fan problem?

Not bad Maroma. Sorry to hear your 24" ain't making it. Going to get another?

iMacfan · Oct 4, 2006, 03:43 AM

Originally Posted by Chinasaur

Not bad Maroma. Sorry to hear your 24" ain't making it. Going to get another?

Yeah, will try at least one more. I was very tempted to keep the first one, but I figured that I'd only kick myself once the DOA period ran out. The thing is, I'm really fond of the 24" screen, and so my only other option is a Mac Pro with either the 23" which has its own problems, or an Eizo. That combination would be nearly twice the iMac, and wouldn't look as good...

As for the irony, yes I do see it, especially as I registed the name years and years ago when I got a Bondi iMac for Christmas - I was much younger then!

David

iMacfan · Oct 11, 2006, 08:23 AM

Well, the replacement has arrived - noise a good bit better - but a bloody stuck pixel!

Upper Middle of the screen, bright blue on black backgrounds. Can't see it on the desktop, but sticks out bad on DVDs/Games/Front row. I've tried a pixel unsticker and massaged it a little, but still no joy.

What do I do? Accept it?

David

zaghahzag · Oct 11, 2006, 08:42 AM

keep it, its character.

iMacfan · Oct 11, 2006, 10:45 AM

It's going back - the stuck pixel hasn't yielded to a couple of hours of quick changing. Maybe I could learn to live with it, but I don't see why I have to. But my main concern is that of noise. The screen buzz is still there, and while you get used to it, when the screen sleeps, there is quite a relief, so to me that means that it is too loud.

Also, I still hear a fan rubbing - not that bad but what happens if it wears a bit and in two months time I have a 1pound fan ruining the experience of a 1500pound machine, with the only option being tedius and risky repair (the only Apple repairs I've had in the past led to replacement). These wierd noises are the sort of thing I'd expect from a 6 year old machine on its last legs, not a brand new one.

So, anyone know if Eizo screens buzz?...

David

quiklee · Oct 11, 2006, 12:44 PM

sorry to hear that . . hopefully you get a perfect one soon . . then you can post pics and join the flickr groups!

iMacfan · Oct 11, 2006, 01:26 PM

Originally Posted by quiklee

sorry to hear that . . hopefully you get a perfect one soon . . then you can post pics and join the flickr groups!

Sorry, I didn't make it clear enough - I'm quitting the iMac. Apart from the stuck pixel (which is a main reason why I sent it back), I think this one is pretty normal - but the normal sounds are not what I had hoped. I'm still looking for a machine which is to all intents and purposes silent - my 12" Powerbook is at idle, and so is my Mum's G4 Mac mini. This isn't.

So, I'm probably going to get a Mac Pro. Despite the power, it seems like it's pretty silent without the optical drive spinning, and any noise it does make can be put under the table - instead of straight in front of you like the iMac. And if something does go dodgy, odds are I can sort it out myself. It's massive overkill, and it does mean that I'll have to sell the other kidney as well, but at least it should be bulletproof.

So, does anyone know if Eizo monitors buzz...

David

gadgeteer · Oct 11, 2006, 04:12 PM

I just received my 2nd 24" iMac today. The first one had the hum. Guess what? This one does too. Even though I probably could stand the screen at max brightness to avoid the hum, I'm not sure I want to. I think I might opt for a Mac Pro as well. Very disappointing and annoying to get all excited about a new computer only to have to pack it up 2x and sent it back. :o(

Regards,
Julie Strietelmeier
The Gadgeteer - The best source of gadget and gizmo related reviews on the net!

Noscito · Oct 11, 2006, 04:49 PM

Got mine today too.... it has the same humm noise you guys are talking about. It's a bit annoying, but I'm too freaking excited to check out this machine and so far I haven't seen any flaws, I can live with this... most of my pc's had at least one problem that I could live with, so... but I can imagine that it can get people frustrated, especially when you notice it and focus on it... well cya

iMacfan · Oct 11, 2006, 05:04 PM

Maybe I was hoping for too much, but I'm hoping for this to be the source for my Hi-Fi, so wierd buzzing and fan noise, even if not that loud is a no-no. Anyhow, I've just seem that Eizo have dropped their price on their 24" LCD by three hundred pounds - so I'm in a better mood now!

David

ChasingApple · Oct 12, 2006, 03:04 PM

Thank the gods I got the iMac G4 when I did. My trusty old 1.25Ghz 17"er is silent, and beautiful.

After everything I have read about the new 24" iMacs, I have labeled them DO NOT GET. That and they are ugly anyway

::maroma:: · Oct 12, 2006, 03:40 PM

I just received my 24" iMac yesterday and spent the evening playing with it (of course). I found it to be very quiet, and didn't detect any sort of humming or vibrating going on at any time, other than when a CD or DVD was spinning (of course). After reading reports of this model being noisy for some, I was a bit concerned. But I am extremely happy with what I have. Its quiet and beautiful. The screen is just amazing. The speed is awesome. I can't find anything bad to say about it. I am 100% satisfied.

bealzabobs_youruncle · Oct 12, 2006, 04:37 PM

Originally Posted by ChasingApple

After everything I have read about the new 24" iMacs, I have labeled them DO NOT GET. That and they are ugly anyway

Is this what you are telling yourself

discotronic · Oct 12, 2006, 08:40 PM

The original first run G5 iMac had the same issue with the hum. When the brightness was adjusted the hum would change. Apple would replace the logicboard when the problem occurred. Hopefully this isn't the same issue.

WOPR · Oct 13, 2006, 01:55 AM

Originally Posted by ChasingApple

Thank the gods I got the iMac G4 when I did. My trusty old 1.25Ghz 17"er is silent, and beautiful.

After everything I have read about the new 24" iMacs, I have labeled them DO NOT GET. That and they are ugly anyway

If your G4 is silent then the fan must be broken! I never minded the noise from mine until my new Core 2 Duo arrived, which is so much quieter than the G4 it's unreal.

volcano · Oct 13, 2006, 03:10 AM

Ah, this thread takes me back to the days of the Rev. A & Rev. B iMac G5.

"Oh noes! My iMac made a humming noise!"

"Oh mi gawd! The hard-drive makes a clicking noise every once and a while! I hate this thinggg! Ugh!"

You do realize that these are machines with moving parts inside, right? It's not going to be silent 100% of the time. They never claimed to be, either... the claim is "whisper quiet."

I guess I'm just lucky. I've never heard anything remotely loud from my Rev. B model except when there is something in the Superdrive. Then again, my old PC before this sounded like a mother freakin' jetplane everytime it was turned on, so the difference was a little bit drastic for me.

I think you should've kept the first one. The noise levels on all iMacs are completely acceptable (well, except for the Rev. A models I'd say), and of course tiny, minute noises will be more noticable due to the simple fact that the computer is right in front of your face as opposed to being on the floor beneath your desk.

Regardless, best of luck with your future purchase!

ChasingApple · Oct 13, 2006, 03:21 AM

Originally Posted by WOPR

If your G4 is silent then the fan must be broken! I never minded the noise from mine until my new Core 2 Duo arrived, which is so much quieter than the G4 it's unreal.

Mine is silent, not even a whisper. Put my hand over the top and the fan is working fine

discotronic · Oct 13, 2006, 08:26 AM

Originally Posted by ChasingApple

Mine is silent, not even a whisper. Put my hand over the top and the fan is working fine

I had the 17" 1.25GHz model and it was silent. I never heard the fan not matter what I was doing. My GF has an 800MHz model and there is no sound coming from the fan at all.

Wish I could have said the same for the first run iMac G5. People did complain but it was valid.

iMacfan · Oct 13, 2006, 09:52 AM

Originally Posted by volcano

Ah, this thread takes me back to the days of the Rev. A & Rev. B iMac G5.

"Oh noes! My iMac made a humming noise!"

"Oh mi gawd! The hard-drive makes a clicking noise every once and a while! I hate this thinggg! Ugh!"

You do realize that these are machines with moving parts inside, right? It's not going to be silent 100% of the time. They never claimed to be, either... the claim is "whisper quiet."

I guess I'm just lucky. I've never heard anything remotely loud from my Rev. B model except when there is something in the Superdrive. Then again, my old PC before this sounded like a mother freakin' jetplane everytime it was turned on, so the difference was a little bit drastic for me.

I think you should've kept the first one. The noise levels on all iMacs are completely acceptable (well, except for the Rev. A models I'd say), and of course tiny, minute noises will be more noticable due to the simple fact that the computer is right in front of your face as opposed to being on the floor beneath your desk.

Regardless, best of luck with your future purchase!

Thanks - I completely understand where you are coming from. I've heard a lot of reports saying that it is really quiet, and so 'whisper quiet' was what I was hoping for. What I got was a definite noise, but more importantly with an irritating quality that I don't hear from most fans, loud or soft. Even if I could have got another one, my confidence in the design has taken a big hit as I can't just open her up and wiggle/oil/reseat the fan - from this side of two returns, it seems like too big a risk.

David

thiagofll · Oct 13, 2006, 10:45 AM

iMac Fan: Not to be rude or anything but I think you are being a little too picky. I do have the 24' iMac as well, the computer is extremely quiet. I had never noticed the screen noise until you said something. It is really minimum. I mean seriously, you want this perfect machine with no fans, no processor, no noise, I would sugest you not to get a computer at all. I doubt any other computer out there is more quiet than the iMac, specially the newer ones....

After the second exchange we can tell that the problem is not with the computer, but with you.

iMacfan · Oct 13, 2006, 03:50 PM

Originally Posted by thiagofll

After the second exchange we can tell that the problem is not with the computer, but with you.

Like I've already said - it's very possible either that I got two machines that were worse than average, or just that it wasn't for me. Either way, I lost confidence in it.

David