[coitus]

I recently purchased one of the new Mac Pro Dual 3-Ghz Quad-Cores. Up until this past weekend it has performed flawlessly but my first issue has reared its ugly head.

I can no longer control the volume to the line-out external speakers. Regardless of the settings I adjust in the Sound preferences pane it only appears to control the internal speaker (if set to line-out, with external speakers plugged in). Alternately, it will control the volume to Headphones if I have some attached.

Last week I was able to have separate volume control via keyboard or pull-down menu. This was achieve by using the Sound preferences pane and selecting Output and choosing either Headphones or Line Out. In addition, on the Sound Effects tab I have "Play alerts and sound effects through: Selected sound output device" I have both check boxes checked: 1) Play user interface sound effects and 2) Play feedback when volume is changed.

The ONLY thing I can think of that has changed to myself was installing Stuff Standard 11. However, I have no earthly idea why a mundane piece of software would have any affect at all on audio output.

I can control Line-Out volume through the volume slider in iTunes (or other app such as DVD player) or adjusting the in-line volume control on the external speaker cord itself (Monsoon Speakers). Alternately, I can open the Sound pane and adjust via the Output Volume slider. It is just freaking weird...

I've rebooted, I've run Disk Utility, and I've scratched my head annoyed. Can anyone offer some advice?

Thanks,

coitus

[cgc]

Weird. I have a MacPro and have no problems adjusting the sound level on my USB headset, the internal speaker, or my external speakers. What plug are your external speakers attached to? StuffIt 11 shouldn't cause any problems with audio...

[slpdLoad]

When you unplug the headphones is there a little red light coming out of the jack? Some of the symptome sound like it's accidentally switched to Digital Out. Also check out Audio Midi Setup.

[coitus]

Here's another post I found (on a different forum) after posting my original post. It seems any number of new Mac Pro people are experiencing this audio curiosity. It appears to fix and break itself without any particular rhyme or reason. All I know for sure it is annoying as crap.

Quote from another forum:

Curious sound occurrences on my 2 week old Mac Pro.
I purchased and connected a JBL Creature 2 powered speaker system (3 speakers in a 2.1 configuration) and for the first week it seemed to work ok. My sound settings on the Mac side in system preferences are for output to line out, which should be the external speakers. However now the following.
1 The keyboard volume controls affect only the volume from the internal Mac speaker, not the volume on the JBL's.
2 The volume control on the menu bar does the same--only controls the internal speaker.
3 With any other source (DVD, quicktime movie file, CD) the volume is only controlled from the app that is running the source; the menu bar and keyboard controls have no effect at all.

++++end quote++++

To answer your questions, I have my external speakers attached to the back of my tower (the line out port). Also, there is no red light coming out of the jack when I unplug my headphones.

Another quote:

I can verify that this behavior happens sometimes. I can't figure it out either. You can have all the correct Audio/MIDI Setup settings, and yet you hit up/down volume and the Mac Pro internal speaker comes on when you told Built-In Output to be Mute.

When it happens, you can go into Audio/MIDI setup and hit Mute for the internal speaker, and as you are watching the dialog box, you press the volume key, and see it irritatingly un-muting the internal speaker checkbox.

I tried to fix it once by clearing the system caches, I thought that did it, but then it came back. This week the problem went away on its own, and then came back again without me changing anything! Like right now, it's working right: volume controls line-out external speakers and the internal is silent.

I can't come up with a cause-and-effect on this one.

++++end quote++++

Who knows, I'm hoping for a fix though...

[rehoot]

I had a similar audio oddity. I had adjusted the left/right balance on the headphone out (using the System Preferences pane) and then one of the channels (left or right, I forget) stuck on a very low volume. It did not return to normal when I set the left/right balance back to normal in the System Preferences pane.

The problem was temporary, but I don't remember what fixed it. I didn't do anything too crazy--mayb it just fixed itself. Experiment with using the headphone (front of the computer) and line out (back of the computer) and tripple check the sound output settings. Also be sure that your stereo plug is not bent.

Also read all the icons in the System Preferences pane (especially the bottom row) to see if there are any installed applications that are related to sound (was there installed software with the JBL thing?).

The thing you described with the volume key undoing the mute is a "feature" not a bug. Changing the volume disables the mute feature.

[coitus]

Originally Posted by rehoot 

The thing you described with the volume key undoing the mute is a "feature" not a bug. Changing the volume disables the mute feature.

You are missing one important detail. The keyboard and pull-down volume controls are only working for the Internal Speaker/Mic Output REGARDLESS of being set to control the Line Out.

That is the whole point of this thread, people are losing control of their Line-Out volume control via keyboard/pull-down. It can only be controlled through the individual application or the Sound preferences pane.

coitus

[victorial]

There is a red light comming out of my headphone jack on my mac book pro
every since i've plugged in my headphones once the headphones are unplugged there is no volume
V

[OreoCookie]

That's the way it is supposed to be: Line Out is kept on a constant level `full volume' as it is expected that you change the volume either
(i) on the device the output is fed to or
(ii) in the application you are using (e. g. iTunes).

So your MacPro isn't faulty, your OS X installation is just fine and it's a feature, not a bug.

[macgeek2005]

The Mac Pro's audio system is very delicate. You have to make sure that it is really switched to the channel you want. Go in system preferences, and switch back and forth between Headphones and Line-out. When you switch to headphones, change the volume around a bit, and then change back to Line-Out. Then it'll work. Also, web browsers sometimes don't register the change. If you use Firefox, you'll have to quit it and open it back up, for it to play through Line-Out.

[sethherr]

Have you checked your "sound effects" settings?
if you have your alerts and sound effects set to play through the internal speaker the keyboard will only modify the internal speaker's volume.
In the sound control panel check the "Sound Effects" tab, there should be an entry for "Play alerts and sound effects through"... change it to "Line Out" and everything should work for you (at least it did for me)
Best of luck
\Seth

[macjockey]

hey, I have a simular problem. I have a set of external speakers plugged into the headphone port on the back of my 3.0GHz Mac Pro. The system sounds play through the external speakers, Quicktime movies play through the external speakers, iChat sounds play through the external speakers, but any movies playing in a web browser plays through the internal speakers.

and note to "macgeek2005", there is no "Headphones" setting in the Sound pane of the System Preferences.

[ShivaReborn]

My old g5 had funky audio issues sometimes. I think it's just a glitch.

[OreoCookie]

It's probably not a glitch. The respective plugin you use (flash, realvideo, whatever) just uses the internal speakers for their output. Whether you can change that is a different question … 

[hamean]

Finally,

I've found others with this bug. For those of you thinking this is a system setting problem or a user error, it cannot be. For no reason whatsoever, my keyboard audio toggle now does not control my output sound. It did this once before, luckily then I had an Apple Care plan and the Apple rep told me how to reset the appropriate part. The first time it happened all my system sounds went to the internal speaker. Even the Apple guy on the phone was stumped.

Now the toggle sound and volume control on my keyboard goes to the internal speaker while all my other audio is unaffected by the volume control and stays at a lower level. This is very annoying and needs to be addressed by Apple. I have no clue how to reset it. I've tried resetting PRAM and NVRAM, but no luck so far.

[OreoCookie]

You could start by reading this thread. It's not a bug, it's a feature.

[mjurmann]

I have run into the same exact problem. I can't control my line-out with my keyboard volume controls. When I try to use them it changes the internal speaker even though I have the line-out selected as the audio output device!

I changed the output to the headphone and plugged it into the headphone output and it works through there. Why is the line-out not working? I created a new account and my line-out works in there. I deleted my Library on my main account and had OSX create a new Library but still no luck.

Guys, please help. This is such a pain. Apple is telling me to reformat my drive but I just put a fresh copy of OSX on here a few days ago. Why bother doing it again? The headphone does work for the external speakers, however, I want to plug my headphones in here and use the line-out for the externals!

Ahh :/

[mjurmann]

By the way, Oreo Cookie is wrong. This is NOT a feature. This is a glitch, a bug - something is certainly wrong. I'm not saying that certain apps output my audio through a certain device - that has never happened. I'm saying that my keyboard cannot and will not control OSX's volume control for the line-out when it is selected as the audio output device. It only changes the volume of the internal speaker!

[macgeek2005]

NEWS FLASH: IT'S A FEATURE!

Different applications are different, when it comes to what their sound output is. Some applications automatically change their sound output when the sound output is changed in system preferences. Some applications need to be quit and re-opened AFTER making the change in system preferences, for the changes to take effect in that application.

Some applications have THEIR OWN output settings within them, such as GarageBand and Digital Performer.

When you switch from "Line-Out" to "Built in Output", it doesn't automatically let you use the keyboard volume controls to control the new output. You need to move the volume around a bit with the keyboard, then switch back to Line-Out, and then switch back to Built in Output. This will bring the keyboards controls into activation with the new output.

The Macintosh Professional is obviously a professional machine, and because of that, everything is customary. (Think Final Cut Pro vs. iMovie. iMovie automatically adjusts Aspect Ratio, Frame Rate, Clip size, etc. Final Cut Pro makes you have to set everything exactly the way you want it.)

That's how the professional equipment works. Deal with it.

[mjurmann]

Wow, your post is a joke right.

I've never, NEVER had to do that kind of crazy volume sliding / switching back and forth outputs in order to get my volume controls to work correctly.

Please, spare me this garbage. If someone has an intelligent response, then please feel free to post it.

[mjurmann]

I just let the administrators of this board know that you're posting garbage and to please empty the trash as soon as possible.

This is NOT a feature. I've owned Mac Professional systems since the G4. I've never seen this happen with all of the apps I've used - and I've used a lot.

I don't use GarageCrap, I don't use the other one you mentioned.

None of my pro apps change the audio output.

[mjurmann]

For anyone interested in contributing anything constructive to this thread -

I just reinstalled the latest "Combo" patch for OSX. After the restart the Keyboard audio controls worked fine for the line-out.

However, when I restarted the computer again, the problem returned. The patch only temporarily fixes the issue until the next reboot.

Between reboots there was nothing new installed and no settings were changed. Everything was left "as is".

Anyone?

Sigh, this is so annoying.

[OreoCookie]

Originally Posted by mjurmann 

By the way, Oreo Cookie is wrong. This is NOT a feature. This is a glitch, a bug - something is certainly wrong. I'm not saying that certain apps output my audio through a certain device - that has never happened. I'm saying that my keyboard cannot and will not control OSX's volume control for the line-out when it is selected as the audio output device. It only changes the volume of the internal speaker!

I'm not wrong, you just expect different behavior. There is also no point in reporting (to me nonetheless) a post as garbled non-sense when somebody actually tries to help you. It's insulting and unnecessary.
I've highlighted the essential difference: they keyboard only controls the output of the system and not of the application. Devices that use line-in and line-out connections expect/need a fixed level, that's why you cannot lower it on your computer. With these devices it is expected that you change the volume on the amp your Mac is connected to via line-out.

[mjurmann]

Excuse me, but that doesn't include the entire operating system. I should be able to control OSX's main volume control via the keyboard.

I'm really not impressed with the help here. Not at all.

[digitalwrex]

Originally Posted by OreoCookie 

I'm not wrong, you just expect different behavior. There is also no point in reporting (to me nonetheless) a post as garbled non-sense when somebody actually tries to help you. It's insulting and unnecessary.
I've highlighted the essential difference: they keyboard only controls the output of the system and not of the application. Devices that use line-in and line-out connections expect/need a fixed level, that's why you cannot lower it on your computer. With these devices it is expected that you change the volume on the amp your Mac is connected to via line-out.

I have also experienced this keyboard volume control issue intermittently. This explanation does not explain why I've used my MacPro for 6 months listening to iTunes and controlling my volume level to my line out speakers that are connected through the back audio port with my keyboard, then suddenly lose that control. No setting change, no new applications, only sudden loss of function.
In the past I have restarted and regained control after start up, however this time this has not worked.
I understand what Mr. Oreo is explaining, however what I am experiencing along with others who have posted here and on other forums in regards to this same issue is not a user error, this is not a feature. If you have not experienced this I can understand your confusion.

[madphill]

I've been having the same issues as the rest of you. My volume keys only affect the internal speaker volume regardless of what application I'm in and the fact that my speaker output setting are set to line-out for sound effects and audio output.

I have also noticed that my sources are changing up. For example, in iTunes, if I hit play on an mp3 it plays out of my line-out speakers (even though I can't control this volume with the keyboard...I have to use the slider in the top bar) BUT, if I hit play in iTunes on a video, it plays through the external speakers.

ALL Sound effects are coming through the internal speakers as well. (even though, as I said, the sound effects setting is on line-out)

Lastly, I have checked my speaker connections and everything is powered up set properly. My mp3s sound fine, but it's just sporadic sound craziness going on here.

If anyone can figure this one out, I'd love to hear it!

[dan1975]

Hey guys, I have this too, is really getting annoying. The only way it comes back is run the battery flat and restart with power. Under the midi and audio option the output is set to digital out but it is greyed out and you cannot change it. System preferences sound shows that there is only one output available again "digital!".

I am convinced that whilst playing music through external speakers and then pulling out the jack did this whilst the audio engine was active. So there has got to be a cache some where that can be deleted . Any one know where i might start looking?

[dan1975]

Hi Guys,

found a fix for this, there is a reset switch inside the headset port, find a biro pen and take it out of the pen casing use the plastic end and push in you will feel it click. Hold in for 2 -3 seconds and the card resets waking up the Internal AUDIO. Mine is now working. Hope this helps Dan.

[OreoCookie]

Dan, this doesn't really help as you seem to have a MacBook Pro or another mobile Mac with digital out -- and this discussion is about Mac Pros which have line-outs in the back and not headphone jacks. Obviously, for one reason or another, your MacBook Pro's optical out was activated. Your problem might even have been mechanical. Hence you couldn't control the system volume for the same reasons as some members, including myself, have outlined above.

[MrWinther]

From MacFixit:

"This issue can sometimes be resolved by opening the Audio MIDI Setup application (located in Applications/Utilities) and changing the output setting to 44 KHz (44100.0 Hz) in both the Built in output window AND the Audio Output window. "

[gerrya]

I think I just found a solution to not having Line-out sound for a month. Note that the "Output volume" shown in the SOUND pane, AT THE BOTTOM, seems to be a Master control. If it's set hi or low in the Sound Effects , Output ,or Input sections, it resets all of these sections. Also, if you change the volume of your headphone or line-out with the KEYBOARD, you have also reset all the other output volumes. The Keyboard keys are Master as well and should be set back up if it was decreased.
The key to this surprise was that the Output-volume on the INPUT pane had to be UP in in order to hear anything from iTunes. Listen to something playing and go to the Sound >Input window and play with the output volume at the bottom.
Recording engineers commonly leave their master output level at around 75%.
Apple has to improve their layout of these controls.
I'm trying to get Speech to work. Anyone figured that out yet? Maybe I just helped myself here.
gerrya

[Streetwise]

I'm having the exact same issue as well on my MAC PRO dual quad core. Worked fine for several months with external speakers and iTunes. Then one day, POOF. No more keyboard volume control... Is there any fix?

[metaly]

Just registered to tag this post and mention that I'm having the same problem. I was away from my computer over the weekend and returned to find that the volume keys only control the internal speaker. I've been Googling for about an hour now with no luck.

If it makes any difference, I noticed that when I booted up this evening, the Aiport and Bluetooth icons, as well as the built-in clock (I usually use a 3rd party clock and keep Apple's hidden) had returned to the menu bar. Could it be related to the sound issue? Maybe some obscure preference file was overwritten?

[sibruk]

Like metaly, I have just registered for these forums just so that I can post something about this issue!

I think this thread might have got a bit off-track. This is the bug, as plainly as I can explain it....

• My Mac Pro usually works as expected - ie. the keyboard volume controls (up/down/mute) and the menu bar volume control operate whatever output is selected in the Sound preference pane. If I select "Line Out", the keyboard and menu bar controls the line out. If I select "Internal Speakers", the keyboard and menu bar controls the internal speakers. All good so far! This is the expected behaviour. This is how it is supposed to work. My Mac Pro works like this 70% of the time.
• I will sometimes find that this expected behaviour has "switched off" and that the keyboard buttons now (incorrectly) controls the internal speaker only. The menu bar volume (correctly) controls the Line Out. Audio still continues to come out of the Line Out (correctly) but the keyboard controls will not operate the volume for the Line Out.
• Looking in the Sound preference pane, everything is set correctly. I have the Line Out selected for the output.
• The Audio MIDI Setup application sheds a little more light on this. When viewing the properties for Built-in Line Output, the Master (M) volume slider is greyed out. When I use the keyboard controls, none of the volume sliders in Audio MIDI Setup are affected. When I use the menu bar volume slider, it changes the Channel 1 and Channel 2 slider - NOT the M slider (which as I say is greyed out). If I switch to viewing the properties for the Built-in Output, the reverse is true. The M slider is available to change (and indeed the keyboard buttons mute/raise/lower this M slider) and Channels 1 and 2 are greyed out. The menu bar volume slider does not affect any of the Built-in Output sliders in Audio MIDI Setup.
• The problem is intermittent. The keyboard volume up/down/mute buttons sometimes work, and sometimes don't. Once they have "switched out" they will only then control the internal speakers.
• I think it might be a user-level cache or pref file becoming corrupted (possibly /Users/username/Library/Preferences/com.apple.audio.AudioMIDISetup.plist ???). The reason I think this is because if I fast user switch into another user, the keyboard behaviour returns to normal - ie. operating whatever is selected in the Sound pref pane. However, switching back to the original user causes the incorrect behaviour to return.
• If I log out of the user account where the problem is occuring and then log back in again, the keyboard still doesn't work as expected. However, if I then go into the Sound pref pane and switch to the built-in speaker, and back to the Line Out, the keyboard behaviour then returns to normal. The M slider is still greyed out in Audio MIDI Setup, but everything works as expected.
• If I reboot the machine, the behaviour returns to normal.

I certainly don't want to insult or upset you, OreoCookie, or any of the other posters on here who have tried to help the original poster. I imagine the earlier poster is probably just so frustrated about this, the frustration possibly got the better of them and answered in a short tempered manner!

It is definitely a bug. I have owned Apple Pro systems (and supported hundreds of Pro systems in Audio/Video studios) for the last ten years. This is not how the behaviour should work. Whatever output you have selected in the Sound pref pane should be what the keyboard controls.

I appreciate that some applications can bypass the settings in the Sound pref pane, and output audio on whatever you have selected in the individual application. However, this is not an application issue. This is a problem specifically with the system audio default output.

It's getting on my proverbials, and I would appreciate any suggestions for trying to resolve it! So far, all the suggestions in this thread haven't worked.

[s_g]

I'm another who just joined, so I could post to this thread... In May, I submitted a bug report to Apple. At the time, they not only confirmed that it was a known bug, but my report was transferred to an already existing bug report number. Here's a copy of their response to my request for an update (from 8/15/07)
---------------------------------------------------------

Thank you for contacting us regarding the status of Bug ID# 3976452.

I have checked with Engineering, and this issue is still being investigated and has not yet been resolved. I have asked that the priority of the issue be raised.

We will do our best to keep you informed as new information becomes available. Please be sure to regularly check the seed or release notes for potential or related fixes that might affect this issue.

We sincerely appreciate your patience and thank you for your support.

Best Regards,

Stoney Gamble
Apple Developer Connection 
Worldwide Developer Relations

[s_g]

Forgot to mention - the way I've managed to resolve this problem each time is to log out of my user account, log into a "test" user account I created, fiddle the volume keys on the keyboard, and then log back into my user account. It's rather a pain, but this seems to work every time, and stay set correctly, until I have to restart my computer again.

[metaly]

I'm not sure what I did besides reboot, but the problem seems to have fixed itself. Now only the startup sound plays through the internal speaker (which is a little annoying because it means the mute button switched from ignoring one output to another), but I'm afraid that messing with the output settings again would be tempting fate.

Just wanted to let fellow sufferers know that while we're waiting for Apple to figure out a fix, there's a chance that your computer may randomly fix itself.

[gierran]

I have experienced the same bag (Apple Bug ID # 3976452) Mac Pro - Keyboard volume keys affect internal speaker volume, instead of line out.

In the past I managed to fix this problem by deleting the file: com.apple.BezelServices.plist located in User>Library>Preferences

That didn't work this time, but I managed to fix the bug by doing the following:

1. Create a new user account. (I checked "Allow this user to administer this computer". Don't know if that's necessary but you might as well.) Log out of current user and log into the new user account.
2. Go to System Preferences>Sound and change the sound output device from Internal Speakers to Line Out.
4. Press the keyboard volume keys to check they are working correctly - VOILA! they should modify the Line Out volume again!
5. Log out of new user account and back into normal user.
6. Check keyboard volume keys are working correctly and delete the new user account you created.
7. Do a victory lap!

Hope it works for all of you!

[henjin]

Originally Posted by macgeek2005 

The Mac Pro's audio system is very delicate. You have to make sure that it is really switched to the channel you want. Go in system preferences, and switch back and forth between Headphones and Line-out. When you switch to headphones, change the volume around a bit, and then change back to Line-Out. Then it'll work. Also, web browsers sometimes don't register the change. If you use Firefox, you'll have to quit it and open it back up, for it to play through Line-Out.

Good lord, this happens on a MacPro? Actually I've read a lot of problems with MacPro systems with audio being a problem across the whole range.
I'm glad you have a fix but really this is poor show from Apple. Maybe the next version of OSX will deal with it. Till then I think this site is great for providing a work around for sloppy software and/or hardware.
Macnn rocks, wish Apple was as good. It's really dropped the ball in the last few years.... quality wise I mean.

[emersunn]

This worked for me. Mac pro. I hope it sticks. Thanks G

Originally Posted by gierran 

I have experienced the same bag (Apple Bug ID # 3976452) Mac Pro - Keyboard volume keys affect internal speaker volume, instead of line out.

In the past I managed to fix this problem by deleting the file: com.apple.BezelServices.plist located in User>Library>Preferences

That didn't work this time, but I managed to fix the bug by doing the following:

1. Create a new user account. (I checked "Allow this user to administer this computer". Don't know if that's necessary but you might as well.) Log out of current user and log into the new user account.
2. Go to System Preferences>Sound and change the sound output device from Internal Speakers to Line Out.
4. Press the keyboard volume keys to check they are working correctly - VOILA! they should modify the Line Out volume again!
5. Log out of new user account and back into normal user.
6. Check keyboard volume keys are working correctly and delete the new user account you created.
7. Do a victory lap!

Hope it works for all of you!

[ebuddy]

Originally Posted by henjin 

Good lord, this happens on a MacPro? Actually I've read a lot of problems with MacPro systems with audio being a problem across the whole range.
I'm glad you have a fix but really this is poor show from Apple. Maybe the next version of OSX will deal with it. Till then I think this site is great for providing a work around for sloppy software and/or hardware.
Macnn rocks, wish Apple was as good. It's really dropped the ball in the last few years.... quality wise I mean.

I've already inundated this forum with my views on Apple's quality. I'd like to upgrade "just because I want to" some day and I've been doing this for over 10 years. Problem is, there isn't much out there of better quality and design. You get what you pay for though... cooler looking machines.

That said, it seems the CPUs in my dual 2Ghz G5 are reaching their 4-year mark after several years of fighting chirping processors and wake from sleep issues. It's now time for the next generation MacPro. I'm curious about the complaints of audio problems. Anything specific?

[metaly]

Well, it's happened again! Like I mentioned previously, Bluetooth, Airport, and the system clock have returned to the menubar with this bootup.

Not sure if this will help with anyone's diagnosis, but a few details of this instance: I have my Mac Pro and a PC connected to a USB/KVM switch. I had left the PC on, then started up the Mac again while switched to the PC. For some reason the Mac always forces the KVM to switch to it during boot, so of course that happened as usual, and then I got the extra menubar items/speaker issue.

Hey Apple, is this fixed in Leopard? Maybe I'll upgrade sooner rather than later, if it is. For now, I'll try another reboot.

[gierran]

Been using leopard for three weeks now. No audio problems at all. And damn Leopard is fast - VIVA LA 64BIT!

[Oogieboogie]

I have a new Mac Pro - 2x3.2GHz Quad core with 18GB RAM installed.
All this horsepower and Apple can't get the audio system right.
The posters who have said there is a problem are right so you moderators who keep on saying it is a feature - buzz off - you don't know what you are talking about.
Since I have had this new beaut machine - first my external speakers (connected to my line-out at the rear) worked - then they did not work - then they did again - depending on what time of day or when I next re-booted.
There is something strangely amiss with the sound card or whatever is driving it.
Most of the time I can get the system sound to work but hen most of the time my external speakers will not. Then all of a sudden, magically, it reverses.
I don't know about the problems with the keyboard controls because I don't use them but I do know this is NOT a feature.
All I want is my line out to work all the time with my external speakers - Is this too much to ask of Apple?
I haven't had any problem with menu items disappearing. When sound suddenly disappears from my external speakers, I go to the menu bar to check the output level and all is OK -Just no sound
HELP APPLE!

[Big Mac]

Oogie, how can you be certain that the problem you're experiencing is the one identified in this old thread? It appears to be a different issue entirely.

I'm an 18 year Mac user, and only rarely have I experienced an audio problem like the ones found in this thread; a log-out, or at most, a restart, always cured it.

[burak]

I've just registered due to a similar problem as well. I use an eMac; iTunes and DVDs play through the external speakers, but the web radios on the browser (mostly) play through the internal speakers; I can't get BBC through external speakers for example. Can anyone help in this?

[tooki]

The few times I've had that happen -- where Flash played its audio through the wrong audio device -- a shutdown was all it took to get it working again.