Different Startup Chime on Intel Macs?

[dagger01]

You're almost right ...

No. Not every Mac model had its own startup sound.
The startup sound evolved over the years, starting with a simple beep on the original Macintoshes, a multi-tone variant on the Macintosh II and SEs and a bass version on the late 68k models. The late Centris and Quadra models already featured the startup sound, which was also used on most of the PowerMacs (another variant of the bass startup sound) and is still in use today. The only exception were the first PowerMac models (6100, 7100, 5200, 5300, 8100) and the Twentieth Anniversary Macintosh.
On models with lousy speakers (like the PM 4400), the same sound might have sounded a bit different, but in most cases it actually was the same.

You can check out all startup sounds in MacTracker.
http://www.mactracker.ca

Although it is true that not every Mac had it's own startup chime, and the chime did evolve over time, you are a bit muttled with respect to why, in what models and when.

The original Macintosh startup chime sounded different because it was based on an 8-bit, 22 kHz DAC. The chime remained pretty much the same until the 16-bit DACs and A/V models of Macintosh emerged in the early to mid-1990s. The chime was enhanced by adding more notes to the chord. The chord was still the same. The difference aurally between the standard 16-bit DACs in the Quadra series (and others with 16-bit DACs that came after) and the ones in the AV series was due to the DSP in the AV models. The DSP added spatial effects (reverb, sustain, etc.) to the chime. The other models lacked this DSP, so the chime 'sounded' different.

Since that time, and the time of the Power Mac, the chime has remained the same on all Macintosh models.

I think this rumor is unfounded. But, who knows what Steve will decide in the end.

 

[scottlinux]

...It's one of those little cool touches.

Ah, my professors don't consider it a cool touch; esp when they are giving a lecture! Ha

Perhaps the new chime will be a new chord. It's currently a 2nd inversion F# Maj chord. Wonder how they found that original chord/chime in the first place?

 

[Sunrunner]

Ah, my professors don't consider it a cool touch; esp when they are giving a lecture! Ha

Thats why your laptop should be sleeping instead of shut down... then all you have to do is open the sucker up!

 

[cwedl]

I hope they add an option into the operating system that allows you to turn the startup chime off, I always forget to turn the volume down before I go to the library at uni, I turn it on and the sound makes everyone look up at me, slightly embarrassing!

 

[Sunrunner]

I hope they add an option into the operating system that allows you to turn the startup chime off, I always forget to turn the volume down before I go to the library at uni, I turn it on and the sound makes everyone look up at me, slightly embarrassing!

Download Tinkertool. Its a shareware application that allows you to tweak many systems settings (including turning the chime on and off).

 

[johnnyjibbs]

I have to say that, while I like the current startup chime (one I presume has nostalgic reference, since my 2 year old PB is my first ever Mac), I wouldn't lose too much sleep over a change in chime.

In any case, most Mac users seem to be obsessed with uptime ( ) and thus hardly get to hear it anyhoo.

 

[Josh396]

I'd like for it to stay the same, but I rarely ever hear it anyways so it wouldn't be that big of a deal. I

I have to agree with that. I think I've probably heard it 3 or 4 times since I've been at school.

 

[Doraemon]

Don't know what macs your talking about here, but my presumption is that you mean the Power Macintosh 6100, 7100 and 8100, which were the first PowerPC Macs in 1994, more than a decade ago.

http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/powermac/index.html

I am talking about exactly the Macs I was mentioning: PowerMac 7700, 8700, 9700.
Prototype Power Macintosh computers. Never released. And they featured new/different startup sounds. But these sounds were never intended to be officially released.

 

[blufire]

I noticed that the audio quality of the startup chime decreased sometime between the Power Mac G3s and the last Power Mac G4. My beige PMG3 minitower has a full-quality, clear chime, while my Power Mac G4 MDD has a much fuzzier, midrange-boosted, unclear version (played through the same speakers). Anyone else notice this? I miss the nice high-quality chime.

No. Not every Mac model had its own startup sound.
The startup sound evolved over the years, starting with a simple beep on the original Macintoshes, a multi-tone variant on the Macintosh II and SEs and a bass version on the late 68k models. The late Centris and Quadra models already featured the startup sound, which was also used on most of the PowerMacs (another variant of the bass startup sound) and is still in use today. The only exception were the first PowerMac models (6100, 7100, 5200, 5300, 8100) and the Twentieth Anniversary Macintosh.
On models with lousy speakers (like the PM 4400), the same sound might have sounded a bit different, but in most cases it actually was the same.

You can check out all startup sounds in MacTracker.
http://www.mactracker.ca

 

[nagromme]

I just want the failure-sounds to return on startup, like the crashing car sound

Those added a nice dose of fun to the broken-down used Macs we had in my first Mac workplace.

Amazingly I still converted to Mac while working there. The PCs were broken even worse.

 

[EGT]

I'd hate to have the Intel sound but I don't think it'd be changed to that. As long as it's impressive like the current one when plugged into some big ass speakers.

 

[Sunrunner]

I'd hate to have the Intel sound but I don't think it'd be changed to that. As long as it's impressive like the current one when plugged into some big ass speakers.

Apple should just go all out and develop a THX-like uber-sound at startup...

 

[anonymous161]

new startup chime?
It will probably be the sound of Firewire dying.

 

[longofest]

http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/16425

This mutes the startup chime. A must have, esp if you use your laptop in a classroom, etc where you don't particularly want it to make a noise when booting.

This is a BAD idea to install folks. If you don't want to hear your startup chime, then mute your sound before you restart (which will mute the startup chime as well). However, if your iBook/pBook ever fails on you during startup, and you don't know exactly where it is failing, being able to hear the startup chime is essential! It basically tells the techs what part of the hardware is malfunctioning.

I know this from experience. I got yelled at by the Applecare folks for muting my startup chime. At the time, my powerbook would not turn on at all, and the tech wanted to know if it was even chiming when it came on, which would have at least told him that the firmware was being accessed, etc... Ended up being a bad motherboard. 3rd bad motherboard in a row for my 15" Powerbook (867). I've had a VERY bad experience with the Texas repair depot sending me back stuff that still doesn't work... thats another story...

 

[maestro55]

I like the current sound, but I wouldn't mind some minor changes, I wouldn't want it to change too much.

 

[hyperpasta]

My Faves

Here's a collection of some startup chimes and crash chimes too.

http://www.tcp.com/~dschaub/readme.html

Thanks, that's a great link. Maybe we could get something playing on the Power Mac 6100/60AV sound, I like that one. Maybe one with a second note.

 

[york2600]

http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/23141

That lets you mute it or adjust the volume. I have a MDD PowerMac G4 and it's insane how loud that chime gets.

-Tim

Apropos, is there a way to turn off the chime completely? Making noise on startup is cheap and disturbing in silent environments, when I forgot to press mute before shutting down.

 

[adrianm]

Classic not making the switch to Intel?!? It didnt even make the switch to G5, who the heck would ever expect Apple to port it to Intel?

Yes it did. Just not boot natively - but that's not 'classic'... 'classic' is the pre-OS X environment running under OS X.

 

[CANEHDN]

All this over a little noise at startup. It doesn't really matter to me what noise the computer makes at start up as long as it performs beautifully.

 

[Sharewaredemon]

Anyone know where I can find the current OS X startup chime to download?

 

[ccool2ax]

Not it isn't. No computer on the market makes that sound and no way is Apple going to license that sound from Intel.

Uh, i think he was being sarcastic. Besides, no one has ever put a hard drive into an MP3 player before Apple, why do it? Oh, and no one has ever had a scroll ball before, ao it cant be true. Plus, no one has ever switched to Intel from PPC before, so that means that it snt happening.

 

[Kingsly]

I love the current startup chime. When I wake up in the morning and start up my computer I always make sure my mixer and therefore my speakers are on. Fore some reason hearing that sound makes me feel all warm inside and happy that my mac is still there, and therefore it will be an excellent day.
Besides, when I bring over PC friends and turn up the volume before booting up my mac its like having the power of god emanating from the computer, "buhhhhhhhh!" and everyone's heart beats a little faster...
shortly afterwards I press Apple+N, Apple+N, Apple+N, Shift+F9 and they have all heart attacks.

A mac without that chime just wouldn't be a mac...
-Kingsly

 

[scottlinux]

This is a BAD idea to install folks. If you don't want to hear your startup chime, then mute your sound before you restart (which will mute the startup chime as well). However, if your iBook/pBook ever fails on you during startup, and you don't know exactly where it is failing, being able to hear the startup chime is essential! It basically tells the techs what part of the hardware is malfunctioning.

We see what you are saying, but that was more the case with old world macs. You were required to pay attention to the chime to figure out what was failing on your computer. (Like 1989 Toyotas with the code-flashing check engine light.)

If you are having problems, it's a simple resetting of the p-ram (Command+Option+p+r) to have the chime come back and override the software mute. And today in more modern computers, the hard drive is the most likely componet that will fail. And well, OS X has SMART utilities monitoring the drive (as does windows, and Linux).

Again, if you use a laptop and are in libraries/school/etc the startup chime is the most annoying thing. If this is your computer at home, I'm sure your dog/cat doesn't mind hearing it.

There is no problem in installing this software. But if you don't feel tech-savy enough, don't install it, as is your case.

 

[czardmitri]

Don't know what macs your talking about here, but my presumption is that you mean the Power Macintosh 6100, 7100 and 8100, which were the first PowerPC Macs in 1994, more than a decade ago.

I remember the startup sound reportedly being enhanced by a guitar strum by Stanley Jordon.

My fave startup sound! Bring it back!

-czardmitri

 

[Gizmotoy]

Apropos, is there a way to turn off the chime completely? Making noise on startup is cheap and disturbing in silent environments, when I forgot to press mute before shutting down.

Wow, people are coming up with all sorts of complicated ways to make it not chime on bootup. Assuming you're talking about having a laptop in your classroom, just hold down the mute button (F3 on my PowerBook) after you press the power button. No boot chime, even if the volume was turned up when it was shut down. Simple.