Studio Display audio output

[Jws]

I'm having an issue with my Studio Display not appearing as an audio output option after waking my M1 Mac Mini from sleep. The display itself functions fine, but it no longer appears as an option in the sound output settings, and the Mac reverts to its built in speakers. I have to remove the thunderbolt cable and reattach, and then it reappears. I've tried power cycling both my Mac and the Studio Display. I'm using the display directly attached to the Mac using the cable included with the display. The Display also doesn't appear as an option in the audio section of System Report until I reconnect the cable.

I'm on macOS Sonoma 14.3. Not sure on the firmware number for the display as I don't see where to find it. I've only had the display for a few days, so I can't say if it occurred after a recent firmware update, but I did update its firmware after I got it two days ago.

Any ideas on what I can do? Has this happened to anyone else? Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[chown33]

I'd try a different cable.

Was the display new when you acquired it, or did you buy it used? Either way, I'd also consider returning it.

 

[Ben J.]

You could consider not letting your Mini sleep at all. As an easy fix. Just set the display to sleep after a certain time of inactivity. That's what I do. The M1 is so silent, you won't even notice a difference, and I very much doubt that you will notice a difference on your electricity bill. I know people with other problems caused by sleep, has solved their issue this way.

I also never shut down or restart my Mini unless it's required, but that's a different topic.

 

[monokakata]

"This only rarely happen to me" isn't very helpful, I know, but my M2 Studio gets along well with the Studio Display speakers. I just put it in and out of sleep to check. Before sleep, "Studio Display Speakers" was at the top of the list; immediately after sleep, that had moved down below "Mac Studio Speakers"...then after a moment moved back up again. So obviously something is switching back and forth in connection with sleep.

Now that I think about it, I've had sound switched to the Studio on rare occasions, when waking the system after a long (overnight) sleep. Definitely rare but yes, it has happened.

 

[Jws]

I'd try a different cable.

Was the display new when you acquired it, or did you buy it used? Either way, I'd also consider returning it.

It was purchased new from Apple. I can consider returning it, but I wanted to exhaust all resources first. Thanks!

"This only rarely happen to me" isn't very helpful, I know, but my M2 Studio gets along well with the Studio Display speakers. I just put it in and out of sleep to check. Before sleep, "Studio Display Speakers" was at the top of the list; immediately after sleep, that had moved down below "Mac Studio Speakers"...then after a moment moved back up again. So obviously something is switching back and forth in connection with sleep.

Now that I think about it, I've had sound switched to the Studio on rare occasions, when waking the system after a long (overnight) sleep. Definitely rare but yes, it has happened.

After a little more testing, it appears this happens overnight only (so longer sleeps), not if it goes to sleep for a few minutes or an hour. Thanks for your input because I haven't been able to find anyone with anything remotely similar happen. There's something I was hoping this display would be hassle free since my old one I would have to reset the HDMI cable once a week because it wouldn't recognize each other! I will also try Apple Support if I can't figure this out before next weekend.

 

[Jws]

Just an update for anyone searching about this issue in the future who runs across this thread.

I tried as suggested to prevent the Mac from sleeping and still had the same issues. I tried using a different Thunderbolt cable (the TB4 cable from Apple), and the issue persisted. It also got to the point where removing and reinserting the TB cable didn't correct the problem, and I had to power off/on the display to get it to work.

I just decided to return the display and ordered a new one. The new display doesn't have any issues. So far every time I have woken the computer, overnight or not, the sound output has not only remained as an option, but they are still set as the default. So I propose that there was a defect with the Studio Display I received the first time.

Hope this helps anyone coming across this. Thanks for the help I received.