Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Anyone know a fix for YouTube audio in Safari at high playback speeds? (1.25-2.0)

collin_

collin_

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Nov 19, 2018
582
886
I recently switched to Safari because I've been getting these huge lag spikes in Chrome and can't find a way to fix them. I watch a lot of YouTube, typically at 1.5x speed, and Chrome and Firefox both work some magic so that the audio sounds normal even at playback speeds higher than 1x. Safari doesn't do this, so any speed above 1x sounds high-pitched and just really bad.

Is there any workaround to get this in Safari?
 
fisherking

fisherking

macrumors G4
Jul 16, 2010
11,123
5,473
ny somewhere
huh, never tried that before (and, full disclosure, won't again ? ); but it seems fine here; just faster, not higher-pitched. have you rebooted? otherwise, wondering if it's something with your hardware... (but you said it's fine in chrome & firefox)... ?
 
collin_

collin_

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Nov 19, 2018
582
886
fisherking said:
huh, never tried that before (and, full disclosure, won't again ? ); but it seems fine here; just faster, not higher-pitched. have you rebooted? otherwise, wondering if it's something with your hardware... (but you said it's fine in chrome & firefox)... ?
Click to expand...
Uh, can you test if it sounds different in Safari than it does in Chrome? Try playing the same video at 1.5x in Safari and Chrome and you should hear a clear difference.
 
fisherking

fisherking

macrumors G4
Jul 16, 2010
11,123
5,473
ny somewhere
collin_ said:
Uh, can you test if it sounds different in Safari than it does in Chrome? Try playing the same video at 1.5x in Safari and Chrome and you should hear a clear difference.
Click to expand...
but that's what i did, i used safari.... and all i heard was a speed-up, not a higher pitch.
 
collin_

collin_

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Nov 19, 2018
582
886
I have been able to find a number of other threads on this issue, but no fix so far. :s Would love to be able to fully migrate to Safari, but for now I guess I have to keep using both browsers.
 
collin_

collin_

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Nov 19, 2018
582
886
UPDATE: I have found a decent solution for this, which allows me to use only Safari instead of relying on Chrome for YouTube videos. Here are the instructions.

1. Install IINA, a really nice video player for Mac.
2. Enable the "Open in IINA" extension for Safari.
3. It probably won't work. If it doesn't, install homebrew if you haven't already and then follow the "Use your own binary" instructions here. Restart IINA.
4. Instead of needing to switch browsers, you can now click the IINA icon on your Safari toolbar to open any YouTube video you want to watch at higher than 1x speed in IINA. IINA sounds like Chrome or Firefox rather than screwed up like Safari.
 
  • Like
Reactions: marcoacero
marcoacero

marcoacero

macrumors newbie
Aug 5, 2021
1
1
collin_ said:
UPDATE: I have found a decent solution for this, which allows me to use only Safari instead of relying on Chrome for YouTube videos. Here are the instructions.

1. Install IINA, a really nice video player for Mac.
2. Enable the "Open in IINA" extension for Safari.
3. It probably won't work. If it doesn't, install homebrew if you haven't already and then follow the "Use your own binary" instructions here. Restart IINA.
4. Instead of needing to switch browsers, you can now click the IINA icon on your Safari toolbar to open any YouTube video you want to watch at higher than 1x speed in IINA. IINA sounds like Chrome or Firefox rather than screwed up like Safari.
Click to expand...
I found the same solution as well, far from ideal but it does work. I am still using edge for macOS for video playback. This issue is not related only to youtube but to video playback in general, speeding up a video in a number of sites gives the same audio distortion.
 
  • Like
Reactions: collin_
J

Jaredk8

macrumors newbie
May 31, 2009
7
0
It's bad enough to be a Safari dealbreaker for me too. The distortion is most noticable with speech I find. The most bothersome part for me is that on Safari when I change the speed of a YouTube video there is a short pause, whereas on Firefox the speed changes instantly.
 
collin_

collin_

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Nov 19, 2018
582
886
Jaredk8 said:
It's bad enough to be a Safari dealbreaker for me too. The distortion is most noticable with speech I find. The most bothersome part for me is that on Safari when I change the speed of a YouTube video there is a short pause, whereas on Firefox the speed changes instantly.
Click to expand...
Yeah I can’t believe Apple hasn’t fixed this yet. I provided a roundabout solution a few posts above but I really wish they’d just fix the issue.
 
Terrorform

Terrorform

macrumors newbie
Feb 10, 2023
1
0
Feb 2023 and Apple still hasn't fixed this yet.
I looked around online and see people commenting about this issue for the past 3 years.

I was actually going to switch to Safari, but this is a deal breaker for me.
Such a shame.
 
I

iite

macrumors newbie
Feb 19, 2023
1
0
I guess it is probably how WebKit proforms differently compared to Chromium.
 
O

Omaliy

macrumors newbie
Jun 13, 2023
3
0
anyrobert said:
Guys, this is, FINALLY, fixed on the Safari technology preview. May be stable release on Sonoma.

developer.apple.com

Safari Technology Preview - Safari - Apple Developer

Safari is the best way to see the sites on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Safari Technology Preview gives you an early look at upcoming web technologies in macOS and iOS.
developer.apple.com developer.apple.com
Click to expand...
Just downloaded the technology preview to check and I can confirm it is fixed!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom