Built-in Output "Not Connected" on MacBook Air M4 unless headphones are plugged in

Hi,

I’m experiencing a strange issue with Cubase 14 on my MacBook Air M4 when trying to work without an external interface, using the laptop’s built-in speakers.

When I launch Cubase, the Built-in Output shows as “Not Connected” in the Audio Connections/Studio Setup. When I manually try to select the built-in output from the dropdown menu, it fails to “catch” and remains on “Not Connected.”

Crucially:

  1. The moment I connect headphones to the 3.5mm jack, the output immediately becomes active and everything works perfectly.

  2. My external audio interface works fine without any issues.

  3. Occasionally, if I plug the headphones in to “fix” the connection and then unplug them, the internal speakers continue to work, but I cannot get them to activate initially without the headphones being present.

It seems like Cubase is failing to recognize the MacBook’s internal speakers as a valid output device until the hardware state is toggled by the headphone jack.

I can provide a video demonstration if needed. Any help would be appreciated.