Chirping audio artifact in upper register

Hello all, I recently purchased a latest model iMac M4 with Logic Pro 12.3 pre-installed and also purchased PianoTeq 9 Stage. Basically, everything should be latest version and up to spec.

While playing MIDI files made on an earlier version of Logic through the NY Steinway D model, there’s a distracting chirping audio artifact when playing notes in the upper register. The best I can describe it is a near-subliminal ‘rattling change’ sound. For whatever reason, it’s especially noticeable on the Ab and A natural directly above the treble clef.

I tried to do process of elimination to find where it’s coming from— I pulled down the key release sound, pulled down the pedal sound, increasing the process buffer in Logic, increasing the buffer size, all to no avail.

Has anyone else experienced this, and has had success in eliminating it? Thanks in advance!