AirPods Pro firmware 2B588 reduce the noise cancelling capability

So guys, you are so convinced about that’s a software flaw that how can you explain what I wrote some post before?

honestly I’ve been through all 3 firmware and haven’t noticed a drop like you say.

but today actually I experimented a 10/15% stronger anc on the demo units.

——

Today I had the opportunity to try 2 different demo unit and they where slightly better than mine in terms of ANC.

The voice of the girl talkin in front of me was a bit more muffed with the demo unit. But in the rush and few minutes you have to do the comparison i don’t know how much my words are objective.

Both the demos had the 2C54, exactly like mine.

So it’s not software related issue guys.

I didn’t swapped because don’t want to play the lottery (battery, mic quality and so on) and honestly I didn’t find a day/night difference with the demos.

I have 11 day more to make the return, so I will see: in the meanwhile I’m using the modded version, that have the strongest anc ever tried.

If RTINGS.com and/or literally any of the other popular YouTube reviewers re-review the ANC post 2B588/2C54, I feel like there will be a difference and once that difference is shown with hard data, it's as simple as sending that to Apple. But at that point it becomes a bug report/feedback issue but AppleCare should also be able to forward that onto Engineering and show that the problems all of us are reporting are backed up by hard data and evidence.

So my replacements are running 2B588 and it fixed the seal issue — I now have a Green Good Seal again buuuut the ANC is definitely not what it was when I got my original Air Pods Pro at launch! I can hear traffic noise and people nearby. It feels like about 60% noise cancellation when originally it was 90% and these are brand new!

Honestly considering returning them for a refund but I love everything else about them GAH!

Apple pleaseeee allow full Active Noise Cancellation! (Even if it does mean I won’t detect someone sneaking up behind me on the street lol.)

memories_of_green wrote:

So maybe 1.0.0 is still the latest?

No change in hw?

Then I would conclude that is all about the firmware.

Especially that the NC in my APP worked great a couple a months ago, now it is really bad.

The hardware have never changed, even in the new stocks.

Can you please describe better the "now is really bad"?

My refund from Apple is through and my online replacements aren’t due until the 3rd of Feb. Stocks are filtering through to retail stores in seemingly individual units rather than batches so as soon as a pair arrive at my local retail Apple store, I shall reserve them and check the H/W number, Model number and Firmware version

I would not be able to understand people in close proximity but also I would have total silence while driving my car. Where as now I can pick up the engine rumble as well as other ambient noise. That’s how I could directly tell the ANC was weakened on the 88 firmware revision.

Noise cancellation on voice recording or phone calls works amazing though so the hardware can still get this done.

i asked my wife to talk quietly near me and I could hear her like there was no ANC still yet the voice memo I recorded couldn’t hear her not one tiny bit behind me.

fingers crossed it’s an ANC volume or phase timing issue.

Especially as the problems with the ANC are worse when listening to podcasts or audiobooks. With music at least you can drown out the external noise, but with podcasts or books you can’t. I used to listen to podcasts while in gym, but now I feel the need to listen to music as other noises are too distracting.

Yes I confirm. I have received my second pair 2 days ago, brand new from Amazon and they are on 2B588. I’ve tried to update but they stay on that version.

My first pair is on 2C54.

differences: 2C54 is faster in showing animation, less glitchy, works better when connecting to other devices. Can’t say if there are differences in the sound.

The ANC is identical in the two version (weak).

My pair, which I bought within 4 weeks of release, are currently on 2C54. Interestingly, I am getting a horrible noise which I could only describe as “peaking” (like an Equalizer that has been set WAYYY over the limit and has lost all detail but also very loud and irritating) whenever I’m in transparency mode and speak loudly or listen to someone else speak loudly over the phone.

I’m going to get them replaced this weekend and I’ll see what the new ones come with and how they sound.

Obviously it will be subjective though as I don’t have proper equipment to measure.

Received my replacement pair from Amazon today and shipped firmware was 2B588 same hardware version and model as original. Same issues with noise cancellation. Hoping Apple releases the new firmware to fix this soon.

I was supposed to hear back about a "final decision" (whatever the **** that means) as to what they are going to do with my situation this week... but it's the weekend now and no dice... so I'm guessing next week.

I still would like them to swap it out... Esp if 2C54 was pulled for other bugs and just... this whole thing is a mess. This forum now has like 20,000 views and almost 1,800 people confirmed that they have the issue.

It's not hard to fix. They legit could roll back to previous code. The code for the old firmwares are already written. It's not hard to fix at all.

If they want to make an iOS change (like a slider), yeah that will take some time to code but... the problem is really not hard to fix from a technical perspective.

I could clarify how the ANC went bad in my case after the 2C54 update. The headphones have a dedicated microphone that listens to body sounds. So according to my feelings after the update, it does not participate in the work of the ANC at all. All body sounds - walking, etc., all heard very well with ANC enabled.

Shanesnh wrote:

Agreed. But in the meantime, they need to undo the damage they did to their product to prevent further backlash and then they can throw in a slider in an iOS 13.3.1 or iOS 13.4 or wait until iOS 14 (wouldn't be a good idea though).

Was my first thought as well. Just re-release the initial fw and everyone will be happy. But I also remember there has been issues with red exclamation marks on several devices not being recognized at all. Guess that's what the update tried to address in first place. Well, it's been two month by now, I don't quite remember exactly. Anyway, would be real nice to get my product back as tested and purchased early nov, soon. It's getting ridiculous.

By the way, I would not expect to hear back from any Apple rep, support guy or whoever about this issue. Apple is not likely to inform anyone about anything, at least not within these ultra low hierarchy levels.

But I didn't see people complaining about those things that much. Especially not as much as we are complaining about this change. This thread has like 25,000 views and 1,900 people saying they are also having the problem. Idk why Apple would have done that. Also 2C54 clearly had issues with bass as well and then they pulled it. So they must realize they did something wrong.

But yes, the slider is better but people using these devices w/o an iPhone will never get a firmware update and will not have control over the AirPods' settings unless Apple decides to make an Android App to control the Airpods like the did for Apple Music.