AirPods Pro firmware 2B588 reduce the noise cancelling capability

Apple has entirely cut me off from support for my Airpods. They will not speak to me. I've tried to post about that here so you all know what is happening on my end and Apple Mods keep removing it.

Moderators: This is NOT a rant. We are ALL collectively trying to solve this issue and share with each other the status of each others' issues with this problem. I consistently help people on these forums which is why I am level 4 -- do not censor me to hide a firmware issue. I am NOT violating the ToS in any way, shape, or form.

The worst thing for us who got 2C54, is that the bass is much weaker with ANC/transparent mode OFF.

I hate the high frequency warble with ANC on while moving/chewing, I want to turn it off... but there's less bass then.

I also get distortions when talking on the phone with ANC on. Mostly in the left ear bud.

This can also happen when using the transparent mode.

I'm starting to hate my APPs, and I regret not returning them when I could.

Apple, It would be great to get an update for those who updated to 2C54 firmware. I understand that you pulled it, but bring back at least the ANC level that was before the update, if at all possible. Total silence from you for the third month is unacceptable!

But the topic of ANC isn't new? It works with all over-ear headphones and that works well.

If it was really a scam from Apple that they had a great ANC for the first test results and then worsened it, it would be very cheeky.

There are other examples of in-ear headphones where the ANC works well. For example with the Libratone Track Air+. Apple should get it back :(

Same here. Bought a new pair thought transparency wouldn’t turn off. Went into Apple and they exchanged them but got home to discover noise cancelling is really weak still. Spoke to someone in gym today who said “noise cancelling is amazing”. Something very odd going on!

Hey, thanks for all your posts about this issue. I saw in another thread that you were to receive another pair from apple around the first week of February but can't find any other post from you describing how they were. Did you receive them and I guess they perform the same as the otheres. Thanks

I know this isn't the person who you are asking, but I just received my replacement pair and the ANC is slightly better, but nowhere near what it was.

The "off" setting is much worse on the new ones, but the bass is better with the ANC on on the new pair.

I am convinced that people were getting into dangerous situations with the working ANC, so they dialed it back severely limiting it, to reduce the change of getting sued. That and they wanted all the "first reviews" to be how amazing they were, then immediately killed it after realizing we have a lot of stupid people walking around oblivious to their surroundings looking at their phone anyway, so taking away the one sense that may help them wasn't the best idea.

People are so stupid...

You are probably right. I ordered a pair from Apple with expected delivery date of 25 March before discovering this thread. My plan was to hold off and cancel the order if nothing positive developed. Well, got an email this morning that they were shipped to arrive in two days, so now I will have to go through the trouble of sending them right back if not happy. I know how they were originally last Fall as I used my sons new pair for several days and now his are terrible after the firmware update.

I just think it's not just black or white. Some have the problem and others don't, I think it's more complicated than we think. But in the end we have to wait for the next update and hopefully we will be certain then.

Of course, your theory is not false, but that would be a big deal!

I’ve just bought a similar in ear wireless device with passive noise cancelling and it does so much better than The AirPod pro’s active noise cancelling. I’ve felt cheated and am so disappointed.

just got off off a 5 hour flight and was comparing them. With the AirPods I can clearly hear what fellow passengers are talking about with active NC. Switched over to my new purchase and could hardly hear conversations around me. And as for the the aircraft cabin ambient noise, a marked difference with the AirPod Pro failing to deliver again.

goodbye AirPods.

This issue is honestly annoying. It removes the most useful thing about the AirPods and now anc just sucks. I've talked to quite a few apple representatives and they all say they've never heard of this issue and that they were going to see if they could get apple to do anything about it. Clearly apple doesn't care because its been many many months of people complaining and nothing has changed. I don't even know where to go from here because it doesn't seem like apple really cares enough about the product or the users of it if they can't even give us a reason on why the issue exists.

I got my AirPods Pro the day they came out. So I know how they worked fresh from the factory. And I like the way they work now. There may be a slight difference in noise cancellation, but if there is I don’t notice it.

You’re fully right!

my brother bought just new AirPods pro. He said they are not so bad, but he expected better ANC. I’ve compared them with mine (running on 2c54 - yes I’ve got the update before Apple blocked it) - and the ANC is similar.

but it is not the same as it was on 2B584!!!

in the meantime I’ve stopped using my AirPods pro and went back to my Sony Wh-1000xm3 because the AirPods since last update are useless in office / train.

shame on Apple, it was really good product before.

You can’t anymore. The update has been deleted and removed from Apple’s servers due to bugs.

The current firmware is 2B588.

Airpods already on 2C54 will NOT downgrade back to 2B588. They can update once a new new firmware is released. Whenever that happens. We’ve been waiting for 4 months.

Same here and its the last time I bought Apple Headphones of any sorts and I'm going to spread the word on how they handle this issue.

What is so hard to let us, the buyers who bought them after the glorious first release reviews, give us what we paid for? I dont care about battery life but I do care about noise cancellation and my next pair will be from a different manufacturer that much is clear.

So sad, since I'm into Apple products since the 90s.

Jobs would've never let this happen.