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User profile for user: Pheidl
Pheidl Author
User level: Level 1
83 points

Airpods Pro 2 noise cancellation worse after firmware update 7A294

The active noise cancellation on (at least) the AirPods Pro 2 is much worse after firmware update 7A294, including 7A302. The noise cancellation effect seems noticeably weaker now, roughly 50-70% as effective. Qualitatively, the effect is now closer to a slightly quieter adaptive mode. Essentially, I can now practically hear everything at a reduced volume, and my Sony 1000XM5 headphones now perform much better than my AirPods Pro 2, and this wasn't the case until the firmware/iOS 18 update.


Troubleshooting steps I've tried:


  • Cleaning the AirPods and tips (gentle surfactant/alcohol wipes, Blu-Tack), although they were already clean
  • Replacing the tips (they were already pristine)
  • Changing tips and ensuring proper fit
  • Resetting the AirPods
  • Toggling all settings on and off (Off, Transparency, Adaptive, Noise Cancellation)
  • Ensuring I hadn't accidentally selected something other than the noise cancellation mode
  • Having the AirPods replaced at the Apple Store


None of the above remedied the issue.


Some examples and context:


  • I can now fully make out conversations on the train in Tokyo, which I wasn't able to do that up until a day or two ago. To wit, train announcers are now less distant and audible. I can now hear people conversing on the other side of the carriage, and at one point, I was able to make out the music leaking out of someone else’s headphones...
  • I can now make out talking heads playing at low volume on a TV in another room.
  • I can now make out external sounds when ANC and Background Sounds (Dark Noise) are active at the same time, and up until the most recent update this combination was closer to being fully isolated.
  • Background music in convenience stores is now fully present, where as prior to the update I couldn't hear a thing.
  • I now no longer bother swapping to Transparency when my girlfriend is trying to talk to me across the room, because I can hear everything she has to say while noise cancellation mode is active. In the past, having to toggle between settings was a source of annoyance for us.


The situation is particularly disappointing, as I once adored these headphones, and the degradation of the noise cancellation effect makes the AirPods Pro 2 essentially more annoying than anything else.

iPhone 15 Pro

Posted on Sep 25, 2024 4:53 AM

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User profile for user: corneliu_sava
corneliu_sava
User level: Level 1
62 points

Posted on Sep 29, 2024 1:51 PM

Same for me. From best AirPods with which I bragged to everyone who didn't have a pair of AirPods to checking if ANC is even turned on. We need to get Apple's attention so maybe have everyone else affected, comment on this thread.

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73 replies
User profile for user: Pheidl
Pheidl Author
User level: Level 1
83 points

Sep 29, 2024 7:24 PM in response to corneliu_sava

And the most recent firmware update, 7A305, is no better. I guess, for whatever reason, Apple decided to completely scuff the noise cancellation quality on AirPods Pro. I’m not even sure it makes sense to say the AirPods Pro have “Active Noise Cancellation” anymore. And yeah, that sounds dumb on the face of it, but they’re honestly no better than mediocre earplugs right now.


My guesses are:


  • Apple ran up against the limitations of the onboard compute, which now has to handle the hearing aids feature, the Siri nod to respond thing, the changes to Adaptive mode, etc.
  • These new features, in addition to ANC, impacted battery life in an unacceptable way. I’m not actually sure what kind of burden ANC places on the battery, but I imagine that having to be ready to detect speech in real time in Adaptive mode, and having to monitor the kinematics of the headphones to handle the new Siri stuff, has a non trivial impact on the battery.
  • Apple wanted the ANC on the new AirPods 4 to seem qualitatively similar to the AirPods Pro at launch to drive sales, because they know that reviewers aren’t diligent enough to perform scientific slash objective measures of the noise cancellation performance, especially on older products, and that most users aren’t discerning enough to notice or care?
  • Enough people complained about “ear pressure” and or someone wasn’t looking where they were going and had a very quiet accident?
  • Apple were sued and were forced to roll their own ANC algorithm on short notice slash someone has the rights to whatever amazing ANC code they were running?
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User profile for user: Gallyga
Gallyga
User level: Level 1
42 points

Sep 30, 2024 4:12 AM in response to Pheidl

I was on a train yesterday and could hear everything. It’s almost completely pointless having noise cancelling turned on.


I’m sat here writing this, listening to the radio as someone sat at a table 2 metres away and I can hear everything they are saying to each other.


Prior to iOS 18 the noise cancelling was decent on these same earphones.


I hope apple fixes this.

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User profile for user: ath86
ath86
User level: Level 1
50 points

Sep 25, 2024 1:13 PM in response to Pheidl

I am experiencing the same issue!

After iOS 18 update my noice canceling is weaker! I am pretty sure thet Apple reduce the noice canceling at least by 30%-50% and i dont know the reason!

i had the best earpods in the market and now its like a usual earpods. You cannot understand a lot of difference between transparency and Noice canceling! Its frustrating!

what is going on Apple? Will this problem solved anytime soon?

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User profile for user: cdrrules
cdrrules
User level: Level 1
26 points

Oct 10, 2024 8:30 AM in response to Pheidl

Same here. Great noise cancellation previously, now basically no noise cancellation. I use them in a noisy office setting and can hear every outside conversation, HVAC noise, etc. as if I didn't have AirPods in my ears at all. I loved these AirPods when I got them 6 months ago, now not sure that they're worth even keeping at this point.

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User profile for user: mmanzato
mmanzato
User level: Level 1
41 points

Oct 3, 2024 4:28 PM in response to Pheidl

Same here. It's so frustrating because I am a guitarist of a rock band, and I use my AirPods Pro as ear protection in loud shows. It used to have the perfect amount of noise reduction in adaptive mode. Now, even in noise reduction mode, I can hear much more noise than in adaptive mode. I was so happy to have found the perfect protection for my ears, and now Apple took this out of me.




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Airpods Pro 2 noise cancellation worse after firmware update 7A294

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