Adaptive Transparency

[NARadyk]

Has anyone experienced a situation/scenario yet where AT has noticeably worked for them?

It was one of the features I was most excited about but I haven’t personally come across a moment (in this short space of time since launch) where I’ve heard it kick in or what is really required for it to do so.

 

[TorontoSS]

I was going to make a similar post when I just saw yours here. I agree. I've noticed it once or twice a bit. For example, the first day I had these, I went to the tube (underground subway in London) and in some v v noisy parts where it goes above 90 db, the Adaptive Transparency did kick in.

However, since then, saw a motorcycle passes me by or a loud bus, it does nothing. Including ambulances. But that was right after I toggled ANC off, so it maybe it didn't have enough time to react.

What I was thinking...maybe in our headphone safety features, if we lower the decibels you want to let in (I think it's in the sound exposure settings or something) it could kick in more?

other than that, I have no clue why it doesn't kick in more.

 

[MajorFubar]

I was going to make a similar post when I just saw yours here. I agree. I've noticed it once or twice a bit. For example, the first day I had these, I went to the tube (underground subway in London) and in some v v noisy parts where it goes above 90 db, the Adaptive Transparency did kick in.

However, since then, saw a motorcycle passes me by or a loud bus, it does nothing. Including ambulances. But that was right after I toggled ANC off, so it maybe it didn't have enough time to react.

What I was thinking...maybe in our headphone safety features, if we lower the decibels you want to let in (I think it's in the sound exposure settings or something) it could kick in more?

other than that, I have no clue why it doesn't kick in more.

I don't have a set (yet) but if, as you implied, there is a setting where you can lower the noise threshold where it kicks in, then that will be why it's not kicking in.

I'd be (pleasantly) surprised if there is such a setting though. Mostly Apple tends not to facilitate such deep configurations of its products via user-accessible controls, and it's exactly for that reason: they don't want users to have completely different experiences of a product determined by the user's (in)ability to configure it properly.

 

[Kylo83]

I think it’s not working I’m outside now with machine workers drilling and it’s not cutting it out it’s exactly the same when you disable the setting wonder why

 

[Kylo83]

I was going to make a similar post when I just saw yours here. I agree. I've noticed it once or twice a bit. For example, the first day I had these, I went to the tube (underground subway in London) and in some v v noisy parts where it goes above 90 db, the Adaptive Transparency did kick in.

However, since then, saw a motorcycle passes me by or a loud bus, it does nothing. Including ambulances. But that was right after I toggled ANC off, so it maybe it didn't have enough time to react.

What I was thinking...maybe in our headphone safety features, if we lower the decibels you want to let in (I think it's in the sound exposure settings or something) it could kick in more?

other than that, I have no clue why it doesn't kick in more.

I’m having same issues I was on the london tube today and tested it and didn’t make any difference to me and in Oxford Street they were drilling in the street and it didn’t kick in very strnage

 

[Ralfi]

The APP1, when in Transparency mode, temporarily turn on NC in one or both pods when a high pitched sound is detected.

Are you saying the APP2 don’t even do this at a bare minimum?

 

[TorontoSS]

The APP1, when in Transparency mode, temporarily turn on NC in one or both pods when a high pitched sound is detected.

Are you saying the APP2 don’t even do this at a bare minimum?

I remember this with the APP1. With APP2 I noticed something different, the sound just got lowered, it didn't go away completely. This was ONCE on the London underground in a stretch where the sound goes very loud. I've never heard it again! But it was more the sound got lowered rather than ANC kicking in.

 

[Oridus]

I tried it out for a few minutes while I was mowing a/ rider, and it noticeably lowered the Db level to something comfortable to listen to, but I could still hear everything clearly. I normally mow with ANC obviously, but wanted to test it. Going to test it today shoveling rocks into a wheelbarrow which is more high pitch sudden Db spike, so we will see how it handles it.

 

[ArchEtech]

I have noticed that the ANC is way more intense, cocoon like.

Sometimes the stereo space sort of moves left to right. I don't know if that is this adaptive thing, or just being more sensitive to the actual source. I really notice it on pod casts.

I notice the stereo space will change when you move your head side to side, like its spatially keeping the source active relative to what direction you are looking at. So if you turn your head to the left, the right ear stereo space gets louder like the source is staying put in front of you if that makes sense. Is that this adaptive thing?

 

[Ralfi]

But it was more the sound got lowered rather than ANC kicking in.

Yeah that’s what seems to be the evolution of a non-distracting effect to the listener - rather than NC kicking in, Transparency is retained & sounds are diffused.

it noticeably lowered the Db level to something comfortable to listen to, but I could still hear everything clearly.

Would you say Adaptive Transparency is now preferred to Active Noise Cancellation for mowing? Is there much difference between the two?

 

[jazz1]

I’m having same issues I was on the london tube today and tested it and didn’t make any difference to me and in Oxford Street they were drilling in the street and it didn’t kick in very strnage

I'm disappointed with the Adaptive Transparency mode. While out walking the dog, it did little to tone down a very noisy law mower, as well as someone having their concrete slab resurface with some kind of grinder.

I did see the Apple commercial where the young lady got relief from a jackhammer in the city. Don't get me wrong, I want to have transparency mode on when I'm out and about. But, I was hoping that the AT mode really did mitigate very loud external noises.

To be honest I did not switch the AT on and off to give a fair comparison. I had a dog on a leash for a walk, and could not dig into the iPhone's menu to do this.

Anyone out there happy with AT who had more experience with it???

Edit:

I found this YouTube review, and the reviewer said they could not tell the difference when using AT. Skip to 2:10 on the timeline.