Unfortunately Apple destroyed our Airpods PRO 1 noise cancellation with their updates.
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AirPods Max Active Noise Cancelation Confirmed to Be Less Effective After Latest Firmware Update
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I wonder how many folks here would ever notice anything if some third party hadn't scientifically studied it. And I also wonder how many saying they are noticing something honestly "noticed" it before they read a story like this about it. I'm sure they're probably are some people with eagle ears, but I doubt that's most people. I use my AirPods Max daily and notice nothing different at all in the ANC. My hearing is quite good.
Just give us a noise cancellation sensitivity dial setting already. Yes, some people find high ANC hard on the ears. Give the rest of us options!
These reports are new for the AirPods Max. Assuming Apple doesn't get ahead of it and publicly acknowledge the issue or quickly release a fixed firmware, only time will tell once this firmware is re-tested.
But these people are right to be suspicious, given Apple's history of silently degrading ANC in the AirPods Pro.
This place has a conspiracy theory for everything.
Meh - this is what Apple does.
Like with APP2 being 2x better than APP1 ANC?
Sure - compared to the APP1 a month ago - but APP1 from firmware 2 years ago? No way, it's only like 30% better.
Apple decreases the ANC capabilities slowly over time so that their next product is 'much better'...
IMO
Like with APP2 being 2x better than APP1 ANC?
Sure - compared to the APP1 a month ago - but APP1 from firmware 2 years ago? No way, it's only like 30% better.
Apple decreases the ANC capabilities slowly over time so that their next product is 'much better'...
IMO
AirPods, of all flavors, update on their own in the background without even asking
yep i’m staying on iOS 15 until 16 is patched up for sure. and monterey for a long while. that settings app is a disgusting mess. all my devices work perfectly right now
Well, their scheme isn't working for me, as I notice no difference in my AirPods Max's ANC. But then again, I have no vested interested in hearing a difference so I can claim to have "dirt" on Apple, so there's that. I'm pretty sure Apple doesn't need any help in their R&D for actually improving ANC. But some people always want to believe the worst possible take on any Apple news and no amount of reasoning will convince them otherwise.
Yeah. This does seem like forced obsolescence. If there’s so much reports about it why didn’t they fix it?
It’s unfortunate that Apple users have to be worried each time they update their product now if their device will be as good as it was prior to the update.
“I don’t make headphones or speakers so I have no idea of what it means to release a product that balances noise reduction against sound reproduction, but you should still take my word for it. My ad views LITERALLY depend on you linking more and more people to my story.”
My Airpods Pro 1 died not long before 2 came out. So I bought Airpods Pro 2 as soon as they came out. With 2, I've felt the wind noise ANC to be much inferior to what I was used to. I don't know if it was the new hardware or new firmware that could have affected both 1 and 2, but in any case, wind noise ANC on Airpods Pro 2 seems much worse than with Airpods Pro 1 prior to 2 being released. Unfortunately, wind and car noise are two primary ANC uses I have (running outside).
On Airpods pro both gens, active noise cancellation is incredible. No it does not allow you to hear quick noises better it is just best at drowning out continuous droning noises like an engine. If I have music playing it pretty much blocks everything. Allows you to listen to music in loud environments without turning up so loud it will damage hearing. Great for flying, or while mowing the yard. I’ve tried the Airpod Max ANC also and its really good I just prefer earbuds. Airpod Pros are 100% worth every penny. Max are as well if they correct the most recent change they made to ANC.
I think it is the mic they placed on the upper portion of the earbud. I believe it is to reduce the tunneling effect but I agree, it seems like the 1st gen is better with wind.
Every noise that I’m not actively generating through my own agency irritates me.
That said, I have no noise canceling headphones because I ALSO don’t want things on my head and ears all day.
Imagine a civilization that actively worked to reduce noise instead of marketing half-assed products to “treat” the consequences of noise.
What noise cancellation? Do they come with noise cancellation!?!?
Haha. Seriously. It's ridiculous how bad the NC is now on the APP1. They shouldn't be allowed to say they have NC it's that pathetic now. When they were first released they were incredible.
The sound of nature irritates you? Go sit by a stream or at the beach or walk through a rainforest for a little and see if that doesn't change your opinion.
Anyway, I agree with your third paragraph and I think that society is somewhat trying to reduce noise. Look at our computers. MBPs that used to sound like a 747 do certain tasks are now whisper-quiet doing the exact same thing. I think once chips become more efficient and give off less heat, we'll see some big strides in this department.
Weird, I had the Max for a year and I never noticed the NC get worse, even after firmware updates. I took it on a trip a few months ago and while I was on an airplane I couldn't hear anything except for the media that was playing. Maybe there's something wrong with the Headphones themselves rather than the firmware?
You might want to check into replacing your ear tips or cleaning out the mics. I have both versions of Airpod Pro and the 1st gen still cancels noise fine.
Sorry, I should have specified human-generated noise. I don’t usually mind nature sounds. Hell, the ocean worsens my tinnitus after an hour or so, but I love being there on the beach with it anyway.
I’m not seeing noise reduction in computers outside Apple’s, except for the products trying to mimic Apple’s hardware looks.
Certainly zero efforts in other areas of civilization. Here are a few things quickly coming to mind:
There are people who are actively pushing to make laws requiring electric vehicles to produce unnecessary noise for “safety”, which is a disproven concept. Backup beepers have been proven to be utterly useless at improving worksite safety, while generating annoyance and pissing people off because everyone off the worksite also has to hear them (I utterly despise them).
Then there’s the selfish jackasses with modified exhausts on cars and motorcycles (don’t anyone start with me on “loud pipes save lives”, because it’s utter bollocks), and boom boom car stereos. Police do nothing about it because the cops are the same kinds of people: they get off their shift and jump onto insanely loud bikes. Vehicle safety inspections do NOTHING about this, either, despite that being the PERFECT first venue for enforcement of EXISTING laws.
Then there’s this belief that dense population growth is a good thing, and builders want to build dense housing instead of detached housing because they make more profit on cheap attached structures. People hate each other more when they’re forced to be close and hear each other more. It’s basic human social behavior 101.
I feel like humanity is as “intelligent” as the artificial stupidity everyone keeps calling “AI”…
I apologize…
In very simple terms, the difference could be explained like this:
Passive Noise Reduction: Earplugs (they block as much sound as physically possible)
Active Noise Cancellation (ANC): It uses an electronic circuit that is actively monitoring the sound around you to produce an inverted signal to cancel it.
Active Noise Reduction (ANR): Adds an exception To ANC that says: “Do not cancel any sound in the frequency range of human speech, only cancel anything that identifies as noise”.
This allows you to hear people better while filtering the noise around you.
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