The weird thing is that the static noise is present regardless the mode (anc/trasparency/adaptive).
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Airpods Pro 3 - ANC loud static white Noise?
- Thread starter Bud_Spencer
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All modes except "off" (if you count "off" as a mode). Which makes sense as the way ANC works is to essentially listen to the outside noise and then play back the opposite of that noise to cancel it out. That canceling out isn't going to be 100%, which is what leads to the white noise. My hunch is that the new microphones in the APP3 plus changes to the ANC algorithm is what is creating the white noise. Since Adaptive mode mixes transparency with ANC, that white noise would also be audible. I personally never heard it in transparency mode, but given that it also relies on microphones to pipe in outside audio, if the underlying issue is with the mics, it again would make sense for their to be white noise.
The only mode that doesn't involve the mics and/or the ANC algorithm is when everything is off.
I really hope Apple can figure something out, as the ANC in the APP3 is really, really good; but I fear that one of the reasons it is so good is because of the white noise drowning outside audio out. It really does fascinate me though that many (most?) people don't hear the white noise, or are at least not bothered by it.
I’d like to understand whether they’re all like this or only some models.
I’m still in time to replace them, but from what I’ve read, everyone who got a replacement experienced the same issue.
Some people say they don’t hear any static noise, so maybe it really is a hardware problem.
I’m still in time to replace them, but from what I’ve read, everyone who got a replacement experienced the same issue.
Some people say they don’t hear any static noise, so maybe it really is a hardware problem.
I also found the APP3 noise floor to be quite high. The white noise in quiet to moderately-quiet environments was very obvious and distracting to me – this was most obvious in Noise Cancelling Mode, but also clearly noticed in Adaptive & Transparency mode. Switching to Off Mode gets rid of the white noise entirely but leaves you with bog standard, unremarkable earbuds, so, not a permanent fix of course.
I visited the Apple Store and all diagnostics were normal, but the Specialist advised that Apple had directed them to exchange AAP3 for any users who reported the white noise, even if their diagnostics were normal – makes me think Apple are aware of the issue but haven't yet pinned down the cause... In any case, my second pair of APP3 had the exact same problem.
For now, I've returned them and will stick with my APP2 which have barely perceptible white noise, and their ANC is still excellent. Hopefully the APP3 noise floor is fixed in the future.
I visited the Apple Store and all diagnostics were normal, but the Specialist advised that Apple had directed them to exchange AAP3 for any users who reported the white noise, even if their diagnostics were normal – makes me think Apple are aware of the issue but haven't yet pinned down the cause... In any case, my second pair of APP3 had the exact same problem.
For now, I've returned them and will stick with my APP2 which have barely perceptible white noise, and their ANC is still excellent. Hopefully the APP3 noise floor is fixed in the future.
I tried 3 pairs and all had about the same noise of elevated white noise in quiet environments. It definitely is not a hardware issue unless all currently produced ones have the issue.
The latest firmware update didn’t change much for me.
…and the replacement set, made in Vietnam, also has the same noise problem as well as the not perfectly aligned lid. I wonder if I should wait a few months for the issues to be ironed out and buy again. The noise cancellation is excellent though. Helps me a lot at work.