Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Norri

macrumors newbie
Nov 1, 2019
5
12
For £250 They ought to work each and every time Without twisting screwing and forcing them into your ears, finding only one works and then stops working as the seal is broken is a joke.

To get sound cancellation they MUST create an air tight seal or they are useless for that purpose and are reduced to being ordinary ear pods.

At the moment they do not work and are not fit for purpose. Now I have my refund I will wait until they have finished road testing them on Guineas pigs. Very cheeky to release them when they don’t work properly.

The only good thing about them is that you can run a test showing they don’t work!
 
  • Like
Reactions: calstanford

shooter45acp

macrumors regular
Oct 5, 2017
219
572
RI
I just picked up a pair at local Apple store! Just went thru the setup and worked fine for me with the tips that were on it. Think they sound great so far still playing around with them.
 

Lobinho

macrumors newbie
Nov 2, 2019
4
1
Same problem here. Got my AirPods Pro today. Already in the store I noticed very little bass. Fitting test was not successuful. At some point after many tests and after squeezing them into my ears once more until it almost hurt I was able to once run the fitting test successfully. Back at home I checked again. Tried all the tips. The largest ones seem to be too large because they flip over when remove them. The medium sized ones are too loose. No sealing possible. I only get a green result if I push them into my ears while running the test. I think that they have to develope a tip that is somewhat longer or made of a different material.
Started some research on google and found this forum. I guess I will go for refund as well. What a shame.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Norri

Bazooka-joe

macrumors 603
Mar 12, 2012
5,347
3,743
Swindon, England
I couldn’t get any of the tips to pass the test for my first pair of Pro’s no matter how hard I tried. I sent them back and my new pro’s arrived today. Tried the medium tips and failed. Switched to the larger tips and they felt good as soon as I fitted them. Ran the test and a perfect seal.
 

SBravo83

macrumors newbie
Oct 17, 2019
5
2
Texas
I just returned mine for a full refund today at the Apple store after having them since Wednesday. The first day I found that the large tips fit best and even got the fit test to agree with me. Day 2 was another story. No matter how hard I tried, the fit test kept stating my left ear was not sealed off properly despite sounding ok. I then did a side by side sound comparison with my 2nd generation AirPods and was surprised to find that there really is not that great of a difference in sound quality and comfort-wise, the AirPods 2nd gen were just right and did not stretch my ear out.

Unfortunately, the AirPods Pro are just not for me. I think now that there are a few options out there, it’s ultimately going to be up to the consumer what fits better and feels more comfy in the ears because there is nothing worth noting in the sound department (in my humble opinion) that really differentiates one from the other aside from the sound isolation...which may or may not work for you either way. Try before you buy!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ladyc0524

martinhwilliams

macrumors newbie
Nov 2, 2019
5
2
I’m getting awesome sound AND noise cancellation even though at least one side usually fails the seal test. The problem lies in the seal test, not the Air Pods. I’m getting awesome sound at freeway speeds with the sunroof open. You need to turn on transparency to talk on the phone, though or you’ll feel like your ears are plugged up.
 

Bazooka-joe

macrumors 603
Mar 12, 2012
5,347
3,743
Swindon, England
I’m getting awesome sound AND noise cancellation even though at least one side usually fails the seal test. The problem lies in the seal test, not the Air Pods. I’m getting awesome sound at freeway speeds with the sunroof open. You need to turn on transparency to talk on the phone, though or you’ll feel like your ears are plugged up.
Yeah i agree. I think the seal test can be hit and miss. I couldn't get a seal test fit with my first set even though they seemed to fit well. The test gave me a perfect seal with the second set.
Better to make the judgement call yourself as to whether the AirPods are sealing. If the sounds is good and the noise cancelling seems to be good then that should be good enough.
 

gelie

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Mar 7, 2010
614
214
Yeah i agree. I think the seal test can be hit and miss. I couldn't get a seal test fit with my first set even though they seemed to fit well. The test gave me a perfect seal with the second set.
Better to make the judgement call yourself as to whether the AirPods are sealing. If the sounds is good and the noise cancelling seems to be good then that should be good enough.
You returned your first set and the second set sealed better?
 

Ceviche Lover

macrumors 6502
Jul 15, 2012
271
420
Mine was working fine on launch day using the medium tips. Got both sealed on the test. Today I decided to switch to the large tips due to the mediums feeling a bit small. Left ear passed right ear failed. Tried readjusting same thing. Went back the medium and now getting right ear failure no matter what. Frustrating.

Who wants to bet Apple will release an IOS update that will make it much easier to pass this test...
 
  • Like
Reactions: smoking monkey

wolfedude88

macrumors 6502
Feb 21, 2013
365
160
Indiana
Am I the only one who gets a perfect fit with all three sizes? I wish mine would fail so I knew which one to use. lol
 

smoking monkey

macrumors 68020
Mar 5, 2008
2,363
1,508
I HUNGER
On my Xs Max you need to scroll up after hitting the play button, then hit the lower play button on the screen. Apple store was not aware of this this as well.
? No scrolling on my Xs Max on 13.2. So after you press the triangle play button and it finishes its music test you can scroll and there is another button??? There is absolutely nothing like this going on for me if I pass or fail the test.

Can't seem to scroll up after hitting the play button (11 Pro Max)
Same.

How hot do those make your ears? I've always found over ears to burn up after about an hour.
Not at all in my experience so far.
 
  • Like
Reactions: chabig

Norri

macrumors newbie
Nov 1, 2019
5
12
While you may "adjust" the tips in the problematic ear, I definitely would not squeeze them in the ear canal. This is not reasonable and might make them sound bad in that position...

The test also just states a 100% perfect fit. You might get a good sound with 98% (not passed) as well.
Failed test does not say, they are not working at all. Furthermore: you do not insert them each time absolutely properly. So: Noise cancelling is not always working 100%. If it sounds uncomfortable, just wiggle them a bit to best fit.

NB if they do not 100% seal off the outside air they are 100% useless at sound cancellation. The older AirPods are already really good for music so if the new ones don’t do the job intended they are a waste of money. Google how sound cancellation works if you don’t understand this.
 

Bazooka-joe

macrumors 603
Mar 12, 2012
5,347
3,743
Swindon, England
As I reported in other threads, I sent my Pro's back and my replacements arrived Saturday. I now get a perfect seal every time if I use the large tips. Why I couldn't achieve that with my original set, I couldn't really say but it may well be down to the tips themselves. Maybe a slight malfunction in the engineering.
Having said that, we shouldn't beat ourselves up over the seal test failure. As long as the fit feels right then go with it as it is and don't use the seal test
 

Norri

macrumors newbie
Nov 1, 2019
5
12
As I reported in other threads, I sent my Pro's back and my replacements arrived Saturday. I now get a perfect seal every time if I use the large tips. Why I couldn't achieve that with my original set, I couldn't really say but it may well be down to the tips themselves. Maybe a slight malfunction in the engineering.
Having said that, we shouldn't beat ourselves up over the seal test failure. As long as the fit feels right then go with it as it is and don't use the seal test
NB if they do not 100% seal off the outside air they are 100% useless at sound cancellation. The older AirPods are already really good for music so if the new ones don’t do the job intended they are a waste of money. Google how sound cancellation works if you don’t understand this.
 

RickG

macrumors regular
Feb 8, 2011
236
45
total fail on my new airpods pro- neither ear will do the fit test - paired them and then they didn't work- I have the newest version of ios - really frustrating - the way the different tips come on and off is very poorly engineered- also the way they come in and out of the case is super ******- I watched the video of how to push them forward to get them out so I knew about that issue - my left ear won't work - damit ....
 

Bazooka-joe

macrumors 603
Mar 12, 2012
5,347
3,743
Swindon, England
total fail on my new airpods pro- neither ear will do the fit test - paired them and then they didn't work- I have the newest version of ios - really frustrating - the way the different tips come on and off is very poorly engineered- also the way they come in and out of the case is super ******- I watched the video of how to push them forward to get them out so I knew about that issue - my left ear won't work - damit ....
I get a perfect seal every time. For me the trick is to fit the pods in your ear with the stem pointing downwards at 180 degrees and then rotate the stem upwards so that the tips point between 180 and 90 degrees in your ear. As you rotate the pods, you feel the seal lock and become airtight as you twist the pods. The seal test works every time then.
 

Otflyer

macrumors 65816
Nov 14, 2017
1,474
999
SF Bay Area
I have had mine since launch day and I never get a seal no matter what I do. I believe some ear types will never get a good seal. I think Apple needs to revisit their ear tip sizes. They need four tip sizes s, m, l, xl and rescale them accordingly.
 

rhsauer

macrumors newbie
Sep 26, 2006
27
9
I also think there’s a problem with the fit test, not the earphones.

I have two pairs of AirPod Pros (don’t ask). The first pair passed the fit test immediately, and consistently (with the large tips) on the day I bought them. Then, after about two days’ of use, the first pair stopped passing the fit test (and no amount of twisting or pushing helped). I then opened the second pair of AirPods and ran the fit test — and the second pair passed consistently (even though I was using the same size tips on both pairs, and the first pair failed consistently). So I exchanged the first pair, thinking the first pair was somehow faulty.

Now, several days later, the second pair are consistently failing the fit test — but the third pair (the pair I received when I exchanged the first pair) pass the fit test consistently. My guess is that after a bit of use, something borks the fit test. My suggestion would be to use the fit test, when the AirPods are new to help identify the best tips for your ears — and then forget about the fit test because it won’t be reliable for long.

I have a (large) number of earphones, and I’m pretty sure I know what a decent seal feels like — and I’m getting a decent seal with the AirPod Pros and the large tips. They sound terrific and the noise cancelling works really well. I’m assuming at this point that the inconsistent results I’m getting when I run the fit test represent a problem with the fit test, not the earphones. I suppose Apple may be able to fix that with a firmware update — but until they do, I wouldn’t drive myself crazy running the fit test.
 
Last edited:

Otflyer

macrumors 65816
Nov 14, 2017
1,474
999
SF Bay Area
I also think there’s a problem with the fit test, not the earphones.

I have two pairs of AirPod Pros (don’t ask). The first pair passed the fit test immediately, and consistently (with the large tips) on the day I bought them. Then, after about two days’ of use, the first pair stopped passing the fit test (and no amount of twisting or pushing helped). I then opened the second pair of AirPods and ran the fit test — and the second pair passed consistently (even though I was using the same size tips on both pairs, and the first pair failed consistently). So I exchanged the first pair, thinking the first pair was somehow faulty.

Now, several days later, the second pair are consistently failing the fit test — but the third pair (the pair I received when I exchanged the first pair) pass the fit test consistently. My guess is that after a bit of use, something borks the fit test. My suggestion would be to use the fit test, when the AirPods are new to help identify the best tips for your ears — and then forget about the fit test because it won’t be reliable for long.

I have a (large) number of earphones, and I’m pretty sure know what a decent seal feels like — and I’m getting a decent seal with the AirPod Pros and the large tips. They sound terrific and the noise cancelling works really well. I’m assuming at this point that the inconsistent results I’m getting when I run the fit test represent a problem with the fit test, not the earphones. I suppose Apple may be able to fix that with a firmware update — but until they do, I wouldn’t drive myself crazy running the fit test.
Agree. Mine passed the fit test on the first try but, not since. The large tips also work well for me. I only wish there was an XL tip to try. I have large ear canals.
 

todd.kilby.7

macrumors member
Apr 18, 2017
34
11
I had to put the large tip on the left pod and the the medium on the right.
Well that didn’t last long. After I typed this up I could feel the left pod losing its seal. I guess I will be returning these. It’s the first apple item that I have had to return.
 
Last edited:

GregJohn

macrumors 6502
Oct 29, 2015
477
438
Saskatoon, SK
The left one feels looser than the right and the left fails 90% of the time no matter what size I use. Oddly I have to use the largest ones to get any chance of “good fit”
 

eneisch

macrumors 6502a
Jul 11, 2008
803
293
I was able to pass the test right out of the box with the medium tip. Day 2 and 3 can not. Tried all tips and positions.

Have the same issue. Passed out of the box with medium tips and haven’t been able to pass with any of the three sizes since. If I push and hold them in ever so slightly with my finger while performing the test I will pass.
 
Last edited:
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.