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richard371

macrumors 68040
Feb 1, 2008
3,739
1,926
I did both vents with he loctite. I spent about 5 min on each ear until it gave be a perfect fit test. I even left the putty on the vent for a few mins and pulled it off. If a little putty gets stuck just use more putty and it will pull it right off.
 

Elektrofone

macrumors 65816
Jul 5, 2010
1,156
552
I did both and while I do get ear tip test passing I was already getting that with my Symbio mod, but still noticing way too much noise compared to when I originally got them because mine are on 2B588.
 

vinegarshots

macrumors 6502a
Sep 24, 2018
982
1,349
I did both and while I do get ear tip test passing I was already getting that with my Symbio mod, but still noticing way too much noise compared to when I originally got them because mine are on 2B588.

I hardly notice any diff. in noise cancelling ability from original launch firmware to current firmware. Thats a complaint that still confuses me a bit
 

Elektrofone

macrumors 65816
Jul 5, 2010
1,156
552
I hardly notice any diff. in noise cancelling ability from original launch firmware to current firmware. Thats a complaint that still confuses me a bit
Maybe it’s just mine but I cant even hear that much of a difference between the off setting and NC on. The NYC subway used to be a quiet hum on my commute and now it sounds like they’re barely covering anything.
 

vinegarshots

macrumors 6502a
Sep 24, 2018
982
1,349
Maybe it’s just mine but I cant even hear that much of a difference between the off setting and NC on. The NYC subway used to be a quiet hum on my commute and now it sounds like they’re barely covering anything.

That is definitely not right...something seems wrong. Mine cancel out my office furnace blower sound to the point where i can barely hear it, and same with my super loud bathroom ventilation fan. Maybe one of your mics isnt working anymore...
 

Duncan68

macrumors 6502a
Sep 22, 2018
508
381
Has anyone tried cleaning the vents with Scotch tape? I'm wondering if it would work, or if it would deposit adhesive from the tape on the vents?
 

richard371

macrumors 68040
Feb 1, 2008
3,739
1,926
Yup and several types of tape. It doesn’t get down into the holes to pull the dust out. Only thing we found that truly works is the blu tack.
Has anyone tried cleaning the vents with Scotch tape? I'm wondering if it would work, or if it would deposit adhesive from the tape on the vents?
 
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Elektrofone

macrumors 65816
Jul 5, 2010
1,156
552
Yup and several types of tape. It doesn’t get down into the holes to pull the dust out. Only thing we found that truly works is the blu tack.
I don’t understand how dusty could cause a reduction in NC or is it just for the ear tip test?
 

sft109

macrumors member
Nov 27, 2009
56
18
I don’t understand how dusty could cause a reduction in NC or is it just for the ear tip test?

I don’t notice a difference in noise cancellation with the clogged vent. Only the tip test fails and for some reason when that happens the eq changes and I lose bass response. Mic and calls also act oddly with weird sound artifacts too. Fixed itself when clear. I believe the clogging is happening from ear wax and sweat/salt buildup over time, don’t think it’s dust.
 

ProMod

macrumors 6502a
Dec 29, 2005
566
51
Unreal. Blu Tak (I used Bostik brand) really does work. I had forgotten how good these things sounded when I first got them.

I started failing every ear fit test with the right AirPod only. Switched tips, tried the sucking method, used a toothbrush, cleaned everything. Nothing worked except Blu Tak. Now the ANC and bass are back to normal, even with the 2C54 firmware.
 
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vinegarshots

macrumors 6502a
Sep 24, 2018
982
1,349
Time for some science!
Got out the microscope to take a look at the AirPods Pro grilles. This seems to explain a lot. Check it out. The top image is the grille after ONE DAY of use. The photo on the bottom is after a cleaning with Fun-Tak. After just one day of use, the tiny vent holes are fully blocked off in spots by ear oils/wax. ONE DAY! And I clean my ears daily.

After a quick clean with Fun-Tak, they are 100% clear (even the tiny holes inside the inner mesh)

EPdsURw.jpg
 

sft109

macrumors member
Nov 27, 2009
56
18
Time for some science!
Got out the microscope to take a look at the AirPods Pro grilles. This seems to explain a lot. Check it out. The top image is the grille after ONE DAY of use. The photo on the bottom is after a cleaning with Fun-Tak. After just one day of use, the tiny vent holes are fully blocked off in spots by ear oils/wax. ONE DAY! And I clean my ears daily.

After a quick clean with Fun-Tak, they are 100% clear (even the tiny holes inside the inner mesh)

EPdsURw.jpg

Wow that’s amazing and clearly demonstrates the issue. This is why they sound amazing when brand new and then fail so quickly every time after use. I wouldn’t care about the tip test if I couldn’t tell a difference in sound in a brand new vs old pair that has its vents clogged. The bass response difference is substantial (lose all sub-bass).

I am getting some new Blu tack tomorrow which hopefully will clear some of the old sticky bad tack that just left a bunch of residue yesterday. I attempted to scrape it off aggressively with alcohol but worried I ended up doing more harm and than good and that there is residue deep down in there now that even the new tack won’t get out. Hope that’s not the case but fact that I can’t suck on the vents anymore to clear them has me a little worried.
 

Bazooka-joe

macrumors 603
Mar 12, 2012
5,347
3,743
Swindon, England
Time for some science!
Got out the microscope to take a look at the AirPods Pro grilles. This seems to explain a lot. Check it out. The top image is the grille after ONE DAY of use. The photo on the bottom is after a cleaning with Fun-Tak. After just one day of use, the tiny vent holes are fully blocked off in spots by ear oils/wax. ONE DAY! And I clean my ears daily.

After a quick clean with Fun-Tak, they are 100% clear (even the tiny holes inside the inner mesh)

EPdsURw.jpg
Amazing, so did you just lightly press the tak on to the mesh and quickly peel it off?
 

Artanis

macrumors newbie
Dec 30, 2019
7
4
I would not have believed it, but the sticky tack idea works! My local Lowe’s didn’t have the Locktite version, so I bought DAP Blue Stick. Used it once and got a good seal confirmation on the app. I took the AirPod Pros out and put them back in my ear and another good seal confirmation. That was on my iPhone. Then, I took them out, put them back in and connected to my iPad. Another good seal pass. Thanks to whomever thought of this Idea and posted the fix here. BTW, I also think the bass sounds a bit better.
 

hesoba

macrumors regular
Jul 7, 2017
154
132
I dunno what you guys ears look like. ive been using the pros since release, never cleaned the vent. Still isn't dirty, fit test still green and stuff...
 
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ktula

macrumors newbie
Oct 20, 2007
15
0
Thanks to whoever suggested using product like Blu-Tack. I used Loctite Fun-Tak on the inward-facing microphone mesh and now they not only pass the ear tip fit test, they sound significantly better now!
[automerge]1582235925[/automerge]
I dunno what you guys ears look like. ive been using the pros since release, never cleaned the vent. Still isn't dirty, fit test still green and stuff...

Perhaps Apple should rename the Ear Tip Fit Test to Ear Wax Detection Test. When the AirPods Pro starts failing the test, it's time to not only clean the mesh with Blu-Tack, it's also time to clean the ears :D
 
Last edited:

richard371

macrumors 68040
Feb 1, 2008
3,739
1,926
This has nothing to do with Hygiene for most people. Its not necessarily ear wax but just microscopic skin flakes etc or even dust and dirt from our hands when we grab them. I doubt Apple will include blu-tac with their Airpods or admit this is the fix but I'm glad we now have a simple fix.
 
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mppn

macrumors 6502
Feb 22, 2016
310
271
Montreal, QC, Canada
Can confirm blu tac, when properly used, is great at reverting back the AirPods Pro to a clean state. Bone conduction is back to nonexistent after this cleanup.

It is clear to me that this is a really big hardware flaw and, although it’s probably affecting a small subset of users, it should have been spotted at an earlier stage of development. No firmware Update will ever fix this.

hope Apple will fix this in a future hardware update...
 

glazball

macrumors member
Jul 5, 2017
39
18
Am I the only one that doesn't see a big difference in the photos that @vinegarshots posted above? I'm not trying to be negative, I'm just not sure what it is I'm supposed to be seeing. They both look approximately the same to me.

I just got my own pair yesterday (and my wife a pair as well for herself) and tried them out for a few hours last night and today. Damn, they are nice! These are my first in-ear headphones in a long time, so maybe there's some bias there, but they sound fantastic to me and the ANC worked amazingly well in my morning (car) commute this morning. While still parked in the driveway, I had my defrost blasting. Put in my APPs and (with no music on yet), I turned on ANC and there was just.... silence. I had to turn ANC off again to make sure the defrost was still going! (This will be what I compare to after a week or two of use, to see if ANC stops working as well for me like some of you have described.)

Like @richard371 said above, the problem for some users is likely from oils on the fingers when taking the APPs out of the case, as well as ear oils, wax and skin flakes. Fingers may be the most likely culprit though. Is there any easier way to take them out of the case without having to tug at them with grimy fingers??
 

zhenya

macrumors 604
Jan 6, 2005
6,931
3,681
Am I the only one that doesn't see a big difference in the photos that @vinegarshots posted above? I'm not trying to be negative, I'm just not sure what it is I'm supposed to be seeing. They both look approximately the same to me.

I just got my own pair yesterday (and my wife a pair as well for herself) and tried them out for a few hours last night and today. Damn, they are nice! These are my first in-ear headphones in a long time, so maybe there's some bias there, but they sound fantastic to me and the ANC worked amazingly well in my morning (car) commute this morning. While still parked in the driveway, I had my defrost blasting. Put in my APPs and (with no music on yet), I turned on ANC and there was just.... silence. I had to turn ANC off again to make sure the defrost was still going! (This will be what I compare to after a week or two of use, to see if ANC stops working as well for me like some of you have described.)

Like @richard371 said above, the problem for some users is likely from oils on the fingers when taking the APPs out of the case, as well as ear oils, wax and skin flakes. Fingers may be the most likely culprit though. Is there any easier way to take them out of the case without having to tug at them with grimy fingers??

You can clearly see in the photos that the areas that are supposed to be open, breathable mesh, are clogged in the before picture, and open and clear after.

I don't think this is finger handling. This part of the headphone rests directly against your skin when worn. Many of us wear these for 5-10 hours every day, exercise with them, etc. It's not surprising they are getting clogged from normal use.
 

sft109

macrumors member
Nov 27, 2009
56
18
Can confirm that the blu tack works rather well. Mine were clogged pretty hard from using old deformed bad tack that just left a bunch of residue. I then brushed them aggressively with alcohol and while it helped remove some it also likely pushed some further in there. Got the new Loctite fun-tack and now it looks super clear and the seal test passes and the bass is better. Quite amazed that it worked actually as I thought I ruined them with the old stuff.

Now let's just see how long they stay open. I work out in mine and so they basically clog within 1-2 days normally.
 
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