I went through three pairs and the third one is perfect but the other two definitely had issues. Apple employees looked at me like I was crazy but I know what I hear. If it bothers you enough exchange it there’s definitely pairs without any problems (like my current one).
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AirPods 4 with ANC - Low Static Noise
- Thread starter dandobingo
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Make sure your AirPods are updated to the latest software. The update made a big difference to me.
What kind of issues the first two pairs had? Was it the hissing with ANC ON, or did you also hear hissing with ANC OFF?
Hi Andrey it was hissing with ANC ON never off, only R AirPods for both
I just got the AirPods 4 ANC's today and they have the 7B20 firmware. There is a noticeable hiss with ANC on.
May you please give an update on how you're are?
I just got the AirPods 4 ANC today, they have the 7B20 firmware if that matters.
And on the box it says Mfg. on 10/2024.
When no type of noise control feature is on — all is good.
But when ANC or transparency mode on... There's a noticeable hissing sound.
I'm wondering if that's normal?
And on the box it says Mfg. on 10/2024.
When no type of noise control feature is on — all is good.
But when ANC or transparency mode on... There's a noticeable hissing sound.
I'm wondering if that's normal?
I don't notice it with music, that's right. But I'm still wondering if the hiss is normal, I can't find a solid answer.
Some people say that they returned theirs a couple of times and eventually got a pair that doesn't hiss at all OR after a certain firmware update/ factory reset it went away - which makes me think that it isn't normal.
Do you have this model of AirPods as well? If so, what is your experience?
[EDIT] Actually in a quiet environment I still hear the hiss with music/ podcast/ youtube videos playing as well which is quite concerning.
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I have the AirPods Pro, and my experience is that there's a soft hiss in Transparency mode, and an even quieter hiss in ANC mode (both with nothing playing). In ANC mode it's right at the edge of my hearing, so I imagine someone else wearing this pair might hear the Transparency hiss, but not the ANC hiss.
I can't recall if the hiss has changed over the years and software updates.
I can't recall if the hiss has changed over the years and software updates.
Yes it's the same with my pair, with Transparency mode the hiss is louder, but it's still there with ANC on as well. I'm just trying to understand if that's normal or not, since there are mixed inputs on that topic online. So I'll know if I should try to go for a replacement or just let it be.
That can be a tough call to make; while I'm sure there's some amount of variance between models, units and software versions, users' hearing also varies. So then different experiences reported by different users may not immediately reflect an objective difference in the performance of different units.
A long-winded way of saying: ultimately you should replace only if the hiss bothers you, and if the new unit bothers you also, go for something other than AirPods.
A long-winded way of saying: ultimately you should replace only if the hiss bothers you, and if the new unit bothers you also, go for something other than AirPods.
95% of the hiss went away after I updated. Only at near max volumes with no music playing can I detect any hiss. Very happy with my 4’s in the ANC mode. Shocked each day at how well they work!
Well, I just got a second pair of these for my wife and hers sound the same for me. The hiss is truly noticeable both in ANC and transparency modes. Bought directly for the Apple Store. I mean, it doesn't bother me THAT much to begin the hustle of replacing and probably experiencing the same issue again - so I'll just let it be. Do you still have the box of your pair to check what's the manufacturing date?
Yeah, I also feel that it's the way to go. Frankly, they do well with ANC in environments where you actually need it, like in the gym or during a walk. So hearing the hiss in quiet environments is a pretty fair tradeoff, I guess.