AirPods Pro: Rattlegate

[BriceApp]

Same. Mine start with h19dm. How to tell when made?

I am thinking around week 44 of 2020. That would be late Oct in Nov. That should be really new inventory.

 

[MajesticNJ]

For a company that is this successful, it is shocking to read how poorly organized it can be, but I am not surprised by your post. I heard a story about how one of Apple's factories functions and it's not a good image. I guess without Jobs, who was maniacally in control, you have a lot of the organization slipping into this mindset where they default back to finding ways to deny you something in order to save money, because any fee they can save or any replacement device spared is a lot of money accumulated on a large scale such as Apple's. This, however, doesn't help the company's reputation and this is where you need a Steve Jobs, someone with the idea of what the company needs to be and the willingness to push everyone in that direction.

Regardless of what goals a company prioritizes, a high-end brand such as Apple shouldn't make its customers have to go through what you went through. And it's not a fluke either, it's not just one disinterested employee because you made repeated requests towards Apple, they had ample opportunity to set it right and apparently couldn't get it done even with some of their staff actually *trying* to help.

I can't agree more. I am a loyal follower and supporter of the company and spend a good amount with them. All I ask is that I am treated fairly where my time and expense is taken into consideration. This was a very poor example of how Apple should be doing things. Thankfully the last person I worked with tookc are of me and finally arranged the replacement. It should not have taken me 10+ hours of phone calls, a trip to Best Buy, and a trip to my local Apple Store to make this happen. Thanks for your reply.

 

[PaladinGuy]

I just bought some on sale at Target price matching the $169 price and now I see this thread. How can I interpret my serial number? H37DD starting. I rather return new in box and get a Oct 2020 or newer? than to deal with replacements on a brand new product

Shucks. I didn’t see Target with the sale price. Amazon and Walmart I saw, but they both sold out before I purchased. I got an order in with Amazon, but they’re saying they won’t ship until end of January.

Did Target price match a Black Friday sale price?

 

[Theophil1971]

Here’s a question for y’all.
I finally was able to exchange my AirPod Pros for a new pair. This was the second exchange... first pair crackled in the left AirPod; exchanged them for a new pair which then began the cracking in the right AirPod, and then also the left. Today, I was able to get time with the Genius Bar at an Apple Store, and they replaced both AirPods with new ones, which are the new design with the recessed mic grills.
They work great.
The question is: I can’t seem to get them to update to the current firmware, and my iPhone doesn’t register their serial number under the “about” section in Settings/General.
At the store, they told me to plug the AirPods into a charger next to the iPhone for 15 minutes, and that would update the firmware.
I tried that several times to no avail. Still on firmware 2D27, and the Serial Number reads “?”
They work totally fine. But how do I get the serial number registered, and the firmware updated?
Thanks!!

 

[wkd]

Here’s a question for y’all.
I finally was able to exchange my AirPod Pros for a new pair. This was the second exchange... first pair crackled in the left AirPod; exchanged them for a new pair which then began the cracking in the right AirPod, and then also the left. Today, I was able to get time with the Genius Bar at an Apple Store, and they replaced both AirPods with new ones, which are the new design with the recessed mic grills.
They work great.
The question is: I can’t seem to get them to update to the current firmware, and my iPhone doesn’t register their serial number under the “about” section in Settings/General.
At the store, they told me to plug the AirPods into a charger next to the iPhone for 15 minutes, and that would update the firmware.
I tried that several times to no avail. Still on firmware 2D27, and the Serial Number reads “?”
They work totally fine. But how do I get the serial number registered, and the firmware updated?
Thanks!!

mine took overnight to update. i tried plugging and unplugging every 30mins when i first got them which didnt update. so i said screw this and just left them plugged in overnight.

 

[wytwolf]

Here’s a question for y’all.
I finally was able to exchange my AirPod Pros for a new pair. This was the second exchange... first pair crackled in the left AirPod; exchanged them for a new pair which then began the cracking in the right AirPod, and then also the left. Today, I was able to get time with the Genius Bar at an Apple Store, and they replaced both AirPods with new ones, which are the new design with the recessed mic grills.
They work great.
The question is: I can’t seem to get them to update to the current firmware, and my iPhone doesn’t register their serial number under the “about” section in Settings/General.
At the store, they told me to plug the AirPods into a charger next to the iPhone for 15 minutes, and that would update the firmware.
I tried that several times to no avail. Still on firmware 2D27, and the Serial Number reads “?”
They work totally fine. But how do I get the serial number registered, and the firmware updated?
Thanks!!

It took mine 24-48hrs before the serial number was updated and the firmware was updated to the latest version. Just keep them charging next to the phone as much as possible and it will eventually happen automatically. I too tried everything listed trying to "force" the update and just wasted my time.

 

[Theophil1971]

It took mine 24-48hrs before the serial number was updated and the firmware was updated to the latest version. Just keep them charging next to the phone as much as possible and it will eventually happen automatically. I too tried everything listed trying to "force" the update and just wasted my time.

Thanks. I left them on a charger overnight, and it’s the same this morning. No serial number, and 2D27 firmware. I suppose it just needs more time, like you said.

 

[Theophil1971]

Update. Resolved it self today at some point while hanging out in my pocket. Serial number and firmware are now fully updated.

 

[joeblough]

fwiw i have a pair of airpods pro that i bought the moment they were released. the right one just developed the crackling problem. my daughter has a pair that i bought maybe 6 months after they were released and both of hers developed the crackling problem a little while back. apple replaced hers via advanced replacement by fedex and the support chat was pretty straightforward. she has only had them a few days but the crackling is resolved.

i chatted with support today to get mine replaced an after an hour or so they agreed to do the advance replacement.

 

[ahsia]

I recently got mine replaced because they were faulty with the common issues.
left: H7CDM5S90C6K
right: H7CDLU320C6J

would anyone know when these were made?

 

[imdog]

Does anyone else get a deep steady beeping sound? It sounds almost like a low frequency tinnitus ringing, I get it in the right AirPod, accompanied with the rattling. Mine are from release day

 

[BriceApp]

I recently got mine replaced because they were faulty with the common issues.
left: H7CDM5S90C6K
right: H7CDLU320C6J

would anyone know when these were made?

5th character L and M would be around week 43 and 44. That would be late October into early November.

 

[decypher44]

They are sending me my third pair now. Constant buzzing and crackling. Add to that, this current pair has the left draining power three times as fast as the right. Crossing my fingers the ones coming will be fine.

 

[decypher44]

Just received my second pair of replacements due to the buzz/rattle. They keep sending older AirPods. I know, because they are coming with the older 2D27 firmware (the better firmware, IMO) that was updated at the end of September. If they want to keep sending replacements until I get ones that are good, fine by me. It’s a PITA, but what else can I do? Support NEVER listens.

 

[wkd]

i think all replacements come with 2D27. as my recessed mic airpods came with this firmware. which i believe are post-oct.

someone correct me if i'm wrong.

 

[Theophil1971]

i think all replacements come with 2D27. as my recessed mic airpods came with this firmware. which i believe are post-oct.

someone correct me if i'm wrong.

I think you're correct about this. My replacement AirPods Pro (both left and right earbuds) have the recessed mic, and show serial numbers consistent with later manufacturing. And they came with 2D27 firmware onboard. They've updated to current firmware now, and are working great so far.

 

[decypher44]

i think all replacements come with 2D27. as my recessed mic airpods came with this firmware. which i believe are post-oct.

someone correct me if i'm wrong.

I hope you are correct, and that my assumption is wrong. Having said that, the first replacement set I received last week went bad after 5 days. We'll see how long the ones I just received last.

 

[decypher44]

Can someone please help with dating my second pair of replacements?:

L: H2LDG
R: H1CDM

 

[Aydy]

I think you're correct about this. My replacement AirPods Pro (both left and right earbuds) have the recessed mic, and show serial numbers consistent with later manufacturing. And they came with 2D27 firmware onboard. They've updated to current firmware now, and are working great so far.

Same ?

 

[joeblough]

are there any comparison images out there of the original style vs. the recessed mic? i can't (visually) detect any difference between the replacement airpod pros that i've been sent but the serial numbers on the new ones indicate they were built recently.

 

[Aydy]

are there any comparison images out there of the original style vs. the recessed mic? i can't (visually) detect any difference between the replacement airpod pros that i've been sent but the serial numbers on the new ones indicate they were built recently.

It’s difficult but I think you just have to go with a fingernail. If you feel snag or resisting along the grill. If your fingernail gets trapped in the tiny recess of the grill..chances are it’s the later (post-October) version.

It’s difficult to see but this pic of my new replacement (With tip. Post-October) alongside my original (without tip, pre-October) shows a slight but obvious definition of the plastic surrounding the grill

 

[TD912]

I got my airpod pro's replaced after the left one started rattling.

I had read a fair amount about the noise cancellation. Like everyone else when I first got them (when they came out) I loved the noise cancellation, and like everyone else was frustrated by how it was patched to be much much worse with the automatic firmware updates.

When I received the new replacement ones, they had whatever was the latest firmware at around one month ago from today (checked at the time).

I was really happy because they had what felt like the original noise cancellation to them, where you'd put them on and get the 'whoosh' as the noise cancellation came in.

Now, a month in, they've gone to the 'bad' noise cancellation, where it barely feels like it's working. Before, street noise was minimal, now it's very noticeable.

Has anyone else experienced this and has there been any consensus on what's up? I was under the impression it was an original firmware vs later firmware thing.

But the replacement headphones were the 'current' firmware a month ago, i.e. expected to be patched past the original noise cancellation, and they too have undergone this lowering quality. Is there an answer here to what's up?

I just got my third replacements, which look like they're from the new batch with the recessed mics. This is just a total guess, but I'm starting to think it's not a firmware issue but maybe something inside the APPs are slowly loosening or coming apart or something. These new ones with the recessed inner mics seem to be mostly holding up for now, although the right side is starting to give me slight rumbling noises again, although not as bad as the previous 3. Ugh.

 

[chrfr]

I just got my third replacements, which look like they're from the new batch with the recessed mics. This is just a total guess, but I'm starting to think it's not a firmware issue but maybe something inside the APPs are slowly loosening or coming apart or something. These new ones with the recessed inner mics seem to be mostly holding up for now, although the right side is starting to give me slight rumbling noises again, although not as bad as the previous 3. Ugh.

It’s definitely not a firmware problem. That was well established and confirmed when Apple announced it was a manufacturing problem.

 

[Bobosita]

Hello everyone, I live in Georgia, which is not in USA, we do not have an official Apple service where you can quickly exchange AirPods Pro under warranty, I was waiting for 45 days for my left AirPods Pro. But after few days problem appeared with another one. So I decided to try everything possible to solve the problem with rattling, crackling, clicking, whistling and other noises in the right AirPods Pro in noise cancelation and transparency mode. I know that everyone has a problem over time, it means that one or more technical hole greed or the microphones under them are filled with earwax mesh or dust, etc. In general, at first I began to superficially clean these greeds, first with hydrogen peroxide to dissolve the earwax, then with 96% alcohol, so that there were no traces of my actions, I was afraid that if I nevertheless decided to exchange them under warranty, they would refuse me ... The problem remained, but then I got tired of everything, I took ear sticks, wetted them abundantly with 95% alcohol, so that alcohol began to drip from the headphones, and so for about 30 minutes I cleaned all holes except the main where the sound comes from, it cannot get dirty, it is protected by net in ambroschura which you can simply wash. After that, dry them with a hair dryer, but always with cold air, or warm, but not hot, this is very important !!! otherwise they can melt it, I know this from my AirPods One case After that, the problem went away, completely gone in all modes, if it comes back, I'll write ... It turns out sometimes you can achieve a lot from hopelessness. Try it all at your own peril and risk

 

[kellte2]

Just had the revised version fail on my right side. Device made a click/popping noise when touched. Seems like not much was fixed when they did the revision. Transparency mode began to sound muffled on the right channel, I attempted to clean with a toothbrush and an iso wipe.

Chatting with apple support now...Bummer.