AirPods Pro: Rattlegate

[MayaTlab]

Quick question here : my left replacement earbud (newer hardware revision) is now starting to make an electronics whine noise in transparency mode (not just an elevated white noise like normal) and will have to be replaced... again.
For those who have had their APPs replaced multiple times, has a refund or credit ever been proposed to you at any time by Apple ?
I absolutely adore the APPs when they work, but considering other options.

 

[Aydy]

Just received a pair from Amazon (Canada). The fourth and fifth characters in the serial numbers of both buds and the case are DT, which would suggest late November or early December but the firmware they had out of the box was not the most recent one. Kinda odd, no? Wasn’t the most recent firmware released in September? How could they be manufactured in December but have the previous firmware?

(These feel and sound great by the way and in-ear earbuds have never worked for me.)

From what I understand the initial build firmware is preloaded to the chip at factory and only update when paired with users device. My replacements were the same.

 

[MrMacintoshIII]

I’ve gotten my second replacement on APP now. This replacement features the recessed grill, so I’ll update again in some time if they break down similarly.

 

[SparkOnShore]

AirPods Pro 2 Could Come in Two Sizes

Leaker Mr-white, who has in the past shared accurate details on Apple's product plans, today tweeted alleged images of internal hardware that...

www.macrumors.com

Seems like AirPods Pro 2 are coming within 2021! So I guess all our problems will be resolved with the new version. Looking forward...

 

[BaddAdvice]

Got the APPs on launch day in 2019. Those started rattling just a couple months back and had them replaced. Replacements are now exhibiting the same issue, so got onto the Apple Support app to explain the issue. After a little bit of conversation, I was given a repair ID and was told replacements were being sent out. Strange thing is, I wasn’t asked for a CC#.

EDIT: Nevermind - just got an email from Apple asking for my card number!

 

[Cdwright12]

Got the APPs on launch day in 2019. Those started rattling just a couple months back and had them replaced. Replacements are now exhibiting the same issue, so got onto the Apple Support app to explain the issue. After a little bit of conversation, I was given a repair ID and was told replacements were being sent out. Strange thing is, I wasn’t asked for a CC#.

EDIT: Nevermind - just got an email from Apple asking for my card number!

Nice to see even the replacements have not fixed the issues either.

 

[chrfr]

Nice to see even the replacements have not fixed the issues either.

Replacements from “a couple months back” may not have been the upgraded design. We won’t know for a while longer if the fix Apple came up with actually works.

 

[BaddAdvice]

Replacements from “a couple months back” may not have been the upgraded design. We won’t know for a while longer if the fix Apple came up with actually works.

Yeah, I’m pretty sure they’re the old/original design - I don’t see/feel a noticeable recession of the mic grill like you all are saying the updated version has. So, fingers crossed.

 

[xapp]

Is there a conclusive reason for Pros to go bad? Is it dust or maybe magnets?

My replacement (after October) worked great, while I was charging them via lightning.
Few days ago I put them on MagSafe Duo and the left broke, as if strong magnets of MagSafe moved/shifted something inside.

 

[Theophil1971]

Is there a conclusive reason for Pros to go bad? Is it dust or maybe magnets?

My replacement (after October) worked great, while I was charging them via lightning.
Few days ago I put them on MagSafe Duo and the left broke, as if strong magnets of MagSafe moved/shifted something inside.

That's interesting. I hadn't considered whether the wireless-charger could be a culprit...

 

[PTLove]

Just replaced both my left and right Pro's (one at a time due to how Apple support handled it) and they both have a noticeable indent on the side black spot. Its not huge, but running over it with your finger and going from the set I originally had to these its noticeable. I am once again getting a green "good fit" when testing the AirPods in the IOS settings, so that is nice (previously I could not get that no matter what) but its worth noting it used to work just fine with the old ones too when I first got them, so who knows for sure if it is fixed or not.

 

[BaddAdvice]

Got my (2nd) replacements today. 0C6K and 0C6J for the last four of each serial number and recessed grills, so here's hoping they're from corrected/updated batch. Been too busy having fun with my APMs to give the APPs a proper listen!

 

[ladytonya]

I just bought my first APP yesterday, maybe I should have read here first. Can anyone explain what the rattle or crackling sounds like? I'm trying to envision what I should be listening for over time. Right now, I am enjoying the heck out of these things though! I've never had noise cancelling ear buds and these are absolutely incredible, I hope I continue to feel that way months down the road.

 

[BaddAdvice]

I just bought my first APP yesterday, maybe I should have read here first. Can anyone explain what the rattle or crackling sounds like? I'm trying to envision what I should be listening for over time. Right now, I am enjoying the heck out of these things though! I've never had noise cancelling ear buds and these are absolutely incredible, I hope I continue to feel that way months down the road.

For me, it sounded like an electronic “crackle”. It was noticeable, for sure and occurred whenever I’d touch the AirPod.

 

[Bustermd]

I just bought my first APP yesterday, maybe I should have read here first. Can anyone explain what the rattle or crackling sounds like? I'm trying to envision what I should be listening for over time. Right now, I am enjoying the heck out of these things though! I've never had noise cancelling ear buds and these are absolutely incredible, I hope I continue to feel that way months down the road.

When the APP work they are phenomenal. When they go bad, it is very annoying.

For me the sound was like someone was crinkling cellophane in my ear. Not louder than what I was listening to on the airpods, but loud enough to be distracting. Started insidiously and got progressively worse. The sound typically comes on with head movements, or with speaking. It was incredibly annoying for me as I use my APPs for phone calls all day every day.

Apple support replaced them with zero debate or argument, so there's that I guess.

 

[Zanton68]

Does anyone have an issue where, one of the AirPods Pro needs pushing in e.g. after working a bit loose from running etc. but, when you push one of them in it stops music playing or cuts off a phone call ? Happens when pushing the white part at the top, no contact with the stem or force touch.

Anyone else heard of this or having this issue ?

 

[Hamppis]

I just bought my first APP yesterday, maybe I should have read here first. Can anyone explain what the rattle or crackling sounds like? I'm trying to envision what I should be listening for over time. Right now, I am enjoying the heck out of these things though! I've never had noise cancelling ear buds and these are absolutely incredible, I hope I continue to feel that way months down the road.

My right APP developed this about two weeks ago and is now in repair. I first noticed it while I was walking with noise cancelation activated — it was like a crackle sound, first I thought there was something wrong with my ear. Then the problem got worse and I could actually hear like a static discharge by just resting my finger on the shaft of the earpiece. When I took them to service provider two days ago they were crackling by just listening bass heavy music without noise cancelation or transparency activated.

 

[japanime]

For me, it sounded like an electronic “crackle”. It was noticeable, for sure and occurred whenever I’d touch the AirPod.

I first noticed it while I was walking with noise cancelation activated — it was like a crackle sound, first I thought there was something wrong with my ear. Then the problem got worse and I could actually hear like a static discharge by just resting my finger on the shaft of the earpiece.

For me the sound was like someone was crinkling cellophane in my ear. Not louder than what I was listening to on the airpods, but loud enough to be distracting. Started insidiously and got progressively worse. The sound typically comes on with head movements, or with speaking.

All three of these are excellent descriptions of the sound.

Another way to describe it is that it's similar to the noise you hear when you plug a "live" audio cable into an audio port and get a short, high-pitched burst of static.

 

[Dbsr87]

Mine are doing a quiet humming sound when in ANC or transparency mode. You can hear it when there’s no audio playing.

Is this the same issue? Or is that normal?

 

[BarrettF77]

Would be helpful if people posted the issues if they’re having them on replacement Devices that were issued after the October replacement program

 

[japanime]

Mine are doing a quiet humming sound when in ANC or transparency mode. You can hear it when there’s no audio playing.

Is this the same issue? Or is that normal?

Probably the same issue. If it's a static-like hum, almost certainly.

 

[bthompson]

Got my 4th replacement set. The left one is a late October build with recessed grill and it clicks/pops while running. Ugh. So over this.

 

[BaddAdvice]

Got my 4th replacement set. The left one is a late October build with recessed grill and it clicks/pops while running. Ugh. So over this.

Disappointing, to say the least. I just received my 2nd set of replacements, but haven't used them much. So far, so good, but it's only been a few days.

 

[xapp]

How do you charge them, wirelessly? Do they have any contact with magnets either on MagSafe or on MacBook surface?

 

[appleino]

I‘m currently waiting for my second replacement pair to arrive. The left one became totally unusable thanks to a constant electric whine and the right one degraded over time too with the ear tip test always failing for both Airpods (which did never fail when I got them). Must be one of the worst products Apple has produced so far and I really hope the replacement pair will work longer than my first two sets.