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whsbuss

macrumors 601
May 4, 2010
4,264
1,094
SE Penna.
If it weren't for the 1) Hey Siri handsfree and 2) messaging announcing I would get the Sony WF1000 XM4. Its the integration that makes them desirable.
 

japanime

macrumors 68030
Feb 27, 2006
2,916
4,846
Japan
Has anyone had any issues getting a replacement for a pair that were manufactured after the "magical" October 2020 date?
 

japanime

macrumors 68030
Feb 27, 2006
2,916
4,846
Japan
Me.... had a replacement pair sent during COVID in Nov 2020. Got another replacement pair at Apple store in August 2021 because the replacements starting rattling.
I hope I have similar luck. Such a flawed product. Wish I had never purchased it.
 

bubulol

macrumors 6502a
Mar 7, 2013
967
273
If they fail again, i would buy Airpods 3 instead
Or any other alternative with noise cancellation
 

Itinj24

Contributor
Nov 8, 2017
4,581
2,627
New York
Oh look, another Apple audio product that fails shortly after buying it. Maybe they should just get out of the audio game. I’ve had this crackling in my right AirPod for a while but I had them painted so can’t get a warranty replacement. Silly me for thinking Apple can produce and sell a premium audio product for a high price that will last a few years at least.
 

ladytonya

macrumors 6502a
Oct 14, 2008
924
198
I have had my AirPods Pro for over a year and they just developed the rattling in the right ear pod. Will apple still replace it or am I out of luck because it took so long to develop? The crackling sound is very frustrating when wearing them to work!
 

evertjr

macrumors regular
Oct 24, 2016
242
333
I have had my AirPods Pro for over a year and they just developed the rattling in the right ear pod. Will apple still replace it or am I out of luck because it took so long to develop? The crackling sound is very frustrating when wearing them to work!
I believe the repair program is extended for two years. Try cleaning the meshes with blu tack if it doesn’t work try contacting Apple Support.
 
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JCCL

macrumors 68020
Apr 3, 2010
2,042
4,682
I have had my AirPods Pro for over a year and they just developed the rattling in the right ear pod. Will apple still replace it or am I out of luck because it took so long to develop? The crackling sound is very frustrating when wearing them to work!
Yes, take them straight to Apple and they will replace it. I wouldn't recommend trying any home DIY "solutions" floating around. The program has been extended to 3 years after the original purchase date, so just go ahead and take them
 
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evertjr

macrumors regular
Oct 24, 2016
242
333
Yes, take them straight to Apple and they will replace it. I wouldn't recommend trying any home DIY "solutions" floating around. The program has been extended to 3 years after the original purchase date, so just go ahead and take them
There’s no home DIY solutions lol I only suggested cleaning the thing, even Apple Stores use something like blutack to clean the meshes of AirPods Pro and it’s has been used for years to clean earphones. There’s nothing wrong in taking care of your stuff. I’ve been using my AirPods Pro for 2 years now and I use blu tack every week to keep it clean and it’s as good as new.
 
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ladytonya

macrumors 6502a
Oct 14, 2008
924
198
Just out of curiosity I Googled cleaning the AirPods with Blu Tack and it seems that if you aren't careful it can cause damage to the mesh. I think I'll pass on that and stick with the tried and true Q-Tip method!
 

evertjr

macrumors regular
Oct 24, 2016
242
333
Just out of curiosity I Googled cleaning the AirPods with Blu Tack and it seems that if you aren't careful it can cause damage to the mesh. I think I'll pass on that and stick with the tried and true Q-Tip method!
Good luck then, Q-tip is gonna ruin them as it leave lots of particles in the meshes, I’m saying by own experience, you most likely caused the problem. It’s basically impossible to damage the meshes with blu tack as it is a very soft sticky mass, all it does is grab dust and particles from small places, it’s reusable and doesn’t leave residues.
 
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JCCL

macrumors 68020
Apr 3, 2010
2,042
4,682
Good luck then, Q-tip is gonna ruin them as it leave lots of particles in the meshes, I’m saying by own experience, you most likely caused the problem. It’s basically impossible to damage the meshes with blu tack as it is a very soft sticky mass, all it does is grab dust and particles from small places, it’s reusable and doesn’t leave residues.
Why risk damaging in any way if it’s something covered by Apple. Just take them. Suctioning, blu tack, etc don’t do much if it really has the problem. It’s a hardware issue.
 
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evertjr

macrumors regular
Oct 24, 2016
242
333
Why risk damaging in any way if it’s something covered by Apple. Just take them. Suctioning, blu tack, etc don’t do much if it really has the problem. It’s a hardware issue.
It’s not a hardware issue, it’s a design flaw, the same way the iPhone 6 Plus could be bent, the ear facing microphone on the AirPods Pro can be damaged by careless users. Apple partially mitigated the issue by recessing the mesh and was probably enough for most people as there’s very few new reports of this problem. I just gave one simple advice if you don’t want to replace it endlessly, keeping it (and your ears) clean fully prevents the issue.
 

ladytonya

macrumors 6502a
Oct 14, 2008
924
198
It’s not a hardware issue, it’s a design flaw, the same way the iPhone 6 Plus could be bent, the ear facing microphone on the AirPods Pro can be damaged by careless users. Apple partially mitigated the issue by recessing the mesh and was probably enough for most people as there’s very few new reports of this problem. I just gave one simple advice if you don’t want to replace it endlessly, keeping it (and your ears) clean fully prevents the issue.
And in my research I saw photographs of the opposite. People using Blu Tack and pieces of the putty were lodged in the mesh. One person even had the putty pull the mesh out of the ear pod! I am very careful with the Q-Tip and as that is how Apple instructs you to clean them, I think I'll be good.

Plus, if there was an Apple Store within 2 hours of me, I would have been there the moment the rattle started appearing. As there isn't, I'm trying to find another solution.
 
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addamas

macrumors 65816
Apr 20, 2016
1,314
1,341
Soon I have an appointment for this issue. AirPods Pro are under warranty, however they are a bit scratched as I was about to paint them black but found problems with microphones and this rattling only with left ear and as mentioned only in noise cancelling option. I hope in Poland it works the same as everywhere else, what is test no matter how they look and then replacement…
 

dannyyankou

macrumors G5
Mar 2, 2012
13,839
29,844
Westchester, NY
Has anyone had any issues getting a replacement for a pair that were manufactured after the "magical" October 2020 date?
I last got mine both replaced in June 2021. My right one started with the static issue again, so I made an appointment. They replaced both of them today, even though the left one wasn't having issues it failed the sound test lol.

So they were manufactured in 2021 and I was out of warranty. Maybe I just got lucky.
 
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dannyyankou

macrumors G5
Mar 2, 2012
13,839
29,844
Westchester, NY
Although the issue is annoying, the upside is that the battery life is always like new. I've had to replace mine like 4-5 times already lol. It's really distracting when you're talking on a phone call and you keep hearing a buzzing in your ear.

That being said, customer support has been excellent and quick every single time, one of the main reasons I stick with Apple.
 
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pvq

macrumors newbie
Mar 11, 2012
26
9
Just had a two plus year old pair replaced today. I had the right one replaced shortly after I purchased it, and I thought it was fine. It was the left one that was rattling but they BOTH failed the sound quality test. Im
Hopefully they won't develop the rattle again
 

jwoair23

macrumors newbie
Feb 12, 2012
10
2
I bought my AirPod Pro's in Nov 2019, just brought them in to an apple store. I had an intermittent charging issue with one of them that their computer actually detected as well. But it was charged when I brought it in, they tested both and both failed. Walked out with a brand new set of Airpod Pro's. That is great customer service even though it should not have happened, at least they covered it and now my 2.5 year old headphones are new!
 
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addamas

macrumors 65816
Apr 20, 2016
1,314
1,341
You are lucky that you have almost instantly the decision. I already wait 3 days since I left my AirPods Pro in official resellers place (booked via Apple official support app). I wonder when we will get official Apple Store.
From this perspective Apple s**ks with guarantee :D

Cross my fingers everybody will have them replaced with this condition and next gen will be better (as someone mentioned it requires better microphones)
 

cmatuk

macrumors 6502
Jul 10, 2013
259
169
Although the issue is annoying, the upside is that the battery life is always like new. I've had to replace mine like 4-5 times already lol. It's really distracting when you're talking on a phone call and you keep hearing a buzzing in your ear.

That being said, customer support has been excellent and quick every single time, one of the main reasons I stick with Apple.
I'm on my 6th; and yeah, getting a fresh battery is great but It's the case that shows off deterioration now; I'm charging it almost daily after it fills the buds back up.
 
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cmatuk

macrumors 6502
Jul 10, 2013
259
169
You are lucky that you have almost instantly the decision. I already wait 3 days since I left my AirPods Pro in official resellers place (booked via Apple official support app). I wonder when we will get official Apple Store.
From this perspective Apple s**ks with guarantee :D

Cross my fingers everybody will have them replaced with this condition and next gen will be better (as someone mentioned it requires better microphones)
Be patient; I took mine to the one of only too apple story in my city and even though they created the order and made all the "paperwork" they told me they didn't have any in stock for replacement. One month later i got my 6th (at this point i do hope final) replacement pair. This happened last month btw
 
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mrmister

Suspended
Dec 19, 2008
655
774
Just went in to the Apple Store to replace my AirPods Pro a second time—I bought on launch, and this is now my 3rd pair. My friend works at the Genius Bar and is pretty clued in (meaning he pays attention, listens to other employee gossip, not that he's a magical source or something). Here's some stuff he told me, which basically corroborates many things people have already reported.

—If you are out of warranty, they make you go in person to the Genius Bar or an AAR bc that is their standard protocol—they won't let you do advance replacements once you are out of warranty. I wish I had extended my AppleCare (can you on APP?) just bc I could avoid going in to the Apple Store for no reason, since...

—They have a machine that tests the earbuds, and if they flunk, they replace them. It is really good at seeing if you have the problem—that they have down.

—My friend said that even OOW they will always replace your airpods pro if they flunk the test—the current policy is to keep replacing them forever. Since you can buy a brand new one right now with the same problem, this will go on for awhile.

—He says he spends all day some days, like 4-5 hour shifts, *just* doing audio tests and replacing AirPods Pro. I don't know how big an issue it is, but it honestly sounds like it's major.

Now these parts are a little speculative:

—He believes, and a number of other Apple Retail folks agree, that the reason they don't have a new AirPods Pro isn't because they haven't been finished. They are finished. They believe they are delayed because they do not actually understand what makes AirPods Pro 'get sick' like they do, and no one wants the second generation to continue this problem.

—He believes, and again, he says this is general consensus, that as of now no one really knows what happens to them. There is no user-defined behavior that makes them stop working and crackle/stutter/generally suck. We can all keep speculating in this thread, but he says at Apple Retail they are pretty sure nothing you can do can affect your AirPods Pro, either to keep them from failing or fix them once they start failing.

—My advice? If you have even a small amount of audio problems with your AirPods Pro—exchange them. Do it right away. The problem always only gets worse, and it also degrades in ways you don't expect—my second pair started stuttering (!) and dropping audio. Also once I got a new set I realized how bad they had started to sound—you get used to the declining quality. If you are in warranty you can do an advance mail return and it won't even inconveinence you.

—I love my AirPods Pro. When they work, they are better than all the other airpods I have owned. That said? I would not recommend anyone buy a new one for love or money. Get a 3rd Gen regular airpods or wait, like everyone, for the next generation to solve this issue.
 
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