AirPods Pro: Rattlegate

[MacRumorsRanger]

Oh, ok, you mean that you get so used to hearing the rattling sound you keep thinking you hear it. Yeah, that's fair enough. I thought you were saying you could actually hear it when the APPs weren't even in your ear, which would be something else!

 

[Rassama]

I’m going to chime in with my experience. My right AirPod developed this problem. I found this thread after searching for AirPods and rattling as that is clearly a good way to describe it. The problem was even clearly audible when just walking with the AirPods in.

I got mine late October so obviously still under warranty. I received a replacement pod the day after I called AppleCare so I’m good for now.

But what is really annoying is that the AppleCare chat lasted... and I’m looking it up to be exact... lasted 1 hour and 12 minutes because you first have to go through a lot of hoops including resetting the airpods, conforming the problem is still there, say 5 Hail Marys and slaughter a beetle*. A lot of hoops for an obvious problem.

I hope I don’t have to go through it again but I’m not holding my breath.

* actual steps:
look up serial number
what devices you use with the airpods
what os version they are on
reset airpods
clean airpods
test the anc
give name address tel number
authorise credit card (€99)

 

[matthewadams]

Got my right one replaced now too and am <sarcasm>super happy</sarcasm> to own at least 2 Apple device's now with set near-future expiration dates (MBP 2018 & APP)

 

[Duncan68]

Just had these replaced last tuesday and I'm hearing the crackle again. Its not as extreme as it was before but it's definitely there. I even had my buddy test it out to see if it was in my ear or if it was the air pods themselves.

I don't know if by me hearing the sound (crackle) my head is being messed with but I even hear the same crackle without the APP in my ears (left only). I have no idea but it is definitely annoying as I hear the issue in my left ear with or without the APP in. Havent used the APP in a while I only tested them when I got them and didn't have the crackle and now that I used them for a bit tonight I hear this crackle.

At one point, a crackling/clicking sound I was hearing in my left APP I was also hearing with my left Jabra Elite 65t. I didn't hear anything with nothing in my ear, however.

 

[jimmy_uk]

Well this is depressing news as the Airpod Pro have some of the best ANC. I can see a deal thread on hotukdeals that has a retailer selling these for £192 which is 23% off. Safe to say the deal is very popular right how and I imagine hundreds of people are purchasing unaware of the issue they will face.

 

[zhenya]

I had my first set replaced for this issue in late April with the right pod developing the crackling. They were about 5 months old at that point. This week the new set (both were replaced) suddenly developed a high-pitched squealing sound (again from the right unit) that I could only stop by re-setting the pairing with the device. From that point on it was not rattling, per se, but something was clearly different. The NC was greatly reduced, and the right pod made noises in NC mode that the left did not.

Fortunately the Apple chat did not make me go through all the troubleshooting hoops the second time and they are sending me yet another pair.

These are amazing tech when they worked, but you definitely want Applecare with these (although I confirmed my replacements were covered under the regular defect warranty - not AppleCare).

 

[Phil77354]

My replacement AirPod Pros are doing fine. I'm going to take care of them and enjoy them.

 

[j0nblayz]

im now on my 5th pair some of the issues i had were static, crackle, clicking during calls, blown speaker, unbalanced sound... i believe there is a hardware issue for sure, as all mine worked perfectly first but eventually all had issues with sound quality. there were all perfectly clean, and also tried all types of fixes i found on the net.

out of the 5 pairs, all of them had issues with the right APP, only couple of them also had issues with the left. Luckily every time apple swapped both pairs.

My new pair came about a week ago and so far they are working great, but with my experiences i had i know i will have issues again. Not too worried as i have AppleCare and apple support has been amazing with support. Just getting bit annoyed with constantly having to swap them.. fingers crossed these will last longer...

Also last swap they forgot to include a return label or generate a return tracking number. They sent me via email a tracking number i can use, hopefully I don’t have issues with getting my credit card hold released as I don’t see it reflected in my return case file on support file...

 

[bthompson]

Currently getting my 3rd AirPods replacement. So over this. They won't express replacement I have to take it to the apple store to get it replaced. Dumb.

 

[topbin]

Just been through my 2nd send of a new AirPod Pro (left first, now right). Same hoop jumping everyone has mentioned (are you on the latest software, have you restarted your computer bla bla bla), which is painful.

Then they send a new right headphone (with M tips), a new set of M tips, no box to post the broken one back in and now on my 3rd attempt to either get a box to send it back or for them to release the hold from my card. Painful, and sad that these great pieces of equipment seem to fall faulty after 4-5 months of use.

 

[CoronaOnTap]

Just been through my 2nd send of a new AirPod Pro (left first, now right). Same hoop jumping everyone has mentioned (are you on the latest software, have you restarted your computer bla bla bla), which is painful.

Then they send a new right headphone (with M tips), a new set of M tips, no box to post the broken one back in and now on my 3rd attempt to either get a box to send it back or for them to release the hold from my card. Painful, and sad that these great pieces of equipment seem to fall faulty after 4-5 months of use.

Aren’t you supposed to send the faulty AirPods in the same box as the replacement AirPods? Everything you need is right there including the return label which hides behind the one on the packaging.
Am I missing something?

 

[vinegarshots]

Aren’t you supposed to send the faulty AirPods in the same box as the replacement AirPods? Everything you need is right there including the return label which hides behind the one on the packaging.
Am I missing something?

That is correct! Pretty simple, really

 

[chrfr]

Just been through my 2nd send of a new AirPod Pro (left first, now right). Same hoop jumping everyone has mentioned (are you on the latest software, have you restarted your computer bla bla bla), which is painful.

Then they send a new right headphone (with M tips), a new set of M tips, no box to post the broken one back in and now on my 3rd attempt to either get a box to send it back or for them to release the hold from my card. Painful, and sad that these great pieces of equipment seem to fall faulty after 4-5 months of use.

There should have been a sheet in the replacement part with directions on how to repack the return and to tear off the tab on the shipping label to reveal the return label. There's also the rest of the sizes of tips in the box under the AirPod.

 

[CoronaOnTap]

There should have been a sheet in the replacement part with directions on how to repack the return and to tear off the tab on the shipping label to reveal the return label. There's also the rest of the sizes of tips in the box under the AirPod.

They send you the rest of the tip sizes too?

 

[G.McGilli]

They send you the rest of the tip sizes too?

Mine had all the tip sizes included

 

[chrfr]

They send you the rest of the tip sizes too?

They're under the replacement AirPod. That part of the package lifts out and the tips are there.

 

[topbin]

No, there was no address label and there were some instructions in the bag which said I needed to put the small box which had the AirPod Pro into a slightly larger box. There was no slightly larger box. No address label. I've spoken to Apple Support twice now who have both said they'll remove the hold from my credit card but it hasn't gone yet. I've tried to do it via the chat so I have a record of them saying it and they say I have to call to sort, so getting a bit frustrated with it now!

 

[CoronaOnTap]

No, there was no address label and there were some instructions in the bag which said I needed to put the small box which had the AirPod Pro into a slightly larger box. There was no slightly larger box. No address label. I've spoken to Apple Support twice now who have both said they'll remove the hold from my credit card but it hasn't gone yet. I've tried to do it via the chat so I have a record of them saying it and they say I have to call to sort, so getting a bit frustrated with it now!

You just replace the faulty AirPod exactly in the place of the replacement AirPod. There’s no two boxes. You just swap out the new one with the old one and put it back in the same box.
Tear along the perforated edge on the mailing label and you’ll see the return label behind it. Just discard the top label and reseal the packing envelope by removing the sticker.
It’d be easier to explain if you have the pictures of the replacements attached here.

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They're under the replacement AirPod. That part of the package lifts out and the tips are there.

Never bothered to check under the box. I’ve got AC+ so no need to beat myself up over it I guess.

 

[MacRumorsRanger]

Tear along the perforated edge on the mailing label and you’ll see the return label behind it. Just discard the top label and reseal the packing envelope by removing the sticker.

It should be noted that in many instances Apple are requiring you to download a shipping label and print it (instead of including one). It seems to vary country-by-country and who they're using as the courier - from an earlier post in the thread:

I got an email titled "Your replacement part has shipped.". At the very bottom of that email there was a "Repair Status" link. Clicking on that took me to a page with a blue "Print Label" button I could use to print a shipping label. I then chucked my old buds in the same packaging the replacements came in, taped the boxes together, slapped the printed shipping label on it, and then took it to my local post office and handed it over.

 

[BATman.Berlin]

Does Apple also replace APP's bought from Amazon?

 

[joelhinch]

I went to the Apple store in Hong Kong yesterday as my left AirPod pro has experienced the clicking when I move my head or step. The guy told me that they have experienced just recently a lot of people coming in with this problem. So while they will replace the AirPod they’re not certain if the problem is hardware or firmware and can’t guarantee it won’t come back.

How did they test them in store out of curiosity. I have an appointment but not particularly chummed with someone else wearing my In ear earphones.

 

[IRF]

How did they test them in store out of curiosity. I have an appointment but not particularly chummed with someone else wearing my In ear earphones.

They attached a small iphone alike device via lightning cable and run an diagnostic program and replaced my pair. Glad I’m done with those, got my full money back and are more than happy with my jabra elite active 75T ! I highly recommend y’all do the same!

 

[joelhinch]

They attached a small iphone alike device via lightning cable and run an diagnostic program and replaced my pair. Glad I’m done with those, got my full money back and are more than happy with my jabra elite active 75T ! I highly recommend y’all do the same!

Huh... wonder how a “diagnostic” is going to determine something like a rattle. Anyway appointment is today and I will be asking for a refund. Thanks !

 

[sxc]

How did they test them in store out of curiosity. I have an appointment but not particularly chummed with someone else wearing my In ear earphones.

They didn’t actually test them. They took my word for it as they said many people had reported the same problem.
They did run diagnostics by plugging the case into a computer, but I think this was just standard procedure to get info on the device.

 

[players02]

Two months ago my right-pair had the issue and got it replaced.

Yesterday, my left-pair started having the issue and am now in the process of getting it replaced.

If this happens again, I might just return/sell and stick to my Sony WH-1000XM3's. APP's are really convenient but if this becomes a repeated process of having to get it replaced, I might as well wait for the next release which solves the issue permanently.