Apple AirPods Firmware

[Erehy Dobon]

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[Jutah]

What are you saying here - that NC in both the models you tried had good NC?

It’s confusing because you then say you can clearly hear the snap of your fingers...

No,i actuallymwant to,say the opposite.

Both have poor anc, i can clearly hear the snap of my finger. I'm keeping since a while that the culprit is not the 2b54.

 

[rwilliams]

I don't have any ANC devices to compare the APP to, but is this really true? I thought the technicalities of ANC is to drown out background (constant) noise by playing an opposite/anti-noise to what the mic picks up. If it was to cancel the noise of a snapping finger, that would mean the speaker would have to play the exact opposite noise at the exact instance the finger is snapped. How would that happen?

I just did a quick search and found something that states "With current top-of-the-line noise cancelling headphones, you can expect between 15 and 25 dB noise reduction from 500 to 2000 Hz, which is substantial but not nearly enough to eliminate speech." So if speech is difficult to cancel out, not sure how ANC could cancel other non-constant noise.

Source: https://noisyworld.org/noise-cancelling-headphones-voices/

That’s how I thought ANC worked as well - it picks up and “learns” constant noises so that I can produce a signal to block them out. It’s not capable of blocking out something like a snap because it’s a single event. If I’m wrong, I’m wrong.

 

[Ralfi]

I don't have any ANC devices to compare the APP to, but is this really true? I thought the technicalities of ANC is to drown out background (constant) noise by playing an opposite/anti-noise to what the mic picks up. If it was to cancel the noise of a snapping finger, that would mean the speaker would have to play the exact opposite noise at the exact instance the finger is snapped. How would that happen?

I just did a quick search and found something that states "With current top-of-the-line noise cancelling headphones, you can expect between 15 and 25 dB noise reduction from 500 to 2000 Hz, which is substantial but not nearly enough to eliminate speech." So if speech is difficult to cancel out, not sure how ANC could cancel other non-constant noise.

Source: https://noisyworld.org/noise-cancelling-headphones-voices/

They actually block out* finger snaps very well. It's a good test to do between Transparency & NC.

*By 'block out' I mean muffle at least 85% of the snap.

 

[DesertSilver]

They actually block out* finger snaps very well. It's a good test to do between Transparency & NC.

*By 'block out' I mean muffle at least 85% of the snap.

It's obvious any sound between Transparency and ANC would be different. Transparency actively lets sound in. ANC includes noise being "muffled" by the passive NC nature of the earphones, which, itself, would block out some of any noise.

I have no doubt that the Active component of the NC would have a non-zero effect on a finger snap, or whatever other sudden sound heard in the vicinity. But I'm going to call bunk on not being able to hear a finger snap at all, via ANC alone, as some are claiming. Passive noise cancellation, mostly, but not ANC.

My own curiosity led me to do some online research on this topic so I'd welcome any evidence proving me wrong.

 

[Surf Monkey]

ANC headphones and earbuds like APP do not eliminate all extraneous noise. They work on some types of audio types better than others.

Irregular, higher pitch sounds (like human voices, snapping fingers, car horns) aren't as effectively blocked by ANC circuitry as regular, lower frequency sounds like engine noise, A/C units, refrigerator compressor motors, etc.

Also, ANC works less well on strongly directional audio sources.

You can actually witness this yourself if you have ANC turned on while a public transit vehicle arrives. Get on board the vehicle and wait for the it to depart. The ANC will be much more effective because of directionality, frequency, etc. despite the fact that the sound source is identical.

Over-the-ear ANC headphones typically outperform in-ear buds like the APP because of more effective physical sound isolation. This is why professionals in many industries use over-the-ear hearing protection over earplugs: places like shooting ranges, airport tarmacs, aircraft carriers, etc.

Remember that speaker elements to not reproduce all frequencies equally well. That's why there are often different speaker elements designed to address different segments of the audio spectrum. They have names like: subwoofer, woofer, mid-range, tweeter, etc.

Same with ear protection. Not all frequencies are protected the same. Foam earplugs block out the lower frequencies better than the higher one. If proper frequency response is important, you need to switch to a better technology. Musicians will often wear plugs with attenuation filters. The frequency response curve is flatter than foam earplugs but still isn't absolutely flat.

Things like ANC headphones and APP (like all hearing protection) are a compromise.

It's a bit silly, simple minded and decidedly inaccurate to say something like "snap your fingers and you won't hear it."

This is a very informative and valuable post. It’s important that people understand the capabilities and limitations of ANC, especially when it’s implemented in such a small package. Thanks for putting all of that together in a succinct and easily understandable format.

 

[gwhizkids]

If people are using discrete intense sounds, like a finger snap or a scream, as a means of judging the effectiveness of ANC, you are in for a for a very long wait for something that meets your needs in the size of the APP. Even with the new firmware, ANC still is very effective for me for train noise. A bit less effective for airplane noise. Perfect for coffee shop noise.

 

[Elektrofone]

If people are using discrete intense sounds, like a finger snap or a scream, as a means of judging the effectiveness of ANC, you are in for a for a very long wait for something that meets your needs in the size of the APP. Even with the new firmware, ANC still is very effective for me for train noise. A bit less effective for airplane noise. Perfect for coffee shop noise.

We all know that ANC doesn't block out certain noises. But there's a big difference in firmware versions of the ANC of the APP.

 

[Erehy Dobon]

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[gwhizkids]

We all know that ANC doesn't block out certain noises. But there's a big difference in firmware versions of the ANC of the APP.

I understand that, but I think some posters here have unrealistic expectations, as well.

 

[j0nblayz]

Just had a interesting chat with Apple support. Was chatting regarding getting my pods replaced due to few issues, and agent confirmed 2C54 has been pulled by Apple. However she mentioned I should have a newer firmware on my AirPods pro by the time I get the pods and she wasn’t sure the version of the newest firmware yet.

fingers crossed that Apple releases the firmware early next

got my APP warranty replacements. Unfortunately the firmware on them are 2B588

time to test them out and see if the issues I had previously are resolved

 

[Toratek]

I don't own any other ANC headphones, so I'm not sure if Sony or Bose allows this, but is adding an option for controlling the ANC level viable?

sony allows total control of the ANC level from full ANC to a transparency type pass through. You can also set their units to automatically change ANC level depending on what you’re doing, for example, walking on the street vs sitting down on a plane.

 

[Jutah]

so far so news. I'm getting skeptical about the update that would be solve the 2 major improvement area:

- ANC
- improvement of audio in call quality (note: do not underrate this issue, even worst than ANC)

... and many other minor bugs.

All the conditions around are good for having awareness those problem, but so far Apple has never said a single word. Pretty frustrating.

 

[Otflyer]

I don’t believe Apple has to release a new update because, the number of people aware of the change is small compared to the number of AirPods Pro sold. People who bought Airpods Pro with 2B588 currently and going forward will never experience the difference in anc.

 

[supergt]

I don’t believe Apple has to release a new update because, the number of people aware of the change is small compared to the number of AirPods Pro sold. People who bought Airpods Pro with 2B588 currently and going forward will never experience the difference in anc.

This is a legitimate concern. If the next firmware update does nothing to address the ANC, I believe nothing will be done about it going forward. There are potential legal ramifications but I assume Apple would issue refunds to anyone who purchased this product with firmware 2B584 and wanted to return it.

 

[morsecp]

This is a legitimate concern. If the next firmware update does nothing to address the ANC, I believe nothing will be done about it going forward. There are potential legal ramifications but I assume Apple would issue refunds to anyone who purchased this product with firmware 2B584 and wanted to return it.

Perhaps, but don't forget about the millions of people who got 2C54 before they pullEd it. Also, this is a young product and it's incredibly unlikely that Apple wouldn't release any future firmware updates for it.

 

[gwhizkids]

Wow, the apocalyptic replies in this thread are off the chart. Get a grip people!

 

[shimpster]

I’m not sure what everyone’s problems are. My AirPods Pro updated to the 2C54 firmware update I see no noticeable difference in the full ANC. I can barley hear sharp noises like finger snaps, or my keyboard, and it definitely blocks out all the surrounding noise in my office.

 

[kissmo]

I read a lot of comments about 2A588 and 2C54.
When I bought the airpods pro 1 week ago, they came with 2A588.
ANC is OK I suppose since i never owned a ANC pair of headsets, I feel the pressure and I am getting used to it. First times they do shock you as a "virgin" in this area.

On the plane (flight from NY to EU) they blocked pretty well the noise engine, in NY walking on the streets made a difference.
However, as I arrived home, I realized I can hear somehow too many noises from people and cars on the street.

Somehow the ANC slowed or I may have gotten used to it.

Anyway, my question is - how were they actually before 2A588?
Many say that ANC was extremely good - is it true? Can someone confirm?
And when is Apple planning on releasing a fix? - rhetorical question.

I barely afforded to buy the pair and since I paid so much money (at least for me so much) I would like to know I am using an optimized product. Not bashing on Apple, I know development is not as easy as it looks.

 

[supergt]

Perhaps, but don't forget about the millions of people who got 2C54 before they pullEd it. Also, this is a young product and it's incredibly unlikely that Apple wouldn't release any future firmware updates for it.

2C54 has exactly the same ANC as 2B588. After the most recent update, there were many reports of connectivity problems and it was pulled. If Apple had intended to fix the ANC, you would've assumed it should have happened in mid December with 2C54. I am not saying that they won't release firmware updates going forward, just that the ANC may not be strengthened. Only time will tell.

I'll emphasize that the disappointment is not only for the reduced ANC (that is remarkably weakened from the initial launch), but also Apple's forced firmware process and lack of transparency therein.

 

[Elektrofone]

2C54 has exactly the same ANC as 2B588. After the most recent update, there were many reports of connectivity problems and it was pulled. If Apple had intended to fix the ANC, you would've assumed it should have happened in mid December with 2C54. I am not saying that they won't release firmware updates going forward, just that the ANC may not be strengthened. Only time will tell.

I'll emphasize that the disappointment is not only for the reduced ANC (that is remarkably weakened from the initial launch), but also Apple's forced firmware process and lack of transparency therein.

That's not true. The RTINGS test showed that 2B588 and the first Firmware are the same while 2C54 has reduced ANC.

 

[japanime]

I'll emphasize that the disappointment is not only for the reduced ANC (that is remarkably weakened from the initial launch), but also Apple's forced firmware process and lack of transparency therein.

Totally agree. Releasing a software patch that fundamentally changes the performance of a product, and not giving users the option or information to decide whether to apply that software patch, is just plain lousy.

 

[supergt]

That's not true. The RTINGS test showed that 2B588 and the first Firmware are the same while 2C54 has reduced ANC.

I know that's what they said but in my experience both have very similar ANC and noticeably reduced from the product I purchased with 2B584. I tried them side by side as I am currently on 2C54 and my gf is on 2B588 and noticed no difference. Furthermore, the lengthy Apple support thread on this topic started immediately after 2B588.

 

[anthony13]

I have 2C54, and ride public transit everyday, and can say in my experience I perceived a notable loss in isolation from outside noises when I got the new firmware.

 

[morsecp]

Totally agree. Releasing a software patch that fundamentally changes the performance of a product, and not giving users the option or information to decide whether to apply that software patch, is just plain lousy.

Maybe but it's standard for most smaller embedded devices. There are often many changes that are not visible in the least to the end-user but nevertheless important.

This is purely hypothetical but suppose there was an attack vector into your iPhone via the Bluetooth connection made to the AirPods. Obviously, Apple would not want to allow this to remain unpatched. We are talking about a highly sophisticated product that has a very intimate relationship with one of the most security critical pieces of technology in your life, your iPhone.

Most of the millions of owners of AirPods would never update their AirPods after purchase if it was left up to them to manually do so. I would bet most users don't notice any change in their sound or noise canceling functionality and would be surprised if you informed them that there was one.
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Maybe but it's standard for most smaller embedded devices. There are often many changes that are not visible in the least to the end-user but nevertheless important. What would you expect the release notes to say he's a user was given the option to update? "Reduces active noise cancellation significantly with little to no improvement in any other areas". No, it would probably say something like "improved battery life due to over active noise cancellation". In the latter case, most people would update anyway. Have you ever seen a software update that sounded bad in the release notes from Apple?

This is purely hypothetical but suppose there was an attack vector into your iPhone via the Bluetooth connection made to the AirPods. Obviously, Apple would not want to allow this to remain unpatched. We are talking about a highly sophisticated product that has a very intimate relationship with one of the most security critical pieces of technology in your life, your iPhone.

Most of the millions of owners of AirPods would never update their AirPods after purchase if it was left up to them to manually do so. I would bet most users don't notice any change in their sound or noise canceling functionality and would be surprised if you informed them that there was one.