Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

gelie

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Mar 7, 2010
614
214
Went to exchange them and 2 other customers were doing the same. Running 13.2. The demo vs they had worked fine
 
  • Like
Reactions: 86Hawkeye

canyonblue737

macrumors 68020
Jan 10, 2005
2,175
2,671
I can sense when the fit test is going to fail because the seal in the ear physically feels a bit loose and I can hear a bit more of the room. I found going up in size and putting the AirPod Pros in with the stem horizontal to the ground and then twisting it downward to the normal position locks the seal in place and the test always says "good" then and frankly the setup is quieter so it isn't wrong.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Surf Monkey

SF-RR7

macrumors regular
Dec 29, 2010
135
32
I thought test fit did not work either but After you press the play button on the next screen you have to scroll up and you’ll see another play button.
 

Attachments

  • 1572462637496.png
    1572462637496.png
    954.4 KB · Views: 2,697

Bazooka-joe

macrumors 603
Mar 12, 2012
5,224
3,617
Swindon, England
I managed to get a seal in one ear but not the other so i swopped the tips over and then got a good seal in the other ear. Swopped them back and got a good seal in the original ear. Had the same with small, medium and large fitting. Spoke to Apple and they said that they were getting a lot of call from people only managing to get a seal in one ear. They are sending out a replacement as they think it my be one of the AirPods that is faulty
 

gelie

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Mar 7, 2010
614
214
I thought test fit did not work either but After you press the play button on the next screen you have to scroll up and you’ll see another play button.

yes. Why two play buttons and the scroll? Thx
 

SF-RR7

macrumors regular
Dec 29, 2010
135
32
??‍♂️The screen shot I took is the first and after that I thought there was a malfunction but you scroll up and then another play button will appear.
 

jwhazel

macrumors regular
Sep 22, 2005
222
77
This whole 'fit test' baffles me. When I need earbuds, I buy them, put the size that fits right on, and then go listen to music.

This whole it must fit right to sound good? Never heard of it until PBP came out.

Were you buying earbuds with noise cancelling? Because that's sort of the whole point... if they don't seal right then the noise cancelling isn't as effective.

This isn't exclusive to Apple...
Sony: https://www.sony.com/electronics/su...tooth-headphones/wf-1000xm3/articles/00229318
Bose: https://www.bose.com/en_us/support/article/getting-the-proper-fit-qc20-apple.html
etc...

Even full size over the ear noise cancelling headphones won't sound great either if they don't fit over your ear and seal properly.
 

Bazooka-joe

macrumors 603
Mar 12, 2012
5,224
3,617
Swindon, England
??‍♂️The screen shot I took is the first and after that I thought there was a malfunction but you scroll up and then another play button will appear.
Not sure what you mean. After you press the play button, it runs the test and displays the results and you can then press the play button again if you wish. No scrolling required
 
  • Like
Reactions: smoking monkey

gelie

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Mar 7, 2010
614
214
Not sure what you mean. After you press the play button, it runs the test and displays the results and you can then press the play button again if you wish. No scrolling required
On my Xs Max you need to scroll up after hitting the play button, then hit the lower play button on the screen. Apple store was not aware of this this as well.
 

unobtainium

macrumors 68030
Mar 27, 2011
2,607
3,867
How do you even access the ear fit test? I thought it would automatically trigger when first connecting but it didn't.

Edit: found it. The test gives really inconsistent results though. Ran it 5 different times and got 5 different answers. First my left ear was a bad fit, then it was alright. Then my right ear was a bad fit, then it was alright..
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 86Hawkeye

bobsamm

Suspended
Oct 6, 2019
1,017
636
Try giving the ear you have problem with a twist when you put it in, worked for me on the seal test.
 

Norri

macrumors newbie
Nov 1, 2019
5
12
I tried all size caps on each ear pod and cannot get an air seal. They work - air seal - if I press hard on each one and hold them in so the problem is not a mechanism failure. I made one ear pod work and seal after an hour of struggle. How? By angle adjustment and twisting the pod hither and thither and fiddling about. I left the one I made work in and changed the other one’s cap size, leaving the working one in and tested again - both then showed a seal failure.


It is quite obvious that the ear cap seals are not designed for all ears! Also they work and fail once one moves ones head or moves one’s jaw which, given the poor fit, releases the tenuous air seal.
Went back to Apple genius and he gave me a demo of his .... shock horror - his failed to seal and work either.

THEY GAVE ME A TOTAL REFUND.

It seems to me that they need to get better ear cap fittings. Unless you get a total seal the whole purpose of them is defeated.

I suggest we are at the Guineas pig testing stage. WAIT before buying is my advice.
 

tonedef407

macrumors regular
Feb 25, 2009
159
14
I tried all size caps on each ear pod and cannot get an air seal. They work - air seal - if I press hard on each one and hold them in so the problem is not a mechanism failure. I made one ear pod work and seal after an hour of struggle. How? By angle adjustment and twisting the pod hither and thither and fiddling about. I left the one I made work in and changed the other one’s cap size, leaving the working one in and tested again - both then showed a seal failure.


It is quite obvious that the ear cap seals are not designed for all ears! Also they work and fail once one moves ones head or moves one’s jaw which, given the poor fit, releases the tenuous air seal.
Went back to Apple genius and he gave me a demo of his .... shock horror - his failed to seal and work either.

THEY GAVE ME A TOTAL REFUND.

It seems to me that they need to get better ear cap fittings. Unless you get a total seal the whole purpose of them is defeated.

I suggest we are at the Guineas pig testing stage. WAIT before buying is my advice.

Yes, the seals don't hold at all for me, and then once they fail, the bass and noise cancelling is gone.
 

Norri

macrumors newbie
Nov 1, 2019
5
12
Unless one gets a 100% air seal they are useless for sound cancelling. My large Bose Quiet Comforts really do work - but they really are LARGE. Hence the initial attraction of the Air Pod Pro.

Apple must urgently work on a better design of ear cup Attachment. Perhaps a funnel shape one can wedge in? Not all ear canals are at the same angle - DUH!

It was embarrassing to see the Genius bloke demonstrate that his own Air Pod Pros didn’t work either.
 

tonedef407

macrumors regular
Feb 25, 2009
159
14
Unless one gets a 100% air seal they are useless for sound cancelling. My large Bose Quiet Comforts really do work - but they really are LARGE. Hence the initial attraction of the Air Pod Pro.

Apple must urgently work on a better design of ear cup Attachment. Perhaps a funnel shape one can wedge in? Not all ear canals are at the same angle - DUH!

It was embarrassing to see the Genius bloke demonstrate that his own Air Pod Pros didn’t work either.
How hot do those make your ears? I've always found over ears to burn up after about an hour.
 

axantas

macrumors 6502a
Jun 29, 2015
817
1,124
Home
I really had problems "passing" the test as well, tried all sizes of tips. Finally got it working on the leaft ear, gave up, just used them the way they were (L-tips) listened to music (...it works with a failed test as well...) tried it again just by curiosity "on the road". Passed...
 

Kai Hawaii

macrumors member
Mar 15, 2015
53
41
Everyone who couldn’t get a seal and has a weak sound with no bass etc. try to put them in like this.
it really works and was the only way for me currently to get a seal. Also the noise reduction works much better this way. It sounds and looks strange but it worked for me.
 

Attachments

  • 465359FB-B9CD-4EE9-902D-55326090C5A7.jpeg
    465359FB-B9CD-4EE9-902D-55326090C5A7.jpeg
    29.6 KB · Views: 1,449

mjt2810

macrumors newbie
Jun 17, 2009
28
5
London, UK
So, I got these yesterday evening and had a chance to set them up earlier. Consistenly the left ear would not get a seal despite trying all three lugs. On the final attempt, and following the guidance on-screen to try adjusting the fit, the large lug came off ... in my ear. Now, that shouldn’t happen! The lug was attached with a click so had been fitted properly, but adjusting these within the ear canal is just simply dangerous and thankfully we were able to remove it from my ear. But, these are not yet fit for purpose and I have sent an email to Apple stating that there is a health risk with adjusting in ear if the silicon lug can come detached, as it did for me.

Will be returning these for a refund asap, and reverting to my ‘safe’ but not noise cancelling wireless AirPods 2.
 

axantas

macrumors 6502a
Jun 29, 2015
817
1,124
Home
While you may "adjust" the tips in the problematic ear, I definitely would not squeeze them in the ear canal. This is not reasonable and might make them sound bad in that position...

The test also just states a 100% perfect fit. You might get a good sound with 98% (not passed) as well.
Failed test does not say, they are not working at all. Furthermore: you do not insert them each time absolutely properly. So: Noise cancelling is not always working 100%. If it sounds uncomfortable, just wiggle them a bit to best fit.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.