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AirPod Pro Ear Tip Fit test not working...Not the only one
- Thread starter gelie
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I've had my APP a few days now. I use the medium tips with no problems so far. I've worked out with them twice. While I can certainly appreciate those who are having concerns, especially when they are not fitting properly and working themselves loose, I can only wonder if Apple did themselves a disservice by including this feature.
Most headphones I've purchased don't have any fit test and as long as they sound fine you're good. I'm sure with as many people complained about regular Airpod fit they felt the need to include this. I have Bose QC 20's and Jabra's and Power Beats Pros and AP2's. I just wore them all and don't know whether they had ideal fit characteristics or not. Maybe they would all fail the fit test but they still sound fine and are totally usable.
Most headphones I've purchased don't have any fit test and as long as they sound fine you're good. I'm sure with as many people complained about regular Airpod fit they felt the need to include this. I have Bose QC 20's and Jabra's and Power Beats Pros and AP2's. I just wore them all and don't know whether they had ideal fit characteristics or not. Maybe they would all fail the fit test but they still sound fine and are totally usable.
The "fit"/seal-test is a good indicator if the inward-facing microphone is working (they are working-out if its sealed). If they are not working = fit-test always failed… (ergo: failing the fit-test suddenly = indicator of problems with this micros).
But the more important "active" function of this micros:
"An inward-facing microphone listens inside your ear for unwanted sound, which is also eliminated with anti-noise"
So don`t expect this inward anti-noise (most obvious the noise of bone-conduction if you walk or working-out) functioning if the APpro are failing the "fit"/seal-test. The (outward) ANC is not affected…
But the more important "active" function of this micros:
"An inward-facing microphone listens inside your ear for unwanted sound, which is also eliminated with anti-noise"
So don`t expect this inward anti-noise (most obvious the noise of bone-conduction if you walk or working-out) functioning if the APpro are failing the "fit"/seal-test. The (outward) ANC is not affected…
I've had my APP now for a week. I tried all the ear tips and settled on the medium. However I found at times the seal on the right earbud would leak outside sound. So I would just re-adjust and it would be good again for a time. I've finally settled on the large tip on the right with the medium on the left.
I have written previously about my experience with the right AirPods sealing every time and the left ear not sealing at all. After swapping tips and replacing the AirPods themselves this has remained constant (left ear no and right ear yes). I have grown to accept this because I feel the AirPods themselves are an excellent and serve my purposes well. However, just in the past few days the right AirPods has been very inconsistent. I am beginning to think that the previous conversations regarding the tips themselves being deficient and the cause of the failure of the fit test has merit. I have order more replacement tips. I will be curious to see how those work. GEAUX TIGERS!!!!!
I also believe the tips to be the problem with seal or lack there of. I have tried three different pairs of tips without success. Hope your experience is better.
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Got them swapped out today at the Apple Store. The genius there only replaced the EarPods and not the case but it definitely is a night and day difference so far. She mentioned that it seemed like engineers were aware of the issue, but she thought if the problem came back that it would need to be a software fix in the future.
I'm now part of this group. I'm actually about to return mine since all three tips don't stay in my ear. The only ear buds that seem to stay in my ear are ones with the upper flair thing like on the Pixel Buds 2 (presumably), the ones that are coming out 2020 or Bose or the Jaybirds. I wish Apple just made that flange thing on these pros or made an "active" version that's like that. Oh well. I'll try these foam things from eBay and if they work then great, if not I have just over 30 days left to return.
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I took mine back based on some of the talk here. They gave me new Airpods Pros and an extra set of ear tips thrown in. I had been using the mediums, and sometimes the large on the left. I agree with one of the comments in this thread. They seem to sound great and do a good (not excellent) job of ANC.
The fit test results were really erratic. When I explained that to the Genius, he replaced mine. Tried the first time with new mediums and perfect pass. I walked out happy. But I should have tried the fit test a few more times. Now again, somewhat erratic.
I see someone above cleaned the tips with alcohol and got better results. I have a suspicion that even using them a little leaves some slightly slippery ear wax residue that somehow makes the seal less perfect. May not even affect the true functionality. But causes the test to fail.
My prediction is that they will change these algorithms over time. And perhaps some Apple or aftermarket genius will have a better silicone or other ear tip. Or someone will start selling "Airpods Pro Cleaning Wipes" or some type of special solution to do the job. And many will buy any accessory at all. Like me, haha.
The fit test results were really erratic. When I explained that to the Genius, he replaced mine. Tried the first time with new mediums and perfect pass. I walked out happy. But I should have tried the fit test a few more times. Now again, somewhat erratic.
I see someone above cleaned the tips with alcohol and got better results. I have a suspicion that even using them a little leaves some slightly slippery ear wax residue that somehow makes the seal less perfect. May not even affect the true functionality. But causes the test to fail.
My prediction is that they will change these algorithms over time. And perhaps some Apple or aftermarket genius will have a better silicone or other ear tip. Or someone will start selling "Airpods Pro Cleaning Wipes" or some type of special solution to do the job. And many will buy any accessory at all. Like me, haha.
I think the silicone used for the tips is too slippery and body oils make them even slipperier. I think cleaning with alcohol removes the oils and restores the grippiness. Apple needs to change the ear tip material. I have other earbuds that have a grippier silicone. There needs to be four tip sizes verses three to accommodate more ear types.
Yeah I can agree with that. They don’t fall out for me but I do lose the initial seal with movement.
... after the second exchange APPro worked well, there is now on one side again a unpleasant dull noise when walking/running: the "pass" test has failed since then. It's like I assumed some time ago:
Apple has apparently found a way to counteract the impact sound on the inward-facing microphone. If that fails, the footfall sounds (as in usual inEars) again audible, as in my exchanged. The seal test ("passtest" about settings, etc.) is then also negative, so an indication of the defect.
It is clearly a design flaw that affects the (error-prone) inward microphones. Please note - you hear it on the always negative "Pass" test (under Settings Bluetooth APPro ...) and the "rumbling" noise (so-called footfall - bone conduction) by the "inner ANC" yes (if they work) should be balanced.
Well after 10 days of a perfect fit and seal test, the right pod no longer seems to noise cancel and neither does it pass the seal test. I tried two pairs of new unused tips of the same size and they failed in the right ear too. Has to be hardware
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I'm so confused now. My first pair of APPs failed the fit test after the first couple of days. I definitely also experienced the "bone conduction" sound that in ear silicone sealed earbuds are prone to. The APPs that Apple replaced them with initially passed the fit test, but after a few days they began failing it as well. And the only way I can avoid the very annoying "bone conduction" sound (the "rumbling" noise with each step taken) is to wear them very loosely, which diminishes the effectiveness of ANC and the bass response. Is it true that a properly functioning set of APPs, including presumably, properly functioning internal and external microphones, would negate this effect? Trying to determine if this in fact a hardware issue.
Had a chat with Apple support and went through the usual tests and they concluded because i had tried spare unused tips that it was hardware failure.
They didn't say what the failure was but they didn't seem surprised almost as if this wasn't something something new to them. Anyway, they have arranged yet another replacement...sigh.
They didn't say what the failure was but they didn't seem surprised almost as if this wasn't something something new to them. Anyway, they have arranged yet another replacement...sigh.
To be honest, I dont think they will. This will be my 4th set. I purchased replacement tips from Apple and kept back tips from the sets that i sent back. In one of my previous posts, I said that if the NC started failing that I had spare tips to determine whether its hardware or software and now i think that its definitely hardware.
I really hope it’s something that can be fixed in software. Cause now only two days later my second replacement is having the same issue
nope – how should a hardware failure be fixed by software change…
Wait – Apple could cut off the Seal-Test – there are not to many that are aware enough of sensing the boneconduction when the inward-micros gets the defect.
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Mine work flawlessly. The right ear bud never passes the seal test but the ANC and sound is very good. I don’t hear my footsteps while walking. I’ve had them for a few weeks and am very happy overall.