This is my experience as well; I clean them, they sound good for a while, but then it comes back.
As Petter points out; This must have to do with dirt attaching the "grill".
Clean, listen, sleep, repeat.
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Hearing the “thump” of my own walking while wearing new AirPods Pro
- Thread starter Benz63amg
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This is my experience as well; I clean them, they sound good for a while, but then it comes back.
As Petter points out; This must have to do with dirt attaching the "grill".
Clean, listen, sleep, repeat.
How do you clean the AirPods pro? Are you talking about the outer microphone that needs to be cleaned? Or actual listening device.
The Air Pod Pros are TERRIBLE with the thumping. I can hear a thump on every step I take. I also feel like im in a super pressurized airplane and I feel like I need to clear my ears (I hate the feeling). This is not the case with the Air Pod 2's. I don't think the thumping sound has anything do do with ANC. I hear the thumping with any in-ear headphone that has the rubber "sleeve" or insert. In-ear headphones (like the air pod 2) don't have any thumping for me whatsoever.
MY conclusion: the thumping has little or nothing to do with the addition of noise cancelling to Air pod Pros and everything to do with any in-ear airbud that has the rubber/silicone sleeve that fits intimately into your ear canal. In-air buds with the sleeves have zero thumping at all.
thoughts?
MY conclusion: the thumping has little or nothing to do with the addition of noise cancelling to Air pod Pros and everything to do with any in-ear airbud that has the rubber/silicone sleeve that fits intimately into your ear canal. In-air buds with the sleeves have zero thumping at all.
thoughts?
Hey everyone. I have a definitive solution to the thumping. I know what caused it for me, how to fix it, and why some people don't hear it.
When I first got my AirPod Pro's a few weeks ago I didn't notice it at all. I remember I went for a run and it was neat not hearing the sound of my shoes on the pavement. Then yesterday I realized that the thumping was seriously bothering me, and that it definitely didn't sound like that when I first got them and went for that run. Beyond that, I realized that the thumping was only in my left ear, and it was very loud. So loud that I was worried about hearing damage from using them all the time whenever I walk the dog or go for a run.
Between the fact that the thumping wasn't there when I first got them, and that I couldn't hear it in my right ear, I knew that something was different, and the AirPod wasn't acting as intended. [I should also note that when I tried the tip fit test (found in settings-bluetooth-airpords pro) I had a really hard time getting the left AirPod to pass, with any of the 3 tip sizes and any amount of fiddling. When I first got them it was easy to get it right.]
At first I thought that the problem was that I'm hearing the vacuum - like the vents on the AirPod are blocked, and that's what's causing the loud sound of my feet thumping on the ground, or the bones in my legs as I walk etc.
Then I saw this from an apple support page:
Then I realized that Apple never solved the issue of the vacuum/seal and body sounds by using vents. Instead they accepted that the noise was inevitable, and instead of trying to prevent it from occurring in the first place, they should cancel it out with anti-noise. This probably runs regardless of the mode your AirPods are in (at least for transparency and noice cancellation, I haven't tested with 'off').
So my next step was to try to figure out just where that inward facing mic is.
Take a look at the middle picture of Step 9 in the iFixit teardown here: https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/AirPods+Pro+Teardown/127551
What you see there on the left is the inside of the grill that goes in your ear - the other side of the grill the silicone tip connects to. The rectangular thing on the grill is inward facing mic.
Looking at my left AirPod that I was hearing the thumping from, there was a little bit of ear wax in the grill right there. Not much - but the mic is so small that it doesn't take much to cause an issue. It had gotten there because I'd seen it in the silicone tip when I'd taken the AirPod out a week before and I'd tried to clean it by using a q-tip. The q-tip had pushed the wax deeper in to the tip. I had appeared to get it out of the tip with the q-tip, but a little bit had transferred beyond the tip's own grill, in to the grill of the AirPod itself and was visible there.
In order to fix it, I just took a damp cloth and wiped. I wiped thoroughly with a small amount of water, and then let it air dry. I also sprayed some water through the tip to make sure that grill was also completely clean and let that dry.
Once everything was completely clean and dry again, I went for a walk.. and perfect! No thumping! Good as new. A very, very noticeable difference from what I was hearing before for anyone thinking this could be in my head. (FYI I'm a professional musician, hearing subtle things is part of my job, but there was nothing subtle about this).
So there you have it! This explains why some people hear it, and some people don't. It's also good to know that you can fix it with a damp cloth, something you'll always be able to find when travelling (when travelling is a thing we can do again). It can probably be prevented by being more careful about cleaning ear wax out of the silicone tips. If there's wax mid-way in to the tip and you think you'll press it down further by inserting a q-tip or something else to clean it out with, just pop the tip off and clean it separated from the AirPods to prevent the wax from getting in to the AirPods grill.
Hope I can save some people frustration dealing with this... when I'd figured that out I'd already set up an AppleCare exchange for the left AirPod...
When I first got my AirPod Pro's a few weeks ago I didn't notice it at all. I remember I went for a run and it was neat not hearing the sound of my shoes on the pavement. Then yesterday I realized that the thumping was seriously bothering me, and that it definitely didn't sound like that when I first got them and went for that run. Beyond that, I realized that the thumping was only in my left ear, and it was very loud. So loud that I was worried about hearing damage from using them all the time whenever I walk the dog or go for a run.
Between the fact that the thumping wasn't there when I first got them, and that I couldn't hear it in my right ear, I knew that something was different, and the AirPod wasn't acting as intended. [I should also note that when I tried the tip fit test (found in settings-bluetooth-airpords pro) I had a really hard time getting the left AirPod to pass, with any of the 3 tip sizes and any amount of fiddling. When I first got them it was easy to get it right.]
At first I thought that the problem was that I'm hearing the vacuum - like the vents on the AirPod are blocked, and that's what's causing the loud sound of my feet thumping on the ground, or the bones in my legs as I walk etc.
Then I saw this from an apple support page:
Then I realized that Apple never solved the issue of the vacuum/seal and body sounds by using vents. Instead they accepted that the noise was inevitable, and instead of trying to prevent it from occurring in the first place, they should cancel it out with anti-noise. This probably runs regardless of the mode your AirPods are in (at least for transparency and noice cancellation, I haven't tested with 'off').
So my next step was to try to figure out just where that inward facing mic is.
Take a look at the middle picture of Step 9 in the iFixit teardown here: https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/AirPods+Pro+Teardown/127551
What you see there on the left is the inside of the grill that goes in your ear - the other side of the grill the silicone tip connects to. The rectangular thing on the grill is inward facing mic.
Looking at my left AirPod that I was hearing the thumping from, there was a little bit of ear wax in the grill right there. Not much - but the mic is so small that it doesn't take much to cause an issue. It had gotten there because I'd seen it in the silicone tip when I'd taken the AirPod out a week before and I'd tried to clean it by using a q-tip. The q-tip had pushed the wax deeper in to the tip. I had appeared to get it out of the tip with the q-tip, but a little bit had transferred beyond the tip's own grill, in to the grill of the AirPod itself and was visible there.
In order to fix it, I just took a damp cloth and wiped. I wiped thoroughly with a small amount of water, and then let it air dry. I also sprayed some water through the tip to make sure that grill was also completely clean and let that dry.
Once everything was completely clean and dry again, I went for a walk.. and perfect! No thumping! Good as new. A very, very noticeable difference from what I was hearing before for anyone thinking this could be in my head. (FYI I'm a professional musician, hearing subtle things is part of my job, but there was nothing subtle about this).
So there you have it! This explains why some people hear it, and some people don't. It's also good to know that you can fix it with a damp cloth, something you'll always be able to find when travelling (when travelling is a thing we can do again). It can probably be prevented by being more careful about cleaning ear wax out of the silicone tips. If there's wax mid-way in to the tip and you think you'll press it down further by inserting a q-tip or something else to clean it out with, just pop the tip off and clean it separated from the AirPods to prevent the wax from getting in to the AirPods grill.
Hope I can save some people frustration dealing with this... when I'd figured that out I'd already set up an AppleCare exchange for the left AirPod...
Last edited:
You know what's really weird? I had the same problem; I heard every footstep, static, rattling, etc. from the right AirPod that I JUST BOUGHT. I was about toe call Apple Support when I accidentally dropped my right one in the bedroom. Next thing I know, the thumps, static and rattling are GONE! Steve was looking out for me.
TL;DR: Dropped AirPod Pro and sound works BETTER.
TL;DR: Dropped AirPod Pro and sound works BETTER.
Two strange things here. The fix from dropping, & the TL;DR for 3 lines of text 😂
(Glad they’re working now).
I wonder if blutack could’ve also helped here. I used it there recently, as I went across every grill (including the one within the silicon tip, by stretching a length of blutack into the shape of a q-tip).
Congrats anyway.
Two strange things here. The fix from dropping, & the TL;DR for 3 lines of text 😂
(Glad they’re working now).
I’ve learned to never underestimate the laziness of some people.
I clean my APPs every evening.
The thump, the failing seal issue - for me - seems to be caused by my sinuses.
I have a chronic problems with them, and every time spring or late autumn kicks in, my entire nose, eyes and ears get messed up (even though I don't always feel it).
I started hearing the thump about 2 months ago and I started to have failing seal problem with the left ear-pod.
I tried everything but then I started to feel pressure in my ears without the APPs in.
Some days in the past, everything was fine with the APPs for several hours, but quite randomly.
Since the last 2 days I started having pain on my forehead and I called the doctor who prescribed me antibiotics and guess what.... I started taking them and all day today I had zero problems with the APPS. No thumps, no air seal problems.
I believe many issues may happen because of the anatomy and for many people it may be a health condition (which doesn't always manifest to the point that it is recognizable).
The thump, the failing seal issue - for me - seems to be caused by my sinuses.
I have a chronic problems with them, and every time spring or late autumn kicks in, my entire nose, eyes and ears get messed up (even though I don't always feel it).
I started hearing the thump about 2 months ago and I started to have failing seal problem with the left ear-pod.
I tried everything but then I started to feel pressure in my ears without the APPs in.
Some days in the past, everything was fine with the APPs for several hours, but quite randomly.
Since the last 2 days I started having pain on my forehead and I called the doctor who prescribed me antibiotics and guess what.... I started taking them and all day today I had zero problems with the APPS. No thumps, no air seal problems.
I believe many issues may happen because of the anatomy and for many people it may be a health condition (which doesn't always manifest to the point that it is recognizable).
I've noticed that bone conduction has increased when I walk, every time I set down my foot when walking there is this "thud" that is so common with in-ears but wasn't when my Airpod Pro were new. Then I tried the ear tip test, consistently it failed on both ears (it always passed before), first I thought it was the new 2D15 firmware screwing with things but after some googling and finding all these threads complaining about this issue, I decided to try cleaning the inner/upper vent with Q-tips and isopropylalcohol, it didn't do much difference for the bone conduction issue but at least the right tip test did pass on several occasions. I finally tried some Blue Tack treatment, viola, both pods test PASSED and now there is much LESS audible bone conduction from my feet when walking.
This is an obvious design flaw with the Airpod Pro. I REALLY hope they'll fix this in future revisions as I now will have to carry around a small bit of tack tucked into the round holes in the case for occasional cleaning.
This is an obvious design flaw with the Airpod Pro. I REALLY hope they'll fix this in future revisions as I now will have to carry around a small bit of tack tucked into the round holes in the case for occasional cleaning.
I tried niclariv’s solution and it helped slightly. I adjust the position of the AirPods in my ears and most of the thumping goes away. I still have the issue of Ear Tip Test failing regardless of tip size or position. The only way to get the tips to pass is apply a lot of pressure on them while in my ears. Basically jamming them deep into ear canal. It is not only painful but not very convenient walking around all day with my fingers jamming my air pods into my ear. When I first got my APPs they passed the test. I’ve replaced ear tips and even used foam ones but no difference.
The sound is fine for me so I dont worry about the test. My ears have taken a lot of abuse over the years. 22 years in the Air Force working on fighter jets, then 20 more years driving eighteen wheelers, 50 years of ROCK & ROLL including over 100 live concerts and 45 years of marriage 😂😂😂. I’m grateful I can still hear. I might try the Comply ear tips to see if that makes a difference.
The sound is fine for me so I dont worry about the test. My ears have taken a lot of abuse over the years. 22 years in the Air Force working on fighter jets, then 20 more years driving eighteen wheelers, 50 years of ROCK & ROLL including over 100 live concerts and 45 years of marriage 😂😂😂. I’m grateful I can still hear. I might try the Comply ear tips to see if that makes a difference.
Try the Blue Tack method. I had the same issue as you and it went away after cleaning out the upper/inner NC-mic grill.
I've had this on all my in-ear devices, even the wired ones going back years...
I find it only happens when I have a perfect seal in my ears. Even If I lay in bed at night I can hear my heartbeat...
If I wear Doc Marten boots, or cowboy boots the sound is louder than if I wear soft souled runners or flip flops.
If I don't have an awesome seal, then they still just sound great but without the thumping etc...
It doesn't bother me luckily since when I have the better seal, the bass is much more pronounced.
I find it only happens when I have a perfect seal in my ears. Even If I lay in bed at night I can hear my heartbeat...
If I wear Doc Marten boots, or cowboy boots the sound is louder than if I wear soft souled runners or flip flops.
If I don't have an awesome seal, then they still just sound great but without the thumping etc...
It doesn't bother me luckily since when I have the better seal, the bass is much more pronounced.
The thing is that the Airpod Pro tries to combat the effect of the bone conducted thumps from your feet with the inner microphone, it picks up on the bone conduction from your skull and then applies NC on it. If the mic is clogged the NC compensation is more or less lost.
100% this.
I'm the same, I get problems with mostly my left ear due to seasonal allergies and whenever I get a cold. When it happens the AirPods Pro sound poor.
I only twigged when I got frustrated with them and put them away and put my Sony XM2 headset on, they sounded bad too. They normally sound the best I've ever heard any music with.
I'm finding Beconase nasal spray helps a lot.
The thumping is nothing to do with the airpods, the cleanliness of them or anything.
It’ll be because of your ears being sealed off. It’ll probably happen with any in ear earphone with and air tight seal
It’ll be because of your ears being sealed off. It’ll probably happen with any in ear earphone with and air tight seal
That is true without ANC, but with ANC on (or even transparency on) the system is supposed to mitigate those sounds not amplify them, which is what is happening. ie the thumping is more pronounced with ANC on then with it off.
ANC mitigates outside noise by using the microphones which won’t work with sounds from within your body. If anything it makes it louder/ more noticeable because the outside noise is dampened. The above poster is probably correct.
Just a simple test.
This effect goes back to old wired earbuds that are from the dollar store I have - that have no microphone.
This 'thumping' and 'bone conduction' and are not specific to APP like this thread makes it seem like. I just did a test with my APP and these old cheap wired earbuds I use for plugging into my XB1 late at night (seriously $2 from Aliexpress) - but they also give me a solid fit.
No difference. I'm sitting here eating a sandwich - and I can hear my jaw moving just as loud with both of them. Bone conduction? Ok but again APP are no different than dollar store earbuds with a solid fit in this regard.
It has to do with the fit as some mentioned. It can also be the material. IMO.
I can hear it if the tips are too small.
I do hear it lightly with my AP Pro - played around with the fit.
I do not hear it with my B&O in ear (H5).
I do hear it with my Bose (QC). I replaced my Bose for that reason.
This applies TO YOU, NOT EVERYONE.
(Had to counter with CAPS, as people are throwing out misleading, generalised statements & turning them into HEADLINES). 😏
