Apple released the AirPods Pro firmware update last month. But after this update, there are some rumors that AirPods Pro’s active noise reduction is not as good as before. What’s even more confusing is that Apple has withdrawn the update of version 2C54. So not everyone who uses Apple’s latest wireless headphones receives this update.
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In December 2019, Apple launched firmware updates for the AirPods 2 and AirPods Pro wireless headphones. The latest firmware version is 2C54.
Afterward, the technology review website RTINGS.com evaluated the new firmware to improve the AirPods Pro. Today, RTINGS announced the research results and confirmed that 2C54 objectively weakened the AirPods’ active noise cancellation function:
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Update 01/10/2020: After updating to Firmware 2C45, we retested the headphones and our results showed a fairly significant drop in isolation performance, primarily in the bass-range. This means that with ANC turned on, these headphones won’t do nearly as good a job blocking out the low engine rumbles of planes or buses as they did before this update. This review reflects these changes.
However, this update is not all bad news. In other tests, the 2C54 firmware seems to improve frequency response and bass accuracy.
Apple Corps removed the 2C54 firmware only a few days after it was released. So it may be working on the issue described by RTINGS. If you do not know the firmware version of your headset, you can go to “Settings > General > About > AirPods Pro” to check. But in fact, users cannot upgrade or downgrade the headset.