Sony WH-1000XM3 - v4.1.1 firmware failure?

[GapsOfTheGod]

Having updated my 1000xm3's over the wekeend, there seems to be an introduction of hiss and a background noise of what sounds like distant traffic (even though I can hear nothing at all without the headphones on) when using Active Noise Cancellation, which was previously stellar. The potency of the noise cancelling is noticeably weaker since updating (I'd estimate around 40% less). Familiar auditory environments which were previously rendered almost entirely silent are now notedly audible. I've checked that the noise cancelling slider is left-most, and indeed it is.

I'm also disappointed to find I can't ask Alexa to play music from Spotify, and I press the button and just say "Play Metallica", it responds with "Shuffling music by Metallica on Amazon Music", yet nothing plays at all.

This update is very much a downgrade as it stands.

[Ninyu4]

Guys please, on what platform did you upgrade to the firmware 4.1.1 ? 

I still have to hear from an iOS user to have blotched their headphones with the new firmware. So far it seems only Android user complain. 

[wizll-]

that's laughable if they put a different firmware version depending on which phone app you're using. i'll be inclined to think they copied and pasted the same download URL into both apps, and if they did not, that should have been an easy thing to have fixed by now.

[Ninyu4]

It is not about different firmwares but about what platform was used to perform the upgrade.

It might even be related to what platform is being used since there are two different apps, iOS and Android. What if the problem is the app itself and not the firmware?

No comments, except for a few which were all Android, on what platform was used so far! And all the big tech testers had had no issues with firmware 4.1.1 odd isn't it? 

[GapsOfTheGod]

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@Ninyu4 wrote:

It is not about different firmwares but about what platform was used to perform the upgrade.

It might even be related to what platform is being used since there are two different apps, iOS and Android. What if the problem is the app itself and not the firmware?

No comments, except for a few which were all Android, on what platform was used so far! And all the big tech testers had had no issues with firmware 4.1.1 odd isn't it? 

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I believe that to question whether the platform of the manufacturer's system used to flash the firmware or whether the users' device used to upgrade the firmware is android based or not, however its not a case of the issues only being apparent when being used wiht an android based device as my new XM3's (preloaded with v4.1.1) display the issues prior to being connected to my Android phone. I can categorically state that the issues remain when I'm connected to my iPad though.

[KsAmJ202]

Could Sony some how enable a multi pair in future firmware release?

[Ninyu4]

So your pre-loaded 4.1.1 headphones show the NC reduction on both Android and iOS devices. This may indicate that Sony indeed uses an Android based upgrade system. 

What iOS version does your iPad run? 

[Ninyu4]

They [Sony] certainly could. Any programmer with enough knowledge could. But Sony is rather stubborn, indifferent to customers' wishes. 

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@KsAmJ202 wrote:
Could Sony some how enable a multi pair in future firmware release?

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[Lasse_K]

Hi!

I might have a solution!

So I went back to the store to return the headphones. The seller agreed with me that the noise cancelling was off. As I was about to return them we actually found a solution that worked!

Step 1. Turn the headphones off

Step 2. Press the power button and ambient button to at the same time until the headphones are reset to factory default.

Step 3. Go to your Bluetooth settings and forget the headphones.

Step 4. Uninstall the app on your phone.

Step 5. Turn on the headphone and pair it with the phones.

Step 6. Download the app on your phone and connect to the phone.

Now I know we all tried this so far but here is where I think might fix the glitch or at least it solved my problem.

Step 7.  Make sure your button is set for NC/AMBIENT.

Step 8. Instead of using the app on the phone - use the _button_ to cycle through the different modes. 

I'm pretty certain this did the trick for me. It is almost as if the phone was stuck on some lower setting and the app could'nt override it but the button could.

Now I'm not sure If this glitch is realted only to my device or if it might be a solution for others but I guess it might be worth posting it anyway as it may help someone else.

Good luck!

Regards.

L

[Ninyu4]

Whoa Lasse_K you are on to something! What device did you use Android or iOS? 

This is paramount to figure out if this bug is OS related or not. 

[bmgoau]

@Ninyu4 it has nothing to do with the mobile device. I have tried playing with the settings on Android and iPhone (resetting each time, and using buttons), resetting it, and using the button on the headphones  in the order suggested by @Lasse_K . 

I even have the problem if I use cable, or bluetooth with my Windows PC.

This issue is with the resource allocation (probably memory or processor) time inside the headphones themselves.

I do not understand why you are pushing this narrative that the issue is with the mobile device. Stop - the issue is with the headphones themselves.

Sony need to fix this with a firmware fix to the headphones. Full stop.