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]

Brewster345, it seems firmware update/updates in general are bad.

I did the update for the xM3 from 2.0.0 to 4.1.1 because the voice guidance
is ultra annoying. Perhaps the NC was compromised. Can't tell for sure
since I didn't check thoroughly prior. However, I can say that the earpads
play a crucial role of the efficiency of the NC. Worn earpads (flat
patting) = bad NC performance!

[Ninyu4]

Bigbide, was your downgrade to 2.0.0 successful?

[BigBide]

Hello Ninyu,

Yes indeed, the downgrade itself worked like a charm. Twice back and forth
between 4.2.2 and 2.0.0 with the python script, using the last version of
the Headphones app (v6.1.4).

Now I have another issue but it existed already in 4.2.2: scratching noises
in the right ear with ANC active, but I don't think it comes from the
software as it doesn't go away by resetting or changing firmware version.

[kasmond0]

I had thought the firmware upgrade to the XM3 cans would sort out the MacOS upgrade (Catalina) issues (which I outlined in my thread) but has made it worse and other functionality worse (NC). I am half thinking about rolling back the firmware 🤔

[RobertGourlay]

Hi I purchased a pair of Sony wh-1000xm3 headphones but found the noise cancelling was terrible. I reported to the Sony repair centre and sent them off for testing only for Sony to return them saying they were working perfectly. The NC issue is major for me as I bought them primarily for flying as I prefer total silence however So y have been useless in resolving the NC issue. Did you manage to get your headphones NC to work 

[Chronatog]

Now Sony blocked firmware downgrading, will anything be done to fix this? I'm appalled by this support (and the fact that my lats post seems to have been deleted doesn't help).

[Bigmick777]

V4.5.2 has been released and showing available on the Sony headphone app.  Says system security update and general improvements

[Chronatog]

@Bigmick777 : The system security update blocks downgrading to older firmwares (so I recommend everyone who has the ANC issue and hasn't tried downgrading to not update, since at the moment there doesn't seem to be a way back).

I only noticed the weak ANC yesterday after updating (hadn't used the headphones in a while).

It's super obvious that the ANC isn't working anywhere near to where it used to.

In my case I'm sure it's not a placebo, since I was fully expecting them to work normally and they simply don't block out things they used to. It actually feels like they don't affect mids and highs at all (previously, while they couldn't cancel mid/highs, they were still really good at dampening them), I can hear distant car engines really clearly even through quite music, for example.

I'm shocked by this and will probably have to sell these ASAP since there doesn't seem to be a solution (and the affected people have been waiting for so long without acknowledgment).

[mwe._.]

Replying to :

"

I have recently started to experience the 'wind noise' issues when I enable noise cancelling. 

One thing that makes me think this could be a software issue is that if i switch the 'Ambient Sound Control' mode to 'Ambient 1' on the app, the wind noise goes away, but if I enable 'Focus on Voice' then it comes back.

It seems like the noise cancelling mode has 'Focus on Voice' enabled by default in this firmware version (4.2.2 or 4.1.1), which could be something to do with the addition of the Google Assistant?

Does anyone else agree with me that the white noise/wind noise sounds exactly the same as when 'Focus on Voice' is enabled?"

I can confirm this exact behavior.

[mwe._.]

I have recently started to experience the 'wind noise' issues when I enable noise cancelling. 

One thing that makes me think this could be a software issue is that if i switch the 'Ambient Sound Control' mode to 'Ambient 1' on the app, the wind noise goes away, but if I enable 'Focus on Voice' then it comes back.

It seems like the noise cancelling mode has 'Focus on Voice' enabled by default in this firmware version (4.2.2 or 4.1.1), which could be something to do with the addition of the Google Assistant?

Does anyone else agree with me that the white noise/wind noise sounds exactly the same as when 'Focus on Voice' is enabled?"

[srkain]

I confirm the same behaviour on 4.5.2. Upgraded today and I am very disappointed?

Very annoying white noise sound when NC is turned on. Changing to Ambient 1 with Focus on voice disabled the noise disappears.

I can also hear the complete silence I was used to during the brief quiet moments performing the optimizer.