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.

[RonnyAndresen]

I got this today.. I new oppdate.. 17MB.. 

[Haraldboye]

Oh my..who wanna go first? 

still on 2.0 FW, if it aint broke..

[NiklasSv]

Unfortunately, it's probably not a new firmware for the headphones, just support for the next XM4 models or something like that. 

But lets hope for a new, and actually good working FW.

EDIT: No new firmware in the package, let's hope it's a preparation for deployment.

[janush_]

I just get the answer from support:

"Thank you for your recent e-mail.

With reference to your enquiry, we appreciate your patience and cooperation on this matter and we apologise for any confusion or misunderstandings.

Sony has investigated this matter following various customer feedback regarding this topic. Our engineers have concluded that there is no evidence of any change in the Noise-Cancelling feature, before and after the update.

Instead, the update my have changed some settings, so we suggest the below steps to ensure that you are getting the most of our your Noise-Cancelling experience:

1) Turn the headphones off and back on again to ensure that the Noise-Cancelling circuit is refreshed.

2) Ensure that you optimize the 'Adaptive Sound Control' to your most preferred setup, you can read more about it here:
https://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/support/articles/00224928

Thank you for your enquiry, if you have any further questions, please feel free to reply to this e-mail.

Yours Sincerely,
Sherif" 

This is unbelievable... They really think that all of us are retired or they just are?? I will never ever buy from sony... I'll send this headphones back to sony to change my chipset or whatever to get the 2.0.0 back or my NC ...

[FrancisRoss]

This is really bad customer service from Sony!  No doubt whatsoever, the NC  is severly degraded after the upgrade, especially regarding voice.  I haven't heard my wifes voice since I got the XM3 from her for christmas, until I upgraded! Now it's all ruined.  I would have returned my headset if I could, but for me it is too late.

Sony should make the original 2.0 release available for us who want to downgrade, but they totaly neglect their customers. Too bad.  Never Sony again.

[NiklasSv]

Sonys arrogance towards their customers on this issue is amazing.

It's almost like it's the ps3 support team that's assigned to this product. 

To be able to downgrade would be enough, but rather that they release a functioning newer version.

My guess is that it's the Alexa and assistant support that had to be done to the MWC, that forced the developers to cut corners with quality control.  Or well, something like that,  the headphones are capable of of a much better experience than the lousy 4.1.1 software allows it to produce.  Sad!

[cdlftw]

Would be nice if they gave the option to downgrade, definitely.  But... I'm sat here with an Amazon replacement pair on 2.0.0 and the original pair I upgraded to 4.1.1 - there's *no* difference.  Well, there is, there's a "distant traffic" noise coming out of the left earcup on the new pair running 2.0.0.  Seriously, I thought it was downgraded on 4.1.1, but comparing old vs new, there's NO difference.  I can only think that it's due to voices NOT being heard when content is playing on the headset, not just when NC is on without content...

[FrancisRoss]

>I can only think that it's due to voices NOT being heard when content is playing on the headset, not just when NC is on without content...

Case is, I used to use them @ work (open-plan office) without music / sound, just to obtain silence and be able to consentrate on what I was doing. So I have no doubt that the voice noice cancelling is severely degraded.  However, I have read reports saying there's now difference to be heard, so perhaps not all are affected the same way.

[fpcatcherdad]

I would mostly agree.  If you are hearing content, is barely imperceptible.  If you are only isolating noise, it is enough to be detectable if you are paying attention, in the mid-range frequencies (I.e people talking).  But for the most part, in my experience, having a headphone pair with 2.0.0 and another with 4.1.1, the difference is almost imperceptible, especially is you are hearing content (but is there).  That is why I decided just to keep my 4.1.1 as is.

[cdlftw]

I've just tried both pairs again, 2.0.0 and 4.1.1 watching the news and I can hear the same level of speech on both pairs.  It's low, but it's there.  I can also here my daughter speaking to me (albeit VERY quiet) on both pairs.  I was convinced this wasn't the case with the 2.0.0 pair (see my earlier post) - but now I have both to compare, I can find absolutely ZERO difference.  If I HAD to play spot the difference, the background noise when using the mic is reduced on the pair running 4.1.1, but absolutely no other change I can discern.