Not everything's better 🤔 AirPods Pro 3 Firmware 8B34
We’ve got a new firmware for the AirPods Pro 3 which is causing a bit of a stir on Reddit. Some users claimed it either improved their noise canceling or made it weaker, some says it now has better bass, but today we’re going to find out using real measurements and samples. There’s really no other way to do this because Apple doesn’t release details about the changes other than ‘bug fixes and improvements’, so we’ll just have to track the changes this way. Usually the changes are so small that you won’t notice it, other times the changes are more drastic.
Microphone Quality
First, there are positive changes to its microphone quality. You’re not going to see any difference in quiet environments, but in noisy, windy scenarios, I am seeing a noticeable improvement in voice filtering. It’s not as aggressive as before, so more of my voice can be heard on the other side of the call. It’s the same thing on iOS with voice isolation mode, and on Android.
👉 Have a listen to the mic quality sound samples
Active Noise Cancelling
In terms of active noise canceling, it seems like there are some changes here, but very subtle because using it everyday, I don’t think it’s gotten weaker. But it does seem to cut a little more in the high frequencies because when I go to sleep at 5am, I usually wear AirPods to block certain sounds, specifically, birds. And in the last couple of days, I am hearing a bit less of them!
According to my measurements, it does indeed seem to cut a tiny bit more in the upper mids, so that could be why. Apart from that, cancelation of the mids seem to have gotten a bit weaker but as I said, that change is so subtle that it’s hard to hear the difference, and background human chatter in public spaces is still cut down to a whisper.
👉 Have a listen to the ANC sound samples
Transparency Mode
For transparency mode, as we can see from these measurements there aren’t any differences, it’s going to be as transparent and clear as before the update.
Sound Quality
As for sound quality, some people have said it’s gotten bassier. But looking at my measurements before and after the update, it seems that the lower bass frequencies haven’t gotten louder, instead it seems to be a little weaker than before.
What is a little louder though, is the upper bass and lower mids. This could actually make certain bassy tracks sound a little fuller than before, instruments like bass guitars, and even male vocals. Also a bit louder is the upper mids, but it seems to be a much smaller difference in brightness, so most people will not be able to tell.
So that’s how the AirPods Pro 3 on firmware 8B34 compares to 8B30. Let me know guys if you’ve also spotted any difference not mentioned here. And get subscribed if you want to keep track of these changes with me.
