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.

[sidpc8686]

I have no idea, but there has to be a way to downgrade FW. There has to be.

[Ninyu4]

Is it possible to do the firmware update through a computer? If so, one
would merely need to change the firmware version so as to make it work, I
think.

[jimdibb]

I understand the desire to do a firmware backrev, but it is wishful thinking that it's even possible without explicit help from Sony, much less that it's simple to do. It could easily be the case, and it's even the likely case that it only supports upgrading to a bigger number and that it's hashed to catch corrupted files. Or encrypted to prevent reverse engineering.

[Ninyu4]

This might be the case. One can only try I suppose. Perhaps some progammer
is willing to venture this course.

What about those that do not have any issues with the firmware 4.1.1 ?
Simple luck?

[janush_]

Hello all,

after 2 months I have my new Sony headphones (warranty in interdiscount
Schwitzerland) produced 02.2019, soft 2.0.0. After first use I don't know
if there is any difference to my old updated to 4.1.1... I will test them
in office today and let you know.

PS. Maybe we had a luck and better headphones and after update they were
downgrade to the "normal level" that's why some people says there is no
different because they had already bad NC in 2.0.0 soft??

[Lasse_K]

Has anyone else tried this?

I was begning to believe this issue was a hardware fault and not firmware. Would be intresseting to see wheter it's a universal soluation. If we have several confirmed user cases it would be great.

Now I need to get hold of an Android phone to try it myself and compare.

/Lasse

[Sean_Mc]

Hi,

Can you try to restart the Headphones and check in the app settings that Ambient Sound Control is on and to check Noise Cancelling levels.

Thanks,

Sean Mc

[Ninyu4]

>Now I need to get hold of an Android phone to try it myself and compare.

/Lasse

You did the firmware update on iOS, correct?

Once you've tested it let us know. 

[Lasse_K]

Yes.

iOS is so closed so i doubt I can do anything there. I'm going to try to
downgrade to 2.0 on an Android as soon as I can.

I will post the results here.

Regards,
Lasse

[bmgoau]

@Sean_Mc 

Hi,

Can you try to restart the Headphones and check in the app settings that Ambient Sound Control is on and to check Noise Cancelling levels.

Thanks,

Sean Mc

Are you serious? Are you kidding? There are 25 pages in this thread, hundreds of people, and probably dozens to hundreds of support cases. This is your suggestion? It has been tried by all of us already. It has been suggested dozens of times already. It is the only thing we can squeeze out of Sony's support stuff because the engineering business unit is refusing to acknowledge the problem or provide you and other Sony support staff with the ability to downgrade or fix.

I am really upset and dissapointed with you @Sean_Mc because if you had even read a couple of pages of this thread you would have seen that your suggestion has been tried already by everyone here. We all bought $350-$500 headphones here, playing with the settings is the FIRST thing all of us have tried. We're not idiots.