WH-1000XM3 Terrible call quality (background noise)

[mustafa.arif]

I have just bought these headphones and the audio quality on calls is terrible. People I speak with on the phone report that the microphone is dampening my voice, making it sound echo-ey, whilst at the same time picking up ambient noise. Indeed, most report that the ambient noise is clearer than my voice! I'm not tryign to make calls in a particularly noisy environment - just a regular office.

Any ideas?

[Vanilla_]

Hi mustafa,

I understand where your point. But keep in mind that noise cancelling feature works by using the microphone on the headset to gather nearby sounds and block them accordingly. In this case, when you're on a call, the microphone would be already occupied as it transmits your voice to the other person on the phone, hence the noise cancelling feature won't work and it may become difficult for the other person to hear you clearly, especially in crowded or noisy areas.

Vanilla_

[Bigmick777]

Other manufacturers seem to manage it, maybe not perfectly but
significantly better. I haven't sent my headphones back as I don't tend to
use my wired headphones more for calls. I'd use my Sony ones more often
if they applied a fix for it.

[ComplaintVoice]

Who says that the headset may not be equipped with an additional mic, especially for the telephone function. and the whole thing may not cost 10 bugs more? Who says that the mics which are used for the NC process must be used as telephone mic? Who says that the R&D or an economist within Sony organization without any understanding for other things than drawing a max. of money out of a new technology gadget hasn’t just spoiled the fun and quality on the last bit of way to go to make a potentially good product great?! Who says that the NC-processing chip needs to work at full effectiveness level when the controller should actually “know” that a telephone call is going on. I feel it is ridiculous that the product doesn’t offer at least an acceptable voice quality while making phone calls via the built in call function especially at a price of 350,-€.

[m5barney]

I have this issue and have returned 3 units now. (UK law is clear that a faulty product has to be changed - Richer Sounds are breaking that). 

The call function is fine if there is little background noise - such as at home, or in a quiet office. If you try and use them on the street however, with traffic & other noise, they are uttelry useless. No one has mentioned this so far, and it makes a huge difference. 

The microphone for the calls is separate to the NC ones FWIW, so it should function flawlessly in NC mode on calls in any environment.

Massively impressed with these headphones on every level bar the call function, which is shamefull for Sony.

[Bigmick777]

I agree with you. Did some further testing and in my quiet office the call
quality if ok. Useless when there's background noise. Very disappointing
Sony hasn't acknowledged this.

[downy8]

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@Vanilla_ wrote:

Hi mustafa,

I understand where your point. But keep in mind that noise cancelling feature works by using the microphone on the headset to gather nearby sounds and block them accordingly. In this case, when you're on a call, the microphone would be already occupied as it transmits your voice to the other person on the phone, hence the noise cancelling feature won't work and it may become difficult for the other person to hear you clearly, especially in crowded or noisy areas.

Vanilla_

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This wasnt a problem with the MDR-1000X?

The ambient sound in call makes these totally useless, I had a pair of the MDR-1000X which were under extended warranty and when the head band finally cracked, I was given a pair of WH-1000xm3 as a replacement, I have to carry the lead around with me in case I get a phone call, the MDR's did not have this problem... it is as if they are amplifying the sound around you so much that you cant hear the caller...it also makes loud screeching sounds too... very disappointed I have only had them for two weeks!

Sony know this is a problem same as the cracking, really poor......

[hjs8hshi23]

Well said!

I got my "repaired" just to waste 10 days. They got back and the noise cancelling is probably worse and the call quality is a bad as it was.

I called Sony to ask for details as they said they "changed something". They said "Sure we'll talk with the engineer and we'll get back to you". This was ages ago.

What a joke of Customer/Technical support.

Sony = Overpriced buggy badly supported as usual. I should have gone for the B&W PX instead of this.

[eraanoa]

I was really close buying this headset, but call quality is one of the functions that are important to me. I still wanted to do it, but after reading this (and the US) forum without seeing any real response from Sony I contacted Sony Customer Support directly.  They acknowledged that "some people experience this problem, but not all". That together with the fact that the controls does not work below zero degrees C finally made be chose the Bose ones. It's really a pity Sony has not picked this one up. My tentative conclusion is that this is a hardware problem that is not fixable with a software update and they just cannot admit that. I am a bit surprised both that Sony has overlooked this important feature and that the quality seems to very uneven on sold headsets (reading the forums). 

[Bigmick777]

Hi. Most people were originally on v2. 0 of the firmware before the
upgrade to 4.1.1 and didn't have any issues on 2.0 so you'd expect this to
be an easy fix for Sony.

[marcelodantes]

Hi, I just got mine. I love it - except for the phone calls, which is of course a big deal - where other people cant properly hear me.

Ive contacted support today, havent heard back yet.

I wonder indeed if it's something they'll be able to fix with a software update? It would be a pity to have to fully return it, as in terms of sound quality and noise cancelling, I do love them.

Does anyone have any info whether this has/can be fixed with a software update? Or with a replacement? I just sound muffled to other people