WF-1000X right earbud problems

[jaymbee]

I have a pair of the new wireless in-ear WF-1000X. There is an intermittent problem with sound in the right earbud cutting out. It seems to be random; sometimes it happens for a second or so a few times in quick succession, sometimes only once in the entire day. This isn’t Bluetooth skipping as the connection between my phone and the left earbud is fine - it’s the relaying of the sound from the left earbud to the right that’s the problem.

It can happen in busy urban areas as well as out in open countryside so I don’t think the cause is extrernal interference. 

I have read several reviews, both in the press (What Hi-fi among others) and on the Amazon UK site, that describe the same issue.

I have tried all the things mentioned in the manual. I have reset the earphones to factory settings, I have switched from the AAC codec to SBC, but nothing has worked. 

Is the WF-1000X likely to get a software update in the future that might fix, or at least, reduce the number of audio drop-outs, or can anyone suggest anything I’ve not tried? There is one instance of a reviewer on Amazon who said his first pair had this problem but his replacement pair were perfect, so maybe it’s a defect in only some of them?

I’d be interested in hearing the experiences of any other owners.

[Pabbss79]

Hi there, im having the same problem. Constant drop outs on the right ear bud. 

From readung your reply you suggest setting the sound quality to be not prioritized. Drop outs are less frequent but still happen, but now the headphones sound poor. 

Had i have read these reviews first id never have bought them. If anyone is reading this thinking about buying them, dont. 

[Kipplemaster]

I have exactly the same problem - right earbud cuts out constantly with iphone 8.  It is somewhat intermittent. My first pair did it constantly right from the beginning.  When I replaced them, sitting still in my study they worked for about 8 minutes.  But as soon as I went outside they started cutting out just like the first pair.

[Kipplemaster]

I should also add that I tried the "prioritise stable connection" setting and it made virtually no difference to the drop-outs but made a more noticeable difference to the sound quality than any other setting I've ever changed.  It became unusably poor even if the connection had been stable.

[abubasim]

I updated the firmware to version 3.1.4 and am now trying with ASC (Ambient Sound Control) switched on.

So far it seems much better. The right earbud only dropped out once just when I switched on ASC.

And as a tip to anyone having problems with the right earbud dropping out frequently; if you have Sony's Headphones app installed, try switching off Ambient Sound Control. With firmware version 2.0 this solved the drops completely for me. With version 3.1.4 the problem seems - for me the moment at least - to be solved.

[Azan.1]

Has anyone found a solution yet? Or a firmware that I can upload to fix it? Or even something DIY as I cannot return them. 

[Nymusnomo]

Hey guys!

There is a simple solution.

-> Turn off the Noise Cancelling and there is no more problem with the connection between left and right earbuds. 
If you don’t know how to do that

-> press your left earbuds maybe twice, and it will say noise canceling mode OFF

OR

Download its application and there you can simply turn it off.

[stripeyjoe]

No up to firmware 4.5.2 and still, with noise cancelling on, the right ear cuts out every 20-30 seconds.  On my 30 minute walk around the local park I'd estimate that the right ear bud is not working for over 50% of the time and, every few minutes, the left one cuts out briefly as well. Just covering either the left or right earbud with my hand makes the right one cut out so I guess the issue is the connection between the left and right buds and not between the phone and the left one (it's my understanding that the phone connects to the left earbud and the right earbud then connects to the left.)

Strangely the cut outs are far fewer when sitting in front of my computer despite there being far more bluetooth and wifi 'noise' compared to the park. 

These earbuds are simply not working but not sure how to return them in part exchange for something that does work!

This is with an Apple iPhone XR, earbuds set to 'priority on sound quality' as recommended by the help pages.