Microsoft Modern Wireless Headset - Listening to ambient noise on the speaker

Question

Hello,

I recently bought my Headset (Feb 2023) and I am facing a problem related to ambient noise.

It is connected via Wireless (USB Dongle) and when I start a call via Teams or Zoom apps, I start listening to all the ambient noise on my speaker.

I did the test by changing to the Bluetooth option and the same issue happens.

it is like if the option "Listen to this device" was always activated (Control Panel -> Sound -> Recording -> Headset Microphone -> Properties -> Listen)

If I listen to a song in other apps, this issue doesn't happen, that is, I don't hear the ambient sound.

If I go into the settings (Settings -> System -> Sound) the volume bar appears in the upper left corner and increases and then I start listening to the ambient sound. If I change the "Input" from "Headset Microphone" to "Microphone Array" I don't hear the ambient noise anymore.

Model: Modern Wireless Headset

Hardware Version: 6

Firmware: 2.29.139

Windows 11

Answer 1

Hi TiagoZerbatto,

Thank you for reaching Microsoft Community. Apologies for the inconvenience this has caused you.

Kindly try to perform a hardware reset on the headphones then see if the same issue with the ambient noise persists. Follow these steps below: (Set up Microsoft Modern Wireless Headset - Microsoft Support)

Before you start, make sure your headset is sufficiently charged.

1. Plug in your headset using the USB cable.
2. Slide the Power button on to turn on your headset.
3. Press and hold the Answer/end call button for more than 10 seconds. While still holding down the Answer/end call button, press and release the Bluetooth pairing button.
   You'll hear a message saying your headset is on and how much battery you have left.
4. Release the Answer/end call button.

If still the issue persists, I'm sorry but please contact our PC accessories team for further assistance on this. You may reach them through these steps below:

1: **** Go to Microsoft Support landing page: Contact Us - Microsoft Support

2: Select Show expanded list of products

3: **** Select PC accessories

4: Click Get support in your web browser.

5: **** Describe the issue **** then click Get help.

You may just type in **"**Microsoft Modern Wireless Headset"

6: Click the **** “Contact Support” at the bottom part.

7: Choose a support option.

Products and Services – Other Products

Category – Microsoft Accessories

8: Click Confirm.

9: Choose support option.

Only one available option is available – Request support for a Microsoft accessory.

Microsoft accessory support request

Kind regards,
Marrion

Answer 2

Microsoft,

This is obviously an issue with your hardware or firmware, PLEASE fix this because the headset sound is good, but the noise cancelling is non existent and the mic stays open no matter what.

Yes, I have checked for "listen to device" in recording, all my settings are correct, and I have tried the solution presented here.

This post below was closed out without a resolution, from mid last year.

Microsoft Modern Wireless Headset noise-reducing microphone not - Microsoft Community

PLEASE FIX THIS!

Answer 3

On both USB and Microsoft USB Link dongle, when connected to a Teams call, the microphone mirrors audio to the internal speakers of the headset.

This may be in order for the user to hear their own voice since sound isolation of the ear cups is good.

However, this presents problems when there is ambient noise in the environment.

My office has a white-noise speaker system to minimize how far voices carry in open spaces. This white noise is amplified in the headset and makes use uncomfortable.

Either this microphone pass-through needs to be a feature that can be turned on or off, or the microphone input needs intelligent noise cancelation to eliminate spread-spectrum noise.

Answer 4

Yes, Matt is right, it must be a hardware/firmware issue, as it also happens when I have the headset connected to my Android phone (via Bluetooth).

Other than this issue, I really like the headset. But this defect is crazy annoying!

I hope Microsoft can issue a firmware update to fix this.

Answer 5

This is still an issue, microphone randomly starts and stops "Listen to this device" on hardware level. Its always disabled in the microphone settings. Its annoying. I want to listen to youtube or something and I hear outside noise because the microphone is on. Then it randomly stops and starts again when stopping or starting a video and not on a call.