AirPods 4 ANC audio stuttering issues in Speech Mode

I’ve been experiencing some persistent issues with my AirPods and was hoping for advice or guidance.

Audio Stuttering in Speech Mode during calls or meetings (they switch to speech mode), the audio frequently stutters or jitters. The sound seems to “bump” back and forth between the left and right AirPods for some milliseconds, which disrupts the conversation.

Volume Balance Issue occasionally, when adjusting the volume, only one AirPod changes its volume. This creates a noticeable difference in audio levels between the left and right AirPods. Additionally, when adjusting the volume on my MacBook, I can hear the volume differences as they shift, which makes the imbalance very noticeable.

Devices in Use:

• MacBook Air M1 and iPhone 12, both using Bluetooth 5.0
• AirPods (Bluetooth 5.3)

Troubleshooting Steps Taken So Far:

• Performed a hard reset on the AirPods at least five times.
• Reset the MacBook’s SMB (System Management Controller).
• Got new second pair of AirPods from Apple, but the issue persists.

That said, I want to highlight that I’m very happy with my AirPods overall. They work wonderfully when listening to music, and the noise cancellation is fantastic—it makes a big difference in my daily use.

Despite these specific issues in speech mode, I’d love to resolve them since I really enjoy the overall AirPods experience. Could this be a compatibility issue between the Bluetooth versions of the devices and the AirPods? Or could it be related to interference or a firmware/software issue?

I’d greatly appreciate any insights or recommendations on how to resolve this!

Thanks in advance! 😊