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DianaMR

macrumors 65816
Sep 12, 2016
1,050
1,882
The ANC is also better and you can change the volume on the stems. I haven’t tested the mic quality with anyone yet. And has Find My, battery appears on phone, case make sound when using Find My as well.
 

Tdude96

macrumors 6502
Oct 16, 2021
462
717
If I had to give an answer now, I'd say if your APP Original are still working satisfactorily (no crackling, batteries are okay, ANC hasn't faded beyond what was caused by firmware updates, etc) then it's probably not worth upgrading until a problem occurs.

So far I'm a little underwhelmed, but I haven't used them for very long. I took one call and then spent a few minutes playing with ANC & Transparency Mode. The ANC is noticeably better, but it's a slight improvement, not a huge difference. The tips do seem to fit more securely in my ears, but that could just be because they're fresh out of the package. Transparency Mode is definitely improved and sounds significantly more natural than the original APP.

That said, the increased battery life and swipe volume control will be very nice. I've used the volume control on them and it's quite useful. I'll update this if my opinion changes once I've had more time with them.
 

josena

macrumors member
Sep 13, 2022
37
14
The sound is better, the ANC a little better and a little more battery, I don’t sure if you need to upgrade.
 

Phuz01

macrumors 6502
Oct 25, 2006
376
471
New York, NY
I reacted to the news of the AirPods Pro 2 with a tremendous "meh" because I was hoping for lossless support along with improved microphone performance. When I saw that they supported Bluetooth 5.3, I decided to jump, because I'm only getting about 2 hours/charge from my OG Pros. They arrived today, and while I'm going to need to live with these (and take them on the NYC subway, which is always the best test of ANC) before I'll have a fully formed opinion, I will say that right out of the box the sound quality on these is a marked improvement. The bass presence isn't just upped, but it has a warmth to it that I wasn't expecting. I'm not sure what double the noise cancellation is supposed to sound like in practice, but for around-the-home sounds, the isolation is decent, but about the same as my old Pros. Transparency is much improved; without changing any settings, I don't feel like my ears are getting blasted with amplification when I turn off ANC, which is something I often felt with the OGs. The ability to turn volume up and down with a swipe is a welcome addition, but I'll have to see how that is when I'm listening to music while lying on a pillow, which seems like something that could be problematic. I'll report later on battery life and other aspects (including the mic), but my initial impression is that the sound quality (particularly the midrange and the bass) across various genres of music is noticeably better, ANC seems about the same, and transparency sounds more natural. Does that make it worth the $250 price tag? I guess it does for me, but I have a feeling some people are going to be underwhelmed.
 

Bazooka-joe

macrumors 603
Mar 12, 2012
5,347
3,743
Swindon, England
Currently I would say no as I had first gen AirPods since launch day and had no issues with noise cancelling and passing the NC test but no matter what I’ve tried with the gen 2’s, I cannot get a successful NC test with the right pod so I’m certainly not getting the same noise cancelling that I had with the gen ones.

I may have a faulty set of AirPods and they are being replaced and hopefully then I’ll be able to give a better perspective.
 

Mike84

macrumors 6502a
Jun 23, 2010
818
135
I purchased the APP2 today and really tried to compare them to my APP 1st gen. I replayed multiple movie scenes and would switch and would listen to music and test it next to an AC for noise cancellation. To be frank, like someone else said, if you're 1st gen are working fine, keep them and don't worry much. Yeah, the noise function on the small stem is nice, but again, it is a very small stem. The ANC works slightly better and, while not exhaustive, I tested it around the house and neighborhood and didn't really notice a big difference. The sound quality as well. My 0.02 cents
 

Tagbert

macrumors 603
Jun 22, 2011
6,254
7,280
Seattle
I agree. Solid upgrade.

Improved ANC.
I assume I’ll like the longer battery life.
FindMy actually works. I assume I will no longer get the useless ”left behind” notices from the first gen.
The microphone noise suppression improvements alone are worth it.
 

tdbrown75

macrumors 6502
Apr 28, 2015
297
247
Dallas, TX
I agree. Solid upgrade.

Improved ANC.
I assume I’ll like the longer battery life.
FindMy actually works. I assume I will no longer get the useless ”left behind” notices from the first gen.
The microphone noise suppression improvements alone are worth it.

This is how I feel about mine. Solid upgrade and well worth it. Passed my old pros down to my daughter.

Tim
 
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shooter45acp

macrumors regular
Oct 5, 2017
219
572
RI
I also upgraded and so glad I did! Gave my old Pros to my daughter! The new ones are much better and love how I can control volume from them now!
 
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sjperformance

macrumors 68010
Oct 7, 2013
2,002
2,155
Miami 305
Just picked up my APP gen 2…1 hour ago from Apple.
APP Gen 1 to the left APP Gen 2 to the right. I’ve own gen 1 for 2 years now. I wasn’t planning on upgrading but considering I had a $150 gift card for my MBAM2 back during launch why not. These do sound better. Not a day and night difference but a little better. I like the new features we getting with these. With kids I like the idea of the case now having its own speakers. Easier to find. I use my iPhone and AirPods everyday. During my work day with my iPhone and at home connected to my Samsung TV (less noise for the wife) LoL. I plan to gift the gen 1’s to my 12 year old son BTW. These new ones feel more comfortable too. Better seal.


af690fe12069be02b192846198ab9001.jpg

f9197edc2dfa6bdc15fbdf718d89573f.jpg
 
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imaginex20

macrumors 68000
Jun 17, 2009
1,513
720
I just got my AirPods Pro 2nd gen. Had the originals since 2019. First off, the thing I noticed immediately was the fit, these actually stay in my ears! The APP 1st always felt like they would fall out my ears no matter which tip I used. The sound although not immediately apparent but there’s definitely more bass and it sounds louder with than the 1st gen. With the 1st gen I feel like I had to almost turn up the volume 80% of the time to hear the bass.

Overall a small improvement but the fit alone makes it worth it for me.
 

sjperformance

macrumors 68010
Oct 7, 2013
2,002
2,155
Miami 305
Have noticed better bass too. Also like the smaller details like when you put case to charge on the MagSafe the sounds it makes. Those little details I like to have. Speaker being on the case is a good upgrade.
 

tdbrown75

macrumors 6502
Apr 28, 2015
297
247
Dallas, TX
Have noticed better bass too. Also like the smaller details like when you put case to charge on the MagSafe the sounds it makes. Those little details I like to have. Speaker being on the case is a good upgrade.

Have not heard it yet as my old AirPods case from my gen 1 blocks the speaker. 😉

Tim
 

mavis

macrumors 601
Jul 30, 2007
4,771
1,541
Tokyo, Japan
Launch day AirPods Pro 1 user here - after three years of heavy daily use, I was ready for an upgrade. I have a pair of WF-1000XM4s for their bass, but I've always found the AirPods Pro to have better ANC. Most review state otherwise, but in my experience the AirPods Pros have better ANC, and the gen 2 Pros are even better. The low end is fuller; still a little roll-off once you get into the 50Hz range (I have a bass test playlist full of songs with powerful sub-bass beats or accents, in that range) but still, markedly improved over the gen 1s. Even non-bass-heavy stuff like Tool has a lot more impact in the bass region. Love it!
 

G.McGilli

macrumors 6502a
Oct 19, 2015
615
516
(and take them on the NYC subway, which is always the best test of ANC)
Dude - stand behind the yellow line lol... if the ANC really is better you'll never hear the crazies coming up behind you to push you on the tracks...

From someone else who spends lots of time on the subway there 🤘
 
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