Monitoring and it's key to us humans being able to regulate our volume and speech and get a sense of what we are saying/adjust.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
AirPods Pro - Pictures and first impressions
- Thread starter Boardiesboi
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Monitoring and it's key to us humans being able to regulate our volume and speech and get a sense of what we are saying/adjust.
I think that’s him just saying since these just released, of course people who have AirPods already would be interested in the newer version with ANC. I didn’t take it to mean a First time buyer in the market should get both.
I agree, after more testing on phone conversations, I think the Airpods 2 I have might be better.
Received mine this morning. Such a confusing process. The fit seemed ok but a bit painful and I couldn’t hear anything. Turns out I’m supposed to put these in my ears, not my nostrils. First time using something like this so there’s definitely a learning curve.
I get mine on Saturday. I’ll compare the ANC to my WH-1000xm3 over-ear. I know it won’t be very fair, I just want to see how good they are compared.
Does a single, or a double tap on the AirPod(s) change the song or now have these commands been replaced by pressing on the bottom of the stem?
Later edit: It looks like tapping it's a thing of the past. I had to go through 2 pages to find the answer in this topic.
Later edit: It looks like tapping it's a thing of the past. I had to go through 2 pages to find the answer in this topic.
Last edited:
I don't really know where to put my honest review so I'll put it here.
I got the airpods pro yesterday morning. I currently own the following:
1) Power beats pro
2) Sony WF-1000MX3
3) Sony WH-1000MX3
I have owned the Bose in-ear truly wireless, the Jabra Active blah blah T (i forgot the number) and the original airpods.
Here are my thoughts:
Noise cancelling: Since i have 3 different kinds of noise cancelling and an engineering lab which constantly has tons of fans on. I feel i can give a good idea of the performance. Based on what i have can tell, the different between the in ear Sony WF-1000MX3 and the Airpods Pro is about on PAR. slight (i mean slight differences) but they do about the same performance. the WH-1000XMX3 over the ear headphones are the best but that's because of the size and form factor.
Sound: They didn't blow me away. It was the same airpods to me, people say bass is better and clarity but i don't have a pair of airpods anymore since i have lost them earlier so i felt like when comparing to the Sony in ears i noticed that the bass is more pronounced in the Sonys. but overall, it was a mute point from a sound point of view. if i wanted good sounding headphones, i would buy good sounding headphones and give them the service they truly need and not this gimped up approach. As for as sound goes, i actually prefer the powerbeats pro.
Comfort - the silicon tips for me add a slight uncomfort compared to the original airpods. (I mean slight). that is because i am blessed with the ear shape perfect for the airpods and that meant they can just rest outside my ear. I never noticed they were on my head. but for the Airpod pros, i can kinda feel it. It's certainly alot better than the Jabras, the bose, and the sonys (i have bought and tried them all).
Transparency: This was the best feature and the game changer for me. I have heard ambient sound before on other headphones, but i can notice ambient sound immediately. the sony in-ear does a good job than the over the head sonys but the airpods are WORLDS better. in the Sony's they over amplify the sound so everything is wayyyy too sensitive. When I type, talk, walk, tap...everything. The Apple Airpods got the sound to as natural as possible. I even tried them in a meeting in front of 10 people in a large room and it sound as natural as it gets. I loved it.
Mic quality: I don't want to even mention the sony's - the reason i keep buying new in-ears is because they all suck except for the my airpods (OG). The mics are facing out on the Sony's and it picks up all sounds. the stem design of the airpods is better in my opinion. This is big for me because I'm constantly on the phone and I liked that i had my airpods on me all the time to take a call. This is partially the reason why i bought the power beats, they have a directional mic. That said, so far the mic quality on teh airpods pro has been good, but will save judgment as there is another thread on the audio mic quality.
the Force press - I really like this so much better than the Tap. I like this better than any touch control on any in-ear system. the audio clip is a nice touch to know it worked, the transparency is easy. on the Sony's i keep trying to remember which side is the pause and play and which size is the NC/Ambient controls.
Negative - no volume controls.
Positive - ability to ask siri to turn on and off NC
next test: Trying my airpods pro with my sony over the head ANC to get me super noise cancelling LOL.
Thanks for your time - cheers.
I got the airpods pro yesterday morning. I currently own the following:
1) Power beats pro
2) Sony WF-1000MX3
3) Sony WH-1000MX3
I have owned the Bose in-ear truly wireless, the Jabra Active blah blah T (i forgot the number) and the original airpods.
Here are my thoughts:
Noise cancelling: Since i have 3 different kinds of noise cancelling and an engineering lab which constantly has tons of fans on. I feel i can give a good idea of the performance. Based on what i have can tell, the different between the in ear Sony WF-1000MX3 and the Airpods Pro is about on PAR. slight (i mean slight differences) but they do about the same performance. the WH-1000XMX3 over the ear headphones are the best but that's because of the size and form factor.
Sound: They didn't blow me away. It was the same airpods to me, people say bass is better and clarity but i don't have a pair of airpods anymore since i have lost them earlier so i felt like when comparing to the Sony in ears i noticed that the bass is more pronounced in the Sonys. but overall, it was a mute point from a sound point of view. if i wanted good sounding headphones, i would buy good sounding headphones and give them the service they truly need and not this gimped up approach. As for as sound goes, i actually prefer the powerbeats pro.
Comfort - the silicon tips for me add a slight uncomfort compared to the original airpods. (I mean slight). that is because i am blessed with the ear shape perfect for the airpods and that meant they can just rest outside my ear. I never noticed they were on my head. but for the Airpod pros, i can kinda feel it. It's certainly alot better than the Jabras, the bose, and the sonys (i have bought and tried them all).
Transparency: This was the best feature and the game changer for me. I have heard ambient sound before on other headphones, but i can notice ambient sound immediately. the sony in-ear does a good job than the over the head sonys but the airpods are WORLDS better. in the Sony's they over amplify the sound so everything is wayyyy too sensitive. When I type, talk, walk, tap...everything. The Apple Airpods got the sound to as natural as possible. I even tried them in a meeting in front of 10 people in a large room and it sound as natural as it gets. I loved it.
Mic quality: I don't want to even mention the sony's - the reason i keep buying new in-ears is because they all suck except for the my airpods (OG). The mics are facing out on the Sony's and it picks up all sounds. the stem design of the airpods is better in my opinion. This is big for me because I'm constantly on the phone and I liked that i had my airpods on me all the time to take a call. This is partially the reason why i bought the power beats, they have a directional mic. That said, so far the mic quality on teh airpods pro has been good, but will save judgment as there is another thread on the audio mic quality.
the Force press - I really like this so much better than the Tap. I like this better than any touch control on any in-ear system. the audio clip is a nice touch to know it worked, the transparency is easy. on the Sony's i keep trying to remember which side is the pause and play and which size is the NC/Ambient controls.
Negative - no volume controls.
Positive - ability to ask siri to turn on and off NC
next test: Trying my airpods pro with my sony over the head ANC to get me super noise cancelling LOL.
Thanks for your time - cheers.
Last edited:
Got my AirPods Pro Yesterday. Three colleagues tried them and were enthusiastic. Then when I tried them I had significant fitting problems. Tried all three tips twice, and with a varying of angles etc. but the Fitting function rejected them. Talked with Apple support. They were nice, but couldn't really help me except I could return them.
After spending several hours I finally got a proper fit, if I pushed them both in and held them in quite firmly at just the right angle. Yes!, I have to hold my hands to my head constantly. Then the Active noise reduction worked, and the sound became richer and had better bass.
When running the Tip Fit test, you can immediately hear if they do not fit properly because the test music is tinny in sound.
Back at work today, a good colleague offered roll of duct tape that when firmly wrapped around my ears and head should be able to hold them in place. Another creative soul suggested I make a YouTube video with this creative AirPod Pro fitting solution. This should ensure millions of hits, and make me incredibly rich.
Or maybe Apple could make a new emoji of this solution!
Dark humor aside, I would like to keep them, but my colleagues say I probably need some longer tips that go deeper into my year.
Anyone else have these problems? Any ideas or help from the fruit company?
After spending several hours I finally got a proper fit, if I pushed them both in and held them in quite firmly at just the right angle. Yes!, I have to hold my hands to my head constantly. Then the Active noise reduction worked, and the sound became richer and had better bass.
When running the Tip Fit test, you can immediately hear if they do not fit properly because the test music is tinny in sound.
Back at work today, a good colleague offered roll of duct tape that when firmly wrapped around my ears and head should be able to hold them in place. Another creative soul suggested I make a YouTube video with this creative AirPod Pro fitting solution. This should ensure millions of hits, and make me incredibly rich.
Or maybe Apple could make a new emoji of this solution!
Dark humor aside, I would like to keep them, but my colleagues say I probably need some longer tips that go deeper into my year.
Anyone else have these problems? Any ideas or help from the fruit company?
I keep having the same issue. When I first got them I passed the fit test but shortly after I fail it every single time unless I am pressing the Airpods Pro into my ears. I have tried every size and combo but can't get anything to fit reliably
Agree with everything you pointed out, especially the transparency mode on the Airpods Pro. It is much more impressive than the Sonys. Sounds very natural on the Airpods Pro.
Disappointingly I think I'll be returning mine. They sound too much like the original Airpods for me to keep when I already have Airpods 2. I really wish they sounded at least as good as the Sony WF1000MX3 and it would've been a keeper.
(quoting myself) Just in case anyone has the same issue and can't update to Catalina for some reason, I solved this by using the "ToothFairy" app from the app store ($5) to connect the Airpods Pro rather than the standard MacOS pull-down menu.
I'm very interested in this comparison – I am genuinely surprised how euphoric people on this board (and on YouTube etc.) are about the ANC of the AirPods Pro with "the world gets quiet, incredible, didn't hear anything, even not my wife calling me!" statements that I wonder if these people never experienced ANC before at all and are simply "wowed" without any comparison to the benchmark NC (over ear) headphones – or if Apple really managed to set a new standard with these little tiny things. If they even "only" reach 80%-90% of the over ear Sony WH-1000XM3 NC capabilities, I surely didn't expect that and really regret not having waited for the Pros ...
I really like the direction Apple is going with the AirPods. I bought the AirPod pros because my day one AirPods were hitting the end of the life cycle. My right AirPod was dying 20-30 min faster than my left over the last 2 months.
Now for my review.
Fit: I’m actually lucky and the stock tips create a perfect seal with my ear.
Sound: these sound way better than the OG AirPods. The bass is decent for the size of the headphones. (I feel like Ive had cheaper headphones with more bass)
Active noise cancellation: because of the fit of the AirPods I can only really tell the difference of when it’s on and off at low volume. I tested this on my way to and from work on the subway. With my music all the way up and ANC on I couldn’t hear anything and I enjoyed that. When I turned ANC off with music on max I could make out some background noise but not much. ( I think it’s just because of how snug these buds fit in my ears) when the volume is half way I notice the difference of ANC on/ off.
May only complaints are about the case. The lid seems a bit flimsy compared to the OG AirPods
overall these are solid headphones that will continue to give people sticker shock. I would encourage people to at least try them and if you aren’t happy you can always return under the 14 day period.
happy customer here!
Now for my review.
Fit: I’m actually lucky and the stock tips create a perfect seal with my ear.
Sound: these sound way better than the OG AirPods. The bass is decent for the size of the headphones. (I feel like Ive had cheaper headphones with more bass)
Active noise cancellation: because of the fit of the AirPods I can only really tell the difference of when it’s on and off at low volume. I tested this on my way to and from work on the subway. With my music all the way up and ANC on I couldn’t hear anything and I enjoyed that. When I turned ANC off with music on max I could make out some background noise but not much. ( I think it’s just because of how snug these buds fit in my ears) when the volume is half way I notice the difference of ANC on/ off.
May only complaints are about the case. The lid seems a bit flimsy compared to the OG AirPods
overall these are solid headphones that will continue to give people sticker shock. I would encourage people to at least try them and if you aren’t happy you can always return under the 14 day period.
happy customer here!
Got mine today. Early impressions are. 1. They fit very comfortable. 2. Love transparency mode.3. Impressed with ANC. Tried this out on busy outside road and it did very well. Moved between modes and liked what it offered. 4. Sound is good. I am no audiophile though but if you mess around on music settings Playback -EQ, you can find what you enjoy most. I find them louder than AirPods 1 and actually prefer them to my Bose QC35. They are super convenient. The case is bit bigger but still very very portable. Will see how they are over time and wish I could alter the volume on the AirPods themselves but not a deal breaker. Are they worth the price? Yes definitely.
I've been seduced by the mainly positive Youtube reviews.
I bought the original Airpods on launch day back in 2016 and have used them pretty much daily since. They are certainly one of my favourite Apple products, but over the last few months have also been one of the most frustrating as battery life sometimes won't even last for my ~60-minute commute to work.
I don't mind paying a premium for a great product, although I do expect a good product to last more than a couple of years. I still have some Bose QC15s I bought over 10 years ago, and after replacing the tatty ear cups they still work just as well today. I actually replaced them last year with some Sony Sony WH-1000XM3 which are incredible, and even better than the QC35 II's I considered at the same time.
For £250, I'm hoping the Airpod Pros will last for longer than 60 minutes in 3 years time. They are better than the old versions, but the ANC doesn't even come close to what the 10 year old Bose or current Sony headphones can do. It will be interesting to see how they compare on a flight, but I'll be packing some over-ear cans too.
I bought the original Airpods on launch day back in 2016 and have used them pretty much daily since. They are certainly one of my favourite Apple products, but over the last few months have also been one of the most frustrating as battery life sometimes won't even last for my ~60-minute commute to work.
I don't mind paying a premium for a great product, although I do expect a good product to last more than a couple of years. I still have some Bose QC15s I bought over 10 years ago, and after replacing the tatty ear cups they still work just as well today. I actually replaced them last year with some Sony Sony WH-1000XM3 which are incredible, and even better than the QC35 II's I considered at the same time.
For £250, I'm hoping the Airpod Pros will last for longer than 60 minutes in 3 years time. They are better than the old versions, but the ANC doesn't even come close to what the 10 year old Bose or current Sony headphones can do. It will be interesting to see how they compare on a flight, but I'll be packing some over-ear cans too.
Tim’s statement confirm some first impressions I read here.
AP e APP are 2 different products, intended to be used in different contexts: in this way they’re not complementary.
He said: “...will be people that have AirPods today and want to also have a pair for the times they need noise cancellation.”
So the people who are enjoying their AP can buy ALSO the APP if they need the noise cancelling. Just that.
When it comes to everyday use, phone calls, music listening with no isolation AP are still the best choice.
my 2C
I think for people who already have airpods, then the upgrade is not as significant. If someone was planning to buy the noise cancelling airpod pros and the Airpods 2 with charging case, then the 50 dollar difference to me a no brainer to get the pros.
For sure.
If the difference is only $50 I'd say go for the Pro, but I did buy my Airpods 2 with wireless case for $150 just less than 2 months ago and I suspect they'll now go on sale more often.
I'm still after something with Airpods convenience and with higher sound quality. May give the Powerbeats Pro a try.
Curious, for those of you that got them. Did Apple require and adult signature from Fed Ex?
I’m in Ohio and have a package from AI in Carlisle, PA that I’m screwing around with Fed Ex on trying to get signed.
can anyone else confirm if they got one from there or the signature aspect?
I’m in Ohio and have a package from AI in Carlisle, PA that I’m screwing around with Fed Ex on trying to get signed.
can anyone else confirm if they got one from there or the signature aspect?
I was on the fence for a long while (have 14 month old gen 1 still going strong) and the rumors of new air pods the last year excited me way more than news about the 11/11 pro iPhones. After all the positive reviews and the fact my girlfriend was getting them meant I just had to bite the bullet. I am so happy I did. While gen 1 did a fine job in quiet environments they flat out sucked in the gym. The new in ear fit, shorter stem, noise cancellation, and better overall sound profile are great. And I now have on demand hey siri as a bonus. I can see this being a harder choice for gen 2 owners but I am happy I went ahead and got them. Concerns about the new form factor are long gone. Arguably the best Apple product this decade got a solid upgrade. And although the price is a bit on the high side, I'd say it's a very good buy for any iPhone user.
I just tried it. The volume in the Music app was all the way up. Then had to use my keyboard to increase the system volume.
[automerge]1572555843[/automerge]
What signature??? UPS rang our doorbell and left the package on the floor near the front door. (Now granted we live in a private development - 55 and up - so not much outside street traffic.)
Where is this? Couldn’t see how to do this when I first connected them to my Mac.
I posted this in another thread but also wanted to give another opinion compared to powerbeats pro:
I ended buying the AirPods yesterday also to see if they could work better than my powerbeats pro. I don’t mind selling the pb pros if AirPods worked better.
the noise cancellation is cool, and very well done on airpods pro, however the sound to me is just not there with the airpodsas compared to the powerbeats pro.
It’s amazing the much wider soundstage the powerbeats pro give you. There is a bit more bass but the bass is more clear on the powerbeats pro. Listening to most songs, you notice the sounds coming from a much wider soundstage, esp with an orchestra it feels like instruments are more surrounding you in a wide hall. Whereas the airpods I’ve you a more narrow soundstage, like the music is in a small room; which is ok, however I really do miss the more dynamic sound of the power beats and the much wider soundstage w the power beats. The passive noise cancellation on powerbeats pro are ok as well and the pbs make up the lack of it with much better and much more dynamic, wider sound in my opinion.
The airpods pro will be going back, But I’m sure these sound much better than the original airpods due to the in ear design.
I ended buying the AirPods yesterday also to see if they could work better than my powerbeats pro. I don’t mind selling the pb pros if AirPods worked better.
the noise cancellation is cool, and very well done on airpods pro, however the sound to me is just not there with the airpodsas compared to the powerbeats pro.
It’s amazing the much wider soundstage the powerbeats pro give you. There is a bit more bass but the bass is more clear on the powerbeats pro. Listening to most songs, you notice the sounds coming from a much wider soundstage, esp with an orchestra it feels like instruments are more surrounding you in a wide hall. Whereas the airpods I’ve you a more narrow soundstage, like the music is in a small room; which is ok, however I really do miss the more dynamic sound of the power beats and the much wider soundstage w the power beats. The passive noise cancellation on powerbeats pro are ok as well and the pbs make up the lack of it with much better and much more dynamic, wider sound in my opinion.
The airpods pro will be going back, But I’m sure these sound much better than the original airpods due to the in ear design.
I own the following:
Sennheiser True Momentum Wireless
AirPods gen 2
AirPods Pro
Noise Canceling: I find the AirPods Pro a winner although the Sennheiser come really close. If I had to put a percentage, Id say the airpods filter out 90% of the noise vs. 85% for the Sennheiser. This does make a bit of a difference on a crowded noisy train.
Sound: Sennheiser wins hands down (not sure what can top this brand when it comes to great sound). The sound with Sennheiser buds is a lot fuller, more rounded vs. the Airpods Pro. When I compare the sound for regular airpods vs. the pro, I don't notice much of a difference; the pro sound a little better. A bit disappointing for sure, especially with this price category.
Fit: It's a toss up for me. The Airpods Pro are lighter vs. the Sennheiser; both are pretty comfy. The sennheiser do go in deeper vs. the airpods which sometimes can irritate my ears. The regular airpods were always ok for me on comfort/fit (the left one kept moving at times).
Overall, not sure if I am keeping the airpods or sticking with Sennhiser/regular airpods. The major drawback with the Sennheiser is the battery drain when the headphones are not in use; airpods have always been more reliable for me.
Sennheiser True Momentum Wireless
AirPods gen 2
AirPods Pro
Noise Canceling: I find the AirPods Pro a winner although the Sennheiser come really close. If I had to put a percentage, Id say the airpods filter out 90% of the noise vs. 85% for the Sennheiser. This does make a bit of a difference on a crowded noisy train.
Sound: Sennheiser wins hands down (not sure what can top this brand when it comes to great sound). The sound with Sennheiser buds is a lot fuller, more rounded vs. the Airpods Pro. When I compare the sound for regular airpods vs. the pro, I don't notice much of a difference; the pro sound a little better. A bit disappointing for sure, especially with this price category.
Fit: It's a toss up for me. The Airpods Pro are lighter vs. the Sennheiser; both are pretty comfy. The sennheiser do go in deeper vs. the airpods which sometimes can irritate my ears. The regular airpods were always ok for me on comfort/fit (the left one kept moving at times).
Overall, not sure if I am keeping the airpods or sticking with Sennhiser/regular airpods. The major drawback with the Sennheiser is the battery drain when the headphones are not in use; airpods have always been more reliable for me.