AirPods Pro - Pictures and first impressions

[symphony]

Well, there are six pages of overwhelmingly positive reviews on head-fi, probably the hardest to please bunch of insane audiophiles on the net. Go figure.

I don’t care about what reviewers think because I’m not influenced by them. I’m just sharing my thoughts and people can choose to accept or ignore them however they please.

I’m not an audiophile either if that’s what your implying smh

And I think it’s pretty obvious that the bass is weak on the AirPods Pro.

 

[Toratek]

I don’t care about what reviewers think because I’m not influenced by them. I’m just sharing my thoughts and people can choose to accept or ignore them however they please.

I’m not an audiophile either if that’s what your implying smh

And I think it’s pretty obvious that the bass is weak on the AirPods Pro.

Those six pages of positive comments are from serious users, not “reviewers”. It’s very unusual to see so many positive comments about any one product on that site, which is greatly populated by audio snobs, and tends to run anti Apple. But the overwhelming majority is saying extremely positive things about the SQ and functionality of the AirPods Pro. Six pages of mostly serious audio experts mostly disagree with your assessment. That’s meaningful.

 

[kitt9000]

I'm the other way around. Returned the PBP because the APP sound much better in office, at the gym and during my walk. That's not to say the PBP don't sound good, they sound awesome. But I feel like the APP give just a little more kick.

Very balanced. HomePods for your ears.

I have a feeling all these varying opinions may have a lot to do with individual seals.

While I agree the sound is good on the APPs, and definitely better than the OG AirPods, I don't think the difference compared to PBPs is due to fit for me. Ive been using in-ear earphones for 15-20 years, had the ultimate ears variety back in the day including the Triple-Fi which had excellent soundstage. Power beats 3 and now PBP. Ive always used large eartips for ea of these earphones. Also tried the medium ones for the AirPods Pro with no improvement. Again I think the sound is good and APP more comfortable to wear for longer periods, and esp for the convenience and form factor of the APP, but honestly the sound stage is just so much wider on the Powerbeats pro. I am not surprised that these earphones, despite both made by apple, are meant to have different sound signatures. I think APP are good for a AirPods OG users, convenient with good sound, PBP for me have a much wider soundstage and therefore a much more dynamic, open, and punchy sound. ITs really not even about the base, but just how much open the sound is on the PBP. This has been the case with multiple types of music, esp noticeable in orchestral music where sound separation is definitely benefited. While I would love to have both, the APP tech and NC is very cool, I just can't afford to spend 500 total on the tech of the APP and the better sound quality and sound separation of the PBPs. So in my case my preference for a more open sound wins with the PBPs.

 

[Herrpod]

I don’t care about what reviewers think because I’m not influenced by them. I’m just sharing my thoughts and people can choose to accept or ignore them however they please.

I’m not an audiophile either if that’s what your implying smh

And I think it’s pretty obvious that the bass is weak on the AirPods Pro.

Bass is definitely weak on the Pros. They also turned up the treble, which results in some really harsh listening on certain types of music. To me its a very unpleasant sound signature. The normal Airpods are similar, but I can then modify the way those sound by putting on some cheap silicone tips/wings.

 

[ReardenMetal]

I’m still somewhat surprised Apple didn’t include memory foam tips for these Pro pods, as some other competitors do. Either of their own manufacture or from Comply directly. Making their own foam tips would be more on-brand and not that hard for Apple.

As someone who switched to Comply memory foam on the BeatsX, the difference in seal quality, noise isolation, comfort and sound is undeniably better. Silicone is great for durability and cleaning; that’s about it.

I suspect once Comply releases their AirPods Pro memory foam tips, the Pros will get even better.

 

[dotzero123]

Only 2 days and I can’t imagine going back to my AP2s. For runners they are a dream come true. Nice fit good sound and aren’t as long as the older models

 

[symphony]

Only 2 days and I can’t imagine going back to my AP2s. For runners they are a dream come true. Nice fit good sound and aren’t as long as the older models

Me neither. Since these will be my daily headphones, I wouldn’t wanna get them all greasy with my sweat when I workout. I’ll stick to my Powerbeats Pro for that.

 

[tonedef407]

I’m still somewhat surprised Apple didn’t include memory foam tips for these Pro pods, as some other competitors do. Either of their own manufacture or from Comply directly. Making their own foam tips would be more on-brand and not that hard for Apple.

As someone who switched to Comply memory foam on the BeatsX, the difference in seal quality, noise isolation, comfort and sound is undeniably better. Silicone is great for durability and cleaning; that’s about it.

I suspect once Comply releases their AirPods Pro memory foam tips, the Pros will get even better.

No doubt foam tips solve a lot of issues that silicone tips have, but I also hate having to spend 30-50 dollars a year on tips. The foams never hold up for me very long.

 

[symphony]

Those six pages of positive comments are from serious users, not “reviewers”. It’s very unusual to see so many positive comments about any one product on that site, which is greatly populated by audio snobs, and tends to run anti Apple. But the overwhelming majority is saying extremely positive things about the SQ and functionality of the AirPods Pro. Six pages of mostly serious audio experts mostly disagree with your assessment. That’s meaningful.

Well I’m not an audiophile, an audio snob, and someone who ‘tends to run anti Apple’. I’m saying how it is, and I don’t need ‘six pages’ praising the sound from ‘audio experts’. It’s obvious the sound quality isn’t the best, the bass and treble is just not good.

Just because their ‘serious audio experts’ lol doesn’t negate what I say. I’m not a follower, I have my own ears and my own thoughts. I don’t rely on what other people think, I have my own opinions. And they certainly don’t get influenced by what ‘audio experts’ say, you can put on these headphones and judge them yourself.

The bass is weak, the highs are too sharp.

 

[davidec]

I have been producing music as a top end audio professional for 30 years and these are my thoughts:
Firstly they pair instantly and the OG AP's suck at pairing, particularly if you are swapping devices often. They also have ANC which allows you to hear music at low levels whilst you are out and about. The sound is much more 'pro'. I mean that as an audio professional who listens to music on high end monitors for a living. Firstly they cup your canals so bass doesn't escape and you hear it as opposed to OG AP's. Also their much truer in their low mid range giving a much more even extension to bass. Finally the top end and high mids aren't over exaggerated as they were in the OG AP's. The sound is clearer, classier and more honest. Sure you may get more volume for AP 1 & 2 but most of it escapes and is coupled by exterior noise. Just no comparison for mine.AP Pros a great product and extend a range of truly innovative products (AP's) amongst a bunch of so so's from a great company.

 

[Ralfi]

A very good review here...

& another short & sweet one from the champ Dave2D...

I don’t care about what reviewers think because I’m not influenced by them. I’m just sharing my thoughts and people can choose to accept or ignore them however they please.

I’m not an audiophile either if that’s what your implying smh

And I think it’s pretty obvious that the bass is weak on the AirPods Pro.

Why so defensive? That wasn’t even directed at you.

 

[axantas]

I mentioned earlier, that I will stick to my 1st gen Airpods.

Well - curiosity was too strong. Got the Pro today. I think the main "problem" comparing the two AirPods is the generally very good sound of the old ones. They are easier to use as well. Not perfect, but "put them in and forget them". I did indeed "forget" them sometimes after switching of the music, finally discovering, that they still were in my ears. The Pros need a bit more attention.

Main disadvantage of the non Pro is the lack of isolation in a noisy environment. They are useless in an airplane unless you run them at 100% volume.

I am finally surprised about the Pros. I cannot confirm a weak bass. It is definitely better than with the non Pro. They do not have a BASS like old Beats earbuds (one might call it rumble...) Bass is very present - subtle, but fine for me. Generally they sound less aggressive when it comes to high frequencies. They do not get capped, but are present in a pleasant way. I often listen to piano music. A Grand Pianos "bass" is not heavy, but you need to hear it, the high pitch keys need to be a bit aggressive, but in a decent manner. Thats indeed, what I hear in the Pros.

What I encountered just in my left ear after just 15 minutes of listening with ANC is a strange wadded feeling. Irritating, went away after about one hour not using the AirPods...

All in all for now: I really start to like them. Particularly in noisy environments. ANC really works very good, and I do set them at lower volume for the same hearing experience (my ears say thank you...) And their sound is really pleasant.

Oh: Little advice for first use: Just pair them, and use them. Do not start with fumbling around in the settings. They work very well to start with. Get used to the "long press" and "one/two/three" presses. Thats all for the start. (...I started with playing around - messed it up and had to reset them) ?

 

[symphony]

A very good review here...

& another short & sweet one from the champ Dave2D...

Why so defensive? That wasn’t even directed at you.

Wtf are you talking about. It was posted in my thread before it got merged with this thread this afternoon smh smh smh

ugh ugh ugh

 

[Harthag]

Had my doubts and never owned OG AirPods or Gen 2. Just picked up the Pros from my Apple store and am pleasantly surprised by the sound quality. The standard tips fit in my ears perfectly and are very secure, seal is very snug. Tried the L which are too big and S is a bit loose. I think people who are having problems just can't get a perfect seal because all of our ears are different. In my case the seal is perfect and they don't budge at all when I move. I think the bass is very good and present as is the noise canceling.

 

[Toratek]

Well I’m not an audiophile, an audio snob, and someone who ‘tends to run anti Apple’. I’m saying how it is, and I don’t need ‘six pages’ praising the sound from ‘audio experts’. It’s obvious the sound quality isn’t the best, the bass and treble is just not good.

Just because their ‘serious audio experts’ lol doesn’t negate what I say. I’m not a follower, I have my own ears and my own thoughts. I don’t rely on what other people think, I have my own opinions. And they certainly don’t get influenced by what ‘audio experts’ say, you can put on these headphones and judge them yourself.

The bass is weak, the highs are too sharp.

Perhaps Beats have a signature you might like? It sure seems like that might be the case here, from what you've been saying.

I’m still somewhat surprised Apple didn’t include memory foam tips for these Pro pods, as some other competitors do. Either of their own manufacture or from Comply directly. Making their own foam tips would be more on-brand and not that hard for Apple.

As someone who switched to Comply memory foam on the BeatsX, the difference in seal quality, noise isolation, comfort and sound is undeniably better. Silicone is great for durability and cleaning; that’s about it.

I suspect once Comply releases their AirPods Pro memory foam tips, the Pros will get even better.

I will say this, the relatively enormous port in the innovative stemless cups on the APP (compared to either size Comply core) definitely interferes a lot less with the high end than what I experience with Comply foam on my high end Shure 535 and 846, and Sony XBA-Z5's.

I've been running the silicone E series tips from Final Design on my Sony WF1000XM3's, and they are a game changer. The Apple design has some of the same benefits.

I run Shure black olives on my Shure IEM's. I just can't get happy with any of the Comply items. They roll off the top end too much, and aren't all that comfortable.

However, the Apple cup material is probably as good as it can get for this specific device. They sure are nice and secure, they sound good, and they interface with my devices wonderfully. And that case size is brilliant too, especially compared to my Sony XM3's.

 

[VSMacOne]

Just wanted to say there’s no going back to the regular AirPods after just a couple of days with the Pros. The ANC and Transparency features are worth every penny especially when coupled with the ease of connecting with iOS. Hands down the best. Well done Apple.

 

[RedlegsFan]

I’m pretty happy to be honest. I am coming from the first gen AirPods. The fit never really worked for me, especially in my left ear. So there was A good deal of sound leakage. I placed the Pros in my ears for the first time and couldn’t believe what I was hearing. But, I thought it could sound better.. and the fit test showed the right needed to be adjusted. So I placed the large tips on and boom.. that was it. Total seal... the ANC works amazing.... and the sound is so much more richer and fuller. I am hearing thinges I haven’t heard before in a lot Of my favorite songs.. and the bass.. there is actually bass now! Well worth the purchase..

 

[Ralfi]

Great in depth review here...

Mentions that bad fit test results don’t necessarily mean you should change tip sizes, but maybe alter their positioning in your ear. Good advice.

 

[blairh]

I’m returning the APP. I still think they are great and I recommend them to others. However I feel my Powerbeats Pros sound better and the tips are more comfortable in my ears. (Maybe different angle?) The lack of volume control is still annoying.

 

[cambookpro]

I caved and picked up a pair after demoing them at the Apple Store. Some quick first impressions:

• Transparency mode is very weird but very good. I thought they were falling out my ears at first as I could hear so much - it's very similar to wearing first or second gen AirPods. Safer for when by the road etc.
• They are very comfortable - I was scared they'd be less comfy than normal AirPods, but they aren't. Wearing them for 2 hours now without issue.
• They are also very secure - I am blessed with perfectly average ears, it seems! I can shake my head upside down and neither standard nor Pro AirPods will fall out.
• Noise cancelling is probably as good as my Beats Studio 3, without any hiss. Very impressive. (Though my clackety Butterfly keyboard MacBook Pro still cuts through it...) Can hear more at lower volumes when out and about which I think is a plus for aural health.
• I prefer tapping the AirPods to clicking the stem, but it's not a massive deal. The way it simulates clicking with a noise is very clever.
• The case is just bigger than the standard ones to be annoying. Nothing earth shattering, but you notice it more in a pocket.

Overall very happy.

 

[mcaswell]

Got mine on Friday and thoroughly evaluated/compared to the Sony WF-1000MX3 (which I recently bought, still in return window). In my initial comparisons, I heavily favored the sound of the Sonys, but this view has diminished considerably over the weekend – I still think the Sonys sound better, but not to a dealbreaking degree. Comfort is a draw between the two, and ANC seems about the same as well.

In pretty much every other category important to me, the Airpods Pro win. The smaller case makes them considerably more portable, they are easier to put in, feel more secure, and works better for phone calls.

The final deciding factor was that the APP handles wind noise noticeably better than the Sonys (while listening to music, not on phone calls), as one of my uses is to listen while riding my bike (yes, I know that's not the safest thing to do). The Sonys have a wind noise reduction mode, but the APP still has less wind noise.

 

[jbachandouris]

I tried them on in store and they sounded pretty good to me. The fit test showed green indicating that they fit right the very first time.

AirPods 1/2 never fit my ears comfortably. I want the APP but the price is a little much. Maybe if I sold my Bose soundsports, I'd be able to justify the purchase.

 

[justin.d]

i bought a pair on wednesday & have used them fairly extensively since then. i'm highly impressed!

i was coming from a few pairs of headphones:

1) a patched up pair of beats solo 2 wireless which i use during runs
2) bose qc35 for longer distance travel
3) a £30 pair of in ear headphones for use on public transport
4) apple's supplied earpods for music at my desk

i did previously own 1st gen airpods, which i used for the 3rd and 4th categories practically daily until they were stolen after about a year. i really liked them, but their lack of isolation & noise cancellation meant they could never replace my beats or qc35s for exercise & travel.

in the past few days, i've used the new airpods pro on a coach, on a plane, on a train, on the london tube, whilst running, and in the gym, and the noise cancellation and sound quality is so good that i see no reason to use either my beats or my qc35s from now on (except on particularly cold days when they double up as ear muffs!).

using the standard tips (which fit me well: i'm yet to even try out the other sizes!), i compared my pros and qc35s side by side on the coach and the plane, and for me, the noise cancellation was superior on the pros! i noticed they were more effective in blocking out sustained, higher pitched sounds from the cabin, and i didn't feel uncomfortable pressure in my ears (which i do sometimes experience with the qc35s).

transparency mode is really useful whilst at my desk or out running, and they stayed in comfortably whilst i ran to work this morning.

my only criticism is that the batteries cannot be replaced. given how much use i foresee me getting from these, i'll definitely be getting applecare to mitigate this.

 

[oli]

i bought a pair on wednesday & have used them fairly extensively since then. i'm highly impressed!

i was coming from a few pairs of headphones:

1) a patched up pair of beats solo 2 wireless which i use during runs
2) bose qc35 for longer distance travel
3) a £30 pair of in ear headphones for use on public transport
4) apple's supplied earpods for music at my desk

i did previously own 1st gen airpods, which i used for the 3rd and 4th categories practically daily until they were stolen after about a year. i really liked them, but their lack of isolation & noise cancellation meant they could never replace my beats or qc35s for exercise & travel.

in the past few days, i've used the new airpods pro on a coach, on a plane, on a train, on the london tube, whilst running, and in the gym, and the noise cancellation and sound quality is so good that i see no reason to use either my beats or my qc35s from now on (except on particularly cold days when they double up as ear muffs!).

using the standard tips (which fit me well: i'm yet to even try out the other sizes!), i compared my pros and qc35s side by side on the coach and the plane, and for me, the noise cancellation was superior on the pros! i noticed they were more effective in blocking out sustained, higher pitched sounds from the cabin, and i didn't feel uncomfortable pressure in my ears (which i do sometimes experience with the qc35s).

transparency mode is really useful whilst at my desk or out running, and they stayed in comfortably whilst i ran to work this morning.

my only criticism is that the batteries cannot be replaced. given how much use i foresee me getting from these, i'll definitely be getting applecare to mitigate this.

Thanks – and how was your experience with phone quality

•on your side – regarding hearing your own voice cause of in-ear isolation

•what did you hear from guys on the other side

 

[turbineseaplane]

For £250, I'm hoping the Airpod Pros will last for longer than 60 minutes in 3 years time.

(Narrator) “they will not”