AirPods yay or nay ?

[Precursor]

Ac

I don't think they do. I think they are physically the same. And don't you have to take the hooks off to store/charge the pods?

Actually the Airpods are ever so slightly bulkier, which is hard to notice when you look at them, but you feel the difference when you put them on. Also the larger "stem" helps the Airpods to stay in place so they don't wiggle around in the ear.

 

[Altis]

This thread is an interesting study of product and public opinion. Although the majority of people like or love the product, there is still hard core haters. And even with recommendations of Bose alternatives some hate the Bose product also. Even the people who like the Airpod have some drawback i.e. need more controls, sound better, dirt gets into the case.
There is no perfect product for everyone its unattainable.

That's why most companies make a range of products to choose from.

Personally I dislike the AirPods as they sound pretty dismal, aren't particularly comfortable, and lack noise cancellation. I use Sony WH1000XM2 and while it's double the price and not great for physical activity, the sound, noise cancellation, and features are very good.

 

[SRLMJ23]

I say "yay" with great confidence! I use my AirPods more than my Beats Studio's, just so much more convenient and the sound is not that bad. Now if I am watching a movie on my AppleTV, I will use my Studio's, other than that it is AirPods all the way! Also, with my Apple Watch Series 3 LTE they are amazing!

 

[akash.nu]

EarPods don’t stay in my ear. Otherwise I’d be all over these.

They don’t let you try them on in-store, do they?

I used to think the same and realised I was wrong until I got one. Although the shape is identical, the wire is actually the reason for the EarPods to fall off. Without the wires the AirPods don’t have anything weighing it down and stays in the ear perfectly, I highly recommend to try them out. They’re not exactly the same fit as the EarPods either.

No, but since the shape is identical to Apple’s wired earbuds, anyone with an iPhone should know exactly how well they fit.

As above.

 

[Sital]

EarPods don’t stay in my ear. Otherwise I’d be all over these.

They don’t let you try them on in-store, do they?

EarPods don't stay in my ears either. In fact, I never use them because of that. I got AirPods for Christmas, and I have to say that they fit great and stay in my ears. They are now my go-to listening devices for my iPhone, iPad and Mac.

 

[sparksd]

I bought my wife Airpods for Christmas but with trepidation - she has a real problem with comfort with a lot of earbuds and is not strong on tech stuff. But she loves them - she uses them with her new Samsung Galaxy S8 phone. I tried them and also really liked them - I just ordered a pair to replace my Bose SoundSport Bluetooth earbuds. The Airpods are less bulky, fit more comfortably, and have great sound.

 

[michial]

I say "yay" with great confidence! I use my AirPods more than my Beats Studio's, just so much more convenient and the sound is not that bad. Now if I am watching a movie on my AppleTV, I will use my Studio's, other than that it is AirPods all the way! Also, with my Apple Watch Series 3 LTE they are amazing!

I echo all the positive sentiment. I own the AirPods and the QC35 and the convenience drives their use so much, that although the Bose sound better they are more of a hassle to lug around. Even at home watching my AppleTV I love the AirPods. They never have lip sync latency issues every other Bluetooth set has, even the $350 Bose have sporadically.

 

[OriginalAppleGuy]

I don't think you can really compare a headset to an AirPod. Both have different use cases.

For convenience and every day use, the AirPods are the go to device. You can carry them in your pocket. The charger is the case and it's good for a few charges fo the AirPods. Nice if you want to listen to music in a compatible (not too noisy) environment OR use as hands free BT headset.

For sound quality and noise isolation, the headset is the go to device. You can't beat the quality of larger drivers for sound reproduction. And when in a noisy environment, you can listen at lower volumes.

For instance - I tried AirPods on an airplane one trip and i felt I had to have the volume too high so I stopped using them. Next trip, I bought a pair of Sony WH-1000XM2s and they worked like a champ - at low volumes. They also work great when I'm on the mower.

 

[michial]

I don't think you can really compare a headset to an AirPod. Both have different use cases.

For convenience and every day use, the AirPods are the go to device. You can carry them in your pocket. The charger is the case and it's good for a few charges fo the AirPods. Nice if you want to listen to music in a compatible (not too noisy) environment OR use as hands free BT headset.

For sound quality and noise isolation, the headset is the go to device. You can't beat the quality of larger drivers for sound reproduction. And when in a noisy environment, you can listen at lower volumes.

For instance - I tried AirPods on an airplane one trip and i felt I had to have the volume too high so I stopped using them. Next trip, I bought a pair of Sony WH-1000XM2s and they worked like a champ - at low volumes. They also work great when I'm on the mower.

True, but most people don’t have or want to spend $159.99 and an additional $300-350 so every use has a perfect headphone. I know audiophiles who have several headphones for each genre of music, open back, closed back, etc. My point is AirPods meet most needs and do it conveniently. Heck, so do the free EarPods for that matter. But you’re right, if you can afford it each has its perfect use.

 

[sparksd]

One of the reasons I chose the AirPods were to avoid audio/video lag, since I watch a ton of TV shows on the iPhone.

I suspect Bose Bluetooth earphones will have no audio/video lag either. When I wanted a Bluetooth speaker a year or two ago, I wanted one with no lag so I can use it for video with the iPad in the kitchen. Many brands had lag. Bose didn’t, so I got their Soundlink Mini II.
I wouldn’t be surprised if their Bluetooth headphones had no lag either. Bose has focus on quality.

I have a set of Bose SoundSport Bluetooth earbuds and they don't have any audio/video lag on any of the myriad devices (iOS, Android, Windows, Bluetooth transmitter) I use them with.

 

[darknyt]

I have a set of Bose SoundSport Bluetooth earbuds and they don't have any audio/video lag on any of the myriad devices (iOS, Android, Windows, Bluetooth transmitter) I use them with.

Great news. Do you mind keeping us updated on any changes to that? Wondering if their latest firmware helped 12/7 fw 1.3.2

FYI, Bose has acknowledged the latency issue : “We’ve heard from some customers who are experiencing audio synchronization delays while watching select videos. We know truly wireless headphones are subject to some latency between audio and video... Audio video synchronization may also vary depending on the mobile app being viewed (e.g. Netflix, YouTube).“

 

[Sital]

Great news. Do you mind keeping us updated on any changes to that? Wondering if their latest firmware helped 12/7 fw 1.3.2

FYI, Bose has acknowledged the latency issue : “We’ve heard from some customers who are experiencing audio synchronization delays while watching select videos. We know truly wireless headphones are subject to some latency between audio and video... Audio video synchronization may also vary depending on the mobile app being viewed (e.g. Netflix, YouTube).“

My daughter got the Bose SoundSport for Christmas and she loves them. She hasn't mentioned any lag at all and she's used them extensively with her iPhone and Mac since receiving them.

 

[sparksd]

Great news. Do you mind keeping us updated on any changes to that? Wondering if their latest firmware helped 12/7 fw 1.3.2

FYI, Bose has acknowledged the latency issue : “We’ve heard from some customers who are experiencing audio synchronization delays while watching select videos. We know truly wireless headphones are subject to some latency between audio and video... Audio video synchronization may also vary depending on the mobile app being viewed (e.g. Netflix, YouTube).“

I bought them some time back, well before the 12/7 f/w update. I have used them extensively watching video on iPad, Galaxy Tab S2 tablet, and with a Bluetooth transmitter connected to an a/v receiver (TV). I have several different Bluetooth earbuds and am very sensitive to audio/video lag (it really bothers me and if I see it, those earbuds are history) but I have never seen it with the Bose. Lag is one of the first things I test for with a new set.

 

[SteveJobbinIt]

AirPods, in my opinion are one of Apple's greatest products ever made. They truly work magically, sound great and are extremely convenient. Not sure how Apple can improve on these things!

 

[noobinator]

Anyone have a link to any covers or whatever they are called to make AirPods fit more snuggly? Are there any 3rd party products that help create a seal with these in my ear so the volume wouldn't have to be up as high?

 

[sparksd]

Anyone have a link to any covers or whatever they are called to make AirPods fit more snuggly? Are there any 3rd party products that help create a seal with these in my ear so the volume wouldn't have to be up as high?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B019BREFE4

I don't have but they get lots of positive reviews. Do note that any of these need to be removed before the earpieces can be put in the charger case.

 

[Ryan1524]

I don’t think that’s a good solution.

Anything that requires being put on/off every time it goes into the case breaks the utility of the product.

At that point, a normal wireless set is more convenient.

 

[sparksd]

I don’t think that’s a good solution.

Anything that requires being put on/off every time it goes into the case breaks the utility of the product.

At that point, a normal wireless set is more convenient.

That's why I decided against getting them when I originally looked at them - too much of a hassle, something extra to carry and lose.

 

[darknyt]

AirPods, in my opinion are one of Apple's greatest products ever made. They truly work magically, sound great and are extremely convenient. Not sure how Apple can improve on these things!

They could improve the sound drastically. They aren’t even in the same category as the other wireless options I tried. BOTH my budget $30 Bluetooth sound better. Problem is they know they don’t have to make them better.

Agree with your other comments, much better connection and convenience than the rest I’ve tried.

 

[oeagleo]

Great news. Do you mind keeping us updated on any changes to that? Wondering if their latest firmware helped 12/7 fw 1.3.2

FYI, Bose has acknowledged the latency issue : “We’ve heard from some customers who are experiencing audio synchronization delays while watching select videos. We know truly wireless headphones are subject to some latency between audio and video... Audio video synchronization may also vary depending on the mobile app being viewed (e.g. Netflix, YouTube).“

I can say that the newer Bose Soundsport FREE, (the one's in direct competition to AirPods) do have a latency issue, and at the gym, while using AirPods, they cut out only once (due to the heavy bluetooth atmosphere, nearly everyone has some sort of BT headphone/bud), but the Bose cut out 6 or 7 times within the first 30 minutes. I have the latest firmware too, as the first thing I did when I got home was check that and try to update. The Bose will go on sale, and I'm keeping the AirPods. I also have a pair of the older Bose Soundsport earbuds, and other than looking like a space cadet with those things sticking out of my ears, I do like those, and have had no problems with them.

 

[sparksd]

I can say that the newer Bose Soundsport FREE, (the one's in direct competition to AirPods) do have a latency issue, and at the gym, while using AirPods, they cut out only once (due to the heavy bluetooth atmosphere, nearly everyone has some sort of BT headphone/bud), but the Bose cut out 6 or 7 times within the first 30 minutes. I have the latest firmware too, as the first thing I did when I got home was check that and try to update. The Bose will go on sale, and I'm keeping the AirPods. I also have a pair of the older Bose Soundsport earbuds, and other than looking like a space cadet with those things sticking out of my ears, I do like those, and have had no problems with them.

I should have been clear that my lag-free SoundSports are the wired wireless (sounds weird) ones, not the Free Truly Wireless.

 

[oeagleo]

I should have been clear that my lag-free SoundSports are the wired wireless (sounds weird) ones, not the Free Truly Wireless.

Yes, I understood that, and my "wired" Soundsports are lag free too, I suppose that's why I'm more or less critical of the "Free" version, without any wires at all. I still will keep the "wired" soundsports, as I do like the sound better than the AirPods, but with the equalizer on the phone, they are essentially the same to me.. (Too much time below decks in the service while chipping hammers were going outside..)

 

[sparksd]

Yes, I understood that, and my "wired" Soundsports are lag free too, I suppose that's why I'm more or less critical of the "Free" version, without any wires at all. I still will keep the "wired" soundsports, as I do like the sound better than the AirPods, but with the equalizer on the phone, they are essentially the same to me.. (Too much time below decks in the service while chipping hammers were going outside..)

Got it. I also think the SoundSports generally sound better than the AirPods but my ears aren't that good, either - I'm in my 60's and back in the day I worked as a commercial diver in the oil industry - that "at sea" stuff just isn't good for you.

 

[oeagleo]

Got it. I also think the SoundSports generally sound better than the AirPods but my ears aren't that good, either - I'm in my 60's and back in the day I worked as a commercial diver in the oil industry - that "at sea" stuff just isn't good for you.

Concur...
I agree about the Soundsports sounding better than tha airpods, but for me, the difference isn't all that much, plus the convenience of the AirPods are what wins me over; I like being able to carry them in my shirt pocket, and the ease that they connect with all of my other Apple stuff.
Plus, they "just work", like just about everything Apple makes.

 

[michial]

Concur...
I agree about the Soundsports sounding better than tha airpods, but for me, the difference isn't all that much, plus the convenience of the AirPods are what wins me over; I like being able to carry them in my shirt pocket, and the ease that they connect with all of my other Apple stuff.
Plus, they "just work", like just about everything Apple makes.

Bose is good. I’m returning my $350 QC35 because I like the AirPods convenience more than the better sound. I tried a bunch of headphones and earphones wired and Bluetooth and find as a guy steeped in the Apple ecosystem the AirPods are so fun and easy.