Did not expect to like these as much as I do

[eicca]

I've never used AirPods before and didn't expect to like them. Despite what people may think I can hear the difference in compressed vs. lossless audio and as such I mainly listen to music on studio monitors or mixing headphones.

My dad let me borrow his 2nd-gen AirPods last weekend while I fixed my car's stereo system. I found the wireless aspect unexpectedly appealing. It's nice to be able to bring the sound right to my ears without having cables dangling around to get yanked. The portability is excellent, no tangling, and the auto-switching is super handy.

So today I went and bought myself a set of 3rd-gens. The controls are SO much better than the 2nd-gens and the sound quality is remarkable for these tiny little things. The "Spatialize Stereo" function adds an extra bit of fun to the sound that makes the compressed audio much more tolerable.

Seeing as it's entirely impractical to lug around my Kali monitors or even just my KRK mixing headphones, these will be a permanent part of my pocket carry.

Well done Apple.

 

[russell_314]

I've never tried the 3rd gen mainly because they made them bigger and I'm worried if they will fit properly. I love my AirPods because they don't block my hearing and work perfectly for calls and music. Cables... I remember those days of getting earbuds yanked from my ear when the wire caught on something. I don't miss them at all!

 

[perezr10]

Agreed! AirPods are one of the best things Apple has ever done. I used to use some Motorola “wireless” that connected behind the neck. The light airy feel of the AirPods was amazing when I first tried them on.

 

[I7guy]

Agreed! AirPods are one of the best things Apple has ever done. I used to use some Motorola “wireless” that connected behind the neck. The light airy feel of the AirPods was amazing when I first tried them on.

I used those Motorola around the neck also. I have the AirPods Pro and while I like them I find at times the anc makes me feel uncomfortable due to the quiet. For that reason I turn on transparency as long as I’m not on commuter rails or the subway.

 

[jonnyb098]

I've never tried the 3rd gen mainly because they made them bigger and I'm worried if they will fit properly. I love my AirPods because they don't block my hearing and work perfectly for calls and music. Cables... I remember those days of getting earbuds yanked from my ear when the wire caught on something. I don't miss them at all!

I have 2 pairs (1 spare) of the Gen2 because as much as I loved the Gen3 they hurt my ears. The Gen 2 are a PERFECT fit for my ears even with a partial seal that provides solid enough bass.

 

[mcNY]

I'm a wired headphones person...but I bought the second-generation AirPods during Prime Days when they were $89, and you know, I think I'm going to keep them. They fit my ears comfortably, even during motion, though I realize the Pros are the real deal with respect to sound quality, I think that these, for the money, are a solid, long-term investment.

 

[Prpolo]

During the Christmas sales I bought a pair of Sony XM4 earbuds. Although sound quality was great the micro-phonics and controls left me underwhelmed. I saw a good sale price on the AirPods Pro and decided to order them. The differences were stark. Although the sound quality was not better, in fact the Sonys actually win in this department, the AirPods were just "magical". The controls just work and connecting them to and switching between devices makes you wonder how you ever lived without them. The noise cancellation is good enough and the sound spatialization is amazing. The icing on the cake is that the micro-phonics I had with the Sonys were are almost non-existent with the AirPods. I gushed about them to my wife and she thought I was fanboying until I bought her a pair and the word she used to describe them was "magical".

 

[SkiHound2]

I have APP, not Airpods but I'm trying to make a generic point. I'm not an audiophile. At this point in my life I suspect that the audio spectrum I can actually hear is somewhat limited. For me it boils down to questions like: Do they sound good to me? Are they reasonably comfortable for me? Are they convenient to use? I have no issue with audiophiles pursuing the ultimate in sound quality. But sometimes good enough is, well, good enough. I like the APP a lot. They generally connect automatically to different Apple devices. The spatial audio with video is a really nice feature. In short, they are good enough for me.