They fit my ears much better. I fell asleep with the AirPods on last night and they didn't fall out at all. The AP2 always fall out whenever I sleep with them on.
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.
How’s the fit with APP3
- Thread starter iArneezy
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
To my vast and immeasurable disappointment, Apple's army of engineers has conspired against me and produced a set of AirPods that cause me discomfort the second they go in my ears to the second they are pulled out. The pressure never lets up, and I never forget they are there. Running in particular is uncomfortable, My APP2s are wonderful by comparison. Did the fit test and everything.
Such a shame, but I must lob them back home to Apple.
Such a shame, but I must lob them back home to Apple.
You folks should indicate if you tried the other tips. The medium tips that come on the 3s were tight. The next size down were perfect.
I found the fitment of the 3's to hurt my ears after a while. It wasn't the tips but rather the hard plastic part that was doing it. It felt like a lot of IEM's that I've tried in the past.
The APP2's fit me quite well and I can wear them for hours at a time and not have any issues.
I returned the APP3's today to Apple, and I provided them some constructive feedback on their website, too.
The APP2's fit me quite well and I can wear them for hours at a time and not have any issues.
I returned the APP3's today to Apple, and I provided them some constructive feedback on their website, too.
Yes, tried the other tips. The ones preinstalled were best for comfort but loose. Anything else was painful.
Got the 3's last night. Immediately noticed how much larger they seem than the 2's. For me the 2's fit perfectly. I am a medium tip on the acoustic test, same as on the 2's. I tried going down to small but wasn't a good seal according to the test.
These just don't seem to fit correctly in my ears. And just another note, I wear my airpods to sleep sometimes and last night when turning on my side, it was immediately noticeable how much larger these feel. The 2's weren't great to sleep with to begin with, but I don't know if it will be possible with the 3's.
These just don't seem to fit correctly in my ears. And just another note, I wear my airpods to sleep sometimes and last night when turning on my side, it was immediately noticeable how much larger these feel. The 2's weren't great to sleep with to begin with, but I don't know if it will be possible with the 3's.
I have small ears that are also prone to wax buildup (it’s genetic, I promise I’m hygienic). An amazing combo for IEMs.
I’ve tried the small, XS, and XXS. I think for now, I’m going with the XS, but I’m still not sure if these are for me. I’m thinking of buying the AirPods 4 with ANC and seeing if they are a better fit than the APP3’s.
I love these earbuds, but my ears are objectively annoying.
I’ve tried the small, XS, and XXS. I think for now, I’m going with the XS, but I’m still not sure if these are for me. I’m thinking of buying the AirPods 4 with ANC and seeing if they are a better fit than the APP3’s.
I love these earbuds, but my ears are objectively annoying.
You might give foam tips a try. The Comply tips were really good for me the APP2's. Unfortunately, they aren't available yet for the 3's.
I tried them and they were okay, but I still felt some pressure with them in. I think they're great, and the new tips are way better than the old ones though. The foam makes a big difference.
I’ve tried nearly every version of AirPods and the only one that I kept was the original. What kills me is that none of them are nearly as comfortable and secure as the current wired earbuds. Even with the weight of the cord these stay in beautifully. I’m hoping the newest will be acceptable, if not I’ll stick with $40 wires.
I find the 3's to be much more comfortable, after I sized down. They fit closer to my ear, which provides a more secure fit. I could get away with the M tips on APP2s and usually ran with S, but I'm on the XS tips on my 3's.
I landed on the XS as well. I can get a good seal with XXS in my right ear but not my left ear. But I think the XS is my Goldilocks pair of comfort and function. And same. I was on a medium with the APP2’s. Tried a small, but it hurt with the plastic touching my inner ear. I don’t have that issue with these.
As of now, I’m going to keep them. I think the XS will be just fine.
I know this is super subjective, but the APP3s reaffirm my belief (and my wife’s) that the APP and APP2 are straight up garbage in terms of fit. ANC is okay on them, but the fit? Horrific. Yawn? They loosen in your ears and break the seal. Move your mouth or eat? Same thing. APP3? Fantastic. Apple finally got it right.
It's not the tips, it's the shape of the AirPods and the way the plastic pushes into the ear. I tried every tip, same deal.
Just got mine today. So far, feels worse and I can’t create a good seal half of the time. I will try the different sizes later.
I started with the medium tips since they fit me great on the 2s. They still worked fine on the 3s but had issues with the ticking noise while running.
The small size really didn’t have much of a seal at all despite the test passing, plus I could tell the ANC was weak.
Then I decided to use the large tips and they fit great (tighter but have gotten used to it). No issues running and ANC even seems better.
Just thought I’d share since most people seem to be sizing down instead of up.
The small size really didn’t have much of a seal at all despite the test passing, plus I could tell the ANC was weak.
Then I decided to use the large tips and they fit great (tighter but have gotten used to it). No issues running and ANC even seems better.
Just thought I’d share since most people seem to be sizing down instead of up.
Questions:
How does the APP feel while flying in a commercial plane ?
Any pressure issues or uncomfortable sensations ?
Does ANC work as well as my over the ear ANC ?
After reading this, I am tempted to try out the APP3 but I am not fond of anything in my ear, including ear wax.
Normally I use an over the ear set of ANC headsets at home, work and travel.
How does the APP feel while flying in a commercial plane ?
Any pressure issues or uncomfortable sensations ?
Does ANC work as well as my over the ear ANC ?
After reading this, I am tempted to try out the APP3 but I am not fond of anything in my ear, including ear wax.
Normally I use an over the ear set of ANC headsets at home, work and travel.
Working great for me, fit is an improvement over my last set (APP1s). No issues with them staying in my ears. Did some yard work, chores around the house, etc. - no problems. So, pretty happy with it.
ANC hasn't been "great" for me. I've been daily driving Sony in-ear XM5's waiting on these APP3's to eventually come out after trying APP2's from a friend (gross I know) and still had the fitment issues. The XM5's seem notably better in ANC.
I still think week 1 or 2 when the APP1s were released before they nerfed ANC for being too harsh for some was the best ANC there ever was. I can hear my fingers snap, typing, etc. with my earbuds in. It's just not a great ANC experience for me comparatively, although it does work well enough. I will have to try different fitments out with the ranges of tips provided to see if any of them help. I'm on my 3rd set today (used the ones that came out the box, Medium, now Smalls trying to get into a smugger fit I think).
As far as sound, it's good too. Definetly more bass, but I'm not sure it's as "rich" as it could be. An improvement over my APP1s for sure, APP2's maybe better? It's been a year since I've tried those though so can't say much. Compared to XM5's, these have more bass - but again the APP3's just lacking...richness in the audio. It's like...a lull in a frequency that's just not as prominent as it should be. I don't think it's awful, though. Not by any means. Just different.
Give us EQ and it'll be dialed in to everyone's preference beyond the default I think.
ANC hasn't been "great" for me. I've been daily driving Sony in-ear XM5's waiting on these APP3's to eventually come out after trying APP2's from a friend (gross I know) and still had the fitment issues. The XM5's seem notably better in ANC.
I still think week 1 or 2 when the APP1s were released before they nerfed ANC for being too harsh for some was the best ANC there ever was. I can hear my fingers snap, typing, etc. with my earbuds in. It's just not a great ANC experience for me comparatively, although it does work well enough. I will have to try different fitments out with the ranges of tips provided to see if any of them help. I'm on my 3rd set today (used the ones that came out the box, Medium, now Smalls trying to get into a smugger fit I think).
As far as sound, it's good too. Definetly more bass, but I'm not sure it's as "rich" as it could be. An improvement over my APP1s for sure, APP2's maybe better? It's been a year since I've tried those though so can't say much. Compared to XM5's, these have more bass - but again the APP3's just lacking...richness in the audio. It's like...a lull in a frequency that's just not as prominent as it should be. I don't think it's awful, though. Not by any means. Just different.
Give us EQ and it'll be dialed in to everyone's preference beyond the default I think.
As a follow up...now on day 3. Getting more used to the feel. It feels different but its not necessarily better or worse, just different. Had lunch with them on and watched a you tube video, they felt fine, ANC was good but I dont know if I can say it was 2x better than the 2's. Then went for a walk, they stayed in my ear just fine and adaptive mode sounded great as usual. Haven't tried sleeping with them on again, will do that either tonight or tomorrow.
IMHO, if Apple is going to change the fit on their most enormously popular in-ear headphones, they should keep the second generation available for those who find them more comfortable.
I wonder how many people are returning these though? I'm returning mine today and I will be telling them why. I bought the first gen AirPods, then the AirPods Pro 1, AirPods Pro 2, and I was planning on buying every AirPods Pro on launch pretty much forever, but if they don't figure something out I won't be an AirPods customer anymore.
Hard to say. I returned the Pro 1's because I couldn't get a good fit but have stuck with the 2's and 3's.
I'm an APP2 w/ Comply Foam tips user because the silicone tips don't work for me.
I'd love to hear from people who used foam tips specifically: Are the silicone/foam tips on the APP3 as secure as foam tips?
My expectation is that they will fit better than the APP2 silicone, but not better than the Comply foam.
I use these in the gym so a secure fit is paramount.
I'd love to hear from people who used foam tips specifically: Are the silicone/foam tips on the APP3 as secure as foam tips?
My expectation is that they will fit better than the APP2 silicone, but not better than the Comply foam.
I use these in the gym so a secure fit is paramount.
Day 5...it seems you have to give these a few days so you can acclimate to them. Today they feel great in my ear, it no longer feels weird or different. When walking today I barely felt them. I had them in adaptive mode and they seemed to do a great job. I have conversational awareness on, and when I stopped to talk to someone the volume didn't immediately drop, so I have to take another look at that. But otherwise, they keep getting better and better the more used to them you get. I will keep reporting back.