Optimal for the middle of the distribution. There is no one size fits all. The AP4 seem better than the AP3 for sure, but there’s no silver bullet, given how different ear shapes are.
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My review of AirPods 4 with ANC — featuring fit and ANC
- Thread starter profmjh
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These are totally a game changer for my walks along roads
It’s like I now have a “volume knob” to turn down the traffic noise … yet still have situational awareness
These are definitely staying in my rotation
It’s like I now have a “volume knob” to turn down the traffic noise … yet still have situational awareness
These are definitely staying in my rotation
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I'm pretty happy with these AirPods 4 with ANC. I will still use AirPods Pro 2 outside, but the AP4's are more comfortable to wear and ANC is enough at indoors.
One thing I noticed is that with ANC on there is some quiet white noice which doesn't appear on APP2 with ANC on. Has anyone else noticed this?
One thing I noticed is that with ANC on there is some quiet white noice which doesn't appear on APP2 with ANC on. Has anyone else noticed this?
If ANC is on par with APP2, the AirPods Max should still be way better for flying, based on my own experience.
It’s a bit of a misnomer to say the ANC of the 4’s are worse than the Pro 2’s when they’re likely about the same as they both use the H2 chip. It’s the sealed design of the Pro 2‘s that make the ANC seem like it’s better when it’s actually just the passive isolation causing the difference.
As far as noise cancelling earbuds though I’d rate them as follows for their total isolation capabilities. I have used all of these under my helmet on my motorcycle which is a great torture test.
AirPod Pro 2’s are 8/10 for me. I find these perfect for my motorcycle as they cut out a lot of noise but still let me hear a bit of my surroundings for safety.
Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra earbuds are 10/10. I literally can’t even hear my motorcycle engine when I have the ANC set to max with these, but that is unsafe and they are not as comfortable for me. If you need max isolation with earbuds though there is no question these are the best.
AirPods 4 are 4/10 for me. Don’t take that rating as a negative though, it’s actually remarkable an open earbud can even get this kind of isolation. At lower speeds up to around 30mph they actually do a good job of cutting out the wind and engine noise. At higher speeds is when they just can’t handle the noise, which is understandable.
As far as noise cancelling earbuds though I’d rate them as follows for their total isolation capabilities. I have used all of these under my helmet on my motorcycle which is a great torture test.
AirPod Pro 2’s are 8/10 for me. I find these perfect for my motorcycle as they cut out a lot of noise but still let me hear a bit of my surroundings for safety.
Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra earbuds are 10/10. I literally can’t even hear my motorcycle engine when I have the ANC set to max with these, but that is unsafe and they are not as comfortable for me. If you need max isolation with earbuds though there is no question these are the best.
AirPods 4 are 4/10 for me. Don’t take that rating as a negative though, it’s actually remarkable an open earbud can even get this kind of isolation. At lower speeds up to around 30mph they actually do a good job of cutting out the wind and engine noise. At higher speeds is when they just can’t handle the noise, which is understandable.
The feature set of AirPods 4 with ANC is incredible. The ANC is beyond what I could have expected. The fit is...fine, for me. I prefer the fit of AirPods 1 and 2 I suppose, but I don't mind this fit. But the bummer for me is that I found the treble of high frequency to be a bit lacking, so I missed a little bit of detail from the sound. I'm playing with different settings to try to get the sound I want, and I'm not getting there yet. Anyone else?
I was reluctant to pay for another set of AirPods after my experience with the APP2. I hated them, they are by far my least favourite Apple product. They would lose their seal after 30 seconds and after that they sound pretty bad and fall out. I tried all the tips and even ordered fancy memory foam ones but with the same result. I guess my ears just weren’t made for that style of ear buds. The OG AirPods were ok, but not very comfortable for longer term use for me. But after watching a few reviews I decided to give AirPods another try and picked up the ANC version this morning.
My first impression is very positive. They fit well - one feels slightly more snug than the other which is obviously differences in my ears rather than the AirPods, but they both feel secure and unlikely to fall out. The few songs I listened to sounded good with plenty of bass without overpowering the rest of the range. I haven’t tested the ANC yet, I mostly bought the ANC version for the wireless charging case, but I’m interested to see how well it works. I wonder if it is good enough to displace my aging Bose QC35ii on flights - time will tell.
My first impression is very positive. They fit well - one feels slightly more snug than the other which is obviously differences in my ears rather than the AirPods, but they both feel secure and unlikely to fall out. The few songs I listened to sounded good with plenty of bass without overpowering the rest of the range. I haven’t tested the ANC yet, I mostly bought the ANC version for the wireless charging case, but I’m interested to see how well it works. I wonder if it is good enough to displace my aging Bose QC35ii on flights - time will tell.
Did you ever try to Pros or AirPods 3? I had to return the pros and AP 3 beach they hurt my ears after 20 minutes, i guess my ears are small. I'm wondering if you have a comparison between the 4, 3 and pros. I'm stuck with the original AirPods because they're the only ones that are comfortable.
The AP 3 hurt my ears badly. I tried the Pros but every silicone tip would work it's way out after about 10 minutes of wearing.