Could these be the perfect earphones?
Susan Edmunds tries out the new AirPods after not being a fan of the old version. Here she tells us what she thinks.
Last week, Apple launched its latest product, the AirPods Pro, with minimal fuss. And even less warning. I’ve been reviewing them all week and I’ve got something really simple to report back to you. They’re really good.
The way they sound, feel, and even, look. Brilliant. The only issue is the price. At $449, they’re also really expensive. That’s almost exactly a third of the price of the iPhone 11.
This won’t come as a surprise to audiophiles. Good sound doesn’t come cheap. And these pods sound fantastic.
Let’s start with the most noticeable new feature. Its design. These AirPods look (largely) the same as the first and secondgeneration AirPods but there’s one major difference: Silicone tips.
The AirPods Pro come packed with tapered tips in three sizes. This is a massive improvement from the original design. The first and second-generation
AirPods (which were updated just eight months ago) were held back by their one-size-fits-most design.
This produced an iffy fit and, more importantly, allowed noise to leak in. Listening to a podcast on a plane, or anywhere with ample background hubbub was hard going.
The new design allows the AirPods Pro to create a better seal between the wearer’s ear canal and the outside world, delivering instant noise reduction and sound improvement. It also makes the new AirPods killer feature possible: active noise cancellation.
The technology Apple has employed for its active noise cancellation is what makes these AirPods ‘‘pro’’.
Each of the pads has an outward-facing microphone that’s used to detect external sound. The AirPods use these microphones to monitor external noise levels. The on-board H1 chip (that also powers the always-on ‘‘Hey Siri’’ feature) then counters the external noise with equal levels of anti-noise.
There’s also an inwards-facing microphone that’s used to detect any external sound that’s still leaking through. This is also neutralised with anti-noise.
Apple says that it uses these data points to adjust noise cancellation levels at a rate of 200 times per second.
Cooler still, Apple also added the inwards-facing microphone to help users pick the right size silicone tip for their ear with the Ear Tip Fit Test – by playing audio and listening for leaks.
Using the AirPods Pro with noise-cancelling switched on won’t block out 100 per cent of external sounds – they can’t match over-ear headphones for that feature – but they’re as good as any I’ve seen (heard) for in-ear devices.
Listening to music and medium volume with Active Noise Cancellation switched on is good enough to block out a passing car, or a nearby conversation in a cafe.
It’s so good that Apple has equipped the Pros with a feature called Transparency mode. Squeeze the pods’ tips for a second, and the outward-facing microphone will relay external noises so you can hear what’s going on around you.
Useful if you want to hear an announcement in an airport, or listen out for traffic while running, for example.
Analysing how earphones sound is a minefield. Earphones tuned a certain way can be appealing for some, and alienating for others. However, what I am willing to say is that these buds provide a much-improved sound on any Apple earphone that’s come previously.
The sound is balanced, neutral and the clarity is excellent. Apple has also given the bass performance a little boost, too but it’s not overpowering or equal to the levels you’d find in a pair of Beats earphones. Battery life is pretty standard here, too. You get four-anda-half hours of normal use on a single charge, but you can get 24 hours of battery from the carry case. Importantly, you only need to charge the pods in their battery-powered case for five minutes to get an hour’s juice from the pods.
Verdict
I didn’t get along with the original AirPods. Initially, I thought AirPods looked stupid.
My attitude has changed with the AirPods Pro and I put this down to the improvements in performance and usability.
‘‘Form follows function’’, and all that.
Everything that I thought was wrong with the original pods – loose fit, leaky sounds and average sound – has been fixed in the AirPods Pro.
In short, these are the AirPods that Apple should have launched the first time around. They’re fantastic.
The new design allows the AirPods Pro to create a better seal between the wearer’s ear canal and the outside world, delivering instant noise reduction and sound improvement.