I’ll come right now and say it, the AirPods Pro are the in-ear headphones I’ve always dreamed of, and I’ve had my fair share of in-ear headphones. From Sony and Bose, to Jaybird and Apple In-Ears, I’ve tried, and ultimately tossed into a drawer, many in-ear headphones. I’ve found all in-ears uncomfortable and often not fitting correctly. And, of course, they were all wired. I have the 2010 version of the Apple In-Ear headphones, and those in particular never really fit my ear. No matter which ear-tips I used, they never sat in my ears properly and either fell out or would stuff into my ears so poorly that I couldn’t hear anything.
Enter the AirPods Pro. I had bought the original AirPods when they first came out and I used them everyday. Not the best sound, but convenient, wireless, and good enough for podcasts and phone calls. So, when Apple announced an in-ear version, I was willing to give them a try. I was slightly skeptical from previous in-ear experiences, but it was time to upgrade my AirPods and the noise cancelling and improved sound was enough for me to give them a try. I was not disappointed.
The Fit
First, let me say I never thought in-ears could feel so comfortable. I first used the AirPods Pro with the default medium tips and they fit perfectly. They stay in my ear and they don’t feel like they’re stuffed in there. The external vent that allows air to flow through the AirPod makes a huge difference. No vacuumed sealed, popped eardrum feeling. It feels like wearing a regular pair of AirPods.
The Sound
The AirPods Pro have premium quality sound. They still can’t compare to a pair of high-end, HiFi over-the-ear (OTE) noise cancelling headphone from the likes of Sony or Bose, but they are one of the best earbuds available. Sound is balanced and the range is very good. Clear high-ends, rich mids and pretty good bass. It helps that these are sealed in-ear buds, but these tiny, wireless wonders perform some amazing computational feats to generate a great soundfield. I had exclusively used my Sony WH-1000MX3 when I wanted to listen to music and only used my AirPods to listen to podcasts, watching a YouTube video, or taking phone calls. But, with the AirPods Pro, I often listen to everything through them, and use my Sony cans for serious listening at home.
Noise Control
Finally, the biggest feature of the AirPods Pro is its noise control modes. The headphones have two noise control modes: noise cancelling and transparency.
The noise cancelling is the real deal. Apple has managed to bring noise cancelling to wireless in-ear buds, and it works. Along with the air venting system, the noise cancelling blocks out most ambient noise while not feel uncomfortable doing it. Now the noise cancelling is not as good as what you get from a pair of Sony or Bose OTE headphones, but the AirPods Pro can deliver good noise cancelling in a very compact form.
The mode that really blows me away is transparency. I use this mode the majority of the time and it’s amazing. External mics, on each AirPod Pro, pipes noise from your surroundings into your speakers, along with whatever it is you are listening to. The sound that comes through is so clear, you can easily have a conversation with someone and forget you are wearing in-ear headphones. I can easily put them in my ears at 8:30 in the morning and leave them on all day listening to podcasts, music, and having in-person conversations with people. Other noise cancelling headphones have this feature, but often the ambient noise that gets piped in is very distorted and shrill, as the AirPods Pro feel very natural.
The In-Ear I Never Knew I Always Wanted
I honestly, had given up on in-ear headphones. I was content with my regular AirPods and my Sony WH-1000MX3. But, the AirPods Pro are a no-brainer replacement for my old AirPods and I am using my Sony’s a lot less lately. I highly recommend these and urge anyone looking to upgrade, or purchase for the first time, a pair of AirPods, to consider going Pro.
