AirPods 4 With ANC vs. AirPods Pro 2
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Gengar
macrumors 6502a
I have them both, and they are both great in different scenarios. The AirPods 4 with ANC are much more pocket friendly, the ANC does a good job of drowning out outside sound, and they do not fall out of my ears (but I'm the one person who has ears that every set of AirPods and Beats have fit). They are less bulbous than the AirPods 3rd Gen, but I had no trouble keeping those in my ears either. The AirPods Pro 2 are definitely better overall though -- better ANC due to the silicone tips, and the swiping gesture to adjust the volume (didn't know how much I used that until I got the AirPods 4).
I personally use Transparency mode more than ANC though, because I like to be aware of my surroundings, and both are great in that instance. I mainly use ANC when listening to new music at home or when I'm on a plane.
I personally use Transparency mode more than ANC though, because I like to be aware of my surroundings, and both are great in that instance. I mainly use ANC when listening to new music at home or when I'm on a plane.
stiligFox
macrumors 68000
Should note that the ANC model does magnetically attach to the Apple Watch chargers, just not MagSafe chargers any longer.
(Someone may have already noted this - if so I apologize)
CharlesShaw
macrumors 68020
Agreed. Very happy with the smaller case and weight. My 4's without ANC, in the case, are 29% lighter than the APP 1s they replaced, and if I added the specs correctly from the the Apple site, the 4's with ANC are also 29% lighter than APP 2s.
AirPods Pro 2 in case = 61.4g
AirPods 4 ANC in case = 43.3g
61.4-43.3 = 18.1g
18.1/61.4 = 0.29479
Same. I only want to hear my surroundings, not block them out. [if I worked in or visited noisy environments, I'd want ANC] I think the 4's without ANC sound more transparent to me than my Beats Fit Pro's with Transparency on, so when the BFP's wear out I might replace with a future AirPods 5 with ANC, if they keep the same shape which is fitting well for me.
Last edited:
CarAnalogy
macrumors 603
Fair enough I suppose. I guess my real issue with it is that it seems needlessly confusing, and the naming is bad.
Tagbert
macrumors 604
Whether using pros or the new airpods with anc, transparency mode gives you that awareness of your surroundings. It does an amazing job of passing through the external sounds even though the plugs fill your ears.
Tagbert
macrumors 604
Weird. My APP2s still have like-new ANC. I wonder what could have failed in your pair. It almost sounds like they are stuck in Transparency mode. I wonder if it would reset things if you ran the batteries down and let them sit for a while before recharging and rebooting them?
Last edited:
raybob
macrumors member
I went from airpds 3 to airpods 4 with ANC and the bass was too high for me.
They also weren’t as comfortable as the 3s. Music sounds clearer on the 3s.
Returned the 4s and sticking to the 3s for now. There is a muffled punchiness when you listen to high quality recorded videos/podcasts, it physically itches inside of my ear.
They also weren’t as comfortable as the 3s. Music sounds clearer on the 3s.
Returned the 4s and sticking to the 3s for now. There is a muffled punchiness when you listen to high quality recorded videos/podcasts, it physically itches inside of my ear.
Tagbert
macrumors 604
When I got my first pair of AirPods, my ears would hurt after a while. After wearing them for about a week, the pain went away. I attribute that to my ears needing to get used to the different pressure points. I’ve had the same thing happen with new glasses.
Mac Fly (film)
macrumors 68040
In one comment someone said one reason it no longer has MagSafe magnets in the four corners is because the case is smaller and indeed too small now to stretch the width of the magnetic ring of a MagSafe charger. I didn't investigate the veracity of this claim, but it sounds interesting. One more reason Qi2 needs a successor: https://www.reddit.com/r/Qi3/
Last edited:
MasterControlProgram
macrumors regular
I don’t think battery fade is much of an issue anymore. I’ve had my AirPods 3 since launch and the battery life is nigh on identical to when they were new. The first gen AirPods were genuinely terrible for battery fade and would be approaching useless after 6 months, but for me the AP3s have been excellent even though they were be used all day every day. I’m still using them now as my backup set when the AP4s need charging. I think Apple must be quietly doing something like the 80% charge limit the recent iPhones have to make the batteries last so well.
You have to go into a store and try them yourself. I think most feel they are more comfortable than prior models but everyone is so different. I like them.
stiligFox
macrumors 68000
Aye - my AirPods 3 had MagSafe magnets in the four corners of the case and it was already small enough that it would only weakly cling to the charger. The 4 case being even narrower means any meaningful magnets would probably barely hold it enough to keep it centered, if anything.
stiligFox
macrumors 68000
It’s very subjective! Most people felt that the AirPods 3 were too big, but for me they were perfect and snug and the AirPods 4 feel loose like they might fall out at anytime (although they don’t, it just feels that way).
The only way to know is to try! I’d try them at the store or, as much as I’d hate to suggest it due to waste and such, order a pair from Apple - they give you a good couple weeks to return them.
mrfabio
macrumors member
I purchased them and I noted that if I wear them with foam tips then the noise cancelling stops working. It is just a pity that sensors and firmware are implemented and designed to make the earphones stop working when with foam tips, which offer further isolation, comfort and improve the audio quality too. Saying that, they are great and very impressed 😊
P.S.: I wish there were foam tips specifically designed for AirPods 4 (which holes where the sensors are)
P.S.: I wish there were foam tips specifically designed for AirPods 4 (which holes where the sensors are)
tomtad
macrumors 68020
Magnets are there for the Watch puck charger
Starcrowl
macrumors member
My experience was both, first I thought that it got weakened a bit, then my next music session had a better noise cancellation than before. Now I'm happy with it.
indychris
macrumors 6502a
“Incremental?” Where did I miss the increment? Is changing the charging port and a color actually considered an upgrade now, or is that just an upgrade when Apple does it? Heck, I can get an adapter and a Sharpie and do that for a whole lot less than $550!!
FelixDerKater
macrumors 68040
Not long ago I could feel, but not hear the high velocity fan in front of me.
Same speaker, same chip, probably same microphones, probably hardware-wise they are the same devices, but it is cheaper to produce the same devices limited by software. Tim knows better 😉Waiting for the AirPods 4 vs AirPods 4 with noise cancelation tear down on iFixit to see if there’s a physical difference or if it’s just software switch.
kiv.atso
macrumors regular
I don’t mean they sound fully transparent because they still cancel some noise. It’s just as good when they used to block voices on the bus and train. Not anymore
kamyk35
Suspended
Two completely different devises and to suggest it's just the fit in the ear that's different, is completely misleading.
Apple last week released the AirPods 4, and one version of the new earbuds has Active Noise Cancellation included. ANC means the AirPods 4 have a feature set that rivals the AirPods Pro 2, so we thought we'd compare the two for those undecided on which to get.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
The AirPods 4 are Apple's first open-ear earbuds to include ANC, and the major difference between the AirPods Pro 2 and the AirPods 4 is the silicone tips. The AirPods Pro 2 have silicone tips for a tighter seal in the ear, while the AirPods 4 don't.
You're not going to get the same level of ANC with the AirPods 4 that you get with the AirPods Pro 2 because there's no sealing mechanism to block out noise, but the AirPods 4 still perform impressively well. The new earbuds are able to cut down on plane and road noise even without the tight ear seal.
Sound quality is about the same because the AirPods 4 now have the same H2 chip as the AirPods Pro 2. The AirPods 4 have a much smaller case than the AirPods Pro 2, but both cases have a speaker that can play a sound when you need to track them down using Find My. MagSafe wireless charging is exclusive to the AirPods Pro 2, though. The AirPods 4 with ANC can wirelessly charge, but not with the strong magnetic connection available with the AirPods Pro.
There are a few other differences that are worth knowing about, which we go over in the video above.
Choosing between the AirPods Pro 2 and the AirPods 4 with ANC mostly comes down to fit. For some people, the silicone tips for the AirPods Pro 2 are more comfortable, and others find an open-ear design to be better for long wear. Price is also a factor, as the AirPods Pro 4 with ANC are $179 and the AirPods Pro 2 are $249. Of course, if you don't need ANC at all, you can get the AirPods 4 without ANC for $129.
Let us know which earbuds you prefer in the comments below.
Article Link: AirPods 4 With ANC vs. AirPods Pro 2
The sound stage can't be the same between a sealed devise and an open devise....it just can't be as good!
Neither is ANC, it's just spin on the AirPods 4!