AirPods in the workplace

[Gudi]

Personally I don't get the appeal of $200 earbuds, but then I saw the parcel delivery guy wearing them. And it occurred to me, that they are actually worth their money when you are on the go all day. So what's your workplace situation which makes wearing AirPods all worthwhile?

 

[sunapple]

They are worth the money for me because they offer active noice cancellation. I suppose you are comparing with cheaper wired buds, that is the main thing for me aside from how annoying wires are.

I use them at home as much as on the go. Also in the office. I travel by public transport 4 days a week. Lots of phone calls, watching TV, video and music. Save to say there are very few days where I haven't used them over the last 3,5 years of ownership.

 

[Abazigal]

I had the AirPods 3, and then got the pros because I found the lack of noise cancellation made it impossible to hear anything when I am on public transport. It's been handy when commuting to university (I have been attending a course for the past few months), for video conferencing (there was construction being carried out near my house), and for watching streaming content (the volume for some shows seem extremely soft via my TV speakers).

One issue I have had is that I somethings get this crackling sound over zoom, and my colleagues have reported my voice breaking out when I try speaking into my AirPods Pro as well (don't seem to get the same issue with AirPods), so it seems there is some issue with noise cancellation and zoom not playing well with each other?

 

[Gudi]

my colleagues have reported my voice breaking out when I try speaking into my AirPods Pro

Maybe noise cancelling is working too well. If you can't hear your own voice properly, you automatically speak louder to accommodate.

 

[Abazigal]

Maybe noise cancelling is working too well. If you can't hear your own voice properly, you automatically speak louder to accommodate.

I don't think it's a volume issue. There just seems to be static when the other person is speaking, and when I am speaking. This doesn't happen all the time, and I haven't been able to pinpoint the exact issue except that it seems confined to the zoom app.

 

[Toutou]

So what's your workplace situation which makes wearing AirPods all worthwhile?

The office I work in is an apartment in a house next to a busy street with tram tracks. AirPods Pro 2 are able to suppress the deep rumble of a passing tram every few minutes and the occasional conversation of my colleagues when I want to focus.

I also use them every day for walks and running, and together with the adequate, fun sound, that makes them worth the $320 they cost me (Europe).

 

[doolar]

I can be on the phone for hours on some work days, so APP are a given at work. They also create a really quiet environment for both me and my callee on the other end. Can't imagine going back to the old days of holding a phone like an animal.

 

[Wokis]

Sometimes I work with an open door because I don't find the air-intake in my room to work particularly well. That case it's good to use headphones if I want to blast music or play back whatever I'm working on. It wouldn't have to be AirPods but that's what I have on-hand since I use them on the commute to/from work.

I don't want to use wired headphones if I can avoid it. The extra features of the Pro I can skip, though. I hate rubber tips in my ears, it reminds me of the cheap earbuds I endured during childhood/teenage-years. The charm with earpods and airpods is that as long as you have ears that fit them and have reasonable expectations for hook-ins, they sound good.

Airpods 3, though.. I didn't like them as much. They sound a tad better, but the fit is weird. They don't really fall off any easier than Airpods 2 but they constantly feel like it. Returned mine but that was mainly because the mics couldn't reliably pick up my voice (tested three pairs, all settings).

 

[Gudi]

The charm with earpods and airpods is that as long as you have ears that fit them and have reasonable expectations for hook-ins, they sound good.

That's my problem. Ever since Apple measured thousands of people to design a new shape that would fit in all ears, they hurt in mine. Silicone Ear Caps at least adapt to every shape and hold with tight grip. But I wouldn't use the Pros often enough to justify the price.

 

[Dhonk]

I’m a teacher, so I’m used to seeing AirPods being worn all day. You’d think it’s only the girls, but the boys all have bushy hair as well, so some are able to hide them.