AirPods Pro 2 sound better with Spatial Audio off

[ISignedUpToAskThis]

Always had 'Spatial Audio' or 'Spatialise Stereo' head tracked by default (after personalising it with the ear scan thing) thinking it would be the best option but tried turning it 'Off' and the difference was considerable.

With head tracking and or fixed Spatial Audio on it sounds slightly muffled compared to 'Off' and doesn't feel as balanced. Spatial Audio is a bit louder but the experience was less enjoyable.

Anyone else feel the same?

 

[Fille84]

To me it sounds muffled with it turned off

 

[addamas]

It’s depending of content. For audiobooks I turn it off - otherwise it creates empty-space-echo.
For most movies and songs it’s turned on.

Ear scanning for me made it worse so I turned off the personal special audio

 

[KarimLeVallois]

To me it sounds muffled with it turned off

I agree, for me they sound pretty mediocre and boring with spacial audio off.

 

[Herrpod]

Spatial audio supported songs have a lower volume generally. And the quality of Spatial audio tracks will vary from song to song. My experience with it has been so negative that I just turn it off. Spatial audio via tv/movies on my Apple TV sounds tinny and hollow, so I turned it off there too and the sound is infinitely better and fuller.

 

[addamas]

Make sure you have enabled detailed settings for AirPods. Without them audio is muffled and flat on AirPods Pro Gen 1

 

[trazan]

I turned it off pretty quickly. It mostly added a "small room" sound to everything. Didn't like that.