AirPods Pro 3

[Beau10]

I am very, very certain the measurements will lineup with a mid bass dip around 40-100hz. It's clearly audible, as is the brightness. I'd say overall, they're better than the APP2 - but I can definitely imagine a lot of people preferring the APP2 over the 3.

I posted a video from Dave2d a few days back where he did a frequency sweep and it shows exactly what you describe (cut around 100hz with a couple extra db down low, boosted treble), and his comments mirror yours.

Of course what an ear hears will be quite different from what a basic coupler shows due to all the DSP shaping that it done, but it should give a good rundown of the relative baseline differences.

It's a bit of a shame, as recent IEM research (Meta tuning) seems to suggest it's moving away from what is beginning to look like a more natural tuning philosophy, to something that's more v-shape, Harman'esque, target.

 

[Kylo83]

even the anc is worse on pro 3, I had some noise outside my home and tried both and the AirPods Pro 2 cut more sound out, also the fit is more comfortable with pro 2 the new ones the pro 3 went harder in my ears and started to hurt, theres nothing better with the new ones, another apple return, if you dont agree just try both and do your own tests

 

[aoaaron]

even the anc is worse on pro 3, I had some noise outside my home and tried both and the AirPods Pro 2 cut more sound out, also the fit is more comfortable with pro 2 the new ones the pro 3 went harder in my ears and started to hurt, theres nothing better with the new ones, another apple return, if you dont agree just try both and do your own tests

Comfort wise, no doubt the APP2 is better. The APP3 is more of a traditional IEM - i.e. you need to shove them in your ear canal to ensure a good deal for optimum sound. Sadly I think that was the main means of getting better audio quality - but it doesn't seem to have paid off well.

There are loads of better sounding wireless IEMs so this has perplexed me. I thought apple with their R&D team would have done a lot better.

I posted a video from Dave2d a few days back where he did a frequency sweep and it shows exactly what you describe (cut around 100hz with a couple extra db down low, boosted treble), and his comments mirror yours.

Of course what an ear hears will be quite different from what a basic coupler shows due to all the DSP shaping that it done, but it should give a good rundown of the relative baseline differences.

It's a bit of a shame, as recent IEM research (Meta tuning) seems to suggest it's moving away from what is beginning to look like a more natural tuning philosophy, to something that's more v-shape, Harman'esque, target.

I saw his review and was hoping he was flat out wrong. Sadly he is one of the most reliable, honest, simplest reviewers so his A/B comparisons had me concerned.

The sound signature Apple have gone for is very strange IMO. Normally a Harman curve doesn't mean a boosted treble to this extent. I thought apple would have gone a bit more neutral on the treble side just to avoid it sounding so shrill at higher volumes.

The APP2 at higher volumes with distortion can sound bad. The APP3 at higher volumes can sound intolerable and painful to listen to.

I don't mind a bright speaker btw. I used to own DALIs and Arendal speakers, both brighter than Perlisten.

 

[Rivanov]

Don’t hear any static noise at all in Transparency Mode. 🤷‍♂️

 

[rasg]

Went down by £10 here in the UK.

 

[sneeks]

I was looking to upgrade to them but cannot find any stores in the UK with available stock. Amazon and Apple both state a Oct delivery date now.

 

[NashMan2]

My new Pro 3’s are definitely better than my Pro 1’s on every level. Fit is fine, ANC better than expected but obviously not like my Pro Max’s. Sound quality great in my opinion, but I’m not an audiophile, just the average listener that these are aimed at.

 

[ArchEtech]

I prefer the scooped mids, and boost on the really low and high end. I've observed all of those same qualities. The earpieces fit my ears better, but that won't be true for everyone.

 

[okkibs]

Unfortunately I was able to grab the new Airpods today and confirm what I had suspected when I saw the keynote last week. The eartips no longer merely rest inside the ear instead they have expanding foam that seals better but causes me discomfort in just under an hour. This makes improvements like the 8 hour battery life irrelevant and I can't use headphones that I can't wear for extended times especially at airports and on flights where they never leave my ears.

Their sound is somewhat different and probably mostly a matter of personal preference. It's neither clearly better nor clearly worse. Since it's still a single driver there's not that many gains to be had. There is a reason more expensive wired in-ear headphones use anywhere from 2-8 drivers. Diminishing returns and marketing makes some brands add ridiculous amounts but single driver in-ear designs are at a disadvantage. That's a fact made obvious by these new Airpods. Otherwise what's the reason that Apple just tuned them with a more pronounced V curve and called it a day?

Sound quality was never an issue with the Airpods Pro to begin with. Hence why Apple made the right call and kept them priced affordably rather than try and reinvent the wheel. And for anyone who doesn't have issues with the deeper seat of the expanding eartips the Pro 3 should be a great choice.

It's unfortunate that Apple does not keep offering the Pro 2 alongside the Pro 3. The days of the Pro 2 are numbered and as they probably aren't being manufactured anymore it's only a matter of time until replacements become unavailable.

 

[sparksd]

I’ve been using the APP2’s with Comply foam tips for some time now and just got the APP3’s. I like the new tips – they fit well and are comfortable. Comparing sound quality & ANC – I do like the APP3’s better. Not a huge difference, but noticeable to me. I use adaptive hearing settings with an Rx audiogram. I bought them intending as a tryout – I’d return them to an Apple store nearby if I didn’t find value in the upgrade. But these are definitely keepers, no hemming or hawing.

Edit: Another plus - using these on my Spinner bike with a fan on, I don't get wind noise as I do with my APP2's.

 

[Taq'aix]

After 24 Hours: My AirPods Pro 3 Experience

After the first 24 hours with my AirPods Pro 3, I can confidently say I absolutely love the new soundstage. The instrument separation is remarkable, and the entire soundstage feels precise, controlled, and stable. There’s minimal clipping even at full volume, which is expected but still very impressive.

Sound Quality

I don’t think these will appeal to everyone, but for classical music, jazz, and opera, they’re absolutely perfect. The music sounds magical again, a huge improvement over what I found to be the muddy and chaotic soundstage of the AirPods Pro 2. Of course, this comes down to personal preference.

Fit Challenges

The fit remains problematic. The new tips are less flexible and sturdier, making them less forgiving when it comes to achieving a snug fit or proper seal. I have two sets and I’m testing both Medium and Large sizes, but I’m still unsure which works better. More testing is needed.

ANC Performance

The ANC is indeed improved, but only when you achieve a proper seal. Since the new foam tips are stiffer and less accommodating, finding that proper seal becomes absolutely critical to the experience.

Bottom Line

These earbuds have transformed my listening experience for certain genres, but the fit issues could be a dealbreaker for some users. The technical improvements are substantial, but they’re only accessible if you can achieve the right seal.

 

[Kylo83]

After 24 Hours: My AirPods Pro 3 Experience

After the first 24 hours with my AirPods Pro 3, I can confidently say I absolutely love the new soundstage. The instrument separation is remarkable, and the entire soundstage feels precise, controlled, and stable. There’s minimal clipping even at full volume, which is expected but still very impressive.

Sound Quality

I don’t think these will appeal to everyone, but for classical music, jazz, and opera, they’re absolutely perfect. The music sounds magical again, a huge improvement over what I found to be the muddy and chaotic soundstage of the AirPods Pro 2. Of course, this comes down to personal preference.

Fit Challenges

The fit remains problematic. The new tips are less flexible and sturdier, making them less forgiving when it comes to achieving a snug fit or proper seal. I have two sets and I’m testing both Medium and Large sizes, but I’m still unsure which works better. More testing is needed.

ANC Performance

The ANC is indeed improved, but only when you achieve a proper seal. Since the new foam tips are stiffer and less accommodating, finding that proper seal becomes absolutely critical to the experience.

Bottom Line

These earbuds have transformed my listening experience for certain genres, but the fit issues could be a dealbreaker for some users. The technical improvements are substantial, but they’re only accessible if you can achieve the right seal.

And how to get the right seal I spend an hour and couldn’t get the anc to get better so much be the seal but it’s so hard to get the right one. The pro 2 is fine with any tip really

 

[Ensyed]

I upgraded bc i am interested in better noise cancellation. But it seems thst tgey hsvd better adaptive sound as well. If the surrounding noise level goes up the volume increased so i could continue to listen to my audiobook. And as the noise subsided the volume went down. The Pro 2 did not do that.