Same issue. It feels like the right one doesn't sit in my ear as snug as the left. The airpods are exactly the same so it's obviously an issue with my right ear canal just being too different.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
AirPods Pro vs. Powerbeats Pro Buyer's Guide
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Same issue. It feels like the right one doesn't sit in my ear as snug as the left. The airpods are exactly the same so it's obviously an issue with my right ear canal just being too different.
I guess you could never buy anything at all, if you base it on what people write around here.
I do enjoy Air Pods Pro. Jus wished they came out early so I would not have updated to Air Pods 2 but jus gave them to my niece.
As for workout it still comes to your level of intensity, I'm still using Power beats 3 and when they go I'll get the Powerbeats pro as the ear hok does make a difference on the elliptical or climbing the wall..
As for workout it still comes to your level of intensity, I'm still using Power beats 3 and when they go I'll get the Powerbeats pro as the ear hok does make a difference on the elliptical or climbing the wall..
I can't sufficiently express my disappointment with the PowerBeats Pros, which has kept me from jumping onto the AirPods Pro bandwagon.
PBP Pros:
PBP Pros:
- Battery life. They do live up to the hype.
- Sound quality. The soundstage is wide, and the bass is both crisp (not boomy) and emphatic.
- Fit. I've never worried that they'll slip out of my ears.
- The microphone. I can't make calls using these. Every person I've called has complained that my voice is faint and distorted. Took them in for repair and was told they're in perfect working order.
- Lack of Isolation. I can get a snug fit that allows for rich bass, but if I'm on the subway, at the gym, or in the office, I can't hear music over ambient sound unless I turn the volume up to dangerous levels. I had to stop using my PBP in these situations because I was developing tinnitus.
- The case. It's enormous, and it's slippery. I've never dropped an iPod, iPhone, or any other piece of technology, but this thing has squirted out of my hands like a wet bar of soap on multiple occasions in the 4 months I've owned my PBP.
That ain't me - - that's the professional reviewer over at PhoneArena.
I'm sure he knows how to wear them right side up.
I happen to have both. I bought the AirPods when they first came out 2 years ago. I loved the idea of them, but they wouldn't stay in my ears longer than 30 seconds. Wished for two years they'd come out with new AirPods that would stay in my ears.
I picked up the PowerBeats Pro when they first came out, because I figured they were the next best thing. Just bummed that the case is so large. Really like the tiny AirPods case I could carry with me everywhere.
Then my wish comes true. We get the AirPods Pro and they stay in my ears!!
So, now I have both, and I'll keep both. I wear the PBP when walking my dogs, doing yard work and when at the gym. Been using the AirPods at work and I've been carrying the little case in my pocket where ever I go. It will be nice having headphones on me when getting an oil change or when bored sitting in a mall with my family.
I picked up the PowerBeats Pro when they first came out, because I figured they were the next best thing. Just bummed that the case is so large. Really like the tiny AirPods case I could carry with me everywhere.
Then my wish comes true. We get the AirPods Pro and they stay in my ears!!
So, now I have both, and I'll keep both. I wear the PBP when walking my dogs, doing yard work and when at the gym. Been using the AirPods at work and I've been carrying the little case in my pocket where ever I go. It will be nice having headphones on me when getting an oil change or when bored sitting in a mall with my family.
Earhooks are always a no-go for me. AirPods Pro are nearly perfect. Comfortable. Great sound isolation. Great soundstage. Long lasting charge. They will be perfect when a third party makes foam tips for them.
“With the same $249 price point, the AirPods Pro are superior to the Powerbeats Pro because of the Active Noise Cancellation feature”
An odd conclusion to an otherwise balanced review; the ‘superiority’ of one device over the other comes down purely to which features are more important to the buyer.
The conclusion could just as easily read:
“With the same $249 price point, the Powerbeats Pro are superior to the AirPods Pro because of the longer battery life”
or
“With the same $249 price point, the Powerbeats Pro are superior to the AirPods Pro because of the dedicated hardware buttons”
or
“With the same $249 price point, the Powerbeats Pro are superior to the AirPods Pro because of improved fit afforded by the larger number of ear tip sizes and the over-ear clip”
For me, active noise cancellation is much lower down the priority list than these other features. Obviously any review is a personal preference, but the article did an otherwise very good job of remaining balanced only to veer towards a decisive preference at the end.
An odd conclusion to an otherwise balanced review; the ‘superiority’ of one device over the other comes down purely to which features are more important to the buyer.
The conclusion could just as easily read:
“With the same $249 price point, the Powerbeats Pro are superior to the AirPods Pro because of the longer battery life”
or
“With the same $249 price point, the Powerbeats Pro are superior to the AirPods Pro because of the dedicated hardware buttons”
or
“With the same $249 price point, the Powerbeats Pro are superior to the AirPods Pro because of improved fit afforded by the larger number of ear tip sizes and the over-ear clip”
For me, active noise cancellation is much lower down the priority list than these other features. Obviously any review is a personal preference, but the article did an otherwise very good job of remaining balanced only to veer towards a decisive preference at the end.
Yes, and the review was written from a negative biased standpoint...
The Jabra Elite's generally don't sit in the ear canal like that. That pick of him is purposely done like that to aid in his negative slant. I might also suggest that it was Photoshopped to look goofy as the right ear canal earbud looks especially suspect. (Either that or the laws of gravity doesn't exist in his world.)
Regardless, I would still choose the Jabra's based on the superior sound. Plus, I'm not a fan of weird sticks dangling out of my ears.
Of course a tech guy review misses one of the most important aspects of earbuds and especially the Powerbeats Pros... active lifestyle use. The whole point of the Powerbeats Pro is targeted towards athletes and workout use, thus the ear clip. Does the reviewer tell you how well the Airpods Pros stay in your ear after 30 minutes of vigorous running? No. He tells you what they are like riding his sit down lawn mower lol. This review is a completely useless comparison for actual functionality. Of course ANC is going to sound better but this is apples to oranges for use. I didn’t buy my Powerbeats pro for going to the office or riding on an airplane. I had the Sony noise canceling earbuds which sounded fantastic but fell out during running. I’ve read the same complaint about original AirPods too... time to get on that treadmill dude and give us a real review!
Not saying that this happened here in this case, but many tech site "reviewers" slant their reviews to one side based on personal bias. This can be done through more overt methods or subverse techniques such as leaving out vital information (as you pointed out). I don't trust any of them. Best bet is to read multiple reviews from different sources or try it before you buy it if possible.
[automerge]1572974067[/automerge]
"Professional" is also a stretch with regards to that guy.
I got them on launch day and have been wearing them at the gym every day. I haven't had any problems. On the other hand, I rarely had regular AirPods fall out. Usually, there was a cause like accidentally brushing against them with my hand or with clothing. The Pro model seems like it would take some serious effort for them to leave my ears. The tips cling to ears really well. The part that sticks out is shorter and curved inward, so I doubt I would ever knock them out accidentally.
I worked out with the new AirPods Pros, and no problems. Once in a while I would 'feel' the old AirPods slipping a little, so I'd tuck them in a little more. Never felt that way with the AirPods Pros yet. Seem to stay in nicely.
My original AirPods never fell out on their own. They fell out only one time, while I was adjusting them. But overall, they stayed in nicely. They just felt looser and I would never run outdoors with them, only on an indoor treadmill. With the AirPods Pros, I think I'd feel comfortable outside running with them.
The largest detractor from my PBP is connivence. They're perfect when you're going to be a fairly intense activity for a while, but suck for casual use. Airpods are better when I'm walking around town during my lunch break but wouldn't use them for running or the gym.
I typically use my older AirPods while walking or eating breaks. I’m concerned a seal with the new ear tips will make it sound thumpy while walking (like iem’s) or uncomfortable while eating. Do they jam into you ear canals or is it a looser fit?
I really wish they'd release the PowerBeats Pro in white. The ivory looks like **** when paired with my white watch and white iPhone pro.
I have both now. My preference overall is the APP, for ease of popping in and out of my ears, comfort, and also more seamless switching between devices. That said, the battery life on PBP is a big deal to me when I have like four or six straight hours of calls (which happens a lot). I would also pick PBP for moderate to intense activity, because the APP still fall out sometimes, even though way less than original AP
Might be a personal preference, but to me the bass is crisper and sound isolates better on APP with NC on. I still think PBP is muddier than my liking, again probably more a matter of personal preference in sound. Again, let me stress that this all depends on getting a correct seal. Which to me took 5 days of playing around with tips and how I insert them into my ears to work. I finally got them to work and seal rather quickly, and even stay in for a workout!
My first gen airpods barely last 45 minutes without requiring a recharge, and even then, my left one always dies quicker. Thus, im seeking to replace them! I love the style and size of the airpods, but I question the longevity of the battery. If Im needing to replace my headphones every 2 years, Id rather go back to using wired ones. My primary concern is battery life. Any thus, leaning towards the PBP. Does anyone have any first hand experience of how the batteries last over time? Id much prefer the style and size of the airpods, but the fact that the PBP have almost twice the battery life (without the case), its having the edge in my book.
Last edited:
I didn't mean the "Bose 700 Headphones" which are over the ear and already released. I meant the "Bose EarBuds 700" which are coming soon.
I like the sound quality of Bose, I use the QC35 and the SoundSport...thats why I skipped the AirPods 1 and 2.
Didn't decide about the AirPods Pro yet, it's tempting lol.
OK. So I'm quoting myself (and I'll answer this question myself, for anybody who might be interested). I didn't learn my lesson after the PowerBeats Pro debacle. And I'm so glad I didn't, because after 3 days of heavy usage, the AirPods Pros are the wireless earphones I've been waiting for.
The Cons
There aren't any. Is everything about the APPs perfect? No, but they're 1.0 technology, and not all the kinks have been ironed out. But none of these kinks are show stoppers.
Things I'd Like Tweaked for APP 2.0
- Battery Life: I come from a family of talkers, and Saturday, I was on 2 calls (one voice, one FaceTime) that lasted a total of 3 hours. At the end of those calls, the battery was down to 10%. Yesterday while running errands I listened to music with noise cancellation, and the battery was down to 30% after just 3 hours. Most people probably don't listen to music or talk nonstop for this long (though both are possible during the workday), but it still would be good to bump this spec up a bit, especially when compared to the 9 hours from the PowerBeats Pro.
- Sound Stage: This is where the PBPs impressed, and the APPs are a bit lacking by comparison. With no equalization, music sounds just a bit lifeless. After the rich bass and the crisp midrange of the PBPs, I was spoiled. By comparison, everything that should feel sharp on the APPs feels a bit rounded down, and it feels a little narrower in terms of the distribution of sound. It's still a pleasurable listen, but music could and should sound more vibrant on these.
- The Microphone. I was talking to somebody from a crowded NYC street with lots of traffic and a few emergency vehicles. At all times, my voice was front and center. I've gotten used to apologizing while walking and talking for the interruptions from ambient noise that captured the microphone's attention. That was not an issue with the APPs. I also left a voicemail for somebody and had the chance to listen before sending, and my voice was crisp and clear.
- Noise Cancellation. I spend a good portion of my day on the subway, and I like to listen to music whenever I'm on the move. While the APPs use active noise cancellation, there's minimal distortion with the music, and an impressive amount of noise reduction. Is every voice or sound eliminated completely? No, but most of the sounds that make it past the noise cancellation are eclipsed by the music without having to turn it up to dangerous levels. And Transparency mode is a fantastic addition that "just works" the way Apple products should.
- The Fit. Not all people are fans of in-ear headphones. And of those, not all are fans of the rubber ear tips. I'm among that crowd; I prefer foam tips for a snug, airtight fit. But the rubber tips on the APPs get it right. You can feel the suction when you try to pull them from your ear, but it's not uncomfortable, and it doesn't create a dramatic scuba effect that amplifies everything going on within your skull. I haven't once worried about them falling out, not even when bending over the sink doing dishes. Aside from battery life, the fit of the PBPs was something I didn't want to give up. Thankfully, the APPs didn't make me.
I could have bought either, APP had just been released when I was looking to purchase. I went for PBP because I needed something to use only for training. I run, marathons, and that was my only criteria. Cleary for training PBPs are a better form factor with the over ear design. For me sound quality was never an issue. when your 25km in, SQ is not really something you think about, loose fit and having to constantly poke your ear is. I have Audeze iSine 10 and LCD2, plus ATC active floorstanders for my home system, so I’m kind of covered if I want to do some critical listening, and Apple are going to have to go a long way to come anywhere near the SQ of my serious kit.
So far happy with the PBP. I cant feel I’m wearing anything once I get going, and that’s with running glasses too, so don’t believe reviews that suggest using glasses with them will be uncomfortable Occasionally need a little poke to seat them a bit more firmly. But very comfortable in general.
oh, just remembered....negative - no good for cold weather if you need to wear a beanie or ear warmers, they’re too chunky. I am considering some APPs for this.....dunno I’d I want to spend this much money though.
So far happy with the PBP. I cant feel I’m wearing anything once I get going, and that’s with running glasses too, so don’t believe reviews that suggest using glasses with them will be uncomfortable Occasionally need a little poke to seat them a bit more firmly. But very comfortable in general.
oh, just remembered....negative - no good for cold weather if you need to wear a beanie or ear warmers, they’re too chunky. I am considering some APPs for this.....dunno I’d I want to spend this much money though.