Are AirPods (2nd gen) better than EarPods?

[Andrea Filippini]

Hi everyone,
quick question: according to your experiences can you state AirPods (2nd gen) are better than EarPods?
Your review based on:
- Sound quality (power, bass, treble)
- Sound synchrony (left, right, eventual lag)
- Stability of Bluetooth connection
I would use them on iMac/Mac mini for music (iTunes), videos on YT, movies (VLC), calls/vocals (WhatsApp, Telegram).
Thank you.

 

[perezr10]

I found the sound quality to be the same. The value of the AirPods is in the convenience of the wireless and the smarts of the processing power to adapt to various situations.

 

[one more]

To me, AirPods 2 do sound better than EarPods. I have just re-confirmed this with listening to Rembihnútur by Sigur Rós (on this particular track, the sound starts really quietly and then gradually builds up, with lots of nuances along the way).

My personal take:

Sound quality - AirPods 2 sound overall richer and punchier in comparison. I remember watching a video on YouTube where someone opens them up and discovers that their driver is 0.5 mm bigger than that of EarPods.

Have not noticed anything special about the left-right balance or lag.

Stability of Bluetooth connection - I use them between the iPhone and iPad and had a real connection issue once during the winter, when they failed to connect back to the iPhone after being used on the iPad. Back then I had to pair them with the iPhone again, which fixed the problem. No issues since then, perhaps the automatic firmware update fixed that. iOS 14 is meant to bring seamless switching between your Apple devices using the same Apple ID, to be seen how well it works.

You also need to consider that AirPods 2 are slightly heavier than EarPods and have thicker stems, housing the battery. According to that YouTube video, they are also better insulated than EarPods, so while not water-resistant rated, should not be damaged by a light drizzle if you are outside. Lastly, AirPods have a shorter life-span than EarPods, as their Li-ion batteries will inevitably deteriorate within 2-3 years, depending on your use. 🙏🏻