Google's $200 Pixel Buds Pro vs. Apple's $249 AirPods Pro

[alexonline]

How bizarre. A so-called comparison between two sets of in-ear headphones that doesn't have even one word telling us how they sound.

We’re told the noise cancellation is good. That’s at least one word about how they sound. It may not be the words you want but if you’re going to make accusations, at least be accurate.

 

[Denzo]

Im beginning to wonder if I am just old (well, I am). I use headphones 98% for music, and my mind headphones start and end with listening to music. Thats the only reason I bought headphones 40 years ago, and continues to be today. However, I think many people use headphones nowadays to listen to podcasts and the like, where sound quality does not matter. Perhaps that explains how an article on earphones which literally does not mention sound quality can even exist.

You’re not too old at all. I would bet wireless headphones are primarily used for music. My wife watches tv shows as well with here. I also use for YouTube / tiktok and of course phone calls. But 50% has to be music I would say. I don’t actually listen to podcasts at all. And given the marketing of most headphones - I would say music is definitely the emphasis.

 

[EastHillWill]

Have you tried memory foam tips? Comply sells them but there are also cheap ones on Amazon/eBay.

This is the AirPods Pro pro tip right here. I thought the APP were very good with the stock tips, but with foam ones, they're amazing. Very comfortable and secure, and the ANC is notably better. I use them when flying, mowing the lawn, etc., and can clearly hear podcasts and music. And as someone who has these Comply tips as well as two cheaper Amazon options, the former are absolutely worth the money. There may be cheap foam tips that are just as good as the Comply ones, but I haven't found them. Of the two inexpensive options I have, one is not good and the other is just fine. The only downsides of the Comply are price and longevity, and if you get some I have advice on the latter.

 

[MajorFubar]

We’re told the noise cancellation is good. That’s at least one word about how they sound. It may not be the words you want but if you’re going to make accusations, at least be accurate.

Noise cancellation has precisely jack sh-- to do with sound quality.
If you're going to be picky, at least be accurate.

 

[Dammit Cubs]

Ok, thanks! I'll look into them. My priority is always mic quality first and foremost. It's nearly impossible to find mic specifications on most non-musician grade audio equipment in the last 20 years.

There are moments where the mic voice will sound digitized, but I would recommend watching this youtube review which helped on the voice mic:

 

[Aston441]

There are moments where the mic voice will sound digitized, but I would recommend watching this youtube review which helped on the voice mic:

Excellent, thank you. The Sony LinkBudS in that demo do sound much better than ANY demo of ANY Apple microphones I've ever heard. An actual order of magnitude (10x better). Apple should be ashamed, and all the reviewers of Apple products containing microphonee, including the iPhone, should be ashamed too for not pointing out Apples shoddy mics. Though since about the Iphone 11, the mics have improved quite a bit in the iPhone.

 

[7149041]

I love Airpods Pro, use them all the time and will never change to a non-Apple product. Automatic switching is great. They sit in my ears almost like glued - no matter if I run, lift at the gym or do yoga (including inversions/handstands). Active noise cancelling works great and the battery life is very decent for something this tiny.

Hell, I even washed the buds accidentally (left them in my running shorts pockets) only to find out they are actually waterfproof.

 

[alexonline]

This is the AirPods Pro pro tip right here. I thought the APP were very good with the stock tips, but with foam ones, they're amazing. Very comfortable and secure, and the ANC is notably better. I use them when flying, mowing the lawn, etc., and can clearly hear podcasts and music. And as someone who has these Comply tips as well as two cheaper Amazon options, the former are absolutely worth the money. There may be cheap foam tips that are just as good as the Comply ones, but I haven't found them. Of the two inexpensive options I have, one is not good and the other is just fine. The only downsides of the Comply are price and longevity, and if you get some I have advice on the latter.

Awesome! What is the longevity tip for the Comply headphones?

 

[alexonline]

Noise cancellation has precisely jack sh-- to do with sound quality.
If you're going to be picky, at least be accurate.

Noise cancellation has nothing to do with sound quality? Ok then, tell me you know nothing about sound without telling me you know nothing about sound.

 

[MajorFubar]

Noise cancellation has nothing to do with sound quality? Ok then, tell me you know nothing about sound without telling me you know nothing about sound.

You already did. It's completely apples and oranges. Some of the best headphones I've ever heard, at prices that will probably make your eyes water by manufacturers you've never heard of, have zero sound isolation. It's like saying you measure the performance of a sportscar by how well the soft-top keeps the rain out: might be important to you but it has nothing to do with how it performs.

I repeat: sound isolation has NOTHING to do with sound quality. They are totally different. You might consider one a higher priority than the other for your use case, but that doesn't mean they are related.

Not sure what other words you want me to use. But by all means continue to blatantly publicly show your ignorance while I just sit here and eat the popcorn.

 

[alexonline]

You already did. It's completely apples and oranges. Some of the best headphones I've ever heard, at prices that will probably make your eyes water by manufacturers you've never heard of, have zero sound isolation. It's like saying you measure the performance of a sportscar by how well the soft-top keeps the rain out: might be important to you but it has nothing to do with how it performs.

I repeat: sound isolation has NOTHING to do with sound quality. They are totally different. You might consider one a higher priority than the other for your use case, but that doesn't mean they are related.

Not sure what other words you want me to use. But by all means continue to blatantly publicly show your ignorance while I just sit here and eat the popcorn.

You eat your popcorn then. Only a doofus thinks SOUND ISOLATION has anything to do with NOISE CANCELLATION. Sound isolation is what you get from the silicon tips. There are plenty of headphones with silicon tips that have sound isolation, that is not NOISE cancellation.

You sure do make a lot of noise though. And thanks for assuming I don't know anything about expensive headphones, I'm sure I have tried a great many more expensive headsets that you have, at prices that would make your eyes water.

Noise cancellation can improve the sound you hear in noisy environments. That means you can hear better sound.

Look, the "review" should have said more about sound. But noise cancellation is an element of listening. So be more specific when you complain there is not one word about sound. There were a few words. There should have been a few more.

But asking Macrumors to be a headphone expert-level sound comparison publication is just laughable. They didn't say anything more about the sound than the noise cancellation, ergo, they were happy with the sound. You can harp on with your elitist golden ears nonsense, the rest of us just cancel out the noise from bleaters like you.

 

[MajorFubar]

Original thorough and patiently-written explanation that once sat here, edited and deleted because I remembered that no post in the history of internet forums and their BBS antecedents ever made a nitpicking trouble making buttwipe say 'ah yes I see why you were right, I fully admit I was just being a complete ****** by trying to look cool by sarcastically sniping at you about something I thought I knew more about than you, but then I got spanked.'

So it's just not worth it.

 

[alexonline]

Completely unrelated, but might be important, yes.

Extremely unlikely. Anyhow you're back pedalling because you know I've backed you into a corner. Sound cancellation, or isolation, still has absolutely nothing to do with how good a set of headphones actually sound. Headphones with great isolation and/or cancellation just makes them better prospects in a noisy environment. They may or may not still sound crap, or excellent.

I only assumed you know nothing about decent headphones because you can't seem separate the difference between sound quality and isolation/cancellation characteristics. Or to put it another way, I only assumed you're dumb because you said something dumb by trying to be big man by calling me out about a subject I know a lot about.

Like I said originally, in the post that triggered you because you just wanted to be a complete nitpicker, the review says nothing about their sound quality.

😂🤣

Thanks for your kind words, nice to know you’re a nice person we should all look up to.

 

[EastHillWill]

Awesome! What is the longevity tip for the Comply headphones?

Depends on how you use them. If you read reviews you'll see quite a few that say something to the effect of 'crumbled and fell apart after a couple months.' Those people are either really rough with them, or there's something corrosive is their ear canals. (Although speaking of corrosive, I did find out the hard way you don't want to use alcohol to clean them.) If you're somewhat gentle when compressing them prior to insertion you should get at least a year out of a pair.

 

[alexonline]

Depends on how you use them. If you read reviews you'll see quite a few that say something to the effect of 'crumbled and fell apart after a couple months.' Those people are either really rough with them, or there's something corrosive is their ear canals. (Although speaking of corrosive, I did find out the hard way you don't want to use alcohol to clean them.) If you're somewhat gentle when compressing them prior to insertion you should get at least a year out of a pair.

That’s valuable advice, thank you for sharing!

 

[Dammit Cubs]

Excellent, thank you. The Sony LinkBudS in that demo do sound much better than ANY demo of ANY Apple microphones I've ever heard. An actual order of magnitude (10x better). Apple should be ashamed, and all the reviewers of Apple products containing microphonee, including the iPhone, should be ashamed too for not pointing out Apples shoddy mics. Though since about the Iphone 11, the mics have improved quite a bit in the iPhone.

If i had to nitpick, i don't like that they isn't wireless charging but the good news is that because it is sony, usually you will find some good deals, you might be able to get these for 160 or so. Glad I can help. I still have my airpods pro, i just keep them in my car now or in a bag.

I have way too many wireless headphones now. I should sell something. haha