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blairh

macrumors 603
Original poster
Dec 11, 2007
5,825
4,081
I'll start. I've had mine for about two hours now. I've been using the Powerbeats Pro since launch. I also have been using the AirPods 2.0 since August.

The APP are pretty amazing. They sound great to my ears. I'm not an audiophile but I listen to a lot of pop and rap and they pack quite the punch. Overall I really enjoy their sound a great deal. The force sensors are terrific. They are easy to find and require a normal squeeze to function. This is so much better than tapping on previous AirPods.

Noise cancellation is legit. I had a TV on in the room next to my home office while I tested the AP and I could not hear it at all with NC enabled. However, to my ears, bass takes a slight hit with NC enabled, so by default I will not enable it and only turn it on if I find myself in a situation where I need to block out more sound. (An especially noisy environment.) Transparency seems to work just fine too.

The APP case is slightly larger and heavier than the AirPods case, as I'm sure you all know. When turned to its side it is a little taller than the upright AirPods case however the width appears to be identical if not very close. I don't feel these two slight differences will be noticeable while carrying the APP in your front pocket if you are accustomed to the slightly smaller AirPods.

The medium default ear tips seem to fit my ears well and the ear tip fit test backed that up. As a previous Powerbeats3 and current Powerbeats Pro user I'm a big fan of silicone ear tips.

Compared to my AirPods, there are two places where the APP clearly shine brighter. The first is that the APP don't have that grill which is a magnet for ear wax. No more needing to grossly clean those weekly. More importantly, the APP sound noticeably better than the AirPods. This shouldn't surprise anyone given the fact that the silicone tips allow the sound to travel more directly into your ears. Less importantly the AP stems are also shorter than the AirPods, which for aesthetics alone is a win.

Compared to my Powerbeats Pro sound quality, I still give the edge to my Powerbeats however it's a lot closer than I expected, and that is saying a lot given the fact that I feel the Powerbeats sound amazing.

Moving forward I will be using the Powerbeats exclusively at the gym and for travel (their case is bulky and heavy). The APP will be for the times when I want to bring headphones with me somewhere and need a case that fits in my front pocket. I am selling my AirPods 2.0

There are three clear negatives to the AP. They only last 4.5 hours with NC enabled (and 5 with it off). If you are someone who wants/need to listen to your headphones for longer periods than that in one sitting, you need to look elsewhere. (In comparison, my Powerbeats last 9 hours with one charge.) Also the continued lack of volume control is very frustrating here. Yes you can use an Apple Watch if you have one (still not ideal) or reach into your pocket and press the sides of your iPhone. However if you could simply swipe up and down on the stems to control the volume that would be best. I'm assuming this feature will appear in a future AirPod model. The last clear con is the lack of color options. I understand why Apple might stick with white only, but consumers are begging for black and other options.

Overall I love the AP from the limited time I've had them. I still prefer the Powerbeats for the gym and long distance travel, but the APP are terrific in all other scenarios.

Edit - I'm returning the APP. Prefer the fit and sound of the Powerbeats Pro. Will instead use the AirPods 2.0 for casual use. I still recommend the APP to others though.

Edit 2 - I sold my AirPods 2.0 and am now using Soundcore Liberty Air 2's for casual use. They sound much better than AirPods Pro's IMO.
 
Last edited:

CMoore515

macrumors 6502a
Sep 27, 2015
675
786
Des Moines, IA
I don’t have mine yet, but while you may perceive the 4.5 hours of battery with cancellation on, a negative, it is exactly what Apple’s spec is.
 

AppleZombie

macrumors 6502a
Oct 27, 2012
698
749
SoCal
I got mine earlier today delivered before the 31st. I also had a pair of PBP and a set of AirPods 2. These AirPods Pro are legit. Noise Cancellation is Noise Cancellation. As soon as you put both AirPods on it cancels out all noise. Sound quality is on par with PBP. I think they look better than the AirPods and also with the different size tips has become my favorites. So far so good, I don’t regret the purchase. I still have to play around with some of the features.
 

roguester

macrumors regular
Jul 21, 2019
105
64
I won't comment on sound quality but my subway commute is much more pleasant now. The sound of the tracks are pretty much gone compared to the AP2. This means I can enjoy my music at a reasonable level instead of focusing on cranking up the volume as much as possible. That's pretty much my review. The second I saw noise cancellation, I was dead set on getting a pair and even sourced some buyers for my Airpods 2 that I just bought 3 months ago. So anyone reading this, if you commute and frequent buses or trains, get this asap.
 
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upnorth85

macrumors 6502a
Oct 2, 2011
629
202
MN, USA
I'll start. I've had mine for about two hours now. I've been using the Powerbeats Pro since launch. I also have been using the AirPods 2.0 since August.

The AirPods Pro (which I will call 'AP' moving forward) are pretty amazing. They sound great to my ears. I'm not an audiophile but I listen to a lot of pop and rap and they pack quite the punch. Overall I really enjoy their sound a great deal. The force sensors are terrific. They are easy to find and require a normal squeeze to function. This is so much better than tapping on previous AirPods.

Noise cancellation is legit. I had a TV on in the room next to my home office while I tested the AP and I could not hear it at all with NC enabled. However, to my ears, bass takes a slight hit with NC enabled, so by default I will not enable it and only turn it on if I find myself in a situation where I need to block out more sound. (An especially noisy environment.) Transparency seems to work just fine too.

The AP case is slightly larger and heavier than the AirPods case, as I'm sure you all know. When turned to its side it is a little taller than the upright AirPods case however the width appears to be identical if not very close. I don't feel these two slight differences will be noticeable while carrying the AP in your front pocket if you are accustomed to the slightly smaller AirPods.

The medium default ear tips seem to fit my ears well and the ear tip fit test backed that up. As a previous Powerbeats3 and current Powerbeats Pro user I'm a big fan of silicone ear tips.

Compared to my AirPods, there are two places where the AP clearly shine brighter. The first is that the AP don't have that grill which is a magnet for ear wax. No more needing to grossly clean those weekly. More importantly, the AP sound noticeably better than the AirPods. This shouldn't surprise anyone given the fact that the silicone tips allow the sound to travel more directly into your ears. Less importantly the AP stems are also shorter than the AirPods, which for aesthetics alone is a win.

Compared to my Powerbeats Pro sound quality, I still give the edge to my Powerbeats however it's a lot closer than I expected, and that is saying a lot given the fact that I feel the Powerbeats sound amazing.

Moving forward I will be using the Powerbeats exclusively at the gym and for travel (their case is bulky and heavy). The AP will be for the times when I want to bring headphones with me somewhere and need a case that fits in my front pocket. I am selling my AirPods 2.0

There are three clear negatives to the AP. They only last 4.5 hours with NC enabled (and 5 with it off). If you are someone who wants/need to listen to your headphones for longer periods than that in one sitting, you need to look elsewhere. (In comparison, my Powerbeats last 9 hours with one charge.) Also the continued lack of volume control is very frustrating here. Yes you can use an Apple Watch if you have one (still not ideal) or reach into your pocket and press the sides of your iPhone. However if you could simply swipe up and down on the stems to control the volume that would be best. I'm assuming this feature will appear in a future AirPod model. The last clear con is the lack of color options. I understand why Apple might stick with white only, but consumers are begging for black and other options.

Overall I love the AP from the limited time I've had them. I still prefer the Powerbeats for the gym and long distance travel, but the AP are terrific in all other scenarios.
How is the microphone quality? Did you make any phone calls and compare with your other devices? Thanks.
 

Herrpod

macrumors 6502a
May 29, 2019
998
1,974
Compared to my regular AirPods the Pros are a step-down in the following categories:
1 - volume
2 - comfort
3 - voice clarity
4 - price (obviously)

In short, they're not worth it at that price. I'm returning mine and putting that money towards a pair of Beats Solo Pro and also keeping my original Airpods.
 

blairh

macrumors 603
Original poster
Dec 11, 2007
5,825
4,081
I've decided to return the APP. None of the tips fit as comfortably as the Powerbeats Pro. And the PP have better sound and dedicated volume rockers. Will instead keep and use my AirPods 2.0 for casual use. I still recommend the APP over the AirPods w/the wireless charging case. It's a little harder of a decision if you get the cheaper 2.0's vs the APP because it's like half the price and it depends how much you care about plugging in to charge or not.
 

ZoroastrianChemist

macrumors member
Sep 15, 2017
33
21
It was pretty insane trying them on, I bought my APP from the mall and so I tried them on there and the entire mall just went on mute. I didn't even have music playing, all the noise just stopped like I had lost all hearing in my ears until I played some music. I work in an open office so the NC is very helpful because I don't have to have insanely loud volume to drown out the nerf gun wars and chatter. I also use the entire apple eco system, so having only two wireless competitors with NC, the APP and Sony1k, the APP is just the best decision right now for me. I'd be open to trying out new wireless NC earphones if they get some great reviews and have better sound, but for work and convenience I will definitely just stick to the APP over airpods any day simply for NC.
 

Dr Yueh

macrumors newbie
Mar 29, 2010
8
0
I´ve had my PBP and have used them on a daily basis. I bought them to use them at they gym, and overall i´m quite pleased.
BUT, i just can´t sen to find a proper fit. No matter wich bud I use they just don´t go deep enough. I must twist them back hard, but after a while they pop out a millimeter or two. Quite irritating as I loose most of the bass.

Anyone here who knows if there are alternative buds to buy?

Cheers.
 

blairh

macrumors 603
Original poster
Dec 11, 2007
5,825
4,081
I´ve had my PBP and have used them on a daily basis. I bought them to use them at they gym, and overall i´m quite pleased.
BUT, i just can´t sen to find a proper fit. No matter wich bud I use they just don´t go deep enough. I must twist them back hard, but after a while they pop out a millimeter or two. Quite irritating as I loose most of the bass.

Anyone here who knows if there are alternative buds to buy?

Cheers.
Comply offers options. Just search for PBP on their site.
 

jbeetsch

macrumors newbie
Nov 12, 2019
1
1
Hi there, i just received new Airpods pro and i want to share my feedback here. I run around 30km per week and until now I was using standard Airpods and i was overall very satisfied as they fit even in extreme conditions like wind and rain. The worse it can happen is that they moved during the run because of the sweat - but overall it was good and i seriously did not expect to use it that much. Of course, on the long run - after 2 years of usage - the audio quality got impacted (most likely because of humidity and sweat). So when i saw that Airpods pro could really be the best choice for sport and running, also waterproofed, i went for it. Also looking at all online reviews, it was almost impossible to find a negative or constructive review.

Here's the summary:

Positive
- Sound cancelling and the various new modes like transparency.
- Design - they look great.

Negative
- Bigger box, overall more difficult to take them out of the box
- You definitely feel that there is something in your ears...it does not fit great. When i was sitting on sofa, no problem at all...but then when i went running, was a different story: first time that i ever have Airpods dropping on the floor while running. Never happened before. So then I tried all different size of silicon tips and they all have the same problems (to me). Maybe my ears are not made for such design. I kept putting them back in the right position during the run, like every minute or so. By doing so, of course you get the music stopping and it won't start again, and you need to get your phone out... Because of the sweat (after 5-10km), it starts to be unmanageable...they move all the time and there is noise in my ears because the silicon plugs moving.

Overall...I am now thinking of getting back to standard Airpods as it seems that i am not made for such in-ear headphones with silicon tips unfortunately. Not sure if the same happened to others, but if you had some issues in the past with such similar "in-ear" design...and you plan to use it for running or fitness...then think twice.
 
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CarlJ

macrumors 604
Feb 23, 2004
6,971
12,133
San Diego, CA, USA
Also looking at all online reviews, it was almost impossible to find a negative or constructive review.
...
- Bigger box, overall more difficult to take them out of the box
...
Overall...I am now thinking of getting back to standard Airpods as it seems that i am not made for such in-ear headphones with silicon tips unfortunately.
Hmm, I feel like I've seen plenty of negative or partially negative reviews in the forums here. I think what it comes down to is, ears vary from one person to the next quite a bit more than most people would realize, and these AirPods Pro, like the AirPods beefore them, fit some ears great, and others not so well. On the box, I was curious so I looked up the measurements - they're within a millimeter in two directions and the new one is about 5mm longer - a bit under a quarter inch - in the longest direction; but the box is turned sideways vs. the old one (I never had the old ones, wondered how much smaller the box was, was surprised to find... no so much).
 
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bigdog5142

macrumors 6502a
Jul 13, 2008
686
262
MI
I just got a pair of APP and I LOVE them. Total step up in EVERY way from the AP2 with wireless charging case. Better sound, the noise cancellation is awesome and the integration with iOS just puts them over the top. With the ease of charging, small case, etc...I love them. I expected not to...was trying them out expecting to return them because I loved my AP2...but my daughter got the AP2 and I'm keeping the APP.

I know there are better earbuds out there...but for me, I love these. I've tried the PBP's and I just can't get past the lack of wireless charging and the size of the case. I have a pair of Sony cans for full noise cancellation when I REALLY want to listen to music. The PBP's sound a BIT better than the APP, but for my purposes, the APP are exactly what I want.

...and that's why these threads are helpful...but they are everyone's opinion. Hope adding my $.02 helps someone with their decision. ?
 
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86Hawkeye

macrumors regular
Oct 6, 2016
147
83
Chicago, IL
I just got a pair of APP and I LOVE them. Total step up in EVERY way from the AP2 with wireless charging case. Better sound, the noise cancellation is awesome and the integration with iOS just puts them over the top. With the ease of charging, small case, etc...I love them. I expected not to...was trying them out expecting to return them because I loved my AP2...but my daughter got the AP2 and I'm keeping the APP.

I know there are better earbuds out there...but for me, I love these. I've tried the PBP's and I just can't get past the lack of wireless charging and the size of the case. I have a pair of Sony cans for full noise cancellation when I REALLY want to listen to music. The PBP's sound a BIT better than the APP, but for my purposes, the APP are exactly what I want.

...and that's why these threads are helpful...but they are everyone's opinion. Hope adding my $.02 helps someone with their decision. ?

I really like the APPs too, it's just that this failed ear tip fit test situation after a few days of using is a bit troubling. And new tips don't seem to solve it, which tends to point to some sort of hardware design issue.
 

Otflyer

macrumors 65816
Nov 14, 2017
1,474
999
SF Bay Area
I really like the APPs too, it's just that this failed ear tip fit test situation after a few days of using is a bit troubling. And new tips don't seem to solve it, which tends to point to some sort of hardware design issue.
This bothers me too. Though they fail the seal test I don’t notice a difference in sound or noise cancelling from when they did pass the test. My concern is that it’s a hardware issue that might get worse. I bought AppleCare+ just in case.
 

golftime

macrumors member
Feb 9, 2013
77
98
Northeast
Recently upgraded from Bose QuietControl 30 earbuds to APPs. I'm not normally a Bose fan but their earbuds are generally comfortable and very listenable and I wanted the noise cancelling for flights. I recently had a chance to do some A-B comparisons between the two.

The Bose are super comfortable, however the collar tends to turn on the neck which can be annoying. In comparison, I find the APPs to be very comfortable and have not experienced any problems with them falling out. Sound wise, I knew the Bose were a bit heavy on the bass, but I didn't realize how muddy the bass was until I got the APPs. After reading a bunch of APP reviews, I was concerned the bass would be lacking, which would have been a dealbreaker for me. I did not find that to be the case at all. Keeping in mind you need a good seal with the APPs, I found the bass to be excellent - clean and deep and present when it is supposed to be, and with no hints of muddiness, just clean and solid. Mids on both the APPs and Bose were excellent. I gave a slight edge in high frequencies to the APPs which sound slightly more airy and clean than the Bose, which to me tail off a bit early.

As far as noise cancelling, I give a slight edge to the Bose. I am not sure if it is because of a better seal against the ear or if Bose actually cancels noise better, but APPs are just slightly less effective. I haven't been on a flight yet but have one coming up in about a month so I will get a chance to see if it makes a difference in real world use.

As far as user friendliness, the battery time on the APPs is less, but when you add in the benefits of the case the difference is minimal. More importantly, the APPs are small and take up much less room than the Bose. So all in all, I give the APPs the clear win over the Bose. I understand Bose will be releasing a new version after the new year so this could change again. And of course, YMMV.
 

Average Pro

macrumors 6502
Jul 16, 2013
468
187
Cali
Just received mine today. WOW! What a world of difference. When I first put them in and the noise cancelling kicked in, I thought my hard drive arrays lost power because I could not hear them anymore. I absolutely love these and do not regret paying for them.
 
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Elektrofone

macrumors 65816
Jul 5, 2010
1,032
482
Great if you can get a good seal. I've now had 4 different pairs of Airpods Pro so far as I've had issues with the seal and ANC stopping working, however the latest pair I'm on seem to be solid. I love the noise cancelling and the fit is pretty comfortable although the regular Airpods were less fussy.
 
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