Apple - AirPods 2

I’ve had 5 pairs of the Gen 2s and not ONCE have they ever slipped out of my ears. I bought the Gen 3s last year and the fitment sucked so bad I gave them to my girlfriend.

I still have AirPods 2 and I tried the pro 2’s last year but ended up giving them to my son. I like buds that I just pop in and sit in my ear. I had og AirPods and loved them. I need to try on the 4’s and see how they fit to consider a purchase.

Pros sound better I have them and don’t use them much (sometimes when I’m outside for an hour or two). I just hate the feeling with silicone tips inside my ears (tried different brands and it was the same or worse). I loved AirPods 2,3 and now just bought 4s with ANC (actually haven’t unpacked yet). I also really like Samsung LiveBuds - I think those are much better than people say.

I finally decided to get a pair of Bose quiet comfort earbuds. They initially worked for like 30 minutes and then stopped working. I’ve sent them back today. People may not like to hear this but if you have an iPhone, the best earbuds are the AirPods second generation.

Horrendous price.

I have the XM4s, XM6s arriving next week. Also have the AirPods 2. XM4s work solid for me for traveling, you do not want those AirPods to drop somewhere you cannot reach. I do my conference calls on AirPods as they seem clearer but looking forward to the XM6s which should be as good or better. I wear AirPods in the gym

I have owned AirPods 2, Pro and Pro 2. The Pro 2 blew every other pair of earbuds out of the water. The ANC alone is so good it’s kinda crazy. In terms of comfort, I prefer the structure of the Pros to the regulars but that’s just me and can vary. But if audio quality or ANC are major factors for you, it should be a no-brainer to pick the Pro 2. One tiny thing - I’ve heard rumors that Pro 3 might be coming out sometime this year.

How does she wear them? I have a similar problem, only the airpods2 fit my ears (and the buds live) and I just got my buds3 and they fall out immediately, fit like the airpods3 instead 😭

I’ve tried every version of the AirPods and AirPods Pros and still use the v2 for this reason. I can’t understand anyone preferring the squeeze gesture over a simple tap.

I've had no issues with the standard AirPods with a double conch in one ear and a daith on the other. All are fully healed though. I did have an over the ear type of wireless headphones too that were helpful before getting AirPods.

Air pods 2, the shorter ones w the gels, i love at the gym. I have an android phone

I keep buying the old gen 2 air pods, they were the last model that had the tap to pause/skip/etc. before they switched to a physical squeeze thing. It’s so easy to do while running and works every time I also like that they aren’t sealed off buds and aren’t noise cancelling, I like being able to hear my environment if music is down low enough

Really? Like just the buds……. Without charging the case?

Really!?!? That’s crazy I have 2nd gen? I think? And I get about 4 hours well maybe more like 6 I think phone calls drain out quicker but still. That’s nuts

For me Bose and Apple AirPods is good

i have the non anc gen 4 and to be honest the improvement from the gen 2 that i was previously using is massive and they also do naturally have a more sort of noise cancelling feel to them i find but that may just be me, for the price i couldn't fault them one bit and would say they are worth it but i would definitely consider the extra $50 for the anc now that i know how good they are

Airpods 2nd gen, using since 2019. I love their design the most

I just got the 4s with ANC - my gen 2s are still working perfectly so (disregarding all of the new and very cool features with the 4s), I am currently switching them back and forth while playing music to compare only the sound quality. With everything set to default, the sound isn't much different (not a bad thing) however, I am pretty sure the bass is stronger on my gen 2s which is just a tad disappointing. The 4s are crisper and seem to be missing a tiny bit of bass... I have not tried the pros 2 but I am considering switching these out for a pair of pros only because of the lack of bass. How do the pros sound in terms of tone/bass?

I had the 4s with ANC for about a week. They sound great and the noise canceling is pretty cool considering the pods are just plastic and technically don't seal around your ear canal opening. However, because there is no seal, the noise canceling starts to act up during certain activities like driving on a bumpy road (which is something I do a lot). I also still have a perfectly good pair of AirPods (2nd generation). I compared the 4s with the 2nd gen and the sound quality is different but I can't decide if it's any better. The 2nd gen clearly has more bass but the 4s are a bit clearer. I eventually returned the 4s for the Pros 2 which sound better, are bass-ier, and clearer than both the 2nd gen and 4. And, because of the silicon tips, the ANC is much more accurate and consistent.

I have no problem w/ Gen 2 airpods but everyone's ears are different. They get rained on all the time without issue. I avoid anything noise canceling for safety and consideration of others on the trail. Really curious about the bone conduction headphones. I'm mostly listening to audiobooks so dunno if they'd be loud enough.

No newer pairs work good on teams. I’m on my 5th pair of Gen 2’s currently.

This answer truly depends on what type of headphones you like/want. For me I do not want the type of tips that are shoved in my ear like the Pros are. I really like the regular AirPods because they sit just outside/ slightly inside my ears. Even though people rave about the Pros I will never get them for as long as they have that type of ear bud/tip.

Depends on what type of headphones you are looking for. A lot of people will say the AirPod pro 2 are the best. But personally I will never get them to replace my AirPods 2 because I do not like the in ear aspect of the pros. My next set will be the AirPods 4 or whatever is current when my 2s die.

I am always shocked that this isn’t the answer everyone gives. They are relatively cheap, always work, IMO have as good if not the best sound for non bone conduction. I have had many pairs over the last decade: Jabras, Bose, cheap-os, JBL, etc, and all of them have lack one feature or another. If you are using them with an iPhone or Apple Watch I don’t think you can beat the Gen 2 plain earbuds. I am a heavy sweater as well, so on long runs I try to member to have even a wipe down with a damp cloth and leave them out to dry before putting them back in the case. I can get a year+ out of them no problem.

I should add, I can’t count the number of times I stood there waiting to start my run and not having my Jabras pair with my phone. Absolutely the most infuriating thing.

Unfortunately, my 2nd gen airpods can’t hold a charge for long runs anymore, so I just got bmani wireless headphones with ear hooks and they’re awesome. Currently $27 on amazon and there’s a QR code that lets you sign up for a life time warranty. Before that I got JBL endurance peak 3’s and TWICE they broke down on me and I paid probably triple the price. I just feel that with running headphones they get beat up so much by sweat that I’m not willing to spend top dollar anymore. Just give me something that stays put, sounds good, and can hold a charge. Highly recommend those bmani’s (so far).

So i realized i got Buds3 (Regular) ones earlier than global release and there are not much info about them so i had to make this post but most importantly this is for guys and gals that can NOT wear earphones with silicon tips and had problems with others before. I insta bought this for my GF who has massive issues with earphones and ONLY Airpods2 fit her ears before and by only i mean i bought and returned shit ton of earphones and just gaveup till this one. and it works best since i also made her to switch to Samsung ecosystem and only thing that was left was the earphones. The earphones before these that we tested were: Samsung: Galaxy Buds Pro, Galaxy Buds Pro2 and the AKG wired one Apple: Airpods 2, Airpods 3, Airpods pro Soundpeats: Soundpeats Air 3, Soundpeats Air 4 Anker Soundcore: Liberty 3 Pro with wingtips +Other generic stuff that i don't remmber Fit wise ONLY Airpods2 worked for her and researching this topic got me through numerous other posts that i saw that it's common as well. Others like Airpods3 and Soundpeats fit inside her ear easily but as soon as she walked or talked it fell off. It's so light and comfy according to her (I don't like this formfactor) and it stays there even if she runs or chews like crazy! So if you have this problem rest assured that you're saved with Buds3. What makes this unique though it's the fact that it has ANC despite not sealed inside your ear canal and it worked much better than Soundpeats Air 4 that i got couple of weeks ago and the ANC on that one was almost non-existence. It cancels out quieter noises (like air conditioner/ air purifier that i got in home) with ease even without music and for crowded places or airplanes i have yet to try it out but with music and traffic it was almost silent. So i would place it just a tad bit below Buds2 Pro in that regard. Sound quality wise since again it doesn't go INSIDE your ear canals it's not in the same level as Buds2 Pro but it's much better than Airpods 2 even in Spotify and using Hi-Fi music in platforms like Amazon/Apple/Qobuz/Tidal it makes it sound even better than Airpods 3. For extended sound quality/ EQs and different music Genres i have to test it out more but so far it looks like the perfect earphones that i wanted samsung to do for ages.i'll update this post soon. I've also ordered Buds3 Pro and that one is still yet to be shipped and i'm skeptical to keep or not since i got an over the ear headphones for my self and might just stick to Buds2pro but if i get that i'll update the post as well.

Comfort - the regular 2s and 3s are my favourite earbuds ever because they don’t even feel like I’m wearing earbuds at all, with the trade off of being able to hear everything around me. The silicone tips of the pros never fit me well and I don’t like feeling them in my ear.

Thanks for review. Could you make a photo with size comparison of earphones from airpods 2 and buds 3? I have the same porblem. Only airpods 2 suits me

AirPods 4 slides out of my right ear. Left ear is ok. However no comparison to 2 which sit in my ears perfectly!

AirPods 2 are only $10 more it seems like a no brainer

Yep. This is was the deciding factor for me. For only $10 more you get volume control (which I actually use more than I thought I would), better battery and better ANC.

Get the 2s unless you can’t handle silicon tips. Literally the only reason to not get the 2s

Oh I have to try the 4s in store. I only have the 2s cause the 3s didn’t fit in my ears as well. It’s funny because with the imagery I was thinking they were more closer shaped to the 3s!

İf you can use the silicon tips, pro2 absolutely. İ used airpods 1-2-3 and pro 2. Pro 2 is way better.

I know right. I bought them as an upgrade to Gen 2. Honestly the Gen 2 is far far better and I am feeling so bad of spending extra money to get something so cheap. Even one plus buds I tried is better than this. Airpods 4 suck with flat sound

I run with AirPods 2nd gen. Battery life ain’t amazing now but they don’t fall out. Do the job unless my runs are over 2h

I’ve dropped gen 1 & Gen 2s in toilet a few times each and they have survived, they are quite robust! Plus you will struggle to find an earbud with a similar IPX Rating.

Bought Airpods 4 (without noise cancelling) and msteams/webex audio is very, very low. Other windows sounds are fine. Took it to our corporate helpdesk & the guy was in disbelief he couldn't fix it, but he couldn't. * Airpods 4 (without noise cancelling) - not compatible * Airpods 4 (with noise cancelling) - ? * Airpods Pro 2 - ? I actually bought a refurb pair of Airpod 2's from Amazon & they're fine, but I hate myself for buying them (and for losing my old ones). Also hate the pros, I don't like that rubber thing in my ear. So I guess my question is do new Airpods 4 (with noise cancelling) work well with msteams? I get this is a driver issue, so it'll probably be fixed later but I don't want to assume that.

Airpod 2s (the ones with the long stem) work fine. I lost mine & as of now I own a new refurbished pair, just so they'll connect to teams. Kinda hate myself for buying them, it's for work & I'm paying. Work will only pay for a wired Jabra.

Sigh. OK, I guess I'll keep my refurbished Gen 2's. I think I overpaid for them because of this issue TBQH - there's a limited supply & sounds like they're the only airpod's that'll work with teams.

Mine keep falling out, unfortunately 😔 Gen 2 are the only earbuds I've ever found that stay in my ears.

I downgraded from the AirPod pros to the 2nd gen air pod because of the stupid tips. Likely just me being too used to the wired headphones that used to come with the iPhones, but the tips just didn’t feel as good. I’m hoping the 4s will resemble the same fit and feel as the 1st and 2nd gen AirPods

Disagree. Gen 1 was amazing, it’s just that gen 2 is even better it pales in comparison. Both are incredible and can’t imagine brtter headphones.

I use 2nd gen Apple Airpods. Tried 3rd gen, but didn’t fit as well so went back to 2nd gen

Apple AirPods 2 have worked flawlessly with my 965. Actually work better than with my AWU2.

I use my gen 2 airpods and my beats buds. Haven’t noticed any issues with latency.

Hey i was in the same boat as you. I currently still use Airpods 2nd Gen as they were the best fit for my ears. I also have Airpods Pro 2 which the XS tip works well for me. And i also have Airpods 4 which is a better fit compared go 3’s but still not as good as the 2’s. But definitely audio quality is superb on the 4’s.

I have the wired Earpods, an Airpods 2, an Airpods 4 ANC and now the new Powerbeats Pro 2. From all of them, the Powerbeats Pro 2 sounds the worst. I have small ears, I tried out at least 25 several wireless earbuds within 1,5 years, only the Airpods 2 stays in my ear, and the new Airpods 4. I hate and can’t wear eartips. I think the poor sound quality of the PBP2 is becuse of the eartips. I have small ears, but the Sound Test says, I have a good seal only with the XL sized tip. Weird. The PBP2 should be pushed deep into the ear canal for better sound quality, but the width of the tips doesn’t allow this. So that’s why the sound quality is and will be trash - in my opinion. All earbuds I own sound better than the PBP2. The Airpods 4 ANC is the best, Earpods is 2nd, Airpods 2 is 3rd for me. But also a simple 12$ Redmi Buds 6 Active sounds better. Really.

AirPods 2, 3 and Pro are fine for some use. Especially on apple devices but latency can hurt in quick games AirPods Pro 2 (and probably AirPods 4) have nonexistent latency. Even on Steam Deck or Switch

Regular AirPods 2 lmao they work well, but I kinda want newer ones.

yes it does. As an autistici individual airpods 2 are life savers. The noise cancelling is good when you need it but the most impressive thing to me is the transparency. I HATE having stuff in my ears which is why i hate using earplugs. But with the airpods transparecy mode is so good i can actuallly hear myself and everything like i don't have them on and you don't feel the pressure on your ears at all it's like you don't have them in at all. it is actually really incredible

I understand people talking about the aversion to having their ears plugged by the silicon tips and you do not understand just how much I understand that yeah i have that aversion too. And transparecy mode just... fixes that completely and in fact i can't go back to regular earpods cuz that feels a lot more blocking and weird and off than transparecy mode. It's super clear if i like, forget to charge them and one runs out (tho they last so long it's not really an issue) and suddenly it's like AH SOMETHIN'S IN MA EAR. seriously transparecy is great. I hope more companies start to lean into it.

AirPods 2 are great because of how interconnected they are with the ecosystem. Easy to find if lost, etc.

The airpods 2 is great, but yes the Sony WF-100XM5 is a beast also

It’s bizarre, I’ve had tons of earbuds in the past with in ear tips, and never had a problem. For 6 months I used the 1st gen AirPods Pro, and adored them. Then, after I had a separate issue, had Apple care replacements sent. I’m sure it is a coincidence of timing, but right around that time, I started getting major irritation in my ears from them. I tried different tip sizes, at least four different brands of alternative silicone, memory foam tips, and even attempted covers for the plastic parts of the buds. Nothing helped, except for abstaining from using them. I would go two month without them, and then try again, and if I used them (or any in ear buds in fact), now for more than 15 minutes, my inner ears get extremely itchy, sometimes including gross discharge, etc. I’ve been to an ENT, who said there was no issue with my ears themselves, simply a skin irritation in the ear canal. My presumption is that something just clicked with my extended AirPods use to trigger a mild allergy, OR, the environment inside my ear canal has changed slightly with age. Either way, I have to accept that this is likely the new normal, and my choices are either over ears, open ear buds like these, or the kind that clip to the top of the ear. I have since switched to the Max, which I love, and have always preferred over ears anyway. However, there is a convenience factor to using ear buds for phone calls, exercise, etc, that I really miss. I have used my wife’s 2nd gen AirPods, and don’t have any problem with them, except that they sound a bit dinky. The fact that these have head tracking and transparency mode has me sold to finally grab them in the near future, so that I have earbuds to grab in a pinch for convenience.

I bought an airpods 2 for rm280 on carousell full with receipt and serial number verified on my macbook. Maybe you can look there for good deals.

I switched to pro (gen 1) from the gen1 when they came out. I used them for a few months (during that time I had one bud changed at a service due to something stuck in the external mic causing the transparency/anc to not work well) and hated them: it is impossible to use them for 2+ hours straight because my inner (is that the right term?) ears were sweating like hell. I couldn’t exercise while using them - again because of the sweating, they would literally pop out (I even thought I lost them once on a bike ride - they popped out in the woods on a bump and I spent a few minutes looking for them). So when I swapped out the faulty one, I immediately sold them for the exact money to buy the ‘original’ form factor gen2 with wireless charging case, and have been happy for the last 2 (3?) years. Unfortunately now my gen2 have started to misbehave (accidentally lost audio in one of them) + battery issues (1-1.5 audios, 40 minutes top for calls) so I’m looking forward to buying the ap4 but want to see reviews (unfortunately where I live I can’t try it out to see how it fits + I haven’t decided if it’s worth paying 50 extra for anc (but I was completely happy with how it worked on the ap pro gen1, so if it’s on the same level - I’d be more than happy to pay little(or not so much=) for that feature) PS:I was almost ready to buy a second pair of the gen2 a few weeks ago, but unfortunately they only have the lightning version (no wireless charging) and that’s kind of a dealbreaker for me (I’m so used to wireless charging that I wouldn’t even consider going back to lightning) PPS:no magnets/magsafe support (or whatever it’s called) in the ap4 case is just a bummer :( I’ve seen how it works on the ap pro2 + watch charger and I really liked it PPPS:plus f***ing "landscape" case I hate it sooooo much zippo-like gen1/gen2 is way better=) edit: ppps added

I use AirPods 2 all the time with Teams and a Macbook. No problems. Tell us more about your setup

Does the transparency mode help you hear yourself? I mainly use my AirPods for phone calls. When I tried some other earbuds they all had the tips and when I talked I did not like how I felt like I was yelling or I sounded muted. That is the main reason I did not go with any buds with silicon tips. I love how the Airpods 2 just sit in my ear. I can hear people fine and I do not sounds soft/muted. I also find them extremely comfortable.

My OGs aren’t doing so well, so I bought the Pro 2. They wouldn’t stay in my ears for shit. Tried every tip size. No go. Gave them to my wife, and I bought the 4. Still won’t stay in my ears. Just returned those. The OGs are the best. I took my wife’s 2nd gen that are very much like the OGs. They fit fine and never all out. I do miss all the features the Pro 2 offers. I hope Apple makes the original design with all the Pro 2 features.

Thanks for the comment! Sound is important, but I’m also not exactly an audiophile or anything. I have the AirPods 2 right now and was looking for an upgrade, and love the way the AirPods are wireless buds that can connect to all my Apple devices. Is there another brand of AirPod-style phones you can recommend that have reasonably better sound quality and have the convenience of being wireless buds? (Note: nothing that goes IN my ear, I’ve tried the AirPods Pro and hated them.) Thank you!

Honestly just want to know how they sound vs the Airpods 2nd Gen, thinking about upgrading but don't want to go backwards in terms of sound quality

Nice! I did actually like my 2nds more than the 3rds in terms of sound but I will likely order the buds 3 when I have the money

Nice! I did actually like my 2nds more than the 3rds in terms of sound but I will likely order the buds 3 when I have the money

I got a new iPad Pro (and new pencil, case, and screen protector) at the same time, so any amount of savings is much appreciated. I had AirPod 2nd gen that were finally giving me battery issues so was thinking of upgrading them. I wasn’t looking for much, so when I saw the AirPod 4 with ANC, it seemed like the perfect upgrade. I also didn’t love the Pro 2s the few times I’ve worn them. So I wasn’t dying to get them and I have over-ear NC headphones for the heavy lifting. My AirPods are more for light use and I like the looser fit as a break for my ears and not being so closed in. The ANC on them is better than my 2nd gen AirPods, so that’s enough for me. I’m not trying to compare them to other options that have a proper seal.

4s because 2s cloged effect and uncomfortable while walking, eating,…

>So do you think your usual music fan wants "better" headphones, or do we just want bass for our face? Not OP, obviously, but I suspect it's the latter for the average customer. I just recently got my third set of headphones (Anker Soundcore A40) that had customer reviews complaining about a lack of bass, and they've got _tons_ of low end and it's actually quite punchy. It just isn't massively artificially boosted, which is what I think a lot of people actually want. Not that there's anything wrong with that, it's just different tastes. I returned a set of second generation AirPods because I thought they sounded way too cheap for the price, and one of my big complaints was that the low end seemed overwhelmingly boosted and just made everything sound muddy. Then I see reviews complaining that the low end was rolled off too much and it just confuses me. I _wish_ the low end had been rolled off! These $50 Ankers _sound_ more expensive to my ear, partly because the bass is present and plentiful, but they're reasonably accurate overall so I can still hear individual notes in the bass and make out instrument layers that would otherwise be obscured by more bass heavy but less accurate headphones. And there are some tracks that almost give me a headache with how heavy the bass is. And that's not to say that the quality is mind blowing, they're still just $50 headphones. My Sony 7506s definitely sound better to me, even for casual listening despite them being monitoring headphones. My old Sennheiser HD 439s sounded even better when they were new (although they had the same complaints about not having enough bass... they had enough to shake my teeth though), but they're old and stretched out now so they don't clamp hard enough to sound like they used to. I've learned that when I see reviews saying there's not enough bass, it _probably_ has plenty of bass... for _me_. I think some of us prefer accuracy (which probably sounds snobbish sometimes), while some just want their face melted by bass.

He mentioned that the 3s were a decent step up from the 2s, so for anyone who has used both, how much of an improvement was there between generations? I sent a pair of 2nd Gen Airpods back to Amazon a couple months ago because I thought they sounded cheap. If they had been $40 I would've felt like I was just paying for the wireless convenience, but for the $90 I spent I felt like I got ripped off on the sound quality. I did also have the issue that Marques mentioned wherein they just wouldn't stay in my ears. The right one especially would just fall out after a couple minutes, even if I was sitting still. I'm sure that's just a "my ears" thing, and not the fault of the Airpods themselves though. Were the 3s, and now presumably the 4s such a huge step up in sound quality or did I just get a bad set or something?

In ear earbuds with rubber tips never stay in my ears; only Apple’s earbuds (original wired EarPods, AirPods 1st generation and 2nd generation so far) have ever stayed in my ears

I have AirPods 2, AirPods Pro and Max. AirPod pros get the most use and work really well for just about everything. Super quiet and comfortable.

Second this- I haven’t found anything else that fits comfortably and stays in as well as these.

I have a pro 2, and I like it. I also have a regular 2, and I like that too sometimes. I didn’t really like my pro 2’s at first before I EQ’d it, but after I did that by adding a custom audiogram, I followed a redditors EQ graph and now I’ve fallen in love with them again.

Just get AirPods, if you don’t want top of the line get AirPods 2 or 3’s (just make sure you have a lightening cable with them)

Just get AirPods, if you don’t want top of the line get AirPods 2 or 3’s (just make sure you have a lightening cable with them)

I’ve been using the second gen for years and they’ve never fell out of my ears. Not even during long jogs. My guess is they fit many other people just as well since they continued to sell Gen 2 throughout the whole production of Gen 3

I've been using the apple airpod 2nd gen. Are these similar shape?

I’m not a fan of the rubber tips. For this reason, the airpods (2nd gen) have been great for me. Got them in 2018 and they’re half dead now but they’re still amazing

I don’t have the Bose earbuds (only headphones) so I can’t speak for those, but I do have the Apple AirPods 2. They are great for listening to music especially if you are using other apple products like the iPhone and Mac. If you are using them on non-apple products, I personally have noticed a difference in sound quality especially on computers, there is slightly more static noise and it’s not as clear. As for phone calls, people who call me say they sometimes hear a really loud screeching sound before connecting and I have had several instances of it not connecting completely and the other person not being able to hear me talk. So for call I just disconnect them. Again this is only speaking for the AirPods! Hope this helps a little bit.

I use the AirPods 2 but I bought my wife the AirPods 4 with NC. I like mine but they’re obv older. Hers are awesome. Had it in medium volume and you can’t hear someone trying to talk to you in the same room

I ordered the 4’s with ANC even though I already have a pair of my pros 2 purely because I don’t like ear tips. I’ll still keep the pros for when the anc isn’t good enough on the 4’s (babies screaming their heads off on planes) but they won’t be used as much if the 4’s can deliver anc close to the 1st gen pros as I was using my AirPods 2nd gen so far more than my pros 2nd gen

In the same boat. My AirPods ended up with that static situation in one headphone and now I don’t want to buy new ones because they won’t replace them. I haven’t had any other headphones fit in my ear comfortably for a long period of time ex: 3 hour flights or longer) AirPods 2nd gen, sealed so nicely. I tried Marshall’s. But for just earplugs, try loop earplugs they are amazing! I took a nap in a hotel room while my husband did recruiting calls, and he’s a loud talker. But overall still trying to find an ANC headphone comfortable with inner ear piercings.

No, but mine are now 3 years old and still work like the day I got them!

To be fair I got the second gens right when they came out so this specific model hasn’t really been around long enough to be older than that. But I definitely get the sentiment here!

I was thinking the same thing.. My airpods 2 sounds SIGNIFICANTLY better. Deeper bass, and louder. Same settings for each.

oh yes, ive looked into them all. i liked my airpods 2nd gen for comfort and quality but they dont have anc nor do they do well if they were to get wet and they do not work well with my android (just recently switched from iphone) i think the bose quiet comfort ultra would really be my only option since the QC2 are discontinued and im not comfortable buying from ebay. i prefer to buy from amazon since its easy to return if i dont like them. i just got the anker soundcore a40 2 days ago and they do not stay in my ear when i bend over or dont readjust after 5-10 minutes of wearing. the only good thing about them is the anc and bass quality. returning them due to the instability in my ear.. was really interested in sony but keep seeing nothing but bad reviews on their battery life and not getting a full charge.

I love podcasts and audiobooks while I trail run, ideally I’m getting out for 4 hours each on Sat and Sun. I have AirPods 2 for weekdays but they aren’t my favorite while running. The newer version of the Amazon Echo buds are perfect, they don’t create a seal so you can still hear everything around you. Good microphone so you can take calls. 4.5 - 5 hr battery life, water resistant. Best of all, they are $25. I use ear hooks to make sure that they stay put. Buds - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09JVCL7JR? Hooks - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09KRNF2D3/

Apple AirPods gen 2, haven’t found anything else comfortable or that stays in my ears when running.

Pro 2s weren’t comfortable, hoping the ‘new’ shape of the 4s will be better otherwise they’ll be returned and I’ll continue with my 2s

Just got the 4’s, the 2’s fit a lot better unfortunately, rather disappointing. Hope il get used to it but they definitely are less secure in my ears than the 2’s are. Maybe we’re lucky & we’ll get AirPods SE with the old gen 1-2 shape.

I use Airpods I think gen2 and got them for 70€. Works quite well.

Finally a worthy upgrade to the gen 2's. Update: I wanted to write this after dailying them for the past 11 days. Ive been using them for everything including gym, bus, study etc. the noise cancelling is great and does a good job of blocking out most noise but leaves some which i guess is good for safety like crossing the street and stuff. What i will say is while the fit is quite good they do tend to wiggle around abit at the gym when sweat is involved, they havent fallen out yet but i do have to wipe them down frequently so they have more grip and dont just slide around. I didnt have to do this with the original airpods (airpods gen 2), they just stayed in for me no matter what.

I get a reaction to the plastic of the Pros that causes an infection since they extend into the more sensitive skin in the ear cannel. It is not the tips, but the hard plastic. I had a lot of ear problems till I figured it out. Even experimented some with new tips and even without tips. I don't have any issues with the standard models.

As I already stated I tried different tips. It was the first thing I tried when I finally figured out what was causing ear infections. I tried Comply Foam tips which I use on an old set of Sure wired IEMs which do not cause problems. They did not help with the Pros. I tried the Pros **with and with out tips** and even just the tips trying to narrow it down. It has to be some chemical used to make the hard plastic case of the Pros. Either the plastic used is different between the regular models and the Pros or its the Pros going deeper into the ear canal that causes my issues. My Doctor tells me the skin in the inner ear is more sensitive skin which may not like the Pros. Wearing the Pros for for as little as 15 minutes will cause fluids to drain for days. I have no issues with the standard models which I've been using every generations since they were announced. It is a shame since I did throughly enjoy the audio the Pros produced, they just don't like me.

I tried them in the store today. I’m currently on the AP2, which fit great in my ears. I bought the AP3 but they fell out of my ears constantly so I got rid of them within days. I’d say they feel a lot closer to AP1/2. I only tried them in the store for a couple of minutes though so not sure if I’d say they’re slightly better/worse or same. But they’re definitely a lot better than the AP3’s.

Nothing meaningfully BIFL. I travel a lot. I have two sets of Apple Gen 2 Airpods. I can switch between. I can use one set and switch from one side to the other and charge the offside in the case. I also carry wired buds. That's what I use on planes. Airpods can play from my iPhone, iPad, Android tablet, and Lenovo Windows tablet. I have older wired buds with 1/8" TRRS plug and a little adapter to Lightning. Someday I'll have to add USB-C. \*sigh\* I do have a Y-cord so I can charge my phone or Apple tablet and listen at the same time. IMHO, Apple was stupid to drop the headphone jack. They don't listen to me. I can charge everything off 220V 50 Hz, 117V 60 Hz, and 12VDC so plug in the wall and all auto/air. Remember to have your phone off and no buds in going through C&I anywhere.

I've looked into senhiser those are top quality. But I just use air pod 2s it blocks out my dogs barking and farts I think.

I've been using the Airpods2 with my Pixel-6A for the past 6 months and it's worked just fine.

I've been using the airpods 2 for the past six months and they definitely are a far looser fit. I could use the bigger tips but then they create a vaccum seal and I try to avoid that with ear buds. That said, I've gone on many long runs with the pods and it hasn't been a huge problem while moving. It's more so fallen out sometimes when lying down and watching something on my phone at an odd angle.

My Pro 2s won't stay in my ears. I've tried multiple sizes and brands of tips, none of the silicon tips work for me and I do not like memory foam tips. I "upgraded" from gen 2 Airpods and would take those back in a heartbeat, except I've been specifically waiting for the 4.

same here, returned gen 3 cause they fell out and bought gen 2.

Not to mention the 2nd Gen, it’s even better than the 3rd Gen, with much more firm bass and wider sound stage. If you are holding an Airpods 2nd Gen, I’m sure you’re cool with these

AirPods (2nd Gen) Fantastic for general use. My 1st Gen AirPods Pros used to be great but became defective and are now only saved for flights so the plain AirPods go everywhere instead

I’m happy with my AirPods 2nd gen that I bought over 2 years ago for half off so I’d go with the AirPods

Had airpods 2, today was my first training with airpods 4 anc. Everything sits in place. I don’t have pro version, because my ears don’t like that silicone thing. And i had jabra elite previously, and earbuds falled of during walking.

makes no sense, "latest model" lol, the airpods 2 are getting new groundbreaking software updates that doesnt even exist on the airpods 4, thats how new they are, yes you read that right, they got features and updates that dont even exist on airpods 4, if anything, the airpods 4 is like "older" than the airpods pro 2, +, they both have the same h2 chip in it, so you have been tricked by apple thinking its a new product, when its not, airpods 4 are literally 2-3 years old.

Memory foam tips are where it’s at. Way better at blocking out sound. Regular AirPods don’t fit my ears at all

I have/had several earbuds with silicon or foam tips: AirPods Pro 1&2, various Galaxy Buds, Pixel Buds Pro and the Sony WF-1000XM5. Some of theses are fantastic (especially the Sony XM5). But they all fall out and bother my ear canal. I've tried different sizes tips, Comply and other 3rd party tips nothing works. I wanted higher quality sound, but the AirPods 1 and 2 are the only ones that fit, didn't fall out and bother me. I never tried the AirPods 3, I'll try the 4s and hopefully they work like generations 1/2 did.

Every kind hurts my ears except AirPods. Not pros just the regular ones .

I know it’s not what you asked but apple airpods have lasted me over 3 years now whereas my partner spends £20 every few months for cheaper ones as they break. CEX and sales on.

For calls the AirPods are going to be your best bet. For calls I prefer the AirPods over the AirPod Pros. They are more comfortable over the course of a day as they let your ears breathe, and you can better regulate how loud you talk because you can hear yourself. I’ve had just about every version, plus Sony, Bose, and other, but I recommend the new AirPod 4 with noise cancelling.

airpods are good not gonna lie, both the regular and pros. good battery life, amazing connectivity to apple stuff while retaining good functionality with non apple stuff. noise cancelling is very good apple other beat and air pod max thingies?? not so much...

The standard AirPods don’t stay in mine either, the Pros do, though I do upgrade the tips to silicone

Same, except the in ear jelly type physically make my ears hurt. The regular AirPod design is the only type I can wear without pain

Nop - regular AirPods stayed in my ears all the time, my Pros fall out if I eat, laugh, or run.

I've experimented a bit and settled on Beats Fit Pro. They are compact, stay in my ears perfectly (even when I do acrobatics), they integrate nicely into either (iOS/Android) ecosystem, they have decent battery life and, most importantly, they use physical buttons. AirPods are hit and miss. For me AirPods Gen 1/ Gen 2 were the best and stayed in my ears better while running, while AirPods Pro were falling out eventually. I've tried adding silicone wingtips for both of them and while it solved the falling problem, it meant that I had to put those wingtips onto the AirPods every time (because they don't fit into the case) and carry them with me somehow (again, because they don't fit into the case).

I'm glad that apple never stopped making non-sealed earbuds. I have ANC buds (samsung and google) that I use only at work desk and on the plane, swapping so I can charge one while using the other. When out and about I'd rather trade audio quality for situational awareness, and Airpods are the best ones that don't use sealing eartips.

I absolutely hate the silicone tips on my pros. I bought comply tips and they are heaps better. But I still just prefer the fit and feel of regular AirPods. It’s my ear canals they are weird. So narrow and nothing ever fits properly. I hate it.

I was a big first/second gen person and these fit great. Better than third gen for fans of the original fit

Good timing on the question. all four family members in my house use Airpods. I had Gen2 Airpods up until last week when I had gotten my daughter the latest and greatest Gen4s (not the Pros and not the ones with noise cancelling) to replace her dead Gen1s. Okay, so here's the thing: 1. If you are a woman or someone with small ears, check the fit. My daughter and Wife both HATE the fit of the latest Airpods...they are apparently uncomfortable and don't fit well. However they fit me fine and are very comfortable. They also went to the Apple store to try on the Pros, and hated those even more. My wife actually gave my daughter her Gen1's to use, and now we are in search of replacements for my wife to use. 2. If fit is not the issue, then overall I like the Airpods for exercise. I run and work out with them, including with Apple Fitness. They're actually probably the best choice for AF+, because they quickly sync up to your device and/or your apple TV, and have other features like Siri integration. 3. I ended up trading in the new Gen4s to get the version WITH noise cancellation. I'm not sure how much of a fan I am of it. When ANC kicks on, if I don't have anything playing currently it feels like someone put my head inside a soundproof balloon. Also, while ANC works quite well, the tech is somewhat "reactive". The best example of this is when I tried them out while using a nail gun. The did nothing to cancel the sound of the shot from the gun, because it's an instantaneous, quick sound. They do, however, cancel out (mostly) the sound of the compressor. Overall, if they fit well I highly recommend them for exercise.

I use the non pro and they are kinda loose, however they don't hurt like others always did. I guess it is always a compromise.

Are you only using the Airpods Pro, or did you try the normal Airpods? Your post is unclear on this. If you have only used the Pro then the normal Airpods would probably be the simplest solution. A lot of people react badly to having their ear canal blocked. The normal Airpods don't create a seal, the Pros do. I have a set of Airpods (non-pro) specifically so I can avoid using IEMs too much. I also use flatheads a lot. If you think it's not the seal and is a problem with the plastic Apple is using, I'd recommend either the Yincrow Rhino (warm/bassy) or RW-2000 (bright-neutral) because those are made of metal. Also either of these sound better than the Airpods, as long as you don't care about wires (and they're cheaper too).

I rotate between 3: Shokz OpenRun for trail runs or other times I need to hear my surroundings Jaybird Tarahs are are my go-tos for when I want to jam out to music and don’t need to hear my surroundings AirPods (not pros) for short runs & when I’m traveling, because I prefer to bring fewer headphones & charger types

Ikr? It's one of the most GOATED normal Airpods generation ever

I tried apple airpod 2 after having beat fit pro and swear I couldn’t tell a sound quality difference,

the AAP2 have a newer chip, and everyone on here universally says the sound is way better , I think maybe my ears are just shot

I take the Eearpads out of my SandBox helmet cause who needs em and I use my Apple AirPod

Klipsch SF-2 in my living room. They are just entry level speakers but paired with a velodyne sub, are pretty rocking for music/TV/video games. AirPods for podcasts & music on the go.

All buds are basically throwaway products unfortunately, just the base airpods ive seen are always gunked up with earwax which is the cause of the volume decrease in my experience. The AirPods pro's I've had (Both gen 1 and gen 2) were great and long lasting products, they have filters over the eartips so its harder for wax to become an issue too. If that's too much or you want to try another brand, I've moved to OnePlus Buds 3 and Pro 3 and they have been excellent for much less money too

The case is ok, just get used to it, its just a matter of habit. I had all airpods models and buds pro2 and buds 3 (sometimes I like to go out or make zoom calls without rubber in ears)) I will put buds pro 2 on the first place in usability but they say buds pro 3 have better sound. buds 3 don't position well in ears, I like airpods nonPro more. The last place go to Airpods pro which I gave to one younger relative and he was happy.

AirPods non pro with the shorter stem. I can't use headphones with the rubber things that jam in your ear canal. I've never found a size that doesn't pop out or is uncomfortable. If Google made a Pixel Buds without the rubber thing that fit like the AirPods for me I'd be in.

I use AirPods Pro now and they do sometimes slip. But my previous non-pro AirPods stayed put and were much more snug.

airpods have always been the winner for me. they fit my ears well

Tbh i like the regular more. Currently have the pro but will prob switch back for my next pair

I use my AirPods without issue.

I also have the regular AirPods and they’ve been on several long runs, halfs, and a full. They fit my ears well and stay in.

I use AirPods lmao, I barely use headphones tho I basically only play totf2

I think ear fit would be the deciding factor here. The base AirPods fall out of my ears. I can't use them. The Pros with the tips, I slip in the Comply Foam ones, seals up nicely and stay in 99% of the time.

Pro 2 cuz i hate the AirPods with out an ear tips

Yeah. Airpods work with Android phones they just don't support all the features (they don't show battery %, no spatial audio, no Find My Device). Still mostly usable.

airpods is by far your best bet; worth the money, takes at least 3years to notice the battery degrade (assuming you use it everyday).

The NRR rating in AirPods is a relatively recent update as well so I think most people still aren’t aware because for years they didn’t have any official rating.

I got tired of my AirPods falling out so I've been bringing my bluetooth JBL speaker with me to the gym. No issues so far.

I have AirPods and the clear Beats. I just have to flap up my diath before putting in my bud.

The difference in quality between wireless JVC earbuds costing hundreds and the airpods are night and day. I'm no fan of Apple except for their wireless earbuds. I'm convinced they set the standard against the similarly priced wireless competition.

At my desk it’s either PreSonus Eris E5’s, or MDR-7506 cans. When I’m mobile/outside, basic old AirPods or a $30 Amazon special Bluetooth speaker.

I use AirPods because they’re tiny. They are very comfortable for me.

I use my airpods

This. I hated the silicone tips of APP. That’s why I just only get the Airpods

I had airpods, forgot them at home once so I bought skull candy sets for a similar price at the airport and I was pleasantly surprised

I got some replacement foam “buds” (?) for my AirPods and they don’t fall out anymore. Amazon find that has been well worth the $7.

With all my AirPods, AirPods Pro and the new AirPods Pro, there’s about a quarter second of latency, it has to do with Bluetooth not the devices, Bluetooth just doesn’t go fast enough So I’d keep looking for one with a usb c dongle

I do the exact same thing. No case. Bose over my neck and “spare” AirPods.

Have to say I agree. Had mine 4 years and they’ve been through the washing machine twice. I use them every day.

I don’t know, I have done maybe 6 races in the past couple of years and none of them forbade ear blocking ones. I like my air pods. Depend a on where you run.

M50x and AirPods

The only two you need, no question. And I have quite a few different headphones including some high end open backs.

wired ones are good cuz you can’t lose them on the bus. wireless are good but maybe don’t bring your best AirPods and get a cheaper pair for tour.

Me too. And I use Apple Airpods. $$$$$

Imo if you have an iphone, air pods are an easy rec sound good enough for the environment upu would be listening to wireless inears and have great anc.

The shockz are cool, but honestly - if you already have working headphones you probably don’t need another pair. Have you considered saving the money and just using a single AirPod so you can hear better? Ive had shockz before but currently just run with 1 AirPod in and can hear the environment sooooo well……better than when I was just using shockz

I had the jabra and move to AirPods. Like them better in every way.

I’ve used AirPods for 3 years now and I will say this While they work first, as your head/neck/face start to become sweaty so will your ears and holy is silicon really slippery on wet surfaces so they’ll move around and shift Also they aren’t technically rated for ear protection above 110 dBA. When driving at highway speeds, you have to increase the volume on your phone for sound to still be crisp and I have noticed my hearing has taken a slight toll due to that and I have started using the classic ol’ orange tips as a result that are rated for 32dB NRR since then

As long as you aren’t trying to record on-time, nothing wrong with wireless buds for production. I’ll use AirPods occasionally to cook up an idea, then use monitors to mix when I’m home. Whilst I would never recommend wireless for any sort of performance capture, do not shy away from using whatever tool is most convenient in the moment.

I have weird ears and I have to have silicone tips or they just fall right out. I use mine everyday for gym with no issues. I use AirPods Pro I am not sure if which model. You guys keep mentioning the Bose I’m curious now. I also use my AirPods when I ride. I have no issues with them under both my full face and my Bell Rouge music sounds great, I sort of “feel” my bike as much as hear it but the NC makes it so a nice ride. I forget how loud my bike really is sometimes

Very helpful! I can share the results of my own research, though I haven't yet purcahsed these. I think AirPods might be one of the better solutions for you. They have good sound quality and noise cancellation, but some people seem to complain that they don't fit or stay in well enough. They're lightweight and reliable, though, and the passthrough audio is supposed to be excellent which enables you to hear your surroundings if and when you need them.

Agreed ,i love mine. Feels like i’m playing video games on my airpods , and my friends say the mic is decent.

In my opinion, Bose earbuds sound quality are terrible on iPhones. Not sure why. But I noticed this a long time ago. They have better quality on Android products. If you have iPhone, AirPods are unfortunately the way to go

Like you, Airpods are probably the best for my ears.  Only buds that fit and sound good.  Would love. Would love the ANC feature. May take the risk and see if it works

If you have an iPhone, your best bet is definitely AirPods as much as I hate to say it. The simple reason being Apple likes to make it very difficult for non-Apple products to work with iPhones.

Airpods doesnt have the best from my testing, but it for sure is the most comfortable, since there is basically no pressure, and minimal white noise hiss. From my experience I'd say its most likely Bose, but overall airpods are still the nicest to wear

Lately I’ve been using Apple AirPods, but before that, I was a fan of the Jaybird brand.

Be careful with air pods and running. The ear pieces themselves have protection from sweat, but the copper conductors in the case easily corrode. Make sure the air pods are fully dry before putting them in the case.

If you have all apple stuff and don't plan to change that, then go airpods, it still has several downsides, but that's apple for you. Get the xm5 if you will use them with anything other than apple devices (laptop, work computer, game console, etc.)

I honestly just use my Apple AirPods and I haven’t noticed any problems. Dunno if I’d buy them just for steam deck though.

I love everything about them after losing my Pixel Buds Pro without being able to actually locate them using the location process. Same issue with Apple Airpods. The sound quality is great, they feel great in ear and don't feel like they are going to fall out. I can't stand the case, I want them in my pocket but don't want to have to have cargo pants to keep them on me. I can't have a case hanging off of my belt loop, working in construction and having a 3 year old makes this a non-option. Maybe I need to embrace the fanny pack lifestyle, or grab a man-purse for my headphones?

I use Apple AirPods with over the ear things they slide into. My tragus pushes one of my earbuds out.

AirPods or just my phone speaker when going around the house

Apple AirPods honestly work great for this

Hmm I’ve used it on both windows and Mac with success. Are you positive your sound settings are good? IIRC there’s some sound “enchantment” features in windows that makes it sound terrible. Might be worth playing around with those and audio settings in the video meetings apps. Cause even the most basic earbuds should sound fine

Their quality is good but I wish I’d gotten AirPods. Jabari’s don’t listen for hey siri And I use AI and Siri all the time

Apple airpods if you could ,i used both sony wf1000xm5 and senheiser m4 but airpods are best imo

I have JBLs that fall out all the time. Same with apple airpods. Looking into over the ear options. For running, i am thinking that 'open ear' is safer, esp bc i am running in the city. What ear buds do people like?

I was using an extra pair of AirPods that I eventually gifted my brother with, and bought a wired JBL Quantum 50C, given that sometimes I play my 3DS or Switch.

Same. Conch, rook, tragus. AirPods have been no issue.

I also sweat a lot and have been using AirPods , used them for a half marathon without issue. I’m not sure how running in heavy rain would affect them, but so far so good. The only thing I’ve noticed is you need to seat them completely in the case or one side won’t charge.

Airpods and Pro, Status Between Pro But I use Sony IER Z1R and a bluetooth tws module Fiio UTWS5

Same and for longer races I just swap one AirPod in ear and one AirPod in the case to charge. Works to keep the charge going for longer and keeps an ear free.

I’ve had some before they never really stayed in my ears before. Felt like I had to push them back in ever 10 seconds. And that was with the smallest tips on them. That’s really my only issue with AirPods

My AirPods died at mile 24 of my marathon last year. I got Shokz open run mini’s this year and have been thrilled with them. No more constant pushing the AirPod in to make sure it’s not going to fall out. Also more waterproof and WAY better battery life.

I know you said you wanted to buy some but I still wanted to point out If you already have airpods. Then save your money and use those. I was going to spend some money on earbuds but there is a plugin called magic pods on decky loader that lets you control pretty much everything about the air pods. You can set noise cancellation etc from the plugin as well .

I’ve used Apple AirPods and I’ve never experienced lag

More of just an fyi for those who need it… When using AirPods with the deck you have to completely disconnect them from your phone. I had continual issues with it dropping the sound until I figured this out.

Air pods work flawlessly with it! They swap over as smoothly as they do with Apple devices

Earplugs (good quality) + com. kit., the higher priced one have really good quality sound and you can ear it perfectly with your earplugs. Airpods will destroy your ears even more than just riding. You'll put them at full blast + the wind noise. It is asking to be deaf. You also have brand now that make earplugs with speaker Bluetooth. They cut up to 32dB. These are the same used by sound engineer at concert/festival. I don't remember the brand.

airpods if ur good at ur job ive been wearing airpods for 2 years now i just keep one in

If you want to be able to use the mic, no. When using AirPods if you enable the mic, it switches the headphones to a lower audio quality (I think for bandwidth reasons?). Whatever the reason, the game will immediately sound like its occurring on the other end of a phone call until you disable the mic again. Id deff look at a cheaper wired headset, can get ones used for work at like walmart for pretty cheap.

you can fix this by just disabling the AirPods mic or just go into settings and switch to MacBook input instead of AirPods, i find it works much better

latency got reduced in recent updates and gaming mode helps

Dude, Samsung galaxy buds 2 has a good rating doesn't mean every TWS is better than every wired iems. Compare prices, use logic. For eg i have Letshouer s12 n it sounds better than Airpods or xm5, n it certainly sounds better than Buds3. TWS have other feature like Noise Cancellation, bluetooth, battery, ambient mode etc.. but dont compare them for sound quality. Because most of them have small drivers. I knw Crinacle is legend n i have bought some of my gear based on his videos but still i would beg to differ atleast for my set of ears.

I just use AirPods with my phone or watch. Usually my phone so I can log my lifts too. That seems to be what everyone does at my gym, minus the logging.

Air pods are surprisingly good

My AirPods work fine with it. BUT I don’t know why my Sony WHXM3 headphones lose audio every 10 seconds, it’s unbearable to be honest. There might be other headphones that face the issue out there

airpods for me

Airpods work really well for me personally as well. I do have an external mic/dac on my personal pc setup which is hands down better, but for work the best thing is just avoiding background noise and providing a clear voice chat and airpods/teams do that fine together.

I just don't think I can go back to earbuds after using headphones. I have the Sony xm4s and whenever I use my airpods they seem so much worse in comparison.

I listen to books while I'm walking my dog, about an hour a day. Switched from AirPods to Shokz a few months ago and now can hear cars coming behind us.

If you’re connecting your earphones to your PC, use a HyperX headset. Great mic quality and comfy. If you’re dialing from your phone, use AirPods.

As a Casual? AirPods.

I also have never had any problems with AirPods, I have the pros

Best audio quality would be AKG N5005. No ANC but sounds great. When it comes to ANC, it’s hard to beat apple. AirPods are amazing at ANC

Very true. I watched loads of reviews saying that the normal AirPods were perfect for exercise and running but for me they constantly feel like they are about to fall out. I actually sleep with my AirPods in my ears and they are still there in the morning when I wake up. I guess a bit of trial and error to see which ones fit different people the best 👍

Airpods mics wear out pretty quickly and need to be replaced. I use a pair if JBLs right now with my phone, and plug in my apple wired headphone/mic on my laptop.

Is this a serious question? AirPods.

Significantly better. Airpods wouldnt be even remotely worth their price if they were just regular tws earbuds. Supermix 4 and a qudelix 5k. Shove that in your back pocket and run your iems down the back of your neck :)

Most audiophiles agree that airpods are the best value for 120 bucks

After my dog are multiple pairs of AirPods, I’ve gone with the Tozo NC9s. Because he has expensive taste, they haven’t been eaten and I find them ok value for money. They’re not as good as AirPods. AirPods either transparency mode is good for running, and ANC for your other use cases.

Beats is owned by Apple so they work just the same as AirPods. It depends on your budget and what you use them for mainly. If its for talking on the phone, interacting with sire, dictation and occasional music listening than AirPods is still the best bet because of the H chip in them. But if its primarily to listen to music and consume media, there are much better alternatives.

I absolutely have to use my AirPods. I get up and move around a lot in my office on calls, helps my back and keeps me awake, so I just can’t be chained to the laptop with wired headphones anymore. I’ve only had a couple days where calls have been extreme and they’ve died. On those days I was literally in calls from the moment my day started to the end, no lunch breaks and about two seconds of a bathroom break. If you keep your case charged, you can do one earphones in at a time so the other is always charged. I’ve fine this now when I have higher volume days.

I have a set, I use them sometimes but my AirPods are just better

depends on your needs. airpods are always the solid choice for an iphone. mic quality isn’t bad, it just suffers from what a lot of true wireless earbuds from. which is not having a mic directly facing your mouth. if you don’t mind wired i would go that route. especially if mic and audio quality is a top priority for you. i’d start with just the regular earpods. their cheap and in most stores.

I have never found a set of AirPods that stay in my ears. Half a mile of running maximum before they’re gone.

The difference is down to personal-preference, situation, and terminology. I use a pair of headphones with 'active noise-cancellation' and 'transparency mode'. They allow me to choose whether to eliminate (almost) all ambient noise around me, with or without listening to music or other media, OR to reduce the ambient noise and still hear if someone is trying to talk to me. I have found that using 'active noise-cancellation' helps me with other sensory issues (reduced pain sensitivity, anxiety, all probably related to the interplay of hyper-focus, monotropism, and interoceptive issues. Note, some 'active noise-cancellation' headphones will not stay on without an active media source. Try out the different types of noise-cancellation. SoundCore is a good entry point to try out the technologies at a lower price-point than the high-end stuff. I've tried out products from SoundCore, JBL, Beats, Apple, Sony, and Bose. For now, I've been very happy with my full-size over-the-ear Bose headphones for home use, and Apple AirPods for when I am out and about. I consider both therapeutic/assistive-devices for my sensory issues. To reiterate, I use my headphones in both your desired-use example (as quiet as possible), and in the case of a preferred sound/noise masking external noise/sound. I hope you find some relief.

So if they actually work I dont mind at investing because in the end I am making money with the earbuds. My current headset smooshes my glassed into my brain so... I need to change but apple airpods sounds like im in a wind tunnel no matter how quiet my office is.

No don’t get them they still have an issue when they don’t get charged for a while they can’t be charged and won’t work never been fixed just get AirPods

airpods have always worked for me - don't like the look of a massive headset when at this point in my career most of my calls are video calls

AirPods or SoundCore’s that give zero wireless latency

Take it your apple fan having there buds at top the only good thing about them is transparency not sound quality Samsung buds pro 2 sound way better than apple's plus bowers and Wilkins pi6 and pi8 even better sound quality again than this

It’s tough to say, because people have such different preferences. I LOVE my AirPods, because I think they sound great, they’re comfortable and connecting them to all my Apple devices was just so seamless. BUT, if I just want to close my eyes and listen to music, I prefer my Bose QuietComfort over ear headphones. They sound fantastic and are super duper comfy. And if I go for a run, I prefer using my Shokz Airs for the bone conduction/open ear style to keep my music going, while I’m audibly aware of my surroundings. A lot of folks here will have some awesome recommendations based upon their experiences and preferences.

AirPods have a great sound and with ANC that works as expected. The mic on the other hand, horrible. Every call I make, everyone tells me I sound muffled. Speakerphone mic is so much better. Because taking calls, zoom/team meetings, etc is so important to me, I’m about to try the Shokz Openrun 2 headset. It’s open ear with bone conduction, but mic is reported to be better, as recommended by my buddy at work.

I honestly cannot live without my AirPods. It’s the only thing that makes going out in public largely bearable anymore.

The bone conduction ear loops like the Shokz will work a lot better if you use wind blocking strips on your helmet straps. It’s also better for your hearing, wind noise can damage hearing over time especially if you hit high speeds descending. And you can hear cars coming behind you or team mates talking better as well. They do make you look a bit like a Fred, but they work! I wear them on solo rides when no one is looking 👀 Fred = noob cyclist aka googan for fishing, kook for surfing, etc [https://wind-blox.com/](https://wind-blox.com/) AirPods have better sound quality, but I place these aftermarket silicone sleeves over them that make them stay in my ear much better.

Lucky you. I have tried to take a call on my AirPods but the caller complains about wind noise, even with a buff pulled down over my ears. I have to stop cycling to continue the call.

It gonna lie, best noise cancelling is still air pods.

My AirPods work just fine. When they don’t I use wired Apple headphones.

i personally use cheap over the ear firearm ear muffs with a wireless earbud in one of my ears like this: https://www.amazon.com/Yewltvep-Shooting-protection-including-shooting/dp/B0BTLKN64N FWIW i use sony true wireless earbuds and have had good luck. use airpods if you have an iphone i wouldn't overthink it

Use AirPods and they sound terrible . The cheap Anker 4nc is even better, but still far from desirable, all reviews and tests say that Jabra is the best in your list, also Nothing is good choice, especially now as they are on sale.

I used both AirPods and an other brand (can’t find which one right now). Both lasted well through the night, but to be fair I usually only use them 5 hours max. My only problem is they hurt my ears, because the pillow pushes them too deep. Recommendations for a ‘shallow’ Bluetooth earpiece would be appreciated!

Yeah it would be nice if you could tell the earbuds to silently die instead of beeping… Maybe changing the pillow is an alternative but I was kind of expecting technology to be advanced enough to make the earbud smaller 🤷‍♂️ (my current workaround is sleeping on my hand and/or giving the pillow an extra fluffing..)

I'm a bit disappointed with these as they keep falling out of my ears if I do anything more than a slow walk and when you use the controls it just loosens the fit further Tried my wife's airpods, and they're night and day It doesn't matter how good the features are if they don't stay in your ears.

Our right, It's a pity the shops don't have display buds you can try on before buying. I do feel the airpods have a better design that hooks better to the ear rather than just the angled design on the samsung

I put my air pods in and I put noise protection cupped headphones from 3m over them

I tried using AirPods and I could not get the helmet on without dislodging them. I ended up using NoNoise brand plugs which filter out wind noise but let everything else through and I listen to music on my Sena

My airpods work well but I suppose you wouldn't want to spend that amount of money to use them just on the SD.

Had this issue. It was another Bluetooth device in the house conflicting (a laptop). Disabled Bluetooth on the other device and never had the issue again. Check around the home and see what else may be using the same band.

Same. Some devices “snatch” Bluetooth pairing, and will force disconnect the AirPods from other devices when automatically pairing. Steam Deck and my Desktop PC always do this, which I don’t mind because it’s seamless and easy. When I want to switch them back to my phone it’s one swipe and a click which is way faster than going into deck’s Bluetooth settings.

Yes and no. AirPods only employ a seamless and trouble free connection and experience. That is it. Otherwise, a true audiophile would never disgrace themselves with the presence of AirPods on any level. If you’re looking for a a great experience, any real audiophile will tell you that only a DAC can deliver the results you want from music. This is why Apple Music in particular says that when using Lossless Audio at the highest setting requires a DAC and wired headphones. Otherwise, the quality is diminished over Bluetooth. However, in my experience, Bose, Sennheiser, and Sony are the top 3 I would choose. Bose being the first choice simply because I have more experience with those over the latter 2. But Sennheiser is a close second with Sony, as both of those brands offer professional studio quality options when using a DAC. The other option I may go for is AKG, in this case, a pair of Samsung Galaxy Buds (believe it or not). All in all, Bose or Sony.

I noticed Apple's noise cancelation is horrible when it comes to phone calls. They seem to always cancel your own voice, so the person on the other end literally hears your surroundings over you. Whenever I'm taking a call when outside, I have to disconnect my airpods and use the phone regular so they can hear me.

If you have an iPhone it’s a no brainer, AirPods. They connect seamlessly between devices. If you have an android consider the nothing brand or pixel buds

Tried different ones but always come back to the apple airpods. Mine never fall out, i've been wanting to try some bone conductor headphones since I started road cycling though.

God I looking a drawer a few days ago and realized I have 6 (SIX!) broken or missing pairs of AirPods between me and my wife. They shouldn’t be so expensive to repair or buy spares.

I own some apple airpods & sony wf (1000xm3-5 series). for me the best for running is sony 1000xm5. but for your budget, trust me when i say this realme buds hav the most similar sound quality to those rm1000+ earbuds. almost perfect for running got noise cancelling etc https://preview.redd.it/t7sfdciy831e1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=22535fe8d76bdca41cf299d28fdca6da3a97006f

I have an old pair of AirPods that don’t work anymore and it helps a lot. Not only will people avoid talking to you it makes it so you can still hear everything it’s just not loud.

If outside, AirPods. The volume is controlled by the volume on the phone so it’s never too low. At home, it’s either my AirPods or my Bose headphones.

Sony for me. I had two different sets of AirPods and my ear canals were too small for both sets.

I love rocking no headphones but if I do, my AirPods

Airpods anc sucks, im seriously considering replacing mine

Android user here; I bought air pods this year for music as I like the way they fit and noise cancelling in that style is rare - they should pair just fine with Android phones - you do miss out on being able to select which modes are on unless you have an iPad or old iphone - the headphones won't update without an apple device I couldn't get mine to pair out of the box though. I have an old iPad though, and that was helpful Once it did the firmware update, its been great, and I also use the ipad if I want to change settings. The nose cancelling is pretty good; gets rid of background noise per week while letting conversation through

I’d pay extra for the Pros, i’ve heard the regular ones are bad for your ears because they let sound through and you get the urge to turn the volume up to compensate. Plus the Pros are very comfortable. ANC and audio passthrough are amazing features. At home i use “proper” headphones but when i’m writing stuff on my laptop during downtime at work, i like to just connect my Airpods for convenience. I definitely wouldn’t recommend doing the mixing/mastering with them, though it’s good to have a range of devices to see how the song sounds across different devices afterwards. One thing to note - on Ableton when you open the settings and select the Airpods, there might be 2 different Airpods options. One of them is going to sound like cell phone call quality while the other one sounds normal so don’t worry about something being broken if it sounds like demons escaping from hell when you hit play. The only difficulty is getting Airpods to connect to windows, i forgot which one but i had to change a setting a long time ago in the device manager but after that, it’s been smooth sailing. (Except it’ll start to crackle occasionally but turning bluetooth off and on fixes that)

Airpods without eartips do not fit in my ear, which is extremely disappointing. They fall out almost immediately.

I carry both and use/bring OTA on long flights over 6 hours. To me it’s comfort and better noise reduction. I don’t easily sleep on planes but OTA helps. It’s one of my few one bag indulgences. I usually carry an old beat up Bose and leave the case behind. For everything else during a trip - AirPods.

Everyones ears are shaped differently so I don't think there is an objective answer to this question, but I can give recommendations on what works for me. A lot of people like apple airpods but they hurt my ears within 10 minutes of wearing them, personally. I liked Bose earbuds for a long time but they have gotten more expensive, for a worse product in recent years. If you can find a second generation of their Quiet Comfort earbuds, they're pretty great, but still gonna be pretty pricey. The third generation cost about $300 and the quality is worse than the second gen. More recently I've found that I really love Altec Lansing Nanobuds. They're the same shape and level of comfort as the Bose earbuds, but they stay in my ear even better and they're waaaay cheaper. They're not quite as user friendly as the Bose are, as far as touch controls on the headphones themselves, but thats a small inconvenience for me. They also have a better battery life and cost about $60 as opposed to $150-$250 for the second gen Bose. Hope this helps. Good luck on your search for the perfect earbuds OP.

I’m pretty sensitive to audio delay and my Air Pods are probably the least delay-prone Bluetooth earphones/headphones I’ve tried. That’s not to say there’s zero delay, but it’s not very noticeable or distracting. Nothing beats wired, though.

I bought the Sony, Google, Samsung, and Apple buds to test all four (one at a time, returned each pair as needed). All four fit me differently--I couldn't get the AirPods to seal in my ear, while my daughter found them to fit perfectly. I went with the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro. They were comfortable and I liked their touch control options.

How about meeting half-way. The Kiwi Ears Ardor are on sale @ Amazon for $75 right now. Very comfortable, great sound, and pretty good ANC. The Bluetooth link is rock solid. I can go across the house and not lose the signal. I got them to review, but they are close to unseating my AirPods as my goto set. The AirPods are just so dang convenient in the Apple ecosystem.

I have a conch and tragus and I wear AirPods

What are you using them for? I’m having this same dilemma and I’m kinda coming to the conclusion that AirPods are gonna be best all around I feel. If you’re gyming, working, traveling, they are worse than alternatives that specialize in those spaces but pretty damn good at being competitive in all

I am very happy with the Shokz Open Fit. They sound good and let outside noise in. These could be described as traditional ear buds but they have a gap between the speaker and the ear. I was not happy with the Shokz bone conducting headphones. My uncovered ears heard the usual wind noise while riding. To compensate, I had to turn the bone conducting headphones all the way up and that drowned out any important sounds anyway (cars approaching, etc…). So, I went back to Apple AirPods until I got the Shokz Open Fit. Honourable mention: The Meta Ray Ban smart glasses with integrated speakers sound great if you want to get smart sunglasses. My only problem with these is the thick frames mean craning my neck higher in an aero position. They would be excellent if you ride in an upright position.

Honestly AirPods have been the best earbuds for metal I’ve tried. I’d just get new ones that have those features you want.

it’s because people glaze apple too much. literally nothing about it is better than the other earbuds apart from the ambient sound I guess. they’re still stuck with single drivers, and only support the AAC codec.

Bro its so underrated here. Tried airpod either same or… tak best sangat compared to soundcore 🤣🤣

I have an iPhone, found the AirPods a lot easier to use, more comfy, less buggy, and the sound was good enough compared to the Sony. I just can’t get used to the foam tips, even when switching to aftermarket silicone ones on the Sony the ANC and sound quality changed.

I don’t think anything could dethrone the AirPods as my go-to for day to day usage. ANC and transparency are just so good, and like you say the ecosystem integration is just impossible to replicate. Helps that they sound pretty good as well, haha.

I use my AirPods with a transceiver.

None at all with this that I’ve noticed. I’ve used others in the past for other applications and had serious lag issues.

I loved my Sony link buds s I’d say they were on par with the air pro’s but the quality mine kept breaking maybe that was Apple fucking around or something but I’ve had my AirPods for 2 years and I love them also Apple customer service doesn’t suck balls. I can find them when I put them down, and idk that’s about it it does suck that they don’t exactly have an equalizer but other wise the best earbuds I’ve had. Its Lexus vs Mercedes

EPOS headsets are awesome. I use mine for phone calls, AirPods for teams/zoom. QC45s are also solid since they can connect to multiple devices and switch between them. I.E. I listen to music, even a call comes in on my computer I can answer it, even it’s over it switches back to the music on my phone.

At home I have some nice vintage AKGs. On the go? AirPods lol.

I spent $210 on 3 different cheap ones over the course of 1.5 years. I then bought Apple AirPods for about the same price and have had them for 5 years now.

I use aj iPhone pro with an Apple Watch cellular on number share with AirPods. I don’t even bother taking my phone with me I just pair with the watch and listen from it. Works flawless.

Yes it is… I used air pods for the longest time, and every time I tried talking to someone, they would say “they can hardly hear me “ Made the switch to the BT450… ZERO ISSUES!!… I’ve had several people ask if I’m at home because there is ZERO background noise.

I use airpods but also Bose are my other go-to pair which I use - however, for some reason the mic doesnt work on calls like 1 in 10 times...

airpods!!! The best I had😂

Airpods

Iv had this same issue with in ear buds with the tips but honestly I got the apple aid pods and they never fall out. Is there a way you can test with a friend or family as I've found they are the only ones that sit in right. Not the airport pros just the normal ones Reason why as the normal air pods don't sit all the way in your ears like alot of others that sit half way in which imo is more comfortable for me and doesn't fall out at the gym

I've done teletherapy for over 3 years and I have 2 corgis. These work fabulously: Jabra Evolve2 65 Flex Plantronics brand - but the software is archaic and the company is non responsive. JBL Tune Flex Apple Airpods suck. IMHO. Good luck!

Bose Quietcomfort wireless over the ear headphones are some of the best for travel. I use both AirPods and Bose quietcomfort over the ear headphones. I use AirPods for meetings and normal around the house stuff and the Bose quietcomfort when I really want to relax or when I’m flying on a plane.

used my airpods in 2022 nyc marathon, just had the case in my pocket (lululemon fast and free). it wasn’t that annoying, barely noticed it. i popped them in right before the start and then they started to die in bx, so i put them back in, charged a little, then had them for the finish. they were also kind of old though so a newer pair might have better battery life. alternative that i considered in 2022, and considering for this year, was bringing the case to the start, popping them in once i began, and then handing them off to my parents or someone in bk. i prefer the sound quality of airpods and couldn’t fathom running without music regardless of distance or event

I’d get over the ear vs wireless earbuds. My AirPods almost always end up falling out of my ear mid nap no matter how short the flight. One time it fell in between the seats and started to slide towards the back row. Luckily when we landed I assumed I would come flying back towards me and I was able to catch it with my foot and keep it there till everyone unboarded

Are these similar to airpods in terms of fit? If so, I don't see why they wouldn't work well for sleeping. I currently own a pair of airpods and use them every night and I sleep on my side. Anyone know how the ANC works compared to airpods?

There are still things that Apple does superiorly, and the AirPods is one of them. (Airtags an honorable mention) Granted, some of the features, such as volume controls are not available, but everything else works just fine. I left iPhone a decade ago.

I just use the same AirPods I use with my phone

Not only do they not fit, they break constantly. My extended family/friends come to me with all their tech problems and all the airpods break regularly. They can't hold a charge, won't sync, or the speakers just die. A basic pair of Bluetooth earbuds off Amazon is a fraction of the price and will work just as well, if not better.

I’ve been using apple airpods but they are almost dead now. Im looking to buy some new ear buds that are in budget friendly. I want something that is easy to connect to iphone and not something with weird bass or sound, like I’ve heard in few copies of airpods. Has Good sound quality

I don’t have experience with the OpenFit, but I have the OpenRun Pro 2 and never notice the band. I prefer them over my AirPods and Beats Fit Pro because I feel like the buds never fit in my ears properly. I like how Shokz fit around my ears and I never have to worry about them slipping out on particularly sweaty runs, or putting pressure against my rook and tragus piercings, which was always an issue with buds. Is the sound quality as good as an ear bud? No, but it’s not terrible by any means. I almost didn’t purchase the OpenRun Pro 2s because of some reviews I read on sound quality. Right out of the box, it isn’t great, but you have to download the Shokz app and either customize the sound, or select one of their other sound quality options, just FYI.

Apple AirPods with transparency mode are really very good. Used in conjunction with a radar I’ve never missed a car. With said, follow the local law.

Yeah there’s noise cancellation (absolutely do not use on the bike) and then transparency mode I think it’s called which is really good actually.

Apple is probably the most overpriced product on the market today, including the Airpods. I had an opportunity to try them, and I was surprised by how unremarkable they were. The sound quality was meh, as was most of the other options. The only thing that was alright was the ANC, but you don't need to look very far to find other earbuds that are just as good, if not better, for half the price. The ecosystem is just a gimmick imo.

Haha i have definitely tried AirPods and didn’t last long before one popped out of my ear!

I mean they’re not for gaming specifically, but I have a pair of AirPods and I use them frequently for work, I have a conch and wore them while it was healing and it wasn’t an issue

I had airpods earlier and had liked it but couldn’t justify the price i was paying for it. However recently i have bought oneplus buds 3 and they sound really well, have a good mic, a decent enough ANC and are an absolute value for money

I know it doesn’t work for all, but to circumvent this for me, I use both my speakers and AirPods to play sound when I have to use Discord, and then it sounds better. I just make sure the AirPods are set to Transparency mode and the AirPods are set to Voice Isolation mode if I’m using my AirPods for Discord vs the game audio.

AirPods. Fit under winter hat without discomfort. Use 1 bud at a time for double the battery life

Airpods are the answer. I use a mirror on my glasses and I have a varia. If you want headphones just be vigilant about your other senses. Stay safe

I’ve honestly just used AirPods a few times before, sound quality is far above any wired earphones. I’ve got the base ones, but you could get the pros or something.

I’ve tried two different sets of AirPods and have had nothing but issues. One getting sweaty which made the speakers muffled happened on two different gens. One earphone charging and the other not was another issue. And then only one connecting and the other not connecting was another. Sometimes I’d be at the gym for 5-10 minutes before my workout trying to get them to connect and work properly and that’s if the charging didn’t mess up. I finally had enough and bought some Jabra Elite 7 pro and love them so much and have never had a single issue. Sucks because I normally love Apple products but will never buy another AirPod

I like AirPods because all earbuds are capped at being mediocre at best, so might as well get the ones that work the smoothest with my phone. I also have a fiery hatred of Apple though and don’t blame you the slightest bit. Actually, I really only hate the iPhone.

Personally, every single version of the AirPods (apart from the max) hurt my ears after minutes of use. Despite trying the different tips and aftermarket covers, I can't seem to get them to be comfortable. For my case, the Max is infinitely better, but you're probably not in the same situation as me. So my reason: comfort.

I live in a condo and do this most of my time. I was using an armada of AirPods. They connect seamlessly with Apple products. As I go from room to room, Apple will ask what to connect to with one click. I tried some JBL Bluetooth earbuds and over the ear headphones. They sound fantastic. Their iPhone app makes them ultra configurable and having an eq is very nice. But the connectivity is not one click. Apple makes you go into the system menu everytime I switch from another source. (There is no blue tooth shortcut) JBL costs one tenth of AirPod Max. But has its trade offs.

AirPods have been my most durable by a long shot. I used to buy 10$ skull candy but they’d only last 3-4 weeks. No airpods have quit on me in 4-5 years. I’ve updated em a couple times just because of new features or good deals. I’ve burned out beats but never AirPods, so far anyway

Op, im in the same boat as you were and didnt want to make a new thread. Did you make a decision? I pretty much want cheap with good battery life and comfort. I have Apple Airpods but they only last 5 hours. I basically need to be able to sleep with some brown noise playing on vacation, while those around me snore so loud, youd think a tractor trailer was downshifting on the highway.

Yeah, it’s still there.

AirPods are significantly better and you know it. The seamless integration with the Apple ecosystem alone is amazing.

I use my airpods, dont know how people dont get so hot with headphones on.

Airpods are the absolute best ones with the switch that I've tried. Easy and functional compatibility and great audio. I'm assuming that will be the case with the Switch 2.

Thank you for this. Can you tell us more about the features? I do not miss my iPhone, however, I do miss the Siri capabilities with the Airpods and the iPhone. Do these work anything along those lines with either Hey Google or Bixby? For example, telling it to send texts to someone hands free?

Good to know. I drive a lot for work and having Siri read my texts and being able to respond without having to take my eyes off the road was so handy and I've missed that since going back to my galaxy phone (but kept the AirPods bc the 1st gen galaxy buds didn't stay in my ears). Thanks again

I was a beta tester for those. I ended selling them and buying AirPods…

Sigh, just lost my old earbuds and was planning to get the elite active 8 gen 2 or the elite 10 gen 2. Now I’m dubious at best. I expect 3 year warranty for products I purchase (living in sweden), seems I’ll at most get 2 year decent support and updates will likely be sporadic at best. Maybe better to try finding another brand. I’ve tried some other ones, airpods sit really bad and are uncomfortable. Sony sit decently comfortable but get pushed out easily, when smiling, talking or moving, especially once you get warm/sweaty. Jabra sit really nicely and comfortably and don’t slip out. Therefore they’re worth far more to me and audio quality is better due to a nice fit. I’ll have to consider things carefully. These earbuds aren’t cheap, I can get into the premium earbud category for every brand for this money. Wish it was easier to test a lot of different brands.

Airpods and a JBL Flip 6 at the cabin. I spend too much time focusing on the critical things at work, at home I just want it to sound good and be simple to use.

Both Airpods and Bose QC ultra connected very well. No lags or drops.

Oh, if you are an iPhone user... You just can't go wrong with Airpods. Less hassles.

I've had many different models, and love TWS. Airpods, Clone Airpods, Qcy Ht05, etc.. In this moment I own a Huawei Freebuds SE 2 and a Huawei Freebuds 2 Pro and gonna be honest with you, 99% of the time, the "cool features" makes no difference. ANC, Transparency, Multiple controls in earbuds, auto stop when removed... in my experience, in the daily usage - which is GYM + Home Office work, I turn them on, plug in my ears and use them for music or conversation. The only things I would say REALLY matters is battery life and fit. And this last one you can't check through reviewers. You have to check by yourself. TL/DR - go with the one that best adjust to your budget and you like the most. Features you should care about: great fit and battery life.

My company issue Airpods or Jabra headsets depending if you want in or over ear. both work fine for me.

I can't fit those rubber in ear things into my ear. That's why I like apple air pods or now as a less expensive option the Marshall ones.

My overears plug into my phone charging port, so I can’t charge and listen at the same time. Fine when I had a good battery but my phone is old and o charger whenever I can. That plus the inconvenience of balancing large headphones leads me to choose my air pods more and more when travelling. I miss the comfort of my overears, but it’s a sacrifice I will make. 

for me, airpods are way too large and tight, and distort my tragus and cause pain, just to offer a potential counter example :(

As cliche as it sounds my air pods work great on it and it's what I mostly use

I know what you mean about the AirPods. We hosted a virtual conference a few years back (all speakers on Zoom at home). Most used AirPods and it sounded tinny. I mean, Bose is always going to have the top-tier ANC (for now, anyway)... but they suck in so many other ways that it pisses me off. It's definitely subjective, yeah (plus you have to deal with fanboys - Apple being the worst). I just want the best... period. I'm willing to pay for it, but I'm not going higher than $400 for earbuds (or any headphones).

Airpods are goat. I'm on a S25 ultra. Galaxy buds pro 3 suck for anc. Miss my airpods.

I’ve tested AirPods in an Apple Store in the U.S.

I have both the Bose QC and Apple AirPods and I find Bose to be better with noise cancelling. Literally blocks out the noise whereas with Apple, I can still hear street noise even with noise reduction at the highest level

AirPods give you convenience and decent sound. For the price they are solid. For “best sound quality possible” AirPods aint gonna be it and you are looking and a lot more money. Especially if you are looking for Bluetooth.

Apple AirPods for when at the desk and need to take calls. Super comfy and amazing sound for both. And Bose SoundSport for home when doing chores or working out or taking dogs for walk (also calls are excellent). They have wire between the two ear buds that makes it easy to pop one bud out to hear ambient noise or talk to someone and NOT lose the bud by putting it in pocket or on a counter.

most songs are mixed and mastered in a way that it sounds good for average listener with normal/cheap earphones, meaning songs would be worse in lossless so airpods are better imo if u can afford it obv

If you're on iOS & Apple ecosystem, I love my airpods. But if you're price conscious or don't care about integration features, Anker/SoundCore has always been reliable for me.

Dont get airpods for android theres not much to it if you dont have an iphone

I ride with AirPods and I’ve never felt like I was missing any external sound. They really are good at letting through what you need to hear.

The best? Hell no! AirPods are built to last a year the then they fail. Nothing like planned obsolescence.

My kids have gone through 2 pairs each. Every year, right after the warranty expires, one ear bud fails its almost a joke to us at this point.

we've had 8-9 pairs of air pods fail, and 3 apple watches die. Yet they keep buying the apple stuff. I won't.

One of the air pods just quit working on all the sets they've had... the apple watches quit holding charges, one separated from the back because the battery got super hot. No abuse they just die on their own.. and they aren't mine. My stuff lasts forever but they arent Apple products.

If I were you I’d get a pair of Linsoul Supermix 4 and the Qudelix 5k. You can run them wired or wireless with that setup (wireless from the phone to the dac, headphones will be wired). It will absolutely demolish the AirPods for the same price. That being said, I use my AirPods every day for non music related stuff like listening to audiobooks or YouTube, meetings and phone calls, etc

My phone usually takes priority when I open the AirPods case, so when I want to use them with another device (work laptop, Steam Deck, etc) I go to the Bluetooth menu on the other device and select the AirPods so it'll try to connect, and *then* open the AirPods case. This usually allows the device to connect to them before the phone snatches them up.

IMO except the tradeoff that comes with shokz that the sound won't be as best as an iem. wear your airpods when not biking and wear your shokz when biking. At least you wont lose your shokz.

My airpods. Seamless transfer between phone and iphone

That’s what I use and I have a Blue Parrot headset too. They often give me a headache so I mainly use the Air Pods

AirPods are strangely durable, a lot of pairs only die because of battery degradation. Beats fit pro also impressed me with longevity, some people are getting 3 years outta them before the battery gets fried

I’ve just killed my second set of Airpods. 😡

I’m pretty sure.

yeah fr, ive tried them a few years ago and i thought they sounded ass

I can't believe I would say this about any apple product, but their airpods were the best bluetooth earphones I ever had. They were easy to pair with my Windows, Android Phones, they do happen to have nice noise cancellations, they charge quickly, and last for long sessions. Now, admittedly you have more options to control them using other apple products, like enabling and disabling other features; That said, I never needed those.

Did you have any issues pairing? I’ve tried multiple times but deck doesn’t recognise the AirPods for some reason.

You should test the sennheiser momentum 4 if you’re thinking overear. They’re way better than APM, imo. If you go in ear then the AirPods are top

Luckily I’ve learned through long runs that my AirPods don’t last long, so I’ve always brought wired ones during marathons and switched over halfway. Just helps my sanity to not rely on headphones needing to be charged.

I have jbl Bluetooth headphones and they noise cancel and are the best ever. Comes with an optional wire and shit stays charged forever. I’ve never had good luck with any Bluetooth earbuds though other than AirPods. Mine are so degraded at this point though (four years on) that they can’t even hold a charge for 5 fucking minutes. Disgusting

I am an audiophile. While the AirPods aren’t the best sounding earbuds, sound quality isn’t really the reason you buy earbuds in the first place. The AirPods to a great job in many regards, but it’s the features and ecosystem that make them great. If you have a Mac, iPhone, and iPad, then Apple headphones are a no brainer. It killed me to pay $500 for the AirPods Max, but I don’t regret it. Automatic switching between devices and calls is so nice.

Same. I was an iPhone user but switched to Android but kept my Airpods. They work just fine w/o a companion app.

Airpods is always the answer.

Not just you. I've decided that Airpods and my ears are incompatible.

These so much, I've been through many many MANY headphones trying to find comfy ones that are high quality, airpods fall out of my ears and don't get loud enough, others don't stay put, etc etc, these have fixed all of those problems with only 2 minor problems. 1 is mentioned above which is the app you have to download, it's a minor annoyance, but it might put some people off all the same. The 2nd problem is that because they are quite large and go over the ears, if you plan on using them while walking or exercising etc, expect your ears to sweat. Also like this person said, Amazon has them on sale all the time for around 50% off. Absolutely do not buy them for their full 300-400 dollar price, they usually go on sale for around 150-200.

As much as I dislike Apple products, I have to admit the call quality of their Airpods are almost unmatched. Look at every single remote interview you see on TV... 99% of the time the person calling in is using Airpods of some kind. It always sounds pretty good too. I've tried calling my friends with all my earbuds and they all have said the Airpods sound better on their end. My other buds tend to have a slightly muffled or digital sound. I don't generally use them to listen to music, but when I know I'll be on a long call, I'll switch to them.

Apple AirPods don't stay in my ear. Earbuds with silicone tips don't feel right to me (it feels like my ear is clogged / underwater). I'm looking for open-style wireless earbuds without silicone tips but also have wingtips to lock them into my ear. Why doesn't this exist? Years ago, Bose made a wired sport earbud that was PERFECT (the Bose SoundSport), but this line was discontinued. Do you have any recommendations? I've spent hours and hours searching for something but can't find the right set.

I have the xm5 over ear headphones and love it. I’m not sure I trust the earbuds though for the price as I went through two pairs of XM4’s while using them only in the gym. I ended up going with AirPods this time around and I’m happy with them overall. My only gripe is you can’t customize the EQ so I can’t adjust them to the Harman Curve or other EQ profiles I found useful. But they do sound very good for what they are.

Airpods are really great. But their mic performance on the outdoors is worse than trash.

I've personally been totally okay with my AirPods for the NYC United Airlines Half and the Real Simple Women's Half.

Yeah!! Like they are soo snug I tried my friend AirPods without the rubber tips, and returned them the next day. Just not for me unfortunately

Matter of preference indeed. I’m in your camp on this one. I’m more than happy just carrying my AirPods, despite having to do 6-11 hour flights quite frequently. The extra bulk and weight of over the ears isn’t worth it to me.

I haven't tried the newest ones but one of my gripes with an older generation Samsung buds is all the touch controls don't work through the cloth and the fit was really bad and they tended to fall out easily, I currently have a Google pixel so I'm using the pixel buds with them and they fit well, everyone's ears are different and especially with how a turban may press and your ears in a different way, it's hard to recommend something like this so generally I'd just recommend whatever works with your phone. The airpods have great fitting under turban, but horrible noise cancelling from what I've heard and also don't have a good mic so speaking or answering calls with them isn't the best. You also just lose out on features with each type you go with if you don't have the compatible phones they are designed for, you'll get Bluetooth connectivity across all of them but you won't get the virtual assistant on android with airpods or things like active listing and live translation with pixel buds with non Google phone etc. it's up to you what features you value more and what you're willing to sacrifice on, even if you have to go with a third party one that may fit better and work for your use case. For Comparison the headphones I use with my PC are from a company that makes amps just because those ended up being the best option for my use case.

I had them for a week and returned them cause they were really uncomfortable. I switched to the Bose QCEs and it made me realize how flat sounding AirPods really are. The customizable EQ on other Earbuds helps so much. Only good thing about AirPods is that they are very easy to use on iPhone whereas with other earbuds you’ll need an app to function certain things. But that’s a trade off I’m happy to make for better sound quality.

IMO comfort and "stay-in-ear-ability" vary from person to person, and unfortunately the only way to figure out what works for you is trial and error. I bought $500 worth of earbuds / open-ear buds and ended up returning them all because I couldn't find anything more comfortable than my regular airpods. I wanted to love the Bose Ultra open earbuds because the design is very creative, but ultimately I couldn't get past the "jiggling" sensation of them bobbing on my earlobe.

This. If you are into FPS games and ms latencies, the AirPods are gonna irk you terribly. Furthermore, whenever you use them for voice comms, the reproduced audio quality goes to the crapper — limited bandwidth.

Air pods sound like shit I don't know what people in this thread are talking about

airpods with an iphone are pretty good if you have on and can afford them, I've had sony ones in the past that hav been really good as well.

Yes AirPods are pretty durable if you liked them plus they are in findmy now. If you don’t want to go Apple the ones I’d say that are durable are soundcore liberty 4 NC. I’ve used them in loud environments and they do good enough to block hearing damage. Maybe you’ll like the DeWalt job site earbud necklace

AirPods though I wouldn’t mind getting another pair of buds specifically for deck, like skullcandy so it fits in the case all in one

I use my AirPods and join the audio from my iPhone. Teams and AirPods don’t get along in my experience, so I use the Teams app and connect the audio that way. There’s an added benefit of being able to wander over to the kitchen if someone is screen sharing and you are off camera.

Apple only supports AAC Airpods never supported lossless, I understand apple advertised that they are lossless somehow but they actually which they aren't, my friend with 14PM and airpods, mine with S23 and Buds 3 pro Samsung seamless codec is way better than AAC on airpods, in songs like skyfall there is a treble extension and buds 3 pro which sound better than airpods... Any LDAC codec supported devices can stream at almost 24 bit and 96kz max, but if you have an iPhone even LDAC earphones are useless, couz apple doesn't support anyway..

Apple tuning is good, they don't support lossless Have you ever heard on one of those ?

I have the air pods and they work seamless with both.

AirPods feel like shit with my helmet on, it presses on my ear too much. I got Aleck, a brand similar to Chips

Bose QC if u want ANC or Bose AE2 if you want good sound. if you’re on the budget end try checking out Baseus head phones they do make ANC versions. Overall most suitable for Apple devices is prolly Apple headphones(ie:AirPods AirPodsPro ) wait for a revised Airpods Maxes if u really want them

Go with the Airpods. Makes also sense since she has already an iPhone and Apple earphones work perfectly within their eco system. If you want to potentially end or damage your relationship over broken overpriced audiphile earphones she does not value at all and even not wanted in the first place go with the Sennheiser MTW4.

Tozos. $20 on Amazon and they’re great for the price. My Airpods only lasted 6 months before one quit working.

I have both. AirPods are less fiddly with Bluetooth connection. Beats have a little better battery life and stay in better. Really can’t go wrong with either. 

Agreed. I swap between my bone conduction (same brand as above) and my AirPods. The former are MUCH cheaper.

Mine are borderline. I’ve never had one fall out but I definitely adjust them more than even my most basic Amazon ones. It’s still my recommendation though. Love them besides the slightly less than perfect fit.

I love my AirPods and it switches seamlessly to my phone when I want to watch a video for a quick break.

Man I’ve been wrestling with this question for my upcoming trip to Japan. Last time I brought AirPods and they started to get uncomfortable. Then I bought some Bose over the ear headphones for the trip back and it was a world of comfort difference. I’m considering wearing them around my neck during boarding and flight so they are not in the bag.

I'm sure it's not as "quite" as Pro 2 since those literally block sounds from getting your ears through the silicon tips hahaha. But I do love the shape of normal airpods and in ears like Pro 2 kinda hurt my ear when wearing it for awhile

I got my first AirPods on Wednesday and before that I had never used any form of ANC or AirPods at all.  It’s reallyyy cool. The demo in store sold me immediately. 

Lol.. same!! I dusted off my airpods yesterday just to power-up the battery and make sure they're still good, then back on the shelf 😄

I travelled with them so I had to use them. They also get hot. AirPods or earbuds is the way to go

AirPods never worked for me. They fall out and don’t filter out the noise. I use Jabra Elite 7 Active and they fits perfectly.

My AirPods work great even from under a hat.

If quality is what you want stick with earphones like AirPods, Bose, etc. anything else engineered for the snow will be subpar.

AirPods kicked it on a sweaty run. Have had Powerbeats pro for 2 years and no issues. No marathons but have ran a few halves.

I have AirPods with memory foam ear tips. They block ambient noise like earplugs, but play music and I can take calls or even voice to text. I put them in my ear, put the helmet on, then do one final “push” with my finger to seat them in my ear for the ride. The batteries die before they work out of my ear.

Good question, I’m tired of AirPods. One of my AirPods seem to lose hearing fast all the time and I’m done getting new pairs so I’m trying to switch it up

AirPods for the flight and I generally use these for sleeping in as they don’t get on the way. I have a hoodie on also in case they pop out but never had that happen. I have my loop ear plugs in my pocket ready to go if/when the AirPods go flat while sleeping.

With AirPods, I'm getting 1-2 years at best.

Ease of use for me. I mostly use them for audiobooks.

I have no issues with AirPod pros but it's 100% ear dependent. Because the normal AirPods never stayed in my ears

I have AirPods and JBL and I prefer the JBL wave flex for audiobooks.

It dynamically changes for me. The SD is prioritized when it turns on. When I turn it off, the AirPods switch back to my phone. Very seamless.

airpods. i’ve never found headphones that were comfortable enough to hold alllll my piercings for 2+ hours. it gets uncomfortable to have some metal smooshed on my skin and it’s too much work to change my jewelry to make it more comfortable lol i have a conch, daith, tragus and forward helix on my left ear and most brands of ear buds are no problem for me

I use my AirPods to make calls, works to about 50 mph with my helmet. The noise canceling is good enough now the people I call can’t really hear the motorcycle running.

i just wear airpods

Bose NC700 and AirPods, but might switch to AirPods Pro Max since Airpods lowkey suck.

You can replace the cushions! I did mine once, wasn’t too bad. Amazon has them. I use an old pair of Galaxy Buds that my wife bequeathed me or my usual AirPods. But I keep the Galaxy Buds on my side table in bed.

I was AirPods gang until one fell out of my ear into a sewer while I was running 🥴

tbh i’ve used airpods in a pinch, and the noise esp for shooter/online games are terrible and the batteries run out super fast :(

For both sides then Airpods imo. Buds 2/3 pro are insanely good with Samsung devices tho, never try them on an Iphone so I can't comment.

I am also Shokz fan like most of the people here lol. They were a game changer for me, hated running with airpods or other wireless earbuds, i always had a feeling they are falling out of my ears and was bothered i cant hear anything around me. Shokz are great

AirPods just seamless if you have an iPhone

Recommendations would be great - I'm done with the crappy 2-year shelf-life of Airpods.

Second this, I always put AirPods in under my hijab

As a lot of people mention in this thread I think your best bet is AZ100 right now. Sony XM5 is old news now, but it's still decent. Bose is a good alternative for AirPods. AirPods are the most consistent earbuds for me. Just refer to [this thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/soundnation/comments/1in69fm/best_wireless_earbuds_2025_reddit_recommendations/) it has a bit more info. Also you might need to consider the new earbuds coming in the next few months.

For ease of connection, as everyone says here, AirPods. If you’re looking for sound quality there are countless other better options out there.

I just use my AirPods fr, most of the time i use my phones sound tho

Yeah it’s always good to have a pair of decent earbuds, especially if you are in a somewhat noisy environment.

AirPods and then you buy these things: OneCut 5 Pairs Silicone Ear Tips... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B098DMLS6N?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share And they’re super comfortable- you don’t even notice them. AirPod doesn’t even move during my run. I usually only wear one when I’m running so I can hear what’s going on around me.

I’ll stick to my AirPods bro

Me neither, i had those previously and i hated them so much

Whatever is comfortable for you. I have some in ear ones (like air pods) and some over the ear hook ones for more intense workouts where i risk them falling off. I see alot of people wearing the ear muff style. It's whatever you like.

100%, I've struggled with finding a balance for good music, ANC, and comfort. Air pods are the GOAT IMO. I've had probably 4 different pairs of JBLs that work great but don't last long. Either the dust gets to them or the case stops charging the buds even when clean. I'm currently using Jabra Elites that are honestly great, though I wish they stayed in my ears better when I'm in weird positions. Edit: adding that I do not care about industry standards, my job isn't OSHA involved and has no actual safety standards enforced.

I use airpods

Don’t get airpods.

I got a pair because of this sub. They’re dogshit.

I had to EQ the bass down to zero in order hear anything else. £20 KZs are way above.

I have both airpods and bose headphones. ever since I bought the bose headphones I’ve barely worn the airpods. they’re quiet comfort 45. if you eq them right they sound amazing

Out of all flagship 15 pairs of earbuds from major brands I've owned and others I've tried. The Soundcore Liberty 4 has been the best sounding for me so far. With the flagship Sennheiser at second place. But for best transparency mode I'd say the airpods (horrible sound quality). And best ANC goes to the Bose imo.

With my experience testing them various times, I couldn't get myself to like it. The sound quality is horrible. At least the sound stage is not bad.

I use the Nothing Ear (a) and I love them. extremely cheap (was around 70 bucks) for that quality and amount of features! I use headphones A LOT in my day to day life, also hat airpods and still, love those pairs non sponsored I swear

Airpods > Shokz

I’ve used these for many years now but I’m currently looking for something different due to the fact that you can’t charge the AirPods with these on them and I tend to lose them or forget to grab them sometimes. I do really like these though.

Wtf hahahahah i got samsung s24 and ip16pm, ill pick airpods over samsung buds, will pick nothing ear over samsung buds. It’s a preference thing. Lol

These are all mainstream enough that multiple reviews are available for each and comparison between them. The bottom line is that the Bose have the best overall ANC with the Sony and AirPods being roughly the same (so long as you use Sony’s foam hybrid ear tips). Bose and Sony have companion apps, AirPods don’t. You can’t EQ the AirPods while the Bose have a basic 3-band EQ and the Sony have a more advanced one.

In terms of audio quality, many models over $100 beat them. You only have to listen to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMSHB6cs1-U on a good pair of headphones to realize that Airpods are nothing special. Integration with the Apple ecosystem - sure, they're unbeatable. But not everybody uses Apple devices.

I can’t get on with AirPods, I tried but they hurt after some time with or without hijab but I have shockz bone conducting headphones and can wear them all day with hijab and glasses, they actually even help to keep my undercap in place lol and I like that my ears stay free so I have full hearing when the sound is off

I use Airpods Pro 2 for work and music every day but always earplugs on the bike. Just tried the AirPods - incredibly uncomfortable. I'd argue dangerous too because you can't hear direction well with then whereas with my earplugs that only filter the harmful frequency, I can still hear the directions of sound somewhat.

I usually throw on a pair of AirPods and throw a pair of walker razors over them

So glad my Airpods have lasted since 2019. Battery isn't quite as good as before, but other than that I have no complaints

AirPods were the only ones that stayed in my ears. Currently have some JBL ones but they fall out if I do any cardio

Airpods or beats, strictly for the Apple specific interface that allows quick pairing and switching between devices seamlessly.

I returned mine and got AirPods.

Over the ear ones make my ears too warm after a while. AirPods seem to be the most comfortable since I forget I’m wearing them sometimes. The pro version has better sound but are uncomfortable after a while. It all depends on your ear shape. Some people can’t stand AirPods and some swear by them.

Powerbeats or my AirPods

I just wear regular degular AirPods

Pop the ear pads out and you’ll be able to comfortably use any earbuds…I use AirPods and get easily click the button through my bavalclava

I have mine 3-years old, use them daily and battery is so-so. But they made it through sub 3:30 with no sweat.

Having said that, for the first time in like 10+ races that I did in AirPods, one fell off when I was trying to adjust it. I managed to recover it without a problem, but I imagine I could 1) annoy a lot of people or even injure someone, when I would stop suddenly in a more crowded place, 2) lose/get AirPod destroyed, 3) get myself strained with a sudden different move. It was on 30k, the crowd was lose and I surprisingly didn't feel any drop in form after this, but it was a bad moment.

It depends on whether you want those headphones to use their mic. I exclusively take calls from my desk and don’t move my laptop so I have a dedicated mic on an arm. My AirPods only receive sound, they work flawlessly like that on Teams.

I think the bass on AirPods is great. Especially the max. Compared to Samsung and Sony headphones and buds, way better.

I dont really know but i can say that the airpods i got from them are pretty good. There is one annoying thing about them which is when u insert the airpod into ur ear it makes a noise to tell u that it has detected the fact that they are in ur ears but the problem with that is that the media which was paused will start playing not after the sound but during the sound so u just cant hear a little bit of the thing that just started playing. Dk if that made sense but yeah thats what happens.

I would just get the Pros, they last you several years, they pay back themselves. But if you're allergic to the earbuds (like a friend of mine) then get the regular ones.

Yeah, my original pros still last about 10 hours. So yeah, AirPods.

Yeah, wore them for a 15 hour flight to Tokyo and they didn’t die until the last couple hours. My case isn’t holding the best charge but they’re like five years old at this point and for electronics they’ve lasted longer than my Sony and Bose

Sound Quality goes to AirPods but NC it’s a toss up. The XM5s are better at blocking HF noise that’s for sure.

I love the Shokz Open Run! The only time I wear my Airpods instead is if it's cold enough to need a hat or ear warmers, because they don't fit great under those.

Second this. The pro 2 is exceptional. I run and walk the dog in them. Super safe and great audio. For the gym, it’s AirPods all the way.

They are a completely different design. AirPod Pros are closed-back, whereas AirPods are open-back. Which ones you get depends on your use case. AirPods for best sound quality and comfort and AirPods Pro for better separation from ambient noise and noise cancelling.

Did you find they lasted the entire marathon? My AirPods died about 2 hours into Chicago for me, and I had them charging the whole night before 😅

Aftershocks are good. I use AirPods and they’ve worked fine for the last 6 years.