Apple - AirPods 3

If you already have the 3’s probably not. If you don’t, defo worth it.

They’re literally the same form as the Gen 3s. Little to nothing has changed from the Gen 3 form factor and I’ve had the Gen 3s.

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.

Yeah agreed. I do not like them at all. They are terrible. I don’t even like in ear buds but my Pros fit better than the Gen 3s

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 use Air Pods 3 - it's also fine. When I was checking the [rtings.com](http://rtings.com) tests the Airpods has one of the lowest latency when it comes to a "standard bluetooth" connection.

The AirPods without the silicone still falls out for me either way, u have gen 3 by the way idk what i can do to stop it bc I feel like the more I drop it the harder it is to charge and I got mine last year

Wish these had come out a few months ago when I bought my Pro 2's. They work well but the silicone tips make it difficult to wear (for me) for hours on end. My AirPods 3 did not have this issue. Alas, they did have the issue where I left them in an airport never to be seen again.

I have 3 pairs because I love them so much. My first pair I had for years and years then the battery started to go downhill so I bought a cheap set of gen2s and put them in my old wireless charging case and voila I have a set I use in the house and on runs and I have a set for the car when I forget my main pair. My 3rd set was given to me with my work phone so now I have a set at work too. Woo love me some gen 2s. I ended up buying the gen3 but I can’t wear them. They literally sit and collect dust

Becuz they want to force u that shitty airpods pro max. Airpods 4 are amazing so were the 3’s

Beats Fit Pro is my go to for workouts. I also own Air Pods 3, Air Pod Pros, and Bose QC Ultra.

Just had mine delivered and these instantly fit in my ears with no issues. With the 3s, I would have to nudge them around to make them feel secure. Loving these already!

Ugh. Scared. I really want them and the gens 1/2 had my right bud falling off. 3rd is perfect.

Great!!! Gonna go try in store and if they're ok getting my friends 20% rebate at Walmart 👍👍

It fits super well!

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

Pros never stuck in my ears plus are uncomfortable for my liking. I’ve also had the 3rd gen which I’ve always liked the fit of so much more. I went with the AirPod 4s and am really happy w it. The audio is very clear and crisp compared to the 3s. Obviously these are just not going to be up to par if you are a real sound wizard but if you are just a casual user of AirPods, I highly recommend the 4s. I am happy with my purchase.

im just wondering how mich of an improvment they are over the 3. imo the 3 is terrible for listening to music so i mostly use them just for podcasts and videos.

My ears are too small for the silicone, it flops out of my ear in a short time. I have the 3. After 5 months my right pod isn’t working properly. The sound is 10% while the left pod works works fine. I have a warranty so I brought it to the store were I’ve purchased it. I’ve lost it for 3 weeks. Only yesterday I got a mail about my pods being ready for pickup. Once I got there, they told me that apple couldn’t find malfunctions to my AirPods. I let the men in the store test it and he could immediately hear the problem. So.. it’s being sent back to apple and I will have to wait for another e weeks. I won’t recommend apple AirPods to anyone. I never used it durning the rain.

Update: they didn’t repair it and I got my money back. I’m now looking for a decent pair of headphones.

I have beats buds, airpod 2s, 3s, and two pairs of pros 1s. All with left earbuds that failed right after warranty ended. All of them. My bose and jabras are... fine. Overall disappointed with all Bluetooth headphones right now.

AirPods 4. I have no issues running with noise cancelling where I run (although you can turn it off and there is a lower priced version without it), but I have the ear shape where in-ear headphones always make a loud bumping sound when I'm moving, so AirPods 4 give the benefits of noise cancelling and great sound without the in-ear effect. AirPods 3 always fell out my left ear but they dialed in the size perfect for the 4's, they sit perfect and I've never had it fall out or shake loose doing sprints and a full marathon. I've run in the rain with them, and run them through the wash (accidentally!) a few times, and occasionally wear them in the shower and they still work great. But if they'd just make AirPods 2 with a USB-C charging case and noise cancellation I'd go back to those in a heartbeat lol

3s are fine if I’m just chilling listening to music. But if I’m up walking around and talking on the phone. One it both is constantly on the verge of falling out

Agreed. I eventually bought some aftermarket silicone things that go over the AirPod and then an extra little arm that goes up into an upper fold of me ear. With great for exercising

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

This was my experience too. I wore the first gen for running and cycling without problems; the third gen always falls out of my ears if I laugh or smile or even twitch my face.

I’ve always been a massive fan of AirPods. AirPods 3 are amazing imo. 

I had the 3s and they didn't fit well, always felt like they were going to fall out. Got the 4 (ANC) an hour ago, and it definitely fits a lot better, almost as good as the 2s (non pro). I will be keeping them.

I had airpods 3 they pick up EVERYTHING. You could fold a paper sheet and people will tell you they can't hear you over the noise

I bought and returned AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 3 because of the fit. So far AirPods 4 seems to fit closer to my EarPods but still need to adjust them sometimes 

My 3s fit me fine, but I gotta say I’m very happy at the thought of how many people get to enjoy non-silicone AirPods now. Good for you, OP! Love it.

AirPods gen 3 have been great to me! Lucky that the wife lets me borrow them. Getting gen 4s for Christmas and hoping they have the same great quality

Gona go with AirPods Pro. They don’t fall out and o run with them. The regular AirPods actually work amazing if you add the little silicone arms to them

AirPods Pro 2 - Great sound, ANC is the best on AirPods AirPods 4 ANC - Also great sound, no eartips but ANC still the best at its class AirPods 3 - Cheap and good sound AirPods Max - Overpriced earmuffs.

I have the AirPods 3. And it gets the job done. Bass is there if you get a proper fit and Spatial Audio is nice but lacks audio customization. Cheaper than AirPods 4 but I’d choose 4 without ANC if you want long term earbud

I took them on the subway last night and it was good enough. Usually with my AP3 I need to do like 85-90% volume to get them to be usable but I was able to use the AP4ANC at like 45%

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)

AirPods 3. It’s a cheap crap, I will never buy an Apple earbuds/headphones again. Sounds worse than 50% cheaper earbuds from other manufacturers and mine got broken just right after the warranty period. 12 months warranty and the right bud broke in 13 months, the left one in 14 months. Its only advantage is their great iOS integration.

Sadly 4 doesnt fit me too well, i hear thud when i walk or shake my head - 3 fit me perfectly tho.

Regular AirPods. Nice and comfy even under a winter hat.

You need to replace yours. I have gen3 AirPods that last about 5hrs. When running longer than 5hrs I use one pod at a time and swap out with the case in my hydration vest or belt. I’ve run a 100miler doing this

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

I'd love to get the Pro 2s but the silicone tips make them fall so easily. The 3 gave such a good fit to my ear

Just get regular AirPods. You can hear your surroundings and they are very reliable and can handle water I’ve had the same pair for over 2 years and have ran 3 marathons with them. Several pouring rain runs as well. Gen3 is what I use, but there’s a newer and better version out now They work flawlessly with my phone, truly seamless. I also use them throughout the day when I’m not running, try doing that with those fugly shockz.

You said the best pair you had were first gen AirPods, so just get the newest AirPods , or gen3 for cheap. I am the same way, nothing fits in my ears well, especially the ones with tips that go inside ears. And I use gen3 AirPods, have had the same pair for two years now and have used them for multiple marathons since then. They were worth every penny

I mean, the regular AirPods 3 without Noise Cancellating are more expensive and simply do not sounds as good. If you check any comparisons, you will see that the nothing ears are easily competing even with the Air Pods Pro wich are more expensive and for me personally they do not fall out that often because they have those in ear things. With the nothing ears comes a well tought-out app, which really allows to change sound in any way you like,so yeah, not paid promotion.

Thanks, i recently tried airpods (3rd gen) they reduced the amount of pain but still were significant for me to not buy them. I'm looking for something which goes easier on that part

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.

Apple had to design for the most commonly shaped ears. Yours might be outliers. All my AirPods from 1st gen to 4th fit perfectly.

FYI. I ended up returning them and am still using my 3rd gens. I really wanted to like the 4s, but I just couldn't get used to them.

I don't doubt the 3rd gens are what I'm used to now or that burn-in isn't a thing, the 4s just sound less dynamic. I've always liked the 3s, right off the bat going from 1st gen. I do plan on giving it a week or so to see if I can adjust to them, but they sound so much different to me that I almost don't want to 😂 1st world problems.

Yes I did but no they didn't stay, they tended to work their way out of my ears if I was eating or smiling alot

3rd gen. I bought 4 with ANC, feeling ko bingi ako everytime i remove it ? Weird..

Tell you what put them in your ears and twist the stems a bit towards ur cheeks , thats the thing with these headphones knowing how to insert them in your ears . These are not just put them in thats it . Same with Gen 3 , put them in , twist the stems to not face entirely down. They all fall like that

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.

I've got the normal Airpods 3rd Gen from 2021 and I'm probably going to buy these day 1. I'm tired of no noise cancelling and the other cool features the pro's have.

I use AirPods 3 and they work great. Question I have is would I notice a much bigger and better difference if I bought some of the new Sonys xm6 instead?

Second this. The 1st gens fit like they were molded to my ear. I tried 3rd gen once and said nope. I have AirPods Pro 2 but I’ve never found tips that get them to stay in my ear if I’m doing anything other than sitting upright at my desk. These definitely feel larger than the 1st gen but I think I’ll get used to it. Like the 1st gen, the stem fits right in the gap between the tragus and antitragus and the earbud sits in the area behind that. The sound quality difference between these and the 1st gen is *insane* though.

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

The 4s are worth it but get the anc version. The base version can’t block much sound and 3rd gens have basically no isolation at all.

I know this sounds basic but AirPods seem to be one of the best earbuds for reliability in this exact situation. Many earbuds I’ve had have ran into the one ear stops working problem, but I’ve had 4 different models of AirPods and this never occurred. If you’re not an iPhone user then any of nothing’s earbuds will do good, I’ve seen that they don’t run into issues often. Beats fit pro also was very reliable for me, so I can vouch for those too. IMO stay away from Sony, Bose, and sennheiser when it comes to earbuds. I’m not sure why but they cannot seem to get their reliability under control

AirPods 3. Transparency mode. Sweat proof, seamless with iPhone, reads out texts if you want, lasts long enough for a marathon if you are so inclined

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

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

I still can only use airpods 2, which were the same shape as 1. I bought the airpod 3s and the airpod pro2s and could use neither and sent back, really hurt my (small) ears. Are the 4s different to the 3s shape-wise? I have the airpod max which are great but I don't use those for sleeping or podcasts. Still love the airpod 2s but there will arrive a point where we cannot buy any more.

Probably because the gen 3s are great without the noise cancellation?

Had both. The gen 3s were noticeably superior.

The AirPod 3 stays firmly in my ear no matter what I do. I’d recommend that one.

I love my AirPod 3s and AirPod 4s.

weird, because I don't think I noticed any difference between my Gen 1 and Gen 3 ones.

Agree. My 3’s had solid sound, pretty good, happy with it. 4’s sound has too much bass and dull mids and highs, both with and without ANC. Way worse. Pretty disappointing. I still want to play around with more settings to see what can be done. Yes I have the spacial thing off.

The plastic like the new AirPod 4 or AirPod 3 is way better for me personally than the silicone tips. Comfy, no pain, they never fall out, they never move. 

Been my experience too, feels weird for the newer model to just sound worse to me, but that’s where I’m at I’ll probably try to just get new 3s to replace my current ones and take the 4s back

I use slight cause I find the moderate setting too intense, but I’m still preferring the 3s when comparing each on that setting atm 😔

Seconded! I used to run with airpods but I sweat so much that they constantly slipped out. I changed to shokz and its been amazing. I put them on and then forget about them. They don’t move!

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

Starting cheap to expensive, these are what I recommend from buds I've tried or used before: 1. Erazer X11, shaped as open concept, this thing hangs on your auricula. Sounds balanced following Harman. This is an $8 that I randomly stumble and happened to have very good sound quality especially for sub $20. I think the low-mid has bad reproduction but everywhere else the sound is great. Also the battery is huge around 10h playtime per earphone. 2. Moondrop block, has classic Moondrop tune which follows rthing target band. Sounds really good, surprisingly delivers bass enough for an on-ear earphone. The low price of $18 is hard to miss. Also happened to have 140ms SBC latency which is usable for gaming. 3. Redmi Buds 5, classic bassy tuning which is surprising for a half-ear. But anyway you get what you pay for. I personally won't pick this and skip ahead to >$60, although this one only cost $28. 4. Xiaomi buds 5. $60, this is clearly in the premium spectrum of half-ear. You can expect the best of the best and this guy delivers... For a price of course. 5. Apple Airpods 3 or 4, clearly the standard for apple. The sound while being clear feels lacking in power (?) not tinny but definitely not as good as I thought. Only pick this if you have an iPhone I guess. This is very expensive in my country so check yours. Either way this limited selection hopefully fits your budget. I was personally surprised with X11 being very cheap while giving an amazing build quality and has too long of battery life. The purpose was for my mom's zoom call but ended up being a good music enjoying earphone. Generally going very expensive on half-ear doesn't make that much sense because sound quality wise they plateau'd really quickly, getting a high bitrate connection like LDAC just didn't give you the extra detail or dynamic for half-ear.

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

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.

Regular airpods without the tips will be a better option. Some ear holes are too small for those pesky rubber tips that are used for unlimited sealing powers, therefore, it is better to not use them at all.

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

Some people find the silicon tips more comfortable than the hard tips.  Some people feel the exact opposite.  There’s no single answer. It’s completely up to personal preference. It’s not something any of us can answer for you. You have to find out for yourself.  Personally, I find the Pros are more comfortable, more secure in my ears, and give me better sound isolation than the standards. But I know that’s not everyone else’s experience. 

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.

Hope they don't smell like artificial blueberries like the original Pros did, I actually returned them for normal ones because of that.

The Sony LinkBuds S which are MFI-certified and are the only earbuds that fit perfectly in my ears. I’ve tried the normal Airpods, the AirPods Pro and Huawei FreeBuds Pro, but neither fit well. Every time I smiled, they would pop out and cause significant discomfort.

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

One airpod in has worked fine for me.

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.

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.

my airpods have been great

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 killed 2 sets of AirPods with too much sweat. I now use Shokz open move when I run or workout. I don’t think they sound anywhere near as good as the AirPods, but they have lasted much longer. I would be open to switching to something else myself so I’m curious to see what people say.

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 would just get a new pair of air pods. I love mine. having the noise cancellation is handy when in louder areas. not to mention how seamlessly they work with your iphone.

Yes depending on the noise level, or just drowning out annoying background noise like fans/blowers

they are not a true replacement for ear plugs or muffs but do work surprisingly well for some stuff.

For me, it’s AirPods for calls and the Sony over the other headphones for everything else. Maybe some beats if you want to have volume while you’re at the gym, but I don’t want noise cancellation from your earbuds, and I want over the ear headphones to be what I would want on a plane and listening to music in a coffee shop. Also, for what it’s worth, I recently realized I could add AppleCare to my AirPods for like 15 bucks a year, and I have no clue that it ever ends.

People might complain about the prices of Apple products, but I feel like the AirPods are actually completely worth every single penny. I’ve gotten thousands of hours of use out of mine over the years and they are the one thing that I use every single day. Best value proposition of all time.

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

Get any of the AirPods, auto switching and easy controls via the control center works like magic. You won't regret it. Other bluetooth wireless earbuds also work well with Apple products via standard bluetooth but it's not a magically smooth experience.

For just listening to music I'll take my Sennheiser True Momentum 4 earbuds over the Apple AirPods everyday of the week. Now if you want to talk about seamless integration and if spatial audio floats your boat for video/movies get the Airpods. But they aren't the best sound quality for the money that I've used.

On a college campus and I can state that it is: (1) AirPods of all different varieties and it isn't even close. Guessing they have > 80% of the earbud market on college campuses. Now for over the ear headphones I'd say it is a split between the Sony CH720N/XM4 vs the Bose QC35 or QC45 vs the Beats Solo 4. Behind these would be the AirPods Max and the JBL Tune 770.

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.

I am really considering the apple headphones but I’m not sure if I can justify £500 for something that I can’t wear as freely as AirPods. I’m quite sweaty and I use my AirPods in the gym and when at work in construction…so realistically they’re going to get a brutal combination of sweat and construction dust daily which will rip them to shreds. My AirPods have received that combination and they’re still going strong after 4 years. I’ve even worn them in the pool…not directly in the water but pretty close. Say what you want about apple but their products last

The AirPods have better iPhone integration. My Sony ear buds last years longer than my Apple ones.

It’s relatability VS features The apple might rank higher in reviews, but man My Sony’s are still working many years after the same Beats quit. Sony is the Better VALUE

I have had sony xm5, one bud plus 3, sennheiser momentum 4, technics az80, beats studio buds, air pods, and soundcore liberty 3 pros and liberty 4 noise cancelling. i’ve borrowed a friend’s b&o with the soundcore

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

For all I know, AirPods always are the best earbuds on the market no questions asked. They’ll work perfectly with the MacBook and iPad but you will need to manually connect them every time on your oneplus and you lose out on some features like Spatial Audio. ANC is the best in the market right now for open earbuds. Sound quality is perfect if they fit your ears well. I have used AirPods with an android and a windows PC too, they still delivered excellent sound quality. Just note that if you’re using your AirPods on your android and you start playing something on your MacBook or iPad it will pull the connection from your android to it. Although I think this can be turned off

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

No only that but the feature of checking the battery level by simply opening the case near your iPhone without needing to take an airpod out and pairing it. That's a huge advantage the airpods have over all non-apple headphones.

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

If you have the budget for it, AirPods saved my life. They’re surprisingly customizable and can be switched from straight noise cancelling to noise reducing by just squeezing them. I’m sure there are more budget friendly options, but the conveniences that come with already having an iPhone are definitely a plus. They’ve managed to mold themselves into my “phone, wallet, keys, AirPods” check before I leave the house.

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.

Shokz Open Run Pro. In the winter, if I’m wearing a toque I’ll use either my AirPods or my Jabra 75s. I find the toque sits funny with the Shokz

AirPods and whatever the android equivalent is

With that said I absolutely love my AirPods and think they are one of the greatest purchases I’ve ever made. Just not for running.

i'm on my 2nd pair of airpods. no they're not worth it.

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

I run in either AirPods or Shokz OpenFit 2. I run a lot and they are not an issue with sweat.

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.

Gen 2 is falling pit of my ear compared to regular AirPods. So not sure if new shape will be enough.. hope they will.. I love NAC..

airpods is the best on the market.

20 hours battery life, are you running a sweatshop? Apple AirPods are the best bang for the buck, but work best in the Apple ecosystem

I like the regular AirPods been using them for a few years no issue so far. Saying that I do not like them for sports, for that I use a shocks wave that fix behind the ears . If you don’t do sports Apple ones are awesome 

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.

iPad for sure. As for AirPods, I charge them every weekend regardless of battery lvl haha.

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’m an AirPods convert. I held out for so long but they just work with everything. I usually can get 4-5hrs, then a 30 min charge takes them back to 100% and it’s rare I fly longer than 5hrs without a break.

AirPods, 20W USB-C charger, and I'm using iPhone 15pro.

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

Depends what you do. For lifting i like my Sony WH-1000XM5. For something more high intensity like running I prefer my in ear airpods because they are less likely to fall off from me bouncing around, also I run outside so wearing super noise cancelling headphones is not a great idea.

Honestly? The airpods are the most overrated earbuds ever. Their sound quality isn't good enough for critical listening and yet they have 0 character. Just another pair with poor soundstage, mediocre instrument separation at best, and boosted bass. Yet they cost a premium and the battery life is weak to okayish.

Same, and I have a zero turn. My Ego blower will shred your eardrums but I can’t hear it with my AirPods in.

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

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.

Hindi po ba mabilis malaglag? nalalaglag po kasi airpods ko once na magstart na ko magpawis lol

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.

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.

If you are on iOS the AirPods are absolutely worth the investment. I call it investment cz I know that shit is expensive. I tried galaxy buds pro but quickly realised that my ear shape is such that stemless earbuds don’t stay in at all despite trying different bud cover size. I like AirPods because they don’t give me trouble as “sweatslikeapig” person, the noice cancellation is superior, they automatically shift between my iPad and phone the moment without me having to manually change. The head tracked, Spatial Audio and multiple modes of sound suppression/cancellation are added benefits. P.S. I wish they paid me to write such raving recco for them but sadly they don’t and this is coming purely from experience after trying multiple earbuds from the price range of 1K to well 21K.

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 .

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

AirPods work for me! I dunno if it’s just the shape of my ears, but they have never felt loose or fallen out when I’m running.

I've already tested an Earfun, and I found the construction material to be very similar to Soundcore, so this already wins a lot of points, this model has 2 high-resolution codecs, if you prioritize sound quality, LDAC is the best option. They say that the audio of the CMF plus is even better than the Pro version, but it doesn't have dual drivers, the Earfun doesn't have it, but the set is complete, now the Oneplus doesn't even compare, it uses LHDC 🤢, it will prioritize stability, and probably in games it will be in SBC, I like to play while listening to music, I don't use streaming, I have my Flac files, so playing the sound seems like a poorly tuned FM radio, I tested the Airpods, and at least In it, nothing special, a headphone with AAC, I don't know if there is much difference in sound quality when used with Apple, I've never used an iPhone, I think the sound is full-bodied, good definition, like the Galaxy B2pro, so for me it's a very expensive headphone, but it only delivers AAC, Soundcore Liberty 4 does a wonderful job, I imagine the L5, I'm going to test the CmfPro2, but already thinking about the L4 pro or L5 😁

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

My Apple Airpods are 2 years old and still provide about 6 hours of continuous use. My LG earbuds are 3 years old and are down to 35 minutes.

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.

Idk sometimes it’s necessary for situations, I buy the cheap ones for work because I am a dog groomer and KNOW that they will only last a short period because one will go missing or get dropped in water or something and genuinly it is better to spend $9 hours then $100, still aggrivating when 2 days in one side doesn’t play. Outside of work I’ve had the same pair of AirPods I got 4 years ago for Christmas and treat them very gently.

The cheap ones will be a nightmare to pair and un pair. Even named brands will be a pain in the ass. IMO it is not worth it to go cheap for AirPods. They last so long and the audio quality is worth the price Been using the same pair since 2019 which is crazy and the battery life still lasts me entire 5 hour flights which is insane

I use air pods at home and workout. Samsung buds at work. Both performs pretty good but air pods is better.

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

That would be amazing. I tried the gen 1 on my pixel 7 but unstable Bluetooth, and mic was horrible. I even tried my wifes airpods on my android and it did not do as well as when she uses it on her iphone. Thats what made me suspect that apple does something to the audio it receives from the mic to make it clearer.

I have at home right now: Airpods because I sold my iPhone. Oneplus buds 3 Pro because I bought Oneplus 12. Today I bought Samsung Buds 3 Pro because I bought S24U yesterday. I will sell the Airpods because I don't own anything after 15+ years from Apple and feel right now that there will be nothing more from them. Oneplus 12 I read a lot about on Reddit and YT and it would be a mobile that was the best of all on the market (that's the impression I got) but in my opinion the reality is something else. I sold fairly new Oneplus 12 after 5 days and Oneplus Buds because they felt cheap and sounded bad. I have to say that the Oneplus Buds sounded much better with the S24U but still sold them because the sound I was not happy with. Today I tested and bought the Samsung Buds 3 Pro because they sound great together with the S24U. I have some much more expensive in-ear both closed and open back headphones here at home and can compare a bit, but the Samsung Buds feel solid and sound quite nice.

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

Agreed. I can never get Soundcore stem style buds to sit in my ear correctly. AirPods, Earfun, OnePlus, and Nothing buds all fit fine.

i use shokz and airpods. i do agree with the volume on shokz being too low but i sweat a lot and it causes discomfort when i run long distance and use the airpods lol

Then stay with your airpods. With non apple earbuds you are going to be forced to use AAC codec so you are not going to use the full potential of sennis or other brands.

airpods for me

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.

Outdoor runs: media free. Forced to treadmill: AirPods.

They are truly fantastic when considering all the bells and whistles that come along with the device. The only thing is that they sound quite a bit more flat and anemic when compared to some wired IEM's; I have the Truthear Pure as well and although it's a warmer IEM, it just punches so much better than the AirPods. But considering all the things you get with it AND the fact that they still sound very good? Airpods are incredible.

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

Another vote for the Apple AirPods. I have two sets. One is charging while one is in use. I use the largest silicone tips. (They give you three sizes.)

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

Have been riding with my AirPods for about a year. I got tired of fiddling getting them in, finding one when it fell out taking the helmet off, etc. they worked fine, but it was a time question. I got sick of spending 10-15 minutes getting gear on and configured before a ride. Got a Cardo spirit hd last week. Already had decibullz for concerts, and they stay in very well. So it’s them, Cardo on, helmet on, quick release to fasten, glasses back on, moving. I tested with one of the $<20 Knox offs as a proof of concept, and even that worked pretty well. Just limited volume, flakey connection, and useless mic while at speed.

I have the XM4 and since about 2021 when I first got them, I've used them for all my workouts with weights. Cardio I use airpods. But the XM4 still work perfectly (from what I can remember using them at first). I workout, sweat, and at the end of the workout wipe them down with whatever cleaning solution and paper towel is at the gym. If they go bad in the near future, I will absolutely think they did their job.

I actually use AirPods underneath a pair of Stihl ear protectors. Can hear my music or podcast well and still helps the ears, depending how loud the music is! My bad boy zero turn 50" is so loud...especially when engaging the blades.

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.

This is what works best for me too. I also set my AirPods to keep playing if one of them comes out of my ear, so even if one falls out, I can still keep going. Then I just have to go hunting once I come back down for the earbud that fell out, but it’s usually right under me.

theres a thread on this every week. top comment is either shokz or you should NEVER EVER use any type of headphones. i usually have one airpod in playing a podcast just loud enough for me to hear, yes even on city streets, and its fine. headphones or no im most likely to get hit by a car being driven by a person who is not paying attention

Meh the AirPods are meh in ANC. I turn it off tbh to save on battery life

AirPods. Especially if you have an iPhone and pay for Apple Music premium.

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.

Airpods are the only things that fit in my ears and don't fall out. Too sweaty for over-ear. Credit where credit's due Apple did design the best airbuds on the market, I've tried other brands and they just don't sit in my ears well. I've lost four pairs and just keep buying new ones lol.

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 or SoundCore’s that give zero wireless latency

I might just have small ears but even with the smallest tips I find air pods hurt my ears and they don’t stay in well. You think Beats might be more comfortable or this is simply the nature of earbuds? I did read I could buy different tips off amazon and that might help. Haven’t tried that yet. Also I swear wearing ear buds long term (like few hrs a day) causes ear wax to stay in the ear and not work its way out the way it would if we didn’t have something shoved in our ear. I love the small size and convenience of ear buds but overall miss the comfort of over the ear headphones.

I’ve tried some others and I have to say AirPods are the best. Noise canceling is great. sound is really good. If I had to go with something else given that most of the other pricier ones I’ve tried aren’t that good. I’d go with Tao Tronics. No noise canceling but long battery life.

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.

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.

I like my AirPods but they can’t handle calls for shit. No one can ever hear me.

Honestly air pod pros or just the normal ones

Yup plus they aren’t fully noise cancelling so for office works they’re really good

hi! did you notice that which one of the buds gets drained faster than the other? i just got mine yesterday and am trying it out today and noticed that my left one drains faster than the right bud

i figured bc that was my issue with my old airpods before the left one AGAIN drains faster than the right so im having ptsd moment lol

Apple AirPods are great. But also the wired usb C ones from Apple are awesome too. I like them because of how comfortable they are in my ear.

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

AirPods work on pixels. I actually use airpods only on my pixel because all other wireless non pixel earbuds I tried, had sound delay issues. But there’s no native battery indicator.

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 use airpod cause i dont want to damage the pleather

I don't always, but when I do, I use my Samsung earbuds that I bought for my phone several years ago. They work great. I'd use my air pods, but that got confusing making sure they connect to the deck instead of my phone, so a dedicated set works better for me.

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

You can also buy the ear loops separately. There are a bunch on Amazon. I used ear loops with AirPods and have no problems during workouts.

It’s hard to beat AirPods. So small, noise-canceling is great, use the same charger as other tech. My big Sony over/ear headphones are somewhat better at noise-canceling, but also probably 20x the size and weight. The one (extremely minor) negative of AirPods is their connectivity to plane TV screens. I bring a dongle (AirFly) for longer flights or a bad pair of 3.5mm headphones in my Switch case

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

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.

Around here (Copenhagen) I mostly see Airpods (in-ear). 2nd on the list is Sony WH1000 (various versions) and 3rd is Airpod pro max. After than, it's an even distribution between "all the rest".

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.

Airpods are expensive, yeah, but they work. They fail a BIT if lots of people are talking, sometimes that leaks through, but generic train noises, etc.? Flawless. They make flying so much easier - I have them on during a flight and I take them off and it's like this caged roar just comes back into my ears the second Ido.

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.

apple's airpods are probably miles more popular compared to the rest (maybe sony is slightly behind) purely because of how many people buy into the apple ecosystem

Go into the BT settings for the AirPods and change Connect to this iPhone to “When last connected to this iPhone”. That way they won’t switch back until you do it manually. Only way to have a reliable experience with multiple devices imo. 

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.

I can’t do something in/on my ears for long periods of time. Plus I hate how they make me look on camera, especially when I have a virtual or blurred background. When I’m at home (which is most of the time) I use an Anker Power Conf speaker/microphone. The quality is great and it has a visual indication that it’s muted. When I need to be out and about I use AirPods.

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.

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

Airpods anc sucks, im seriously considering replacing mine

Looks good, definitely upgrading my 1 gen to 3 gen.

For me, AirPods do not have the best sound quality compared to other my headphones collections, but I’ve use it more than other headphones on a daily bases , it’s convenient, great ANC feature and sounds decent.

I have 2 pairs of Pixel Buds A series. I love how they feel in my ears. I get overstimulated kind of easily and sometimes put them in my ears to quiet the surroundings w/o anything playing. - yes, I have 2 dif kinds of loop earplugs and I still prefer the PBs. - I bought airpods & airpod pros for work (MacBook). The airpod Pro is similar in quality to the A's IMO. The regular Airpods with no cushion annoyingly fall out of my ears. - I thought I lost my PBs and could only go for a WEEK without them. I was incredibly sad. Of course I found them after I purchased their replacement. - The PB app on the Pixel is fine. Tells you charge status, you can adjust a couple of settings. - I'm not big on noise cancelling so I didnt feel the PB Pro was worth the extra expense. Cons - If I'm in the same room as my Google home device, and I ask it to set a timer (weekly, for cooking), my Pixel phone will respond. I always, always hit "wrong device responded" on the Google Home but it doesn't fix the issue. - I wish I could adjust the volume like I can with wired earbuds, but that is a semi unrealistic expectation. - The volume sometimes doesn't go quiet enough when I'm in a quiet room. I have started using the adaptive sound setting in the PB app, and it helps a little bit. It is NOT quiet enough for me to wear them to fall asleep. I bought a Hoom band for that purpose, but not really that comfortable. Pixels: current 9; prev 6P, 2.

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

Bose QC ultras are great. Good sound quality and excellent noise cancellation. Fit & Comfort is very personal, but Bose ultras are really comfortable for me, along with Apple AirPods. If sound quality is a preference, i wouldn’t touch Airpods. This can also be a personal preference, but even some cheap $30 earbuds sound better for me than AirPods pro 2. But they are really comfortable and have good ANC and works well with Apple echo system. But if you can try them before, that will be better as sound is inferior , at least for me.

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.

10% of the time I’m on my nice rig. 90% of my time is on AirPods. With that in mind, I don’t listen for perfection or idealistic tuning while on a walk or in the grocery store. That’s for the 10% of listening at home.

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

You managed to keep them until they broke down?!!! So you are 'the one'. airpods are nice because you hold open the case and they link up. Sound wise, I vastly prefer my  WF-1000XM4, but. . . I got them for $100 and I don't think that happens often. (whoops! Amazon has them for $109 renewed/refurbished). But man, not having to futz around with pairing every time apple updates an OS. . . that's super nice. Oddly, I find myself using the airpods not because they are better, but for fear of losing my Sony's. Even though the replacement cost of the airpods is roughly the same.

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've used the Samsung buds and they worked great, but kept slipping out of my ears any movement. I still use my airpods sometimes. They work perfect, but I have to guess when I can charge them. But my main earbuds are called "nothing ear wireless 2" and no issues at all!!!

I’ve been an AirPods fan since the very first model. I’ve got them all! If you’re already part of the Apple ecosystem, nothing beats the AirPods and how convenient they are. They’re a bit pricey, but keep in mind that the holiday season is coming, and you might find some great deals.

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.

If you have iPhone just get the AirPods

Apple airpods works great

Use my AirPods all the time

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.

I suggest you to buy airpods or buds as they would be lighter on air amd as you get stronger your work out will be more intense = more sweat if you keep using headphones they cover your whole ear therefore the sweat.... I workout a lot and used to use headphones but ever since i switched to airpods i dont experiemce sweating specially from my ears or around the ears

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.

Most definitely AirPods. Maybe there’s some cheap shitty top Amazon seller that’s more common but targeting low quality headphones is dumb. A cheap Bluetooth speaker or just their phone speakers is probably common too, but that’s way more variable than the most common earbuds most people are probably using.

I think air Pods do a Great Job, they have much better ANC

airpods!!! The best I had😂

Do you have an iPhone? If so AirPods make life so easy they’re worth their price just for that fact. If you have an Android just get whatever

Airpods

I was firmly a beats wearer until my cats discovered them and now I’m team AirPod. The initial outlay is steep but I’ll wear these until they die - 3 years in on my first pair and still going strong.

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

Is it though? There is almost no difference in the pod itself so I call bullshit on them being that uncomfortable.

Ok but we are taking air pod vs AirPod pro. Not only are they not that different there is also a ton of 3rd part fins or accessories for the pro versions too. I am well aware how everyone ears are different - it took me forever to find noise canceling ear pods my partner to use and he is ridiculously finicky and stubborn. But when comparing the difference in performed from regular vs pro of Apple AirPods there is really not a significant difference in feel and comfort to make the pro non useable but the non pro useable. The question is not about some other brand or style so I call bullshit that someone returned the pro version in exchange for the non pro version just based on comfort

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.

Thats the issue i tried many earbuds senny’s mtws4 bose etc always went back to airpods

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

I had the same worry when I bought my AirPods - also trying to save space. I found my earbud lanyards on Amazon and so far they’ve worked great. I couldn’t find any for ear bud styles different from the AirPod so that’s actually why I chose the AirPods. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B089B5T9L7?ref=cm_sw_r_apin_dp_EEH32AV070N9PCDHK77J_1&ref_=cm_sw_r_apin_dp_EEH32AV070N9PCDHK77J_1&social_share=cm_sw_r_apin_dp_EEH32AV070N9PCDHK77J_1&starsLeft=1&skipTwisterOG=1

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 use AirPods and bought covers that slip on them to hold in place better. They have like a hook on the top

Personally AirPods and EarPods are trash for being easy to fall out and no good seal. AirPods Pro however, should be the benchmark. Especially the pro2 for a great out of the box sound signature

But your experience should be the exact reason why you SHOULDN’T recommend them. Not liking rubber tips is a personal choice. Ear/Airpods not fitting is an issue with the PRODUCT, not a choice. It’s shit design that should’ve died a decade ago Also EarPods sound signature changes so much on how you place the in your ears and whether they are “sealed” or falling out bc they are smooth plastic. If you tilt EarPods more inward, you get more treble. If you tilt them outward, you get more bass. OPs question is about what he should use to mix with, you NEED a consistent sound signature and seal to mix properly, making EarPods and non pro AirPods totally useless for this

I’m saying they are trash for mixing bc they will sound inconsistent bc they are a garbage design, contend with that first

My point still stands that they will sound inconsistent and shouldn’t be used as a reference for anything unless you really don’t care, and at that point why fucking bother.

I’m saying my point still stands. EarPods could sound more sibilant or bassy depending on how you put them in your ears, which is super easy to do unintentionally, so using them as a reference is not ideal at all. Yall out here giving poor advice to someone and have no reason other than “they’re popular” when my advice of using AirPod pros are popular, consistent sounding, AND are better in every objective way than non-pro AirPods. TLDR; earpods and AirPods are a terrible reference point and the pros are way more consistent

My daughter has misophonia so I have a lot of experience here. For everyday use, AirPods are sufficient. Very easy to use and you can still hear a little of what’s going on around you. Sony WX1000M4 for a stronger cancellation. It has the side benefit of signaling to the people around you that you are trying to focus. Sometimes she will use the Sony over the AirPods for complete silence. You didn’t ask for it, but the best purchase by far for us has been the Soundcore sleep earbuds. They are amazing.

I just checked the prices on those and trust me, I’ve been buying Bluetooth since the single QCY mini 2 that had micro usb on the buds. Fun fact: I remember wanting wireless earbuds so bad in 2014, I got 2 of’em, paired each of them individually to my 2014 MacBook Air and BOOMM! I basically had what Apple did years later with the AirPods. After those I got the QCY T1, T2, T3…until the AirPods got released. Then I switched to apple! And if there’s 1 thing I learn, it is, nothing under $70 is worth it unless it’s temporary. Like a few month ago I lost the right side of my AirPods Pro and since I wasn’t interested one their 2ndneed time to thoroughly research replacements, I got the TOZO anc earbuds for $30 in the meantime. However they were so bad, I quickly got the Nothing ear 2024 for over $100 and I dont miss my AirPods Pro no mo’!

Not exactly what you asked for, but when I’m in an environment that I *really* need to drown out, I wear Loop earplugs under my noise cancelling headphones (Bose Quietcomfort Ultra) with the sound turned up high. I have many kinds of Loop earplugs so I choose depending on the amount of cancellation I need. They lay pretty flush to the ear. But to answer your original question, AirPods have been the best ANC buds I’ve used. I’ve only compared to the Galaxy Buds, but they’re better.

AirPods didn’t work for me because they’re not ideal earbuds for workouts, so I flipped the script: I travel with high-end workout headphones (Jabra Elite 8 Active) which not only work great for the gym, but also casual use and transit. The gen2 model can connect to non-Bluetooth in-flight entertainment for a neat party trick. While the ANC of AirPods Pro is hard to beat, I realized that “good” ANC is truly sufficient a majority of the time and not worth obsessing over. Downside is that Jabra is pulling out of the consumer headphone market, but this headphone is still worth a buy for a few years.

AirPods, Sony XM3/4 and Bose QC35. I see at least 10 of each every single day when I take the train to work.

I just use the same AirPods I use with my phone

If you have an IPhone I’d suggest AirPods. Pricey but super nice!

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.

Domestic travel, my AirPods Pro 2. Internationally when long flights are involved, I'll pack my Airpods but definitely use over ears - Sony XM5.

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've never experienced that issue using my airpods. When I disconnect my airpods there is a pause but it is only momentary and the program starts playing without any user interaction. What version of TvOS do you have installed on your AppleTV? Have you tried deleting the pairing and pairing the devices again? Maybe reboot the AppleTV? If nothing else, use this as a reason to purchase airpods. 😎

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

AirPods are my first wireless earbuds. The noise cancellation, sound clarity is phenomenal. However the bass sounds are nonexistent, my 30$ EarPods have much better bass sounds. So if you listen to a lot of bass-heavy music, stay away from these. I had to spend a lot of time with equalizer to make them usable.

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.

Nerfed noise cancellation? I’ve not heard of this

Poor design, or design that the consumer doesn’t like or want? Like Apple throttling their phones after several years. I had AirPods for almost 2 years without any issues and I use them for outdoor work. They are often extremely wet from sweat and possibly dirty from grime on my hands. I don’t think I’ve had any complaints about hearing me.

AirPod pro gen 2? Or just regular no tip AirPods? AirPod Pros are rated for ear protection and if you use foam tips they get even quieter. AirPods are not rated for ear protection 

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 love my Airpods but I can only use the left one for running, the right one keeps falling out.

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.

No change for me with that update. Most of the time I have to put the AirPods in the case then get them out again, that makes the mic quality better. If I then switch to FaceTime audio / video it becomes crystal clear.

Damnit you beat me to it!! Absolutely love them - for the price, insane. Use AirPods for ‘quality listening’ and soundcore for the gym - used the X10 and now the x20 - like them so much I buy them as gifts for people!

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

Just by the way using air pods on android means you lose almost every single feature. I don't think it's worth buying air pods at all unless you have an iPhone.

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.

the irony is i can connect my airpods to my bravia tv via bluetooth and it works just fine *and* sounds a thousand times better. and no lag, so that's not the reason they did it.

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.

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

Other that great transparency the AirPods are far from great. I’ve had no connectivity issues other buds connect instantly once paired just like my AirPods. I’m currently using the sound core liberty 4 pros and love the sound and comfort. The only thing I miss about AirPods would be transparency if you’re someone that keeps an earbud in all day

This! I use my airpods with my pixel they just fit my ear better

Noise canceling ear buds act more like ear plugs than noise cancelling. As the sampling mics are blocked so the buds do not send the proper canceling sound wave. But as they do act as earplugs. They do reduce noise. The bad thing with earbug is they can fall out of poistion and be ome super annoying that you need to stop and re insert them. And they do fall out when removing the helmet. Especially full face one. Before good quality bluetooth comm, i use sameaung buds. And they hit the ground on numerous occasions. I have never looked back since going with bluetooth comm kits. My airpod and samsung bud pro are for when I am off the bike. And they last way longer then. 14 hr vs 3 before you need to put the buds back in the case for charging

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

I used the air for about 6 years daily (8 hours a day). The battery no longer charges sometimes unless I get the perfect plug in angle plus correct cord / wall butt. Probably needs replaced

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.

I use AirPods. No complaints. Noise cancelling will really immerse you if you’re able to go without sensing surroundings.

I’ve had AirPods, high end Sonys, and none of them lasted more than a year. Pretty happy in the 3 months I’ve been using Nothing Ear and the (a) sub model. Got two pairs since I thought I lost them but they were in my son’s car. “Oh….yah….forgot about that”.

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 debated this exact thing for a very long time. I am a competitive amateur bodybuilder as well as a pretty proficient marathoner. For lifting weights, airpods obviously work but I find that people still try to talk to me from time to time with earbuds, whereas over ear headphones people tend to not speak to me. So for lifting, I like Sennheiser momentum 4s, and for running Shokz are easily the best.

Tbh, if you think you’re gonna buy wireless earbuds once and be set for a long time, you're kidding yourself. They've got batteries that are hard and sometimes impossible to replace so you're lucky if they don't give out after a couple of years. Anyway, if you're an iphone user id say that airpods are a much better option for you out there. It's not just because of the sound quality, the connection is pretty convenient too. You just open the case, plug them into your ears and you're good to go. However if you're an android user, any good earbud would do the job imo. But you need to know that not all earbuds are created equal. There are some really good products out there, and there are some truly dreadful ones. I'd advise you to avoid those cheap wireless earbuds on the market coz good wireless earbuds don't come at bargain basement prices.

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.

I always use Apple Buds as a point of reference. You can pick up the 3.5mm ones for like $15 new still. I feel like they sound close enough to airpods to be relevent. If it's that important to you (or maybe you would even use them personally) I'd pick up some regular airpods, they're like $100 on sale relatively often. I would say that's what 'most' consumers use on a daily basis

Exactly! I literally said they don't fit my ears at all and fall out, but they're stable in my girlfriend's ears. My little sister says the same thing. Some over ears are uncomfortable on one person's head, but not the other. You can't avoid it, not everyone's ears/heads are exactly the same shape and size. OP isn't even asking about what he should get for a daily driver, he's just asking what he should use for referencing his mixes. I stated I only recommend those apple buds because whether you like them or not, they're popular therefore a lot of people use them - which is what OP was asking.

A reference isn't what you mix on. What he wants to do is mix on his usual headphones/monitors, then listen back to the final production on something consumer grade to hear what the majority of an audience will be hearing.

Yeah the pros are more in ear (rubber tips) and the regulars are just a plastic that don't really go inside your ears. Some people prefer one over the other. I haven't listened to the pros, but I imagine they sound a lot better simply because in ears always do due to physics. They create a tight seal in your ear and you get better bass response/noise isolation. I'd assume more people use the regulars though, although pros are still really popular. Apple buds were my go to because they used to come with any ipod/iphone you buy new so everyone and their brother had a pair. And they were really solid for free earbuds. Now airpods are just popular because 1. A lot of people just stick with Apple products and 2. They pair really easily and integrate with iPhones.

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.

I can’t use the headphone jack on my OLED, there’s a buzzing. So mostly been using wireless buds, AirPods, to work around that.

This. They work great.

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

The connection/device switching is amazing, but only if you’re all in on the Apple ecosystem. If I’m watching tv with the AirPods, but I get a call on my phone, as soon as I hit answer on the iPhone, it instantly switches to the calls audio. The second I hang up, it switches back to the Apple TV. I’ve had XM4’s that did the same thing, but it took 10-15 seconds to fully switch devices most of the time and I could never reliably get them to connect to the Apple TV. Automatic pairing is also pretty much instant, where the XM4’s took about 10 seconds.

I go for the Appel AirPods. They double as hearing aids for me too! 🤓

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.

I thought so too before trying (and afterwards buying) them, so I don't blame you. But you're so wrong. Those things are friggin awesome. Sometimes you have to let go of old thinking patterns and be open for new things. They're extremely well tuned (albeit a bit mainstream, which is totally expected from Apple product) and have surprisingly good technicalities. They're not worse than wired IEMs around and even above that price range, but additionally are extremely lightweight and comfortable, provide best-in-class noise cancelling and other really useful features and a long-lasting battery. I love my 550 bucks wired IEMs and would probably say that they sound better than the APP2, but they definitely don't sound at least twice as good as the price suggests and they're wired, not as transportable, not as comfortable and don't have noise cancelling.

Hate to say it but Apple AirPods, whatever model you’re comfortable buying. They’ve all been comfortable and long lasting for me.

I use AirPods and they’re great for me, never have an issue with them falling out or coming loose, my partner has the shokz headphones and loves them too though! Shokz really are a better option if you’re running on roads, the AirPods noise cancellation is too good sometimes but can be used in transparent mode or with it off Also - if the fit is a problem you can get foam ear tips which are a good bit more secure as they expand into your ear shape

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

I just use AirPods I already had but I got some little plastic ear hook adapters from Amazon so they don’t fall out when I go upside down. They work pretty okay except for when I occasionally bring my arm too close to my ear and knock them off

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

I was in a similar situation, struggling to find a good headset for remote work. After trying the Sony XM5, Bose QC and AirPods, I found that neither of them could block out background noise effectively or provide a clear mic for calls. Ultimately, I switched to the Jabra Evolve2 65, and it’s been a game-changer. The mic clarity and noise cancellation are significantly better, making it perfect for work calls. Check out “Headsetadvisor” on YouTube. They compare literally all makes and models.

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

Yes. Get some damn AirPods or look forward to replacing these in a year or two. Perhaps XM7s would interest you?

I think the other commenter is right, it’s a codec type issue. And going to the Home Screen resets the audio codec/format. The issue doesn’t happen for me for any app if I use my AirPods/Airpods Maxes but does with my Sony XM4s and XM6s. So might be worth looking into that in the future. (As in don’t go out of your to get AirPods just for this).

Had a cheap Bluetooth adapter for a bit with my AirPods attached. Latency was too much. Moved to wired ear buds which isn’t great but it works without reconnecting and charging another device. I do want some pulse explorers but not wanting to spend the same amount as the portal. Waiting to find them on sale/clearance some place.

My apple airpods have been put in the washer and dryer about 10 times and still kicking

Might be defective, used them for years on calls - always had great feedback on quality, especially when paired with facetime audio.

I just use my AirPods

I may be one of the few people that sees AirPods as good value, the last ones I had lasted me over 6 years until they started giving up. Used and abused daily for that long I’ve been impressed with them

That’s fair, the newer ones have tracking and will tell you that you’ve lost them within a quick enough time you’ll be able to get them back. But yeah that’s fair if you don’t have any other apple products to make use of them fully.

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

My airpods that I’ve had for over five years lol

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 forgot to mention one major issue where Sony (and any other manufacturer other than Apple) is better: Apple AirPods can be connected to non-Apple devices, but the user experience is only good with Apple devices. And I agree with u/ceoofkpop_ that the AirPods are fit-wise far worse than Sony's or other true wireless in-ear headphones. They are less in-ears and more in between true in-ears and regular non-in-ear earbuds.

As soon as I started sweating in these, the coating started to peel. I wear AirPods now.

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

I would wear anything under muffs. When I cut on my dad and brothers Spartans, I can’t hear crap with just the AirPods lol

AirPods are the best piece of technology I have experienced in a long time. I can take them everywhere. I use them when I work out, at work, at home, as I travel. They are with me everywhere. If they could just stay in my ears better during workouts LOL. JK, I'm giving them a hard time. Some of my workout includes being upside down, that's a hard ask. I considered the Beats Pro 2, but I think the AirPods have been ANC and call quality. Those are a bigger deal than dealing with them sometimes coming out during the 30 minutes I'm working out.

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 find AirPods don't stick in my ears well, but that's a me thing. I'll only know if this will be frugal if they last at least 3 years. I just bought Shokz open run pro 2 and have been quite happy with the sound quality despite being "open" ear head phones. Very light, I have them on all day at work. I tried the og non pro and found them to be too tinnie. JB have them on display to try.

I have AirPods and you can change the settings from noise cancelling to hearing ambient noise while using the AirPods. It’s great.

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.

Noise cancelling headphones. Should still be able to hear enough of the drums through them. I use AirPods

If I don’t wear AirPods, I walk out of rehearsal with ear pain and ringing. When I do wear AirPods with the noise-cancelling, my ears feel perfectly fine as if I’ve been in a library. So they definitely help a lot.

Airpods is always the answer.

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.

AirPods don’t stay in my ears well either. I got ear hook covers off Amazon that work though. There are also over ear hook options. Check them out if you haven’t already.

I had a similar worry when I started wearing AirPods. Maybe I’m just really lucky but save for pulling a shirt off and catching the part that sticks down and pulling them out, I have never had them fall out. I do wear either a visor or cloth hair band and https://preview.redd.it/17ae49pgqg0e1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9944b0b16548e1946957b377057a046549ba29c7 put it over my ears when I’m in situations where it would be very bad if the AirPod fell out, usually when I’m in water. Something like what I have pictured here.

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.

For call quality, I recommend technics az 80, airpods and shockz opendots one. All of these are very good for calls and good battery life.

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.

You sure can! I’ve been using mine to play MKW whilst my wife was asleep :)

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.

Another vote here for the Soundcore Liberty NC4. Especially if you’re using an android phone that supports LDAC or a windows machine with [Alternative A2DP Driver](https://www.bluetoothgoodies.com/a2dp/) to replace the Bluetooth audio driver in Windows. If you’re on an Apple device just get some AirPods

This and all the apple features makes it hard to use anything but AirPods for iPhones

It’s not so much quality as it is features really like Conversation awareness, battery notifactions, and a few other things that keeps me on AirPods.

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 vouch for Airpods and Airpods Pro

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.

Ja tive todos os AirPods (1ª, 2ª, 3ª e Pro) tive que trocar porque sempre iam quebrando de cair no chão. Atualmente estou com o Beats Fit Pro, cara ele nao cai por nada, e eu me esforcei muito para fazer ele cairem. A qualidade de audio é decente, são fones da apple, com a assinatura de grave de Beats

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

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. 

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.

Airpods work fine, just can't change any setting unless you can use an iphone, ipad, or mac. Don't get battery info displayed without third party apps either. Otherwise it works fine, instead of siri it even activates gemini.

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.

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. Simple and work

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 bought Realme Buds Air7 for my sister. They cost around 2500 on myntra with bank discount. I finalised this based on online reviews and the features it offers. I loved the Jabra earbuds before they discontinued and now personally using airpods. You can go with sony if budget permits

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.

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

Honestly haven’t worn them enough. Went back to 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.

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.

I’ll stick to my AirPods bro

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

if you are buying wireless earbuds regardless of budget and expect not to buy for a long time you're kidding yourself . they have a battery that wont be easy to replace if possible at all so they have a life of a couple of years max if you're lucky . AirPods while good are not that much better than the Earfun air pro 3 . the pro 4 if you play your music from something other than an iPhone otherwise youre wasting money on upgrading beyond the 3 because your phone likely doesnt output a compatible format to take advantage of the improved codecs . if your insistent on something fancy then the bower and wilkins Pi8 sound beautiful but they have a shellfire as I say . each to their own

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

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

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.

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

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.

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 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.

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.

That's not apple fanboy stuff unfortunately. They are indeed in another league compared to anything else with open design. The rule of thumb is if it's open, it's somewhat ass. New airpods are downright decent