When Apple does something, they might be late to the game but one thing is for sure, they do it well. Microphones and sensors all round to make adjustments 200 times a second does sound like the AirPods Pro is destined to be the best in-class earphones. If the one size fits all AirPods does the job, why would anyone get the pricier Pro?
What I consider to be most important in any audio device is sound and the AirPods Pro sounds neutral, balanced and to some, flat. Well, the original AirPods were tuned that way, do we expect this to be different? This is likely to be what Apple wants their earphones to sound so if a booming sound is what you’re after, look elsewhere.
PRO
Wireless stability
Comfort
Water resistance
CON
Listening time
SPECIFICATION
4.5 + 24 hours of battery life
Bluetooth 5.0
5.4 grams
45.6 grams charging case
RM 1099
A$ 399
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With that said, the Pro does sound better than the AirPods 2 however it is not one to satisfy audiophiles. Bass is present, not overly done and delivered in a controlled manner. Mids are highly detailed with instruments and vocals. Listening fatigue is absent thanks to highs that tend to not get bright even at a higher volume. Although introverted, inoffensive compared to an MW07 or even WF1000XM3, the listener is rewarded with an open soundstage.
Listening to the same track back to back with noise cancelling turned on, sacrifice in audio quality is not world’s apart. And on the subject of noise cancellation, the AirPods Pro certainly rivals the best in class. Little from the outside world can be heard and if that’s not the case for you, try one of the other two pair of ear tips. Should you not wish to be run over, transparency is the way to go as this earphone pumps outside noise into whatever you’re listening to.
Spatial audio is a feature many say this alone is enough to buy the AirPods Pro. Then again, this only works on iPads and iPhones which is disappointing because it is more likely for anyone to watch movies on a Mac. Having run several spatial audio content, the cinema-like promise is fair but I do not find the experience being a whole new world.
Silicon tips being the only contact patch and with no fins attached, I’m a little astonished because the AirPods Pro do not come off easily. It wouldn’t trouble this Apple one bit should you be doing sports with it. That aside, comfort provided by these in-ears too is a highlight as little to no irritation is felt from long listening. Also like many recent earphones, it is water resistant. Finally Apple does what Apple does best with wireless stability and range.
M&D lacks sound customisation while Sony can get complex hence, the choice of having three modes audio on this is just goldilocks. Pretty much good to go out of the box but no tweaking can be done to the Apple sound signature. That aside, the floss box design has been made dumpier by going horizontal but it packs less depth than other charging cases which made the AirPods Pro lag behind competitors with less listening time and less juice on the go.
Like other Apple peripherals, the AirPods Pro enhances seamless ecosystem experience. They do not rival the best sounding earphones nevertheless it does many things well. If noise cancelling is a top priority, the Pro will make a great earphone otherwise you’ll be perfectly fine with a pair of regular AirPods, if they fit your ears. I too will be turning to the second generation AirPods to consume YouTube videos as the extra fidelity isn’t really required.