Airpods Pro 2 vs Hardcore Audiophiles

We here at the Headphone Show are used to going to great and inconvenient lengths to make our music sound the best it possibly can. In this video, we apply our usual scrutiny for sound quality to the Apple Airpods Pro 2, which is much more about convenience than any other headphone we'd typically use. Find out how it compares to the wired alternatives, and how it fits in the market for audiophiles.

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[wmc_videos]

I loved this format.. let’s get more convos / content like this!

[pmpgonzalez]

You guys should definitely do more round tables. Comparisons between different products or parings would be great topics. I’d love to hear your discussions and experiences.

[parjau]

I am basically in the Apple ecosystem but one area where I never succumbed to Apple was audio. I wanted the best sound quality so ended up with the Sony XM4s because all the reviews said they were the best. Plus my only experience of Apple headphones was of the wired ones that used to come with phones and they sounded terrible and always fell out.
Well, recently, primarily for making calls in noisy environments, I bought the AirPods Pro 2 and I was completely shocked. To my ears, they sound quite a bit better than the XM4s! Plus I got the better call quality, plus the compatibility with all my other Apple stuff, plus spatial audio. What an unexpectedly excellent purchase!

[AaronFigFront]

Also remember to turn on personalized audio, it really does boost the sound stage ever so slightly.

[ibassnote]

I’ve had them for a few weeks. Prior I had Jabra 65t. They were decent but no ANC and call quality was not great. I don’t think I’m an audiophile per se but I like nice things (Buchardt A500, LCD-X, Hedd 05 Mk2). I guess I’m pretty much a neutral type listener, maybe a tiny bass boost now and then. I think these are the best Apple product in ages. They are extremely well designed. ANC is subtle and very effective. Atmos is startling. Sound quality is neutral and very true to life. While in the recording studio recently, listening to demo recordings of a rehearsal I constantly had to check if it’s the recording or someone in my vicinity. They are extremely realistic. At the airport the other day I clicked on a Zeos live stream and when he came on line and spoke I thought it was someone behind me speaking to me. I have those kind of experiences all the time. To me that is really saying something. I get that with the LCD-Xs occasionally, thinking someone in the room is speaking to me. What more could you want in a product that can be had for $199? No, it is not a luxurious sound. But it’s quite engaging and ultimately very satisfying in the moment. That’s what I feel over and over again in the last few weeks, satisfied. It’s been quite a while since an Apple product didn’t leave me wanting more for all the money I paid for it. I’m afraid the term audiophile is often causing people more trouble than it’s worth. Is it an audiophile product? I think no because audiophile products tend to be defined by one thing in particular, paying more for something in hopes of diminishing gains. But other factors such as convenience and usability are highly important. I’ve listened to so much more music since I bought these, gotten so much more utility out of them. That’s a good product and an excellent value.

[fofopho]

The Bathys and AirPods 2 have me feeling like a Bluetooth king these days. Crazy to get acceptable listening experiences out of Bluetooth devices.

[toneslotohnz]

I've owned and used the AirPods Pro 2 for a couple months, upgrading from a first gen set of AirPods, and I totally agree with all of your assessments. The sound quality is exceptional. But there is one thing that I would add that most reviewers don't talk about enough if at all: watching movies with Spatial Audio, specifically with an Apple TV, is an amazing audio experience, and quite possibly a game changer.

With Head Tracking on, which keeps the sound centered on your screen, the soundstage and imaging is so nuanced and realistic that I kept taking an Airpod out of my ear just to make sure I hadn't left my surround sound system on. I tested the effect watching a movie and replaying a part where a voice was apparently coming from over my right shoulder. As I turned my head to the left the voice moved directly behind me. The effect is stunning! Until competitors inevitably start copying what Apple is doing with Spatial Audio, the AirPods Pro 2 are the best thing going. It's like having a 5.1 audio system in your pocket!

Thanks for the review!

[taidee]

I definitely would like to see more of this setup about other products, this is really great.

[victorvieira]

“Cheap things are getting good, good things are getting cheap and wireless is now a viable option for people who care about sound quality”

Summarized it perfectly, what a time to be an audio quality enthusiast!

[jimintheboxaudio]

Transparency mode is probably my favorite thing about the new airpods. I have had a few things where it isn’t fast enough so I hear the attenuation but where it really shines is using them in place of earplugs at a loud concert. I kept pulling them out to compare and the sound was basically the same with or without the airpods in, just the peaks were compressed. Definitely more usable than my custom earplugs with probably about the same level of protection.

[JimHere]

Deff into the roundtable! Would like to see more like this for sure.

[bigoadrian]

Loving this roundtable format. This was very informative.

[ClintAvila]

Love the round table! I agree with DMS. I own the Sony XM4 (my favorite sound-wise but lose sound quality above 60% volume), Air Pods Pro, and Bud Pro 2. All provide a satisfying experience but at the end of the day I'm using Buds Pro 2 most b/c they provide me the best volume and sound whether I'm at 30%, 70% or 100%. I'm not in the habit of blasting my music/movies but I run into so many tracks/movies that just need that extra boot of volume that no other model offers. I plan to get the Airpods Pro 2 for my husband for Christmas so I'll be looking forward to comparing the upgrade to the original.

[vzzdor]

Another thing people don't talk much about is head tracking in normal stereo (i.e. you don't need Apple Music for that), especially on the go. Even much better iems can lack on soundstage front when external noises are present and at lower volumes (i.e. outside), and I feel that AirPods do a great job at creating illusion of a much better stage due to random micro motions of the head when one moves. Of course it falls apart when one listens critically, but when I'm just walking minding my business it just works, and that's great!

[MrArdytube]

One thing that is never mentioned is apples accommodation settings which make it possible to tweak the sound profile. This feature is important for me because my hearing has degraded for me as I have gotten older. And, frankly, just using the transparency setting by itself gives me better results than my very expensive hearing aids

[CHRIZZ]

Actually gaming on the Airpods Pro 2 is pretty good. I've used them for games for over a year now. I have no issues with details and being able to tell where gunshots or footsteps are coming from in fact when it comes to footsteps I tend to hear them when my friends didn't and they're confused how I heard them when there's a 1vX situation. I mainly play CS2 btw.

[sephondranzer]

Yea it’s really hard to compare the convenience to anything else. I have IEM’s ranging to $2k, 4 that clearly sound better than the Airpods Pros, but the IEM’s that get most air time is the Pro 2’s because they’re so convenient.

[RdandTrk]

This was awesome. I really like the roundtable format.

[Iccapod]

The best all rounders for me. Sound is just one factor (very important admittedly) but to strike a balance between good sound and all the other stuff convenience, comfort, noise cancelling etc

[TrevorDodd-evsx]

Thank goodness for an intelligent conversation regarding headphones.
You guys are the only channel worth listening to.
I am fed up with just hearing about functions and nothing about sound quality.
Subbed immediately