You care about active noise cancellation And when you do need to hear the outside world, the AirPods Pro 2's Transparency mode does a better job than ever amplifying nearby sounds so you don't miss that important airport announcement. The AirPods 3 lack both of these features.
However, once the sheen of Apple's industrial design wears off, the AirPods Pro's vastly superior audio performance makes it the obvious winner. That's still true with the Apple AirPods (3rd generation).
Audio Quality
The smaller in-ear portion of the second-generation AirPods leaves less internal space for audio hardware, and without features such as Adaptive EQ, the sound quality is not as good as the third-generation AirPods.
Both models of Apple AirPods Pro have decent microphones for a pair of true wireless earbuds, and for the most part sound pretty similar. The AirPods Pro (2nd generation) is a little louder, and sounds just a tiny bit clearer, in ideal conditions.
Not only that but for the first time I was able to listen to a difference in sound quality comparing AirPods 2 to AirPods 3. In quiet environments, AirPods 3 sound the same as the AirPods Pro with heavier bass.
While the AirPods Max offer the best sound overall, using the spatial audio virtual sound feature is largely the same experience on all the AirPods that support it.
Active Noise Cancelling
In terms of Noise Cancelling, the AirPods Pro 2 is definitely doing a much better job at cancelling lower frequency noises, and cutting mid range noises compared to Gen 1. So you hear less noise in general whether it be in the train, the plane, or the cafe.
Apple's first pair of great AirPods. For just $50 USD more than the original model with the wireless charging case, this is definitely the pair of buds to get. The AirPods Pro (1st generation) sounds better than the originals and has a way better fit and active noise canceling to boot.
Our Verdict. The Apple AirPods Pro 2 are decent for neutral sound. Compared to their predecessor, their bass is more extended, which helps improve their overall bass. That said, their sound profile is a little warmer rather than rumbly this time around, making vocals and instruments sound cozy and soft.
They deliver a more full-bodied sound with significantly more bass, which comes as a much-welcome improvement over the AirPods 2's balanced yet flat sound.
In terms of quantity, Apple AirPods 3, AirPods Pro 2, and AirPods Max actually have slightly more bass than Beats Studio Buds. Beats Studio Buds true wireless earbuds. On the other hand, the Studio Buds have a slightly better bass quality than the AirPods 3, but not by a lot.
They work really well with an iPhone and other Apple gear, but are more limited with Android and Windows devices, so I would only recommend them if you use at least one compatible Apple gadget. For the money you can certainly buy better-sounding earbuds, but none that have the open fit of the AirPods 3.
AirPods Pro and AirPods Max Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency mode. AirPods Pro and AirPods Max have three noise-control modes: Active Noise Cancellation, Transparency mode, and Off. You can switch between them, depending on how much of your surroundings you want to hear.
The only difference between the Airpods Pro and the Airpods is that the Airpods Pro have active noise cancellation and adaptive EQ settings. We found that the bass output on both the Airpods and Airpods Pro sounds roughly equal – there isn't any noticeable difference between both models.
However, some AirPods Pro users have reported disappointing bass, weak noise cancellation, or overall poor sound quality while using them. That's why we're here to show you how to improve the sound of your AirPods Pro, so you can get the most out of your earbuds.
Change the volume of sound effects using iPhone or iPad
Wear your AirPods, and make sure they're connected to your device. On your iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > Accessibility > AirPods. Select your AirPods, then adjust Tone Volume.
Based on our white noise measurements for the first test, Apple AirPods Max are the loudest AirPods, reaching 108.3dB at 100%. That means that listening to anything at 100% volume for more than 2 minutes can result in hearing damage.
Like other AirPods models, the second-generation AirPods Pro doesn't support lossless audio.
The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd generation) Truly Wireless are the best wireless earbuds for iPhone we've tested. These premium and iconic buds are a good choice for anyone looking for the full Apple experience.
The 3 have a longer continuous battery life, a better control scheme, and an IPX4 rating for water resistance.
With multiple charges in your case, you'll get up to 30 hours of listening time7 or up to 20 hours of talk time. Your AirPods (3rd generation) can get up to 6 hours of listening time (up to 5 hours with Spatial Audio enabled)9 or up to 4 hours of talk time on a single charge.
But such a small chamber to let in sounds from the outside works both ways, and therefore the AirPods are susceptible to leaking sounds. Fortunately, this is not a design flaw, and the sound leak is only slightly noticeable when you compare the AirPods and a traditional pair of earbuds.