Are Apple AirPods Actually Good?

[Souzetsu]

I've had mine for about a month or so and I love them. Very convenient, sound is good, and battery life is really good with the carrying case. If the EarPods don't fit or fall out a lot, then these will as they are the same size. The microphones work well too.

 

[BLEEN]

Like every Apple 'bud, they suck for the price. I have 4 sets of earbuds that have more detail and dynamic range than the Apple's earpods. Those 4 combined are cheaper than Apple's lmao

One of them I converted to Bluetooth with an MMCX BT adapter. (Technically wireless, and won't lose the damn things.)

My take: Apple's 'buds get slightly better with each iteration sound-quality wise, but they'll always be way too pricey and their design/fit leave something to be desired. There's dozens of better options out there if you care at all about quality sound reproduction and ergonomics.

Same here. Air pods seem like a great product from reviews, but Apple's ear buds are the worst I have ever used both for sound quality and for comfort, which makes me hesitant to buy.

I know wireless isn't as good as wired, but if there are wireless buds out there that can achieve what $100 regular IEMs sound like, that would be fine with me.

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Look for MMCX versions of your favorite IEMs. Bluetooth adapters are cheap.

 

[args]

I don't get why you would pay so much for earbuds that only have "okay" or "passable" sound quality.

I'm surprised Apple would even release a flagship product that only is mediocre in one of its defining functionalities.

Until they drop wireless earbuds that can match or come close to the sound quality of my MDRs, I'm out.

 

[Chan]

If they fit and own an iPhone then its a no brainier, I use mine with Earskinz for more isolated sound.

 

[Dweebo]

They're seriously one of my favorite pieces of technology that I own. Being freed of the wires is great and the quality, at least to me, is comparable to the standard wired ear pods. Syncs with minimal effort is a plus too. Take out a loan if you need to because I recommend these to everyone I know.

 

[Kimchi_Breath]

If EarPods don't fit you well, don't bother.

If you want to be sure, take an extra pair of EarPods, cut the wires off and see how they fit without the wires weighing them down.

 

[entremet]

I love them, but there are better pure audiophiles options.

 

[Chekhonte]

Like every Apple 'bud, they suck for the price. I have 4 sets of earbuds that have more detail and dynamic range than the Apple's earpods. Those 4 combined are cheaper than Apple's lmao

One of them I converted to Bluetooth with an MMCX BT adapter. (Technically wireless, and won't lose the damn things.)

My take: Apple's 'buds get slightly better with each iteration sound-quality wise, but they'll always be way too pricey and their design/fit leave something to be desired. There's dozens of better options out there if you care at all about quality sound reproduction and ergonomics.
Look for MMCX versions of your favorite IEMs. Bluetooth adapters are cheap.

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Wow, I have a pair of Shure se535ltd that I really want to try with those.

 

[BLEEN]

Wow, I have a pair of Shure se535ltd that I really want to try with those.

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https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/5v6rn7/lowend_bluetooth_mmcx_cable_comparison/
there's a great guide to get you started. dude did the hard work for us and for that, I thank dougie.

 

[Cronogear]

You don't really buy AirPods for the sound quality (though I personally think they sound quite good, but I'm no audiophile, and others disagree). You pretty much buy them for convenience and added tech, and for that they work really well, particularly if you have mostly Apple devices.

Only problem is that your ear has to be the right size/shape. If earpods don't fit you, don't bother with AirPods.

 

[HammerFace]

I like mine a lot but I also really fucking hate buying new headphones because of broken cables. Plus I don't like cables bouncing around when I run. So for me it was absolutely worth it. But that's my specific experience.

 

[Br3wnor]

*IF THEY FIT IN YOUR EAR

With that warning out of the way, AirPods are the single best tech purchase I have made since the iPhone 4 (In terms of immediate QOL impact)

I use mine all throughout the day. All I do is pop open the case, put them into my ears and they're paired with my iPhone. From there I either can double tap the right one to skip track or double tap the left one for Siri. If I need to pause and talk to someone I simply pop one of them out of my ear and they automatically pause. Finish talking, pop it back in and the audio starts playing again automatically. Done using them? Pop them into the case and they'll start charging. The case itself I only charge once every 3ish days.

Sound quality is fine, battery is great. Sure you'll find better sounding Bluetooth headphones and some with better battery life, but you will not find a more convenient pair of headphones than these if you own an iPhone.

If they don't fit your ear well then this is all moot, but if they do then I cannot recommend them enough. You will love them, do not listen to the detractors.

 

[Novocaine]

I love mine. After so many pairs of earphones breaking at the wires these are a godsend. Although I'm not sure I'd use them for exercise, too much rough movement makes them fall out of my ears.

The battery life between the ear pieces and case is insane too.

 

[Deleted member 134]

People that own them love them. I love my pair. You can safely ignore anyone who calls them overpriced. They have no idea what they're talking about. Go find out how much a pair of true wireless earbuds are and you'll see Apple makes one of the cheapest ones. Last year when they released, they were far and away the cheapest pair on the market.

 

[sonnyboy]

I've been itching to make an impulse purchase. I saw someone mention a pair of Sony buds as an alternative, are there any others? Or are the EarPods still the best bang for your buck?

 

[LuckyChamCham]

Nice thread, was just looking for some new earphones lol

 

[DarkWish]

I hate the EarPods but I love the AirPods. They are shaped slightly differently. EarPods hurt my ears after a little while but not the AirPods. I think the biggest thing I found is I thought I had to shove them in my ear. But instead I just put them in just enough. I was afraid they'd fall out but I've been using them for months and they have never fallen out. The sound isn't amazing but it's pretty decent. I love the freedom of being wireless and it's so convenient to carry around the AirPods case. Plus, super easy to switch between using on my iPhone, iPad, and MacBook. I'm using them right now in fact. So I definitely would recommend them.

 

[rockhstrongo]

You can safely ignore anyone who calls them overpriced. They have no idea what they're talking about. Go find out how much a pair of true wireless earbuds are and you'll see Apple makes one of the cheapest ones. Last year when they released, they were far and away the cheapest pair on the market.

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If you search Amazon, there's plenty of true wireless earbuds out there for less than $40...

 

[BLEEN]

I've been itching to make an impulse purchase. I saw someone mention a pair of Sony buds as an alternative, are there any others? Or are the EarPods still the best bang for your buck?

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https://www.adv-sound.com/products/model-3 (can be found cheaper if you look around and can be used wired as well thanks to MMCX connections)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071NDJ6Y2/?tag=era0f0-20 ("true" wireless)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00YDVY34Q/?tag=era0f0-20 (Brainwavz always deserves a mention. They've been killing it for years with portable soundtech!)

Slightly off-topic: MMCX connections are a game-changer, btw. They can turn any pair into Bluetooth compatible IEMs/pods and/or when the wired cable eventually breaks (will always happen at some point), you just buy a new cable for like 1 buck online. I buy them in bulk ~5. My MMCX cable for my main IEMs, admittedly, hasn't broken yet and it's been about a year, but it's always good to have backups for my backups. I get them from AliExpress along with a bunch of other soundstuff.

Edit* shout out to rockhstrongo for mentioning the Soundmoov 316T. I had missed those.

The Soundmoov 316T look interesting. They are $38 at Amazon right now, and there's almost 900 reviews averaging 4.3/5. The reviews get an "A" from Fakespot, too...

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[kingocfs]

If EarPods don't fit you well, don't bother.

If you want to be sure, take an extra pair of EarPods, cut the wires off and see how they fit without the wires weighing them down.

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That second part is crucial. EarPods are completely useless to me when I'm running, they fall out constantly. My AirPods don't budge.

They're great.

 

[FireSafetyBear]

If you search Amazon, there's plenty of true wireless earbuds out there for less than $40...

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Half the battery life
Half the quality
No W-1 chip
Customer service/warranty probably shit.

But yeah I can get a $20 phone too instead of a $800 iPhone.

 

[Fhtagn]

They are fucking great and sound good enough for any situation where they are a better choice than cabled over ear headphones

Obviously I'm going to use my collection of studio headphones when I'm mastering a recording, but anyone saying AirPods are "garbage" are being melodramatic and have no idea how amazingly convenient they are. I always have them with me and can listen to music or podcasts discreetly at any time. Waiting in line, going for a walk, working out, whatever.

The battery life is ridiculously good. The intelligent pairing across same iCloud account devices is killer. They stay in my ears when I bench press and run. They have good bass.

In short, I love em.

 

[rockhstrongo]

The Soundmoov 316T look interesting. They are $38 at Amazon right now, and there's almost 900 reviews averaging 4.3/5. The reviews get an "A" from Fakespot, too...

 

[rockhstrongo]

Half the battery life
Half the quality
No W-1 chip
Customer service/warranty probably shit.

But yeah I can get a $20 phone too instead of a $800 iPhone.

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I never said they were as good, just pointing out that there are indeed much cheaper options available.

 

[zoukka]

Yes they are. Awesome sound quality (I was very surprised) and they stick to my ears nicely. They easily top my previous in-ear Koss phones.

 

[zychi]

Anyone use these on an airplane? Able to hear over the ambience and plane noise?

 

[Deleted member 9330]

If my AirPods broke or got lost/stolen I would immediately drop $160 on another pair with no hesitation. Literally walk into a store, pay, and be happy again

 

[Deleted member 134]

Anyone use these on an airplane? Able to hear over the ambience and plane noise?

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Yes. They're unusable for me. It's way too loud and you'd have to crank up the volume. I should try Ear Skinz next time.

 

[shinken]

There's much better options on the market now.

I've tried a few different options, and the Sony WF-1000X are my favorite by far.
https://www.whathifi.com/sony/wf-1000x/review

They have NOISE-CANCELLING!

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I had interest in them, I also have its big brother, MDR-1000X, which i'm very happy about. I quickly lost interest in them though, after reading the widespread "connection issues" with the right earbud.

 

[uncelestial]

Functionality is impressive. Comfort, sound quality, aesthetics, and price are all poor.

 

[Deleted member 134]

Functionality is impressive. Comfort, sound quality, aesthetics, and price are all poor.

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https://www.cultofmac.com/444655/quit-yer-whining-airpods-cheap-af/
https://www.theverge.com/2016/9/8/12840478/apple-airpods-price-truly-wireless-earbuds-market
https://www.reddit.com/r/apple/comments/5i5oqk/since_the_airpods_are_way_overpriced_and_should/

If $160 for earbuds are too expensive for you, that's fine. But AirPods are not overpriced. Keep in mind this price came out last year, too, and blew the competition out of the water. Companies have now somewhat caught up... Kind of.

 

[Luchashaq]

I couldn't be less impressed.

The shape is awful, you either ram it so hard into your ear that it hurts or they fall out.

Functionally even putting my phone in my pocket was enough to make the connection shitty.

Fastest regifting I've ever done. A $25 knockoff crap pair I got off amazon was about the same tbh except it fit better and didn't have a cool charging case.

 

[uncelestial]

https://www.cultofmac.com/444655/quit-yer-whining-airpods-cheap-af/
https://www.theverge.com/2016/9/8/12840478/apple-airpods-price-truly-wireless-earbuds-market
https://www.reddit.com/r/apple/comments/5i5oqk/since_the_airpods_are_way_overpriced_and_should/

If $160 for earbuds are too expensive for you, that's fine. But AirPods are not overpriced. Keep in mind this price came out last year, too, and blew the competition out of the water. Companies have now somewhat caught up... Kind of.

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Really bruh, Cult of Mac, r/Apple and Verge articles?

Nah. The price is nuts. I know you were hyped for Apple doing this, but I stand by what I said. Brilliant user experience, but that's about it.

 

[Deleted member 134]

Really bruh, Cult of Mac, r/Apple and Verge articles?

Nah. The price is nuts.

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I guess you can ignore the legitimate pricing data and just go with your gut.

 

[Luchashaq]

.

But yeah I can get a $20 phone too instead of a $800 iPhone.

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As someone who destroyed my S7 edge doing something stupid and replaced it with the cheapest non flip phone crap they had? The only difference that has affected me vs. Using my S7 edge or my old iphone 5 is that the camera on my cheapo phone is that the camera is a potato. Everything else might as well be the same email/twitter/video streaming/browser/the one mobile gane every year I get into. I probably won't ever buy an expensive phone again after realizing I don't benefit from having one.

 

[lukeskymac]

I'm an Apple guy but I wouldn't use one even if they were freely handed to me. Apple thinking that the Earpods' slight protrusion makes them and the AirPods count as IEMs was a huge mistake. I realize that many people dislike actual IEMs but it's simply impossible to have a good fit and good sound out of earbuds.

Now, if the Airpods were based on the ADDIEMs (RIP) instead, I would definitely buy a pair. Sound quality and fit would then be good enough for me, and adding those to the current AirPods' strengths would be enough to justify the price.

Get on it, Apple.

 

[noctix]

I don't think they are expensive when u compare it to bose, jaybird, jabra, or the sony's wf-1000x, but the sound quality is meh and they really depends on if the fit or not. I think they are one of the poorest device by apple in terms of aesthetics and the fact that u need a certain ear socket for it to be useful to u. I have been in the market for a while for truly wireless headphones but I don't think the sound quality is there yet to justify the price

 

[Owari]

It's 2017. Nobody is jealous of any apple product, the faithful already own it and everyone else either doesn't care or actively avoids the brand. Aside from iPads which remain the kings of their sector (mostly due to the app store), none of their products are a fiscally sensible purchase.

Anyway, they're very mediocre for the asking price, OP. Would be a recommended purchase under $40.

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Anyone who judges someone else by what's in their ears is either jealous or an idiot. I was giving them the benefit of the doubt with the jealous thing.

You don't seem like an Apple user at all, so I don't see how you'd know about the quality of AirPods and what their price should be.

 

[Ja-]

I sometimes forget they're even in my ears.

 

[Red]

I guess you can ignore the legitimate pricing data and just go with your gut.

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You're not wrong, but some people won't let themselves be convinced.

 

[Lazlow]

My favourite product Apple has made in the past 5 years, I love them.

 

[elektrixx]

Lots of people have said it already: If EarPods fit, definitely buy AirPods. I've had them since release and I think these are the best headphones I've ever bought.

I wear them to the gym and they've NEVER fallen out. Getting started with them is easy. Just put them on and double tap. Done. No need to power them off either; just straight back into the case.

On average I'd say I charge them less than once a week.

 

[WhisperOfMalice]

I've had mine for a little week now and I've been enjoying them very much. Them being truly wireless is so liberating. Very easy to use and setup, I would recommend them if the EarPods fit your ears.

 

[Deleted member 2474]

ITT: people who own AirPods love them and people who don't say they suck.

They're great if you know what you're getting into. By non-IEM earbud standards sound quality is great. They do leak slightly, but that's by design - these are not meant to create a seal. They are for casual listening and on-the-go use where it may be important to hear what's around you. Regular EarPods sometimes fell out of my ear, but using AirPods made me realize the culprit was almost always something pulling on the cable - AirPods never fall out for me. Battery life lasts ages thanks to the charging case. I usually go 4-5 days between charges and I use them for hours every day. The buds charge super fast in the case too. Range is also great. I can use them two rooms away from my phone.

The big thing I would say is I'd only get them if you are deep in Apple stuff, though. I use an iPhone, iPad, and a MacBook Pro, so the easy iCloud syncing makes it painless to go between devices. With non-Apple devices you lose out on simple syncing as well as connection range and reliability. Also: Apple's video apps delay the video ever so slightly to compensate for Bluetooth latency where third party stuff often does not. It's not super noticeable, but I'm sensitive to this stuff, so I can tell. Also, naturally, don't get them if EarPods hurt your ears or just fall out even without the cable pulling them.

I should note also that I don't use AirPods as my ONLY set of headphones. Where latency or audio quality are important (ie, home listening or hobbyist music production) I have a pair of ATH-m50x. From a pure sound quality POV, though, the difference is not actually as vast as you might think - certainly not what many people in this thread claim.

If your deciding metric for headphones is just pure "price to audio quality," of course, AirPods are a bad option. Get some open backed cans. But then those are big and wired and completely useless in public, aren't they? AirPods are not about pure price to audio quality, they are about being convenient as hell and super small and with battery life that feels nearly infinite in use, and for that they are best in breed.

 

[SixPointEight]

They are the best new apple product in years. Sure they don't have the best sound in the industry, but that's not what I'm seeking when I go wireless. I'm seeking convenience and ease of use, and the airpoda are excellent at that.

 

[PositivePolitique]

Best apple product in YEARS, worth every penny if you use headphones alot

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Agree with this. It's changed how I listen to music. I no longer need to carry my phone around the house. While I'm FaceTiming or on the phone I can walk around. Simple things like switching from an iPhone to an iPad to listen to music are done by clicking buttons instead of physically taking them out.

Wires seem so silly now, having used AirPods since they came out. And they never fall out, thanks to the lack of wires.

 

[borghe]

I don't get why you would pay so much for earbuds that only have "okay" or "passable" sound quality.

I'm surprised Apple would even release a flagship product that only is mediocre in one of its defining functionalities.

Until they drop wireless earbuds that can match or come close to the sound quality of my MDRs, I'm out.

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As has already been mentioned a number of times, on pretty much everything outside of sound quality they are best in class. If Apple were to increase sound quality in these also it would send them north of $200. As for noise canceling these are already down to 5 hours on their own. Noise canceling would destroy that. And APT-X would be nice, but no iPhone currently supports it.

You're paying for the form factor and battery life, and if you are invested in the Apple ecosystem the ability to have them paired to all of your devices. Restoring my backup to my new iPhone X and instantly being able to connect my AirPods without pairing.... priceless.

 

[Deleted member 20296]

for that price you should be looking at noise cancelling. i got a pair of bose qc 35 Ii headphones and holy shit, gamechanger.

i would now trust bose for all my noise cancelling needs and it seems their noise cancelling headphone offering is great. there is a wire between the two earpieces though. for me thats a plus, for you maybe not

 

[ChristMustDie]

I use mine every single day, and I don't even own an iPhone anymore. The battery life is great and I love how small the case is. A lot of people don't like the look of them, but that doesn't bother me too much. The sheer convenience of the AirPods is why I use them over my wireless Bose headphones most days.

 

[Vuze]

They are a no brainer if you own any Apple product and regular EarPods fit you. Sound great for what they are but convenience is what sets them apart. The case is also a great solution with great form factor.
That being said, if you're looking for noise canceling or these buds you press into your ear canals, they are not for you.

Also let me wholeheartedly laugh at people who criticize the looks but then recommend these hearing aid design earbuds instead lol