AirPods Pro 2 Review: 1 Underrated Thing!

Summary

The reviewer initially had reservations about the new AirPods Pro 2, but after testing them, they were impressed. The earbuds feature an improved sound profile with enhanced bass and mids, a 33% increase in battery life, and a new extra small ear tip for a better fit. The case now includes a lanyard loop and a speaker for easier location. The standout feature is the H2 chip, which powers superior active noise cancellation and an 'Adaptive transparency mode' that adjusts loud sounds to protect hearing. The AirPods Pro 2 is a significant upgrade, offering better sound quality, battery life, and user experience.

Takeaways

• 🎧 The new AirPods Pro 2 have a nearly identical design to the previous model but feature dual vents at the top for distinction.
• 🔊 Inside, the AirPods Pro 2 have a new driver and amplifier, resulting in significantly improved sound quality with enhanced bass and mids.
• 👂 Despite not offering lossless audio, the AirPods Pro 2 deliver 16 bit/48 kHz audio that is still considered good.
• 🔋 The battery life has been extended by 33%, providing six hours of use with noise cancellation on and up to 30 hours with the charging case.
• 👂🔧 An extra small ear tip is included, catering to users with smaller ears for a better fit.
• 🔄 The charging case now has a lanyard loop and a built-in speaker for locating the AirPods and playing sounds when charging.
• 📞 The H2 chip in the AirPods Pro 2 enables improved active noise cancellation, making a noticeable difference in blocking out background noise.
• 👂🌐 The 'Adaptive transparency mode' on the AirPods Pro 2 reduces loud or harsh sounds above 85 decibels in real-time, enhancing safety and comfort.
• 🎚 The earbuds now feature volume control on the stem, providing a convenient way to adjust volume without using a device.
• 🔄 The H2 chip also allows for personalized spatial audio through an ear scan, potentially improving the audio experience.
• 💬 The AirPods Pro 2 are considered a significant upgrade from the previous model, offering better sound, battery life, and features at the same price point.

Q & A

What was the initial reaction of the reviewer to the new AirPods Pro 2?

The reviewer was initially not planning on reviewing the new AirPods Pro 2 due to being busy with other tech reviews during Tech-tember.

What are the visual differences between the new AirPods Pro 2 and the previous generation?

The only visual difference is the presence of dual vents at the top of the new AirPods Pro 2, making them distinguishable from the previous model.

What improvements in sound quality does the new AirPods Pro 2 have over the previous model?

The new AirPods Pro 2 have an entirely new driver and amplifier, resulting in dramatically better sound quality with more lows and mids, and less high volume distortion.

How does the battery life of the new AirPods Pro 2 compare to the previous model?

The new AirPods Pro 2 have a 33% longer battery life, offering six hours of listening time on a single charge with noise cancellation on, and up to 30 hours total with the case.

What is the significance of the new extra small ear tip included with the AirPods Pro 2?

The extra small ear tip is significant for people with smaller ears, as it may provide a better fit than the previous AirPods models.

What new feature has been added to the case of the AirPods Pro 2 to help users find them?

A speaker has been added to the bottom of the case, which can play a loud sound to help locate the AirPods, in addition to the precision finding feature with the U1 chip.

What does the H2 chip in the new AirPods Pro 2 enable that wasn't possible with the H1 chip?

The H2 chip enables improved active noise cancellation, better sound processing, and features like adaptive transparency mode and personalized spatial audio.

How does the adaptive transparency mode work on the new AirPods Pro 2?

Adaptive transparency mode allows outside sounds to be heard while reducing loud or harsh sounds above 85 decibels to a safer level without delay.

What is the new ear scan feature for personalized spatial audio, and how does it work?

The new ear scan feature uses the Face ID depth sensors to measure the user's head and ear depth, providing a personalized spatial audio mix for a more immersive listening experience.

How does the reviewer compare the noise cancellation capabilities of the new AirPods Pro 2 to other brands?

The reviewer places the new AirPods Pro 2 on the same level as the Sony Mark 4 earbuds and below the Bose QuietComfort Earbud IIs, but above the AirPods Max in terms of noise cancellation effectiveness.

What is the reviewer's final verdict on the new AirPods Pro 2?

The reviewer concludes that the new AirPods Pro 2 are a significant upgrade and are better than expected, with improved sound quality, battery life, noise cancellation, and additional features.

Outlines

00:00

🎧 New AirPods Pro 2 Review and Features

The reviewer initially had no plans to review the new AirPods Pro 2 due to the busy Tech-tember schedule. However, after receiving a pair with personalized Memoji, they decided to test them out. The AirPods Pro 2 boasts a new driver and amplifier for improved sound quality, with enhanced bass and mids, and reduced high volume distortion. Despite the lack of lossless audio, the 16 bit/48 kHz audio performance is still impressive. The battery life has been extended by 33%, offering six hours with noise cancellation and up to 30 hours with the charging case. The earbuds also include a new extra small ear tip for a better fit and a redesigned charging case with a lanyard loop and a speaker for easier location and charging confirmation. The case is still IPX4 water resistant and can be engraved with a Memoji.

05:01

🔊 Advanced Noise Cancellation and Transparency Mode

The H2 chip in the AirPods Pro 2 enables significant improvements in active noise cancellation, which is noticeably effective in blocking out white noise from air conditioners and transportation. The reviewer compares the noise cancellation capabilities with other leading earbuds, placing the AirPods Pro 2 just below the Bose QuietComfort Earbud IIs but above the AirPods Max. A standout feature is the 'Adaptive transparency mode,' which allows outside sounds to be heard clearly while reducing loud or harsh noises above 85 decibels to a safe level without delay. This real-time processing is managed directly on the earbuds, not the phone, showcasing the power of the H2 chip. The chip also facilitates features like real-time noise cancellation tracking and personalized spatial audio through an ear scan.

10:04

🌟 AirPods Pro 2: A Comprehensive Upgrade

The reviewer concludes that the AirPods Pro 2 are a substantial upgrade from their predecessors, offering better sound quality, improved battery life, enhanced noise cancellation, and an upgraded case with practical features like a lanyard loop and a locating speaker. The introduction of volume control on the earbuds and the H2 chip's computational audio capabilities make these earbuds an excellent choice for 'AirPods people' who frequently use them in various environments. The reviewer acknowledges the competition but highlights the AirPods Pro 2 as a strong contender in the earbud market, with a package that includes all the desired improvements at the same price point.

Keywords

💡Tech-tember

Tech-tember is a colloquial term referring to the month of September, which is traditionally a busy time for technology launches and announcements. In the context of the video, it sets the stage for the numerous tech reviews the reviewer is working on, including the new AirPods announcement.

💡AirPods Pro 2

AirPods Pro 2 refers to the second-generation model of Apple's high-end wireless earbuds, known for their noise cancellation and sound quality. The video's theme revolves around the improvements and new features of this model, such as better sound, longer battery life, and enhanced noise cancellation.

💡Memoji

Memoji is a personalized animated emoji feature on Apple devices, allowing users to create a cartoon version of themselves. In the script, the reviewer mentions their Memoji on the AirPods case, illustrating the product's customization options.

💡Driver and Amplifier

In audio technology, the driver refers to the component that produces sound, while the amplifier boosts the audio signal. The script mentions an entirely new driver and amplifier in the AirPods Pro 2, indicating a significant upgrade in sound quality.

💡Low, Mids, and Highs

These terms describe different frequency ranges in audio: lows (bass), mids (midrange frequencies), and highs (treble). The reviewer notes an improvement in these ranges for the AirPods Pro 2, particularly in the bass, which is more noticeable in genres like hip hop.

💡Battery Life

Battery life refers to the duration a device can operate before needing to be recharged. The script highlights a 33% increase in battery life for the AirPods Pro 2, emphasizing the practicality for users who need extended use without frequent charging.

💡Ear Tip Sizes

Ear tips are the soft silicone or foam covers that fit into the ear for a secure and comfortable fit. The video mentions the inclusion of an extra small ear tip size, catering to users with smaller ears and improving the fit of the AirPods Pro 2.

💡Lanyard Loop

A lanyard loop is a small attachment point on a device for threading a cord or strap. The script describes a new feature on the AirPods case, allowing users to attach it to a lanyard or other items to prevent loss or mix-ups.

💡U1 Chip

The U1 chip is a component in Apple devices that enables spatial awareness and precise location tracking. The video mentions the U1 chip's role in the AirPods case, allowing for 'precision finding' and easier location tracking when misplaced.

💡H2 Chip

The H2 chip is the second generation of Apple's audio processing chip, featured in the AirPods Pro 2. It is responsible for improved active noise cancellation, real-time audio processing, and other enhancements. The script emphasizes the H2 chip as the key to the new features and performance improvements.

💡Adaptive Transparency Mode

Adaptive Transparency Mode is a feature introduced in the AirPods Pro 2 that adjusts the volume of loud or harsh sounds in real-time while maintaining the natural sound of the environment. The video describes this feature as a significant upgrade, providing safety and comfort in noisy environments.

💡Spatial Audio

Spatial audio is a technology that provides a three-dimensional audio experience, simulating sound coming from different directions. The script discusses a new 'ear scan' feature for personalized spatial audio, suggesting an enhanced listening experience tailored to the user's ear shape.

💡Volume Control

Volume control on the earbud itself is a feature that allows users to adjust the volume directly on the device without using a separate control like a phone. The video mentions this as a convenient new feature on the AirPods Pro 2, improving user experience.

Highlights

New AirPods Pro 2 feature a nearly identical design with dual vents at the top to distinguish them from previous models.

The new model includes an entirely new driver and amplifier for dramatically improved sound quality, making them the best sounding earbuds Apple has made.

Enhanced bass and mids are noticeable, especially in music genres with a lot of bass, and there is very little high volume distortion.

Despite no lossless audio, the 16 bit/48 kilohertz audio provides a good listening experience.

AirPods Pro 2 boasts a 33% longer battery life, offering six hours of use with noise cancellation on and up to 30 hours with the case.

An extra small ear tip is included for those with smaller ears, potentially improving fit for those who had issues with previous models.

The case now features a lanyard loop and a speaker at the bottom, which can play a loud sound to help locate the AirPods.

The case's speaker also plays a sound when placed on a charger and is compatible with both wired and wireless charging, including Apple Watch chargers.

AirPods Pro 2 maintains IPX4 water resistance, suitable for workouts and light rain.

Users can now engrave their Memoji on the AirPods case to prevent mix-ups.

Volume control has been added to the earbud itself, allowing for convenient adjustment without reaching for the phone.

The H2 chip enables improved active noise cancellation, claiming to remove up to two times more background noise.

The new 'Adaptive transparency mode' reduces loud or harsh sounds above 85 decibels in real-time without delay.

The H2 chip allows for real-time processing of audio, including EQ adjustments and noise cancellation, directly on the earbuds.

An ear scan for personalized spatial audio is introduced, using Face ID depth sensors to measure the head and ears for a customized audio mix.

The H2 chip also enables features like real-time noise cancellation feedback on the Apple Watch and mismatched AirPods alerts.

AirPods Pro 2 is a significant upgrade over its predecessor, offering better sound, battery life, noise cancellation, and practical features.

The new model is particularly appealing for those who frequently use AirPods in various daily activities and environments.

Transcripts

(gentle electric music begins)

- All right, I'll be honest.

I wasn't even planning on reviewing these.

You know? It's Tech-tember.

There's a lotta stuff going on right now.

There's other videos on other tech

that we're actively working on.

That's coming soon that you'll see.

So we saw the new AirPods announcement in the keynote

and a couple new features,

and then Apple sent over a pair.

It's got my Memoji on it and everything.

I was like, "That's cute," but I promise you

I didn't even take it out the box for a few days,

'cause I was so busy working on some of the other stuff.

But then, I did take it out the box,

and I did try them. (case clicking)

And I gotta say,

I am now very convinced

that these are really good,

but not by what you think.

So there's a lot of small new features here

that AirPods people have been waiting for a long time.

On the surface, it's still in a nearly identical design.

You recognize 'em from a mile away.

The only way you can tell them apart

from the last AirPods Pro, visually,

is by these dual vents at the top.

But on the inside,

there is an entirely new driver and amplifier,

and these AirPods do sound dramatically better

than the last ones.

Easily, the best sounding earbuds Apple's ever made.

There are way more lows and mids so if you listen to hip hop

or just music with a lotta bass,

it's very noticeable, it just way better.

And there's also very little high volume distortion

and the whole sound profile is very responsive and crisp.

They sound good, like really good EarPods now.

There still is no lossless audio with these,

but it's still 16 bit/48 kilohertz audio and that is good,

but that wasn't the thing that convinced me.

It was a difference maker for sure.

It's really nice,

but that's not the thing.

These do now have a 33% longer battery life.

So it's six hours on a single charge now

with noise cancellation on,

and up to 30 total hours with the battery in the case.

I promise you,

I'll never have earbuds in for six hours straight.

So this was more than enough for me,

but it wasn't what impressed me either.

There is also a new extra small ear tip.

So now it comes with the mediums installed by default,

and then there's two sizes smaller and one larger size.

So if you have smaller ears

that the previous AirPods didn't quite work with,

these may make a difference for you,

with the extra small ear tip.

As you can imagine, that's not me, mediums all the way,

but some maybe even tempted to say

that the new case is the biggest upgrade.

That's certainly what I thought when I watched the keynote.

It's like Apple had a meeting about how,

"Wow, people are losing these things

and getting them mixed up with other people's AirPods,"

and then they just decided to do something about it.

So the case is the same size and shape,

but there's this lanyard loop on the side now,

in case you wanna attach it to something.

It's kinda like the loop

on the top of the water bottle at MKBHD.com,

but just way smaller,

and then you can use whatever lanyard

you wanna attach it to.

But if that's not good enough for you,

there's a whole speaker at the bottom of the case now

and it is surprisingly useful.

So it can play a loud sound to help you find them,

on top of the precision finding

that already works really well,

since it has a U1 chip inside.

So it's just like an AirTag.

If it's somewhere in your general vicinity,

it can guide you to it.

That is sweet.

It also plays a sound when you get it on a charger,

wired or wireless.

And the MagSafe ring helps it stay in place

on any MagSafe wireless charging puck.

That's not new,

but it also now works with Apple watch chargers too,

which is a nice touch.

On top of all that,

It is still IPX4 water resistant,

which is an extra layer of security

if you work out and sweat around the case,

or if you end up in the rain in these.

And you can engrave it with your Memoji now,

so your friends will never accidentally pick up

your AirPods case by mistake.

But not even that,

is what was convincing me about the AirPods Pro 2.

Not even the most requested feature apparently,

this is something lots of other earbuds have had,

but volume control on the earbud itself,

it's on the stock now.

So, of course, it is now much more convenient

to just adjust the volume

without having to reach for your phone.

It's kinda like this pinch gesture,

where you hold your finger on one side

and then slide with the other on the flat spot on the stock.

It's kinda awkward at first,

but you do get used to it.

But no, it was none of that.

The thing that convinced me with these headphones

that they're incredible,

is the H2 chip. (case clicking)

So previous years' generations of Apple headphones

have had the H1 chip inside.

And it's this little chip that's doing the audio processing,

noise cancellation, et cetera.

This is the second generation of that chip.

And Apple was bragging on stage that it has

a billion transistors or something ridiculous.

Whatever! The point of the chip is that it enables

everything that is special about these new AirPods.

So first of all,

there is much improved active noise cancellation.

Apple said something like,

up to two times more background noise is removed

versus the last generation.

I don't know about all that,

but combining these new drivers and the sound profile

with the improved noise cancellation

is definitely noticeable.

It's incredible with white noise,

like air conditioners and transportation.

You put the headphones on

and it just erases them immediately.

I'm not the type of person

to wear earbuds for an entire flight.

I still much prefer over-the-ear headphones for that,

but I get it with these now.

I understand why people would want to wear

these airbuds on a plane

because they cancel noise that well.

I'm putting them on the same level

of the Sony Mark 4 earbuds,

and right below the new Bose QuietComfort Earbud IIs,

and I put them above the AirPods Maxes,

as far as how well it actually cancels sound.

They still sound very different.

I did the back-to-back test.

Don't get me wrong.

You can tell the much bigger driver

makes a difference in the AirPods Max,

but these get quieter.

They remove more background noise.

Now there is already a lot of computational audio

happening in AirPods Pro Sound.

They're literally adjusting the EQ

with everything you listen to,

and across every different volume level

to make sure they sound a certain way,

which is kinda funny.

It actually makes them hard to review sometimes

against other headphones,

because every track hits a little bit different.

But the one huge advantage AirPods have had

for a long time now over the competition,

over the Boses and the Samsungs

and the Pixel Buds of the world,

is the transparency mode.

As someone who has used them all,

the transparency mode from AirPods

has for a while been on a level by itself above the rest.

The real-time passthrough of outside sound

is kind of amazing.

And in these, with the H2 chip,

it has leveled up again.

So on stage, Apple introduced what they're calling,

"Adaptive transparency mode."

It's actually not a separate mode,

it's still the transparency mode,

which is with a different name,

but what's happening is

it's still passing through all the outside sound.

But anytime there's a loud

or a harsh sound above 85 decibels,

it cuts that sound down to not be loud and harsh.

So let's say, you're walking or biking through the city.

You need to keep transparency mode on

so you can hear the cars

and the people around you for safety,

but you're still listening to music

or a podcast or whatever.

And then an ambulance drives past you,

sirens blaring. (sirens blaring)

You will still hear the sirens,

but that super loud sound

will be suppressed to a level that doesn't hurt your ears.

It's just, it's super smart.

And that ambulance could be anything,

that could be someone honking,

it could be a jackhammer, construction noise,

it could be a dog barking.

But it's keeping the same sound signature

of whatever sound that is,

and just bringing it down below a certain level.

And it's doing it all in real-time with virtually no delay.

So the crazy number is,

it's sampling outside sound 48,000 times per second.

Apparently, that's 240 times faster

than the last generation.

And so, it could even be like a really sharp,

quick outside sound, (fingers snapping)

like a dog barking.

It will actually reduce a loud dog barking

as fast as it's actually happening.

So by the time it reaches your ears,

it's a lower degree of sound; it's crazy.

Now I've been trying it.

I've been walking around with them

and it's working really well.

It's so good that this is a scenario

that I've dreamt up that I believe could happen.

I haven't tried this myself,

but you know how you typically go to a super loud concert

and front row, middle row,

the speakers are are obviously too loud,

they're damaging your ears,

if you have an Apple watch,

it's giving you warnings

that if you're in this type of sound for too long,

it'll be damaging to your hearing.

Instead of wearing earplugs, you can actually,

you can really do this,

you can wear AirPods Pro 2 and put them in transparency mode

and it will take the entire sound signature

of that whole thing you're listening to,

and it will drop it down to a reasonable level.

You'll still feel the base in your chest of the speakers,

but your hearing won't be damaged as much,

because it's taking all of that and reducing it

and you're still hearing the music.

That's incredible.

So all of this real-time processing

is happening on the earbuds, not on your phone,

and that is the H2 chip at work.

Plus, there's also a few other features it enables too.

It talks to the Noise app on the Apple watch in real-time

to show you how much noise is being canceled out,

in case you want a visual for that sort of thing.

And also, if you accidentally

ever put the wrong earbud in your case, like someone else's,

the speaker will actually play a chime

and you'll get a mismatched AirPods notification

on your phone.

Another nice touch for those people

who have inevitably lost AirPods to their friends' cases

and probably don't even know it.

And then there's a new ear scan

for personalized spatial audio.

This was kind of a weird one.

So it's using the Face ID depth sensors

to measure your head and measure the depth of your ears,

to give you a personalized spatial audio mix.

Sony's been doing the same thing for a little bit

with some of their headphones.

They use the front-facing camera.

I don't know if I was convinced at the usefulness of this.

The spatial audio was already pretty good,

but after I did the personalized audio, basically for me,

it just sounded like

the sound stage got a little bit whiter, maybe.

There's just a bit more of a spread

to how far apart the different sounds and instrumentals are.

I don't know exactly how much of the ear scan data

was being used for this,

but that's even more computational audio,

thanks to the H2 chip.

Overall though, these AirPods are a significant upgrade

and they're just flat out better than I expected.

I wasn't expecting this much of a change,

and they sound way better, they work way better.

There is still lots of other competition

in the earbuds world.

Samsung's buds are really good.

I also really like the Pixel Buds.

I did a whole separate video review of those.

If you wanna watch it, you can check it out with the card.

But at the beginning of the video,

I said a little phrase, (I don't know if you caught it),

but I said, "AirPods people."

"AirPods people."

And this is something that you might see a lot

if you live in a major city,

or where there's a lotta mass transit

or something like that.

It's when people just wear AirPods everywhere they go.

They walk around the streets with them, they bike around,

they just live with AirPods in their ears.

And these are gonna be amazing for those people.

It's everything you'd care about.

It's the better battery life.

It's the better sound quality.

It's the better noise cancellation

and much better transparency mode.

The better case, the volume control on the stocks,

all in one package at the same price.

I get it, I get it. (gentle electric music begins)

It's really good.

Air Pods Pro 2

are really, really good and now you know why.

All right, that's it.

Thanks for watchin'.

Catch you on the next one.

Peace.