The Sound Quality of AirPods 3 and AirPod Pro Microphones
I've been testing the AirPods 3 and AirPod Pro microphones on video calls, and I'm pleased to report that they work incredibly well. The sound quality is terrific, with a great mix of fairly boomy bass and crisp highs. The audio has a nice balance of chocolate overtones, which sounds like notes of nut and earthy fruit. This is music to my ears, especially when listening to podcasts or audiobooks on phone speakers.
I've found that the AirPods 3 sound better than the AirPods 2, but not quite as good as the AirPod Max. The AirPod Max has a more detailed and nuanced sound, which is impressive considering its price tag. However, the AirPods 3 are still a great option for those looking for high-quality audio on-the-go.
One of the standout features of the AirPods 3 is their battery life. According to Apple, you can get up to six hours of battery life per bud, which is an increase from the previous model. The charging case also lasts for 30 hours, and it's possible to charge the buds for one hour of listening time in just five minutes.
The AirPods 3 are also more water and sweat resistant than their predecessors. Both the pods and the case now have an IPX4 rating, which means they can withstand splashes and light rain. However, it's still not recommended to use them in extreme weather conditions or to get them wet for extended periods.
What really impresses me about the AirPods 3 is their ambient computing capabilities. The technology has been years in the making, and it's finally starting to pay off. The AirPods can provide directions, workout metrics, notification announcements, and even answer questions from third-party apps. This level of intelligence and convenience is what makes the AirPods feel like increasingly like external cybernetics.
The implications of this technology are huge. It means that Apple is pushing its features down to the lower-end models, making them more competitive with the higher-end options. The base model AirPods now have a pro design, magnetic inductive charging case, spatial audio, dynamic IQ, and ambient computing capability, all for $180. This is a steal considering the amount of technology packed into it.
For those who can't afford the premium features, Apple has also released the OJi AirPods 2 for $130. While they don't have all the bells and whistles of the higher-end models, they still offer many of the same features at a lower price point.
In conclusion, the AirPods 3 are the new baseline iPhone buds to beat. They make for an excellent force multiplier for all of your other Apple gear, especially in this new ambient computing world. With their great sound quality, long battery life, and advanced features, they're a must-have for anyone looking to upgrade their audio experience.
Supporting Educational Creators
As someone who regularly listens to podcasts and audiobooks on phone speakers, I've come to appreciate the importance of supporting educational creators directly. That's why I'm excited to share with you my affiliation with Nebula, a streaming service co-founded by some incredibly thought-provoking educators. By signing up through the link below, you can get access to thousands of amazing documentaries and series, including Curiosity Stream.
Curiosity Stream is an incredible resource for learning and exploration. With its vast library of content, it's perfect for anyone looking to expand their knowledge on a particular topic or subject area. From science and history to art and culture, there's something for everyone on this platform. And with its ad-free and sponsor-free model, you can trust that the content is high-quality and free from commercial influence.
By supporting Curiosity Stream through my link, you'll not only be getting access to an incredible service but also directly contributing to the success of educational creators who are passionate about sharing their knowledge with the world. So why wait? Click the button below or head over to curiositystream.com/reneritchie to sign up today and start exploring the vast world of learning.
The Future of Audio
As we move forward into this new era of audio technology, it's exciting to think about what the future holds. With companies like Apple pushing the boundaries of what's possible, we can expect even more innovative features and advancements in the years to come.
One thing that's clear is that audio will play an increasingly important role in our daily lives. From smart speakers to augmented reality experiences, sound will be at the forefront of many emerging technologies. And with the rise of ambient computing, we can expect to see even more intelligent and intuitive audio solutions in the future.
As someone who loves technology and innovation, I'm excited to see where this journey takes us. Whether it's through the development of new audio formats or the creation of entirely new devices, one thing is certain: the future of audio will be exciting and full of possibilities.
So what do you think? Are you as excited about the future of audio as I am? Let me know in the comments below, and let's start a conversation about where this journey takes us.
"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: en- The AirPods 3 look like the AirPods Pro.Same oblong buds andshorter, more angled stemswith a virtual force sensorbutton for media control.But there are some critical differences.There's no silicone tips forpeople who find that annoyingor downright painful.Also, spatial audio for atruly immersive experience,but no active noise canceling.Adaptive EQ, whichconstantly corrects the audiobased on how exactly the bud is sitting,or moving in your ear,but no transparency mode.Much better Find My if you lose a pod,longer battery life,MagSafe, and sweat and waterresistance in the case,and so much more functionality.Thanks to years of audio iOS updatesthat they're not just awhole entire 3D soundstagein your ears,they're basically external cybernetics.If only they weren'tso annoying sometimes.Let me explain.I'm Rene Ritchie, thanksto Curiosity Streamwith Nebula for sponsoring.Hit that subscribe button,so you don't miss all of thereviews I have coming your waylike this one for the brand new AirPods 3.Yes, AirPods 3,look like the love child ofAirPods 2 and AirPods Pro,which I personally think is great.Same iconic style, but edgier design.And most importantly,it leaves an option for peoplewho really don't like anything,literally in their earsbecause it's uncomfortableor it's painful.And I mean, I'm the opposite.My ears have been so mangledby a decade of Brazilian jiu-jitsu.I need those little Silicon tipsjust for them to have even afighting chance staying inside.But that's why having these optionsis so critically important,except for the double tap.Because switching to theforce sensor for media controlis way, way better,because it means I no longer feellike a combo smackingmyself in the brainstemevery time I want to skip an audio track.Now, I am still missing colors.The consumer end of iPod, iPhone, iPad,even Mac and HomePod mini now,all have colors.AirPods only the high end, the Max,and I get it, white siconic.It is the gloss that haslaunched a million iTunes ads,but I'd still love tosee the full on rangeof Apple chromatics here withthe consumer level air pods.Set up is as easy as ever, which is great.Add it to your iPhone,and then iCloud propagates toall your other apple devices.Assuming you have other apple devices.(chuckles)I assume a lot of you do.The only issue is, ever sinceapple added auto switching,a lot of us have experienced somethingway more like rando switching.And I know guessing userintent is really tough,no question.But an act of audio streamshould just never not ever be interrupted.So the whole system reallyneeds a level of refinement.Not so much with spatial audio though,because that is already a legit terrific.Feels like the future,but where the AirPods Promake a 3D sound stage,feel like it's really up in your headbecause they're up in your earsand the AirPods Max, make itfeel like it's all around youlike a theater,sometimes a cavernous theater,because they're all around your ears.The AirPods 3 are justsomewhere in betweenbecause they're on your ears,but not in them, but not around them.It's like an open back.It's not as claustrophobic or as lonely,and I really, really dig the experience.The dynamic head trackingpart is also way cool.It lets you treat youriPhone or iPod or Apple TVas a static speaker,and you walk around withoutthe audio following youas it normally would with headphones,but rather like locked as a speaker would.So as you turn, it stayswhere the speaker is.And it's especially cool with new featureslike FaceTime group callingbecause people sound like where they areand it's almost freaky,but normal, but freaky.Now, there's no active noise canceling,no transparency mode,no conversation boost,which all require the more multipleand more expensive componentsof the Pro models or the Max.And I really love thatfor travel, for work,for even working out.But they do have adaptive EQlike the AirPods Pro and Maxand I would argue, they need it even morebecause these aren't in your ear,the way the AirPods Pro are.They're more apt to movearound a little bit,and this makes sure thatthe music is adjusted,not just for the unique shape of your ear,but as that relativeposition keeps changing.Now, the downside isyou don't get manual EQand I know some peoplelove to set manual EQ.They want it to sound theway they want it to sound,but Apple can't do both right now.They can't do the computationalmodel of adaptive EQand let you change things manually.But one thing they can do,which is really neat and actually worksacross all of the air podsis that you can uploada custom audio gram throughthe accessibility settings.And I have a friend, he's a musician,and his hearing has beendamaged over the yearsand he just did this.And he said it gave music back to him.You know, he had anincredibly emotional responsebecause music soundedagain the way it used to,the way it hadn't in years.So that's a really powerfulfeature all of the AirPods havethat you should absolutelycheck out as soon as possible.And the new inset mic isalso a really pretty good,especially paired withthe new AAC-ELD codecfor better HD voice.This is the sound of theAirPods 2 mic on a video call.This is a sound of the AirPods3 microphone on a video call.This is the sound of theAirPods Pro microphoneon a video call.I'm not gonna do a VOfor any videos with them,except maybe in a pinch actually,but for calls, they workmore than well enough.And the whole system sounds terrific.Again, I'm that monsterthat listens to podcastson phone speakers,not the audio file who won'tget out of their music appor bed or whatever forany headphones under 10K,but the AirPods 3 have a really good mixof fairly boomy bass and crisp pies,chocolate overtones,which has a hunt of nut and earthy fruit.And sorry, talking aboutcoffee now, not AirPods,but I will link up some hardcoreaudio reviews from LFA TLD.In the usual suspects so thatyou can get a way better senseof the sound as soon as those hit.But just for me personally,they sound way better than the AirPods 2if nowhere nearly asgood as the AirPod Max,which totally tracks.Now, you get up to six hoursof battery life per bud,up by one hour, 30 hours with the case,and you can charge to onehour of listening timein just five minutes,if you forget or get stuck or something,I typically rock one bud at a timebecause mano podcasts and audio books,so I can go for days.And both the pods and the case noware IPX4, which meansno dust certification,but water and sweat resistance.And yes, that includes the case.So, don't go swimming ordiving with them or anything,but if they get rained on or a splash,just wipe them off andthey should still beabsolutely good to go.But the thing is, what reallycontinues to blow my mindthrough all of this beyondmusic is the ambient computing.The stuff we've all wanted since Star Trekor just Tony Stark.It's getting directions, workout metrics,notification announcementseven for third-party apps now,and being able to askfor pretty much anythingand everything and get it,which is what reallymakes the AirPods feellike increasingly likeexternal cybernetics.And so, I just all calves lovethat Apple keeps introducingall of these new featuresto the top of the lineand then paying them down,pushing them down to the entry levelbecause now the base modelAirPods have the pro design,a magnetic inductivecharging case, spatial audio,dynamic IQ, and all of thatambient computing capability,all for 180 bucks,which sounds like a lot,but packs in more technology than ever.And if that is just too much for you,Apple is keeping around theOJI AirPods 2 for 130 bucks.They don't have all the features,but they don't cost all the money.Bottom line, these are the newbaseline iPhone buds to beatand they make for onehell of a force multiplierfor all of your other Apple gear,especially yet in this newambient computing world.It's like Nebula makes for these videos.That's the streaming service I co-foundedwith some really thoughtfuleducation creators.And it's where I post allmy videos with no ads,no sponsors and often withbonus and extended content,like my iPhone 13, iPad mini 6,and Apple Watch 7 reviewbecause I had a bunch ofrandom extraneous thoughtsthat didn't really fit thefast paced YouTube vibe,but absolutely fit thenerdier chiller Nebula vibeand not just me, but MKBHD,iPhonedo, Georgia Dow,Jordan Harit, LowSpecGamer,Real Science, Ali Abdullah, iPASS Fox,and so many more.All add free, sponsor free on Nebula.And bundled in for freewhen you sign up with today's sponsorat curiositystream.com/reneritchie,or click the link below.And right now, becauseyou're watching this video,you can get Curiosity Stream for 26% off,less than 15 bucks a year.Less than the price ofa couple of fancy lattesfor a whole entire year,and that includes their thousandsof amazing documentariesand series like Curiosity Scream.A thoughtfully curated list of showsjust perfect for your Halloween vibe.It is the best way to supporteducational creators directlyand the best damn deal in streaming today.For over 26% off Curiosity Stream,less than 15 bucks a yearand Nebula bundled in for free.Just click the button on the screenor go to curiositystream.com/reneritchie.Clicking that box reallyhelps out the channel,and so just hitting theplaylist above for more.Much more on the AirPods,all of Apple's audio,hit that playlist and I'llsee you in the next video.\n"
