[Ilomaenkimi]

Mimi works with the APM. When I do the test, it shows audiogram shows up as an option on the Accommodation page. I found it made a great difference!

Yes it works, but it uses AP calibration file. So the results are not accurate, results are based to AP's FR? When you use this correction with APM result can be just anything. But if result pleases your own preferences, then it's naturally ok.

 

[Ilomaenkimi]

Keep on dreaming... audiophiles ears could be worst than normal people since you keep using it on more than likely louder than normal volumes. If you go to an ENT and most likely audiophile have a long queues.

Hearing is something you can learn also. I think that audiophile could have better results from hearing test than non-audiophile. Audiophile knows what to listen? And use or lose it is true on hearing also.

 

[ricksastro]

Yes it works, but it uses AP calibration file. So the results are not accurate, results are based to AP's FR? When you use this correction with APM result can be just anything. But if result pleases your own preferences, then it's naturally ok.

Agreed it won’t produce absolute correct results for hearing values ( % loss, absolute db loss for your ears at frequencies). However it is recording and compensating, at a relative basis, the combined value of your hearing and the headphone sound production, so the audiogram will produce a relative compensation for your ears combined with sound production of those headphones only. So if your only using that one set and only care about you listening to music on that one set, then you don’t need calibrated headphones. If you are using several headphones with that single audiogram then you would need them to be all calibrated for them to use it

 

[pnoble]

Effectively
Obviously this is inaccurate and not meant to represent my auditory health, which a professional health physician just said it was great for my age. Not just that, I just did this to see what was the result and I happened to like it.

The only thing that is maybe a bit unusual is the significant increase shown in your hearing between 4kHz and 8kHz. If your hearing was tested by an audiologist you could probably get a copy of the graph. It would likely be more accurate than the Mimi app.

These, FYI, are pure tone audiogram averages for different age ranges (in the Korean population but I assume they would be somewhat similar in the US population):

 

[pnoble]

Agreed it won’t produce absolute correct results for hearing values ( % loss, absolute db loss for your ears at frequencies). However it is recording and compensating, at a relative basis, the combined value of your hearing and the headphone sound production, so the audiogram will produce a relative compensation for your ears combined with sound production of those headphones only. So if your only using that one set and only care about you listening to music on that one set, then you don’t need calibrated headphones. If you are using several headphones with that single audiogram then you would need them to be all calibrated for them to use it

Rick, I think it should. The calibration is only for the headset used to create the audiogram so the app knows the sound pressure level reaching your ear at each frequency and should result in an objective measure of your hearing. Once you have an accurate audiogram it should work for all headsets, though in iOS Accessibility only with supported Apple and Beats headsets, since the adjustment is made in the H1 chips in the headsets themselves, not in iOS device. https://www.idropnews.com/how-to/he...ew-headphone-accommodations-in-ios-14/142366/

However, Apple also says that Headset Accommodations work with their analog EarPods. It would mean that the adjustments can also be made by older iOS devices on their 3.5mm analog outputs which would presumably allow Accommodations to work with any brand analog headset if you happen to have an old iOS device with a headphone jack.

BTW, here is a discussion on adding professional audiogram data into Apple's health app: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/251703467 Seems dependent on an audiologist or healthcare entity being able to sync with the Health app. Seems no way currently to enter values manually.

Also, an Apple support page on the whole subject of Headphone Accommodations: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211218?cid=mc-ols-audio-article_ht211218-ios_ui-06042020

 

[angelom]

Also, an Apple support page on the whole subject of Headphone Accommodations: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211218?cid=mc-ols-audio-article_ht211218-ios_ui-06042020

From that link this is interesting:
Use your audiogram data from the Health app
Tap Custom Audio Setup, then tap Use Audiogram to use your audiogram data from the Health app to customize audio settings.
If you have a nearly symmetric audiogram, Headphone Accommodations will take the average of the two ears and fit the left and right audio channels with that profile. If you have an asymmetric audiogram, it will fit the left and right audio channels for your better ear.

 

[SilverEars]

I assume a lot of the bottom bracket in summit fi. Lol

 

[Duncan]

I am finding more and more that as others have said, although this is slightly defeating the purpose - when wired, these are pretty damned balanced sounding... they surprise me.

 

[CRITICALSHOT]

I currently have the Chord Dave/M-Scaler and have had multiple multi thousand dollar headphones. I have never owned a DAP or had the urge to bring my Hugo 2 or Mojo on the go when I owned them. The APM does the trick for me on the go or just moving around the house bouncing back and forth from YT vids, movies, music, podcasts and phone calls. It's nice to seamlessly switch from device to device. As far as sound quality goes; it sounds good and the Headphone Accommodations setting is a good tool to address the issue I initially had with the sound signature. It's nice not to be arsed with what kind of DAC technology it uses, wires, tubes and emi/rfi noise. For me it's the convenience and the freedom to cut my brain off and enjoy the total package the headphone offers within the Apple Ecosystem. Spatial Audio is nice plus as well and I don't care if another BT headphone sounds better if it doesn't have every single feature the APM has.

 

[MayaTlab]

We'll post the AirPods Max frequency response(s) after more testing.

Thanks for all the work you're doing - I'm very curious to see what they'll measure like on a different testing system from the ones we've seen so far.

A little question : would you be able to measure FR at lower dB levels to check whether or not the APM modulates it or not depending on volume, like some other wireless headphones ?

 

[MichaelYYZ]

I’ve got recently an APP and an APM and I feel they both sound too soft in terms of overall volume. I rarely can‘t use them below 75% of volume without missing out on the fine sound details. On the other hand, I could blow out my ears with my Shure SE846 via an EarStudio ES100. And my Sennheiser HD650 powered by a JDS Labs Inc. Element II can also be very loud. Not the Apple earphones and headphones, though. I am assuming that, under the pretence of protecting our hearing, Apple is limiting the volume output to mainly preserve battery life.

I'm no doubt bringing the level of discourse down a bit here as I have nothing relevant to say about sound quality right now (other than good enough). I picked up my set of APMs Monday at the Apple Store, and immediately went to the gym from there (were fine for working out other than flat on the back sort of things like crunches). First impression is that they didn't play loud enough. I'm not that guy, but for my usual random playlist composed primarily of 4,000 of my favorite songs of the 1960's and 70's, I left the volume all the way up and it was just barely adequate or too low. In several hours of testing, only a recording of Beethoven's 5th played loud enough to turn down the volume a notch.

I'm using iTunes exclusively (256 AAC), perhaps this is partly an iTunes quirk? There is some sort of loudness adjustment per song, but haven't been able to make it work. Perhaps some automatic feature has removed the ability to change manually as when I looked at the file settings, some had already changed from 0 db settings.

An hour ago, I received a set of AKG K361BT in the mail, and these play significantly louder. On the very few tracks I really do like to play loud (a couple of Fleetwood Mac tracks), they were loud enough.

I've not seen any comments here on how headphones do on absolute volume. Any feedback? I'm even wondering if I have a bad set of APMs.

Only thing I can add at the moment is fit. The 361's have shallower earcups and my ears touch. I'm assuming that will be uncomfortable for long sessions. I apparently also have a pointy head, and the APMs steel supports rest directly on my head. Slightly annoying and I will have to modify the headrest if I keep them. Controls are way better on the APMs as a by the way.

 

[MayaTlab]

I am assuming that, under the pretence of protecting our hearing, Apple is limiting the volume output to mainly preserve battery life.

I know that conspiracy theories are all the rage these days, but nah it really is to protect your hearing - or at the very least to avoid designing the circuitry with pointlessly excessive gain (my APPs are the least "hissy" BT headphones I've used so far when noise cancellation is turned off, all the other BT headphones I've tried or used this year produced a more or less audible hiss).
Perhaps on some excessively quiet classical tracks it could be a problem... but even the quietest recordings I have can easily reach in excess of "90dB" (SPL ?) if Apple's Headphone Level tool in mission control is to be believed and I personally find them deafening with most recordings past 60-70%.
Just verify that sound check options are disabled in your music app's settings.

 

[ricksastro]

I’ve got recently an APP and an APM and I feel they both sound too soft in terms of overall volume. I rarely can‘t use them below 75% of volume without missing out on the fine sound details. On the other hand, I could blow out my ears with my Shure SE846 via an EarStudio ES100. And my Sennheiser HD650 powered by a JDS Labs Inc. Element II can also be very loud. Not the Apple earphones and headphones, though. I am assuming that, under the pretence of protecting our hearing, Apple is limiting the volume output to mainly preserve battery life.

If you are using an iphone, do you have the Headphone safety enabled? (Settings/sound and haptics/headphone safety/reduce loud sounds)
Even without, they aren't ear blasting loud, but I'm OK with that since the noise cancelling is so good I've never had them above 80% for more than a few seconds.

 

[yticolev]

If you are using an iphone, do you have the Headphone safety enabled? (Settings/sound and haptics/headphone safety/reduce loud sounds)
Even without, they aren't ear blasting loud, but I'm OK with that since the noise cancelling is so good I've never had them above 80% for more than a few seconds.

In my case, headphone safety is not enabled on my iPhone. There is a safety feature where it tells you maximum actual listening sound levels over the last week, and using both the APMs and wired Earpods (which do play loud enough), maximum is just below 100 dB.

Just verify that sound check options are disabled in your music app's settings.

Off in iTunes.

My issue is that I can find some recordings that play loud enough that I do need to turn down the volume, however for the vast majority of recordings I have (that I have listened to this week), volume has to be all the way up for just adequate listening levels. Very different on the 361, which I never have above 80%. I really do enjoy the APMs, but I don't think I can keep them. Either they are defective, or I am. I like listening to orchestral music at concert levels, popular music not so much.

 

[SilverEars]

I should add that I'm using with the telescoping headband adjusted at maximum length. Although I'm likely on extreme end of the populus, I have had headphones with more adjustment length. Perhaps there are people that require longer.

I forget which review it was, but a reviewer said the same thing. We big heads demand more flexability! Lol