NEW AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation
Sep 9, 2024 at 6:14 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 9

angelom

Headphoneus Supremus
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Today Apple announcing the new AirPods 4, the 4th generation of the classic AirPods (not the AirPods Pro), the open style earbuds that don't go inside your ears.

What is fascinating and exciting for me is that they have ANC (active noice cancellation) and, apparently, better sound too, with the new H2 chip. I have the previous version, the AirPods 3, that releasing 3 years ago and I use them every day. And I also have the AirPods Pro 2 that have excellent ANC but I use this a lot less.

I love the AirPods 3 because they're extremely comfortable (I often forget that they're in my ears) and because my ears are not blocked like with AirPods Pro 2 or others IEMs that don't allow air inside the ears and aren't very healthy for the ears.

I pre-ordering a pair of AirPods 4 today and I will comparing all 3 models when they will arriving on Friday of next week.


AirPods 4.png
 
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Sep 20, 2024 at 10:22 AM Post #3 of 9
I recceiving my AirPods 4 with ANC today. I will posting comparisons later.

Here is a photo, from left to right:

AirPods 2, AirPods 3, AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2 cases.
AirPods 2, AirPods 3, AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2 left earpiece.
AirPods 2, AirPods 3, AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2 right earpiece.

AP2_3_4_Pro2.jpg
 
Sep 20, 2024 at 11:44 AM Post #4 of 9
Ok, is only few minutes since the previous post when I taking a photo before even pairing the new AirPods 4 ANC (AP4) to my iPhone and MacBook Pro. And I'm thinking that I will waiting maybe a couple of hours for some initial impressions and comparisons, BUT I really must saying this only after few minutes of testing.

First thing I must mentioning is that now is many years that I try avoiding in-ear monitors after using them for several years before. I don't know why my ears one day simply starting saying "NO more in-ears except if is absolutely necessary!"

So, in last 8-9 years I'm using principally full-size BT or ANC headphones even when I have some very good wired only headphones (HD800 and HD600) and the excellent wired custom IEM UERM.

BUT in my life, and for many years, I keep using EVERY SINGLE DAY (sometimes several hours) the open style BT earphones, principally for podcasts, telephone calls and sometimes for films -- never for music, except for quickly testing the quality of the music (NOT the sound) of a track in YouTube or other platform.

I loving the original first Gen AirPods principally because of the wonderful convenience (I quickly forgetting I have them in my ears). Then the AP2 adding wireless charging but same sound. Then is the 1st Gen AirPods Pro (APP1) and I'm impressed with the sound quality AND the ANC performance, but, unfortunately, already in this time in my life in-ears aren't for me anymore.

Then is coming the AirPods 3rd Gen (AP3) in September 2021. I'm waiting excitedly for this release, and isn't a disappointment. The sound is clearly better than AP1 & AP2 but isn't so good like the APP1, but this isn't a problem because I have my headphones for music. BUT the AP3 is offering spatial audio that I really LOVE with podcasts --this difference is very substantial from AP1 and AP2--, and sometimes when using my Apple TV also with spatial audio. But spatial audio isn't for me with music but isn't a problem because I have good headphones.

Then AirPods Pro 2 Gen (APP2) is coming out and, even when in-ears aren't for me, I want testing this knowing I can sending back to Apple if I'm not happy. I decide keeping the APP2 because even when I don't using very much, when I need using them, they are really fantastic in several aspects (GREAT ANC, VERY decent/good sound, volume control in the earpieces (great!!) AND is still very pocketable).

BUT, The reason that I'm writing this post very soon after my previous and before doing more slow tests is this:

The AP4 is, like the Americans say, "the real deal" ---- at least for me, and I know this already only after literally couple of minutes.

I know very well that sound and ANC performance will depending in the fit for each person. BUT, my very quick --really quick-- comparisons, specially between AP3, AP4 and APP2, is that sound quality on the AP4 is VERY clearly better than in the AP3. One thing that I always missing in the AP3 is better bass performance. Even when AP3 isn't sounding tinny like the AP2 (for the way they fit my ears), the AP3 is still lacking bass amplitude, specially when comparing with the APP2.

Not only is bass level (amplitude) really VERY more close to APP2 bass levels in the AP4, but isn't sounding so bright like my AP3 (again, with my personal fit). This is sometimes little problematic when testing some music quickly in Internet. In fact, maybe the AP4 is a little doing the reverse, and is sounding maybe little more warm than I like, but I don't have a problem AT ALL -- I know that the difference is very substantial in favour of the AP4 than in the AP3.

Also, volume level is more loud in the AP4 than the AP3, and more similar to APP2's volume. This is very good.

My super quick ANC test with ANC on with the AP4 --- is very impressive!....but isn't so good/strong like the ANC in the APP2, but VERY, VERY impressive for an open style earphone. The ANC in the AP4 isn't like the rubbish ANC others manufactures advertising in their products -- the ANC of the AP4 is very real and very good. More testing will coming later.

Excellent job by Apple......and even the case is so small!
 
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Sep 21, 2024 at 1:49 AM Post #5 of 9
More about sound quality...and others aspects.

***Please remember that with open style earphones (AP2, AP3 and AP4) the sound is varying from person to person because of the individual fit. With the APP2, because they use different sizes of ear tips and you inserting them in your ears, the sound is very more consistent between people***

So, in my case, the AP4 have very clearly better sound than the AP3, with very better, more correct bass reproduction and less treble presence that in my case sometimes becoming problematic when increasing the volume with the AP3. I also have little better, more secure fit with the AP4 -- the AP3 are always excellent, never falling from my ears even when shaking my head strongly, but the AP4 is even more secure and NEVER uncomfortable. When I'm lying down, the AP4 moving nothing from their original position (that I have when I'm standing or sitting down); the AP3, in contrast, is moving a little when lying down (but never falling from my ears) and is not keeping the exact same position like the AP4.

The AP4 sound is very more close to the APP2. The APP2 have little better low-bass extension but mid-bass and high-bass (or low-mids) is very similarly excellent. The APP2 is have little more correct sparkle in the treble, but this isn't problematic in the little more warm sounding AP4 because is never, never fatiguing.

The AP4 is have clearly more volume than the AP3 (at same volume clicks in my iPhone), and just little less volume than the APP2.

I disabling 'transparency' mode in the AP4 because the sound is almost identical to 'transparency' off, so for my settings I only have ANC on or everything off (no transparency and no ANC), so this are the only 2 options I like when doing a long press in the stem of the left or right earpieces.

Before ordering I'm very curious about ANC performance for an open style pair of earphones, but, for me personally, I'm even more curious about sound quality improvements from the AP3. In both aspects the AP4 is going (very) more far than my expectations.

One more thing. In photos and videos you can't really seeing the size difference between the AP3 and AP4 cases -- in person, the difference is very more evident. Great case size, ultra pocketable.

I already know that the AP4 (with or without ANC) will selling extremely well.
 
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Sep 22, 2024 at 10:36 AM Post #6 of 9
Two important things about the AP4.

1. Call quality is very good, and clearly better than with the AP3. In two calls I switching between the AP3 and AP4 and the callers telling me that my voice is sounding clearly better with the AP4. I don't test vs APP2, but I think the AP4 maybe is the same or little better.

2. ANC. I'm more impressed than before. I noticing that in real life usage I can hearing 3 stages of ANC becoming more strong -- this is happening in a period of about 5-6 seconds. I think the ANC software, with the AP4 mics, is adapting to the outside noise and reacting for reaching the best noise reduction that the AP4 can offering.

And even when the ANC isn't so strong like the APP2, I think is about 70% as efficient (maybe 75% even) -- this is incredible for an open style earphone. The noises I'm trying blocking containing mid and high frequencies too (this are noises that I never try blocking because I'm always using the AP3 and only increasing the volume of the podcast/music), and in specially 2 cases, where I can still hearing some noise outside, this noise is reducing sufficiently that I can listening to some news podcasts clearly and not needing raising the original volume at all (the other 3rd noise is more rumbling with more low frequencies that the AP4 blocking very easily).

I must insisting that the AP4 is a very impressive product. I can't be more happy with this purchase. The AP4 is one of the best products I buying in all my life.
 
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Sep 23, 2024 at 4:57 AM Post #7 of 9
Very good video review by SoundGuys. Is including frequency response and ANC measurements, and is also giving examples of ANC performance vs ANC off that you can hearing.

 
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Oct 4, 2024 at 9:12 AM Post #8 of 9
I'm probably one of the few people in the world the 3's fit really well. Not so much the 4's, which felt very insecure and seemed to misdirect output away from the ear canal. This made anc marginally effective and decreased sound resolution and fidelity. Tones were very blocky, lacking texture. "Spatial Audio" sounded shrill.
Although the 2's are light on bass, what bass is there is very tight and the general sound articulation is precise, for me. Sound field is wide open and airy. They're like the Etymotics of wireless earbuds.
One thing I notice with the 3's is they sound better to me with "Headphones Accommodations" turned off.
I ended up returning the 4's.
I think this might be a personal problem. The 4's have been generally well received.
 
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Oct 4, 2024 at 9:55 AM Post #9 of 9
I'm probably one of the few people in the world the 3's fit really well. Not so much the 4's, which felt very insecure and seemed to misdirect output away from the ear canal. This made anc marginally effective and decreased sound resolution and fidelity. Tones were very blocky, lacking texture. "Spatial Audio" sounded shrill.
Although the 2's are light on bass, what bass is there is very tight and the general sound articulation is precise, for me. Sound field is wide open and airy. They're like the Etymotics of wireless earbuds.
One thing I notice with the 3's is they sound better to me with "Headphones Accommodations" turned off.
I ended up returning the 4's.
I think this might be a personal problem. The 4's have been generally well received.

Is a big pity that the AP4 isn't fitting you well. Really a pity, because not only the ANC is seriously good (for an open style earphone), but the sound is a real improvement.

I don't personally have a problem with the fit of AP2 and AP3 but I know that the sound I getting from those two isn't remotely so good like now with the AP4 (I know, of course, that a different fit is making this earphones performing differently sonically).

I still own the ER-4S (that I don't listen for a long time, by the way), a great earphone, but for me the AP2 (or AP3) never giving me close very good sound like the Etys, even in low frequencies. From your fit descriptions I can see that we have very different fit with all this 3 models. The AP4 is the best that fitting my ears. And I'm using the AP4 more than I thinking before, specially because is fantastic in some situations where the ANC is doing a wonderful job in ways that I don't expecting at all.

I hope you have better luck with the next iteration of the APs!
 
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