[Technology] Apple airpods

[Norman Potting]

Youngest Potting wishes to buy some of these for big sister for Christmas. Both are racking up lots of extra shifts in their "key worker" roles (sounds more impressive than "working in a supermarket"), both are very careful with their money, a trait that has carried on down the Potting generations.

Cheapest Apple ones I can find on line comes out at around £175. A couple of weeks ago whilst on a break in Cornwall I purchased, from the semi legendary Trago Mills, a pair of Bluetooth ear pieces that look and behave in the same way as the Apple ones - the price was £14.99! They might not last as long but at that price I could change them every 6 months for five years and still be ahead1

Is it me or does this seem bonkers, can the Apple lovers convince me !

 

[bhanutz]

Bet they don't sound the same

 

[Icy Gull]

I have a pair but can only use them if I am sitting to listen. They are a really shit fit in my ears and fall out if I move around too much. Not sure how you’d do it but I’d suggest finding a way for them to try for fit before buying. I tend to use bluetooth headphones if I am not intending to remain seated whilst wearing my airpods.

Not convinced they sound any better than my seinheisser headphones either. Looking like you have two electric toothbrush heads in your ears is a bit shit too imo

I say all this as an Apple Fan Boy too

 

[Norman Potting]

Bet they don't sound the same

I have very cheap ears - sound fine to me

 

[Bold Seagull]

My 14 yr old som bought a cheap pair (£25) from Amazon and is happy with him. His older sister had a right go at him for buying ‘unbranded’ fake stuff’ anyway she borrowed them liked them so much he hasn’t seen them back!

 

[Is it PotG?]

I have the Sony WF-1000XM3, they really are the badger's nadgers.

https://www.whathifi.com/best-buys/best-wireless-earbuds-budget-and-premium

 

[HHGull]

£89.99 at Aldi Black Friday site apparently. Online only and not available yet. Not sure which version.

 

[Springal]

I was skeptical about Airpods but got some when I was commuting to London a lot and actually they are decent. The charging pod is good / very useful and using them for phone calls etc was easy. As well as integration with Siri etc.

Might be worth looking at the Pros to - as they are now noise cancelling if that is interesting / relevant. Yes you can always get a cheaper alternative but they won't be as good

 

[Nitram]

AirPods Pro with the noise CV canceling are very good. Neat design and compact case. Black Friday deals are around £199.

 

[Bozza]

I've had both AirPods and looks-like-AirPods.

The difference in usage is night and day.

The build quality of the AirPods and the charging case just feels solid and well-engineered. The non-AirPods I've had (although I'll concede there are zillions of different ones) feel flimsy and cheap.

AirPods "just work", because of the Apple integration, they don't pair in the way regular Bluetooth earphones do, although I gather some of the copies have somehow managed to replicate this.

Because of the Apple integration, you can see the accurate current charge of each AirPod on your phone.

The sound quality of the AirPods is decent enough, not earth-shattering, but far, far better than the cheapos I've tried.

But, you can buy 5-10 pairs of the cheapos for one pair of AirPods, which makes them almost disposable.

I'm currently using these - https://amzn.to/3pSnnwG - which are a reasonable compromise between AirPods and unbranded copies. Anker make reasonable stuff.

 

[wehatepalace]

Go for the AirPod pro, much better and come with different size rubber bits to ensure a good fit, noise cancelling too.

 

[Beanstalk]

I've had both AirPods and looks-like-AirPods.

The difference in usage is night and day.

The build quality of the AirPods and the charging case just feels solid and well-engineered. The non-AirPods I've had (although I'll concede there are zillions of different ones) feel flimsy and cheap.

AirPods "just work", because of the Apple integration, they don't pair in the way regular Bluetooth earphones do, although I gather some of the copies have somehow managed to replicate this.

Because of the Apple integration, you can see the accurate current charge of each AirPod on your phone.

The sound quality of the AirPods is decent enough, not earth-shattering, but far, far better than the cheapos I've tried.

But, you can buy 5-10 pairs of the cheapos for one pair of AirPods, which makes them almost disposable.

I'm currently using these - https://amzn.to/3pSnnwG - which are a reasonable compromise between AirPods and unbranded copies. Anker make reasonable stuff.

Yep, I'm also using the Anker Soundcores. They're great for the price but do lack the functionality of a more expensive pair like the AirPods. Simple things like dual pairing and an exact battery level would be preferred but doesn't stop them from doing their job well.

The AirPod Pros are a different beast really and if sound is important and they are able to utilise Spatial Audio to its fullest extent, but it does feel like something that is still a fair way off from being the norm.

 

[mikeyjh]

What's the thing about wireless headphones? I love a gadget but I look at pros of wireless (no wires) and the cons (sound quality, charging them, losing them) and can't figure out why I'd want them....

 

[Chinman3000]

What's the thing about wireless headphones? I love a gadget but I look at pros of wireless (no wires) and the cons (sound quality, charging them, losing them) and can't figure out why I'd want them....

Two examples;

Running / exercise - substantially easier without a wire flicking around all over the place (or if you have apple watch not needing your phone at all)

Watching football on a tablet while doing things etc (non Albion games of course!) . Obviously you could do this with the ipad on speaker but then that's a different argument

I bought apple airpods from bet winnings about a year ago and it was one of the best purchases I've made. I use them daily.

 

[mikeyjh]

Two examples;

Running / exercise - substantially easier without a wire flicking around all over the place (or if you have apple watch not needing your phone at all)

Watching football on a tablet while doing things etc (non Albion games of course!) . Obviously you could do this with the ipad on speaker but then that's a different argument

I bought apple airpods from bet winnings about a year ago and it was one of the best purchases I've made. I use them daily.

Thanks! makes sense - Still think the cons outweigh the pros, I'll just have to make sure I have a phone with 3.5mm jack!!

 

[schmunk]

For anybody using in-ear headphones, the single biggest improvement to both comfort and sound quality you can make:

https://www.complyfoam.com/store/

 

[lost in london]

I have a pair that were a present, I was sceptical at first and tried to take them back thinking they were expensive for something I wouldn't use much. JL wouldn't accept them as the shrink wrapping had come off so I kept hold of them. How wrong I was. Comfortable, good sound, quick to charge, great for taking phone calls, fine to run with, very easy and reliable connection with phone and also, it turns out, TV. I know this isn't an exclusive apple thing, but it's a real pleasure watching a file or TV through headphones.

 

[LlcoolJ]

£175.

They probably cost about £5 to make.

There's a reason that Apple is the richest company in the world.

"Oh the sound is just amazing" says the Emperor while enjoying his new clothes.

And yes I have tried them. Perfectly decent bit of kit which you can get the same for less than half the price. Like everything Apple make.

 

[bhanutz]

£175.

They probably cost about £5 to make.

There's a reason that Apple is the richest company in the world.

"Oh the sound is just amazing" says the Emperor while enjoying his new clothes.

And yes I have tried them. Perfectly decent bit of kit which you can get the same for less than half the price. Like everything Apple make.

Say what you want about Apple.. Their products just work... That is good enough for me!

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

£175.

They probably cost about £5 to make.

There's a reason that Apple is the richest company in the world.

"Oh the sound is just amazing" says the Emperor while enjoying his new clothes.

And yes I have tried them. Perfectly decent bit of kit which you can get the same for less than half the price. Like everything Apple make.

I bought a pair a few years ago. I use them for running, office and home; they are fantastic imho. If you can recommend a robust, well engineered equivalent which seamlessly synchs with the rest of my Apple kit, for half the price, I’m all ears (pun intended).