Got my Apple AirPods midday today

[RodhasGibson]

All Charged and testing now, Very impressed so far. Sound is terrific,really good range even through 3 Brick walls doors closed.Very good fit for me,even running up and down stairs,head shaking side to side etc.Absolutely no drop outs to date.Siri works perfectly too.Long term comfort is superb,dont know i'm wearing them to be honest.Cost me nothing as I had a few Apple Store gift cards to spend.

 

[MajorFubar]

The big question is, how does their sound compare with the best corded £159 equivalents. Or you may not agree that's the big question, if you believe the convenience is worth the sacrifice.

Not that I'll be buying in any case: of the 'thousands of ears' that Apple used to define the shape of their current EarPods and now the AirPods, sadly none of them were my ears. Consequently I find them utterly unwearable; they drop out if I so much as twitch let alone move. But then again I couldn't wear the previous type either, the ones which looked like minature orbital sanders. I don't know whose 'thousands of ears' those headphones were modelled to fit, but whoever they were, they weren't human.

 

[dalethorn]

The big question is, how does their sound compare with the best corded £159 equivalents. Or you may not agree that's the big question, if you believe the convenience is worth the sacrifice. Not that I'll be buying in any case: of the 'thousands of ears' that Apple used to define the shape of their current EarPods and now the AirPods, sadly none of them were my ears. Consequently I find them utterly unwearable; they drop out if I so much as twitch let alone move. But then again I couldn't wear the previous type either, the ones which looked like minature orbital sanders. I don't know whose 'thousands of ears' those headphones were modelled to fit, but whoever they were, they weren't human.

That's for sure - the Earpods were an improvement over the Apple Earbuds, and both were made better with the Dirac player for iOS. But staying put in normal ears wasn't in the design, unless a person stayed very still. It would be an amazing thing if the Airpods were a good fit for most ears.

 

[RodhasGibson]

Hi Dale,At Least for me!!Have given them a really hard work out since 12 midday uk yesterday.Like laying Down head tilted back.Head shaking vigorously,jumping off the third stair up,head side to side etc,Also jogging around the garden,bending down to pull out weeds etc.Stayed firm and Fine for me.Maybe i'm lucky but have read reports on Macworld,Mac Rumours etc where their Testers have been having the same results too.So some of us are normal/abnormal as the case maybe Ha.They are certainly a lot better than the wired earpods soundwise and Fit.I also have B&O H7 wireless over ears for more serious listening at Home.Enjoy reading your reviews a lot btw.Good Stuff.

 

[daveh75]

The big question is, how does their sound compare with the best corded £159 equivalents. Or you may not agree that's the big question, if you believe the convenience is worth the sacrifice.

From the early reviews (of pre Production review units to be fair) they sound the same as the cheapy wired EarPods....

Not that I'll be buying in any case: of the 'thousands of ears' that Apple used to define the shape of their current EarPods and now the AirPods, sadly none of them were my ears. Consequently I find them utterly unwearable; they drop out if I so much as twitch let alone move. But then again I couldn't wear the previous type either, the ones which looked like minature orbital sanders. I don't know whose 'thousands of ears' those headphones were modelled to fit, but whoever they were, they weren't human.

https://www.thestar.com/news/insight/2016/01/16/when-us-air-force-discovered-the-flaw-of-averages.html

 

[chebby]

The original Apple (wired) EarPods were a superb fit for me even when asleep (as I found a few times during stays in hospital). Easy to clean too. (I always carried a little stash of anti-bacterial wipes for them.)

I've not had any further need for them, since getting better last year, but I remember them having decent enough sound quality for what they were.

I've never had to buy a pair though. My old iPhone 5 and my iPad and my current iPhone furnished me with three 'free'/supplied pairs.

 

[nick8858]

I see them this way. £159 cost. Thats probably £100 because its got Apple on it, £20 manufacturing cost and the rest dealer profit. And don't forget if you lose one thats another £69. Faffy gimmick designed to fleece Apple users further and boost the already huge cash pile Apple are sitting on

 

[dalethorn]

I see them this way. £159 cost. Thats probably £100 because its got Apple on it, £20 manufacturing cost and the rest dealer profit. And don't forget if you lose one thats another £69. Faffy gimmick designed to fleece Apple users further and boost the already huge cash pile Apple are sitting on

Being a unique item, the price is mostly justified, although there is some excess to be sure. Other vendors have created wireless ear-canal buds, but Apple's product is a welcome entry in outer-ear wireless buds.

 

[jjbomber]

I see them this way. £159 cost. Thats probably £100 because its got Apple on it, £20 manufacturing cost and the rest dealer profit. And don't forget if you lose one thats another £69. Faffy gimmick designed to fleece Apple users further and boost the already huge cash pile Apple are sitting on

It's £45 for a spare battery too. Apple fanboys love being fleeced so that they can show off. It's their money; they can do what they like with it.

 

[dalethorn]

I see them this way. £159 cost. Thats probably £100 because its got Apple on it, £20 manufacturing cost and the rest dealer profit. And don't forget if you lose one thats another £69. Faffy gimmick designed to fleece Apple users further and boost the already huge cash pile Apple are sitting on

It's £45 for a spare battery too. Apple fanboys love being fleeced so that they can show off. It's their money; they can do what they like with it.

It's amazing that Apple even allows a spare battery. So when the portable battery runs out, you can just swap another in instead of docking it to charge?

 

[jjbomber]

It's amazing that Apple even allows a spare battery. So when the portable battery runs out, you can just swap another in instead of docking it to charge?

Nope, you take it to Cr-Apple to be fleeced of £49.

Incidently, I notice that BMW have copied the 'business model' as well. If you take your beamer to a non-BMW garage to have genuine BMW brake pads fitted, the electronics deactivate the information system and show a warning instead. Even worse, if a non-BMW garage fits genuine BMW airbags, they automatically go off. You have to go to a BMW dealer to be ripped off.

 

[nick8858]

£45 for a spare battery. Now that is truly disgraceful!

 

[dalethorn]

I got my Airpods just now. The tuning seems nearly identical to the Apple Earpods with Lightning connector. The original Earpods were a little weak in the bass, but the Earpods with Lightning connector have a flatter bass, so the Airpods have the better bass, but the mids and treble closely match the Lightning Earpods, and are similar to the original Earpods (in mids and treble).

Edit: The bass needs a little boost deep down.

 

[daveh75]

Given ifixit had to destroy both the AirPods and their charge case to get into them I'd love to know how Apple are handling battery exchanges on them. They'll give you new units and the old will end up in landfill I expect!

The teardown is interesting too, besides the usual issues with Apple H/W, namely irreparability they found QC problems with the charge case

https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/AirPods+Teardown/75578

 

[dalethorn]

Given ifixit had to destroy both the AirPods and their charge case to get into them I'd love to know how Apple are handling battery exchanges on them. They'll give you new units and the old will end up in landfill I expect!

The teardown is interesting too, besides the usual issues with Apple H/W, namely irreparability they found QC problems with the charge case.

I'd guess given the design and price, they're doing some 3D printing to make these.

 

[pi-electronics]

I still think the apple airpod is still too expensive compare its sound quality. Compare to the same price level products, such as beats, piduet, bose. Airpod is not that perfect except the style of it.

Just my personal opinion. Thanks.

 

[dalethorn]

I still think the apple airpod is still too expensive compare its sound quality. Compare to the same price level products, such as beats, piduet, bose. Airpod is not that perfect except the style of it.

Just my personal opinion. Thanks.

How do you compare, for customers like me? I cannot use ear-canal buds, so which other brand has outer-ear Bluetooth buds?