In wireless headphones, Apple is still a dominant player. He even wants to increase his hegemony with his Airpods Pro 3, a new version of his high -level models that arrive on September 19 in the store. And the promise is strong: a new design to improve in particular audio quality and noise reduction, reinforced autonomy and immersion more marked in well -being and health. Does the advances significant enough to strengthen your leading place and justify the price of 249 euros?
The first thing that is seen immediately when leaving the headphones of your case, identical to the previous one, with the exception of the twinning button that has disappeared is the new headphones design. The stems are slightly shorter, their curved end in order to strengthen the maintenance of the headphones in the ear, as well as their acoustic performance. Smaller in template, the airpods remain much better in the ear and do not move when running (now there are five tip sizes). Apple claims to have made more than 10,000 3D scanns of ears and thousands of hours of research to achieve this more ergonomic design.
In the ears, if you had previous airpods, you will first feel the difference slightly, but the comfort is always there. And the headphones and their case are now officially certified IP57 to resist sweat or rain, if you go to run (do not swim in the pool with it!).
Noise reduction: even more isolated
One of the main promises of Airpods Pro 3 is to improve active noise reduction (ANC). To achieve this, Apple set out to modify the structure of the tips. They are still silicone, but they integrate a layer of microspheres impregnated with foam. This will have the effect of strengthening sound insulation while improving acoustic performance. Simply simply placing the Airpods Pro in the ears, the passive isolation is already remarkable, even before having launched the slightest musical piece or activated the reduction of active noise.
The acoustic architecture has also been reviewed to better control the air flow that transports the sound to the ear, for the ANC model, but also reinforced transparency (listening to the external environment). There are very sensitive microphones to detect more parasite noise and eliminate them. They are also compatible with the best AT audio processing of the Home H2 chip to better manage the sound environment.
The ANC of the Airpods Pro 3 is much more efficient than that of Airpods Pro 2. We are much more isolated, almost too much, we can say some, in noisy environments such as a restaurant, public transport or on a plane. However, audio quality is more detailed, more precise, with a broader dynamic range. Take into account a little lower than before, but without that it affects the general quality or clarity of the voices.
Space listening is still so impressive, largely due to new integrated controllers. Take into account an improved audio call with a better isolated voice for its interlocutors, which listens very well, even on a noisy road.
If it is not too loving with strong noise discounts, you can opt for the adaptive mode that adjusts extremely fast when it arrives in a noisy area and the limit when it is not necessary. We observe in the transparency mode (or with the function of detection of the voices) an improvement in the approach in the voice of its interlocutor that occurs better.
Autonomy up
The autonomy of the previous model was already honorable (6 hours per listener), goes to 8 hours per load in a standard listening and up to 10 hours in transparency mode (especially useful in use as hearing aid). With the case, we easily arrive at 24 hours of autonomy. In standard use (music in public transport, some calls, etc.), after five days, we have not yet needed to recharge them.
Listening to your heart
The integration of a heart rate sensor into wireless headphones is not new. Sennheiser with his impulse sports and hits with his Powerbeats pro 2 raided the way. Apple wants to democratize use by integrating it into its fitness ecosystem. The sensor is placed at the top of the headset and will come into contact with the entrance to the pavilion. When cardiac monitoring is activated, that is, when an exercise is launched in the forms of the application from the iPhone, the sensor emits an invisible light that clicks hundreds of times per second to take the measures (with the sensor, the accelerometer data and a new model of AI that follows its calories and activities).
About 50 sports exercises (race, bicycle, hyit, meditation, etc.) In the form application they are compatible with the heart rate of the Airpods Pro 3. Start your career or bicycle session and your heart rate appears on the screen (as well as burned calories). It is not necessary to have Apple Watch or another connected clock, because even in its ears, the new “training Buddy” can encourage it with the help of the AI that analyzes its session. But if you use one in parallel, the algorithm will take the most precise and reliable measure of continuity. The advantage of taking data in the ears is to be more precise than on the wrist if you have a tattoo, especially in this place. We compare the two measures in parallel, in two different iPhones connected to the clock or the headphones, and turned out to be equivalent. As we said, unlike the clock, the detection is not automatic, however, with the headphones.
Who are they intended?
The Airpods Pro 3 are a good proposal that really improves the strengths of their predecessors. The ANC is one of the best wireless headphones and has much to envy the headphones. If the silicone tips do not bother him, he will appreciate the new comfort and the most accurate ANC than that already impressive of the Airpods 4 with their open headphones. The addition of the detection of heart rate will delight athletes who want in depth monitoring of their sports session without the need for Apple Watch. They will have the essential and, therefore, they can close their famous activity rings (and have their rewards) … in music.
In the launch, France will not have the live translation function, which we could try in the preview. But the AirPods Pro 3 remains a reference in the market for its audio quality and its noise reduction, with the bonus of a price that falls at 30 euros compared to Airpods Pro 2. These are still an excellent model for its ANC and the audio proposal, and a slightly better home. Even if they no longer commercialize them.
Airpods 4 are committed to autonomy (20 hours with ANC), the absence of the auditory test or the wireless recharge box, but maintains the ANC (slightly less efficient) and the space audio. However, for almost 200 euros, it is Apple’s most general public, the one that can best compete with its own high End if sports functions are not interested.
Source: BFM TV
