Archive • Stats • Misc • About

AirPods

Fri 17 Feb 2017, 15:56

Felt like blogging lately so let's talk about the AirPods, that I've had now since Christmas or whenever that was.

I do not use the AirPods as much as one would have hoped. I use them when I am outside walking, usually to and from work. For that they're great, and I wear a winter hat this time of year so I don't look weird.

That's one thing we should get out of the way right now: they look weird. I don't wanna show a photo of me wearing them, but just do a Google Image-search for AirPods and you will find some photos of people wearing them. I am not comfortable with the way it looks. It looks like you are wearing earrings. Therefore, whenever I demo them to someone, I always tell them as I put them in: "oh and they look kinda funny when you wear them", which they usually reply "yeah" to.

"Apple Convenience"

The AirPods function precisely as advertised. When I got them I just flipped them open next to my iPhone and waited 3-5 seconds and then they showed up and paired. To see the battery I just flip the top open next to my iPhone. If I haven't done it in a long time, it takes a while the first time, maybe 5 seconds. But after that if I keep on repeatedly flipping the cover it's very responsive.

And yes, like magic they also got paired with my Macbook and iPad.

And speaking of convenience, it is very nice never having to worry about the battery life. I just put them in the case when I don't use them and I charge the case once a week. I would probably have to charge it more often if I used it more often, but I don't.

airpods in case

Notice that they have gotten lint in them, which I don't understand how it's possible as the case is very tight.

Audio Quality & Music Tests

Audio quality wise, I like them. I'm not a expert in the field so I can't give details but they sound good to me. I usually listen to podcasts, and they sound great. The voices sound real and nice.

Music I haven't listened to much using them, but I decided to try a couple songs now as I am writing this. Using my iPhone 7 to play them using the Plex app.

First of, for trying the bass, I used the Main Menu theme from Midtown Madness 2 which is a extremely bass heavy song. It's ridiculous. Anyway, it sounded great! Lots of bass. Sounded better than the Kingston HyperX Cloud's I use with my desktop PC. 5/5 stars.

Then I tried a bit more popular song, Elle King - Ex's & Oh's, and must say I was a little bit disappointed in the lack of bass. Maybe the Midtown Madness 2 song blew them out? But then the refrain came and it sounded pretty good again. So they get an OK here. 3/5 stars.

After that I tried a song from a video game: Terranigma's Hometown. And it sounded so amazing it brought a tear to my eye, not kidding. That might be because of the song though. It sounded really good with the AirPods anyway. I also tried a few other songs from the game and they all sounded really great. 5/5 stars.

Then I tried a song I've listened to a ton, Metallica - The Unforgiven II and it sounded okay. I think I prefer listening to it with my desktop headphones. 4/5 stars.

These tests aren't scientific at all, but just some quick personal observations. I think the AirPods sound a lot better with bass heavy songs. Less bass heavy songs are better enjoyed elsewhere.

One thing to note is that the AirPods do not isolate outside noise at all. Which is also a nice thing, in a way, as you can wear both if you're walking and you can still hear the traffic around you with problem.

Why Dont I Use Them More Often?

Basically, there are very few circumstances I prefer Bluetooth headphones:

The only times I want Bluetooth headphones is when I am out and about, which is not very often.

Overall, I am very happy with the AirPods. If you don't want to be isolated from outside noise, I think they are the best Bluetooth headphones, just because of all the convenient features.