Name: Apple AirPods Pro 2
Brand: Apple

STEREO GUIDE test verdict

89%

89%

+ stress-free, long-lasting sound
+ the perfect connection to the Apple world
+ clear contours in the bass, without show
+ noise-canceling like in the relax cabin
- once again the price screw is turned to the maximum
- elsewhere there is more dynamic show for the money

Sound: naturalness / transparency
8.8
Sound: Bass / Dynamics
9
Practice / Conncectivity
9.2
Price/Performance
8.5

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It has been almost three years since Apple delighted its followers with high-end True Wireless Earbuds called Apple Airpods Pro (Gen 1). The additional benefit for many mobile music lovers: A really impressive noise cancelling. After a long life for these pioneering Bluetooth earphones, the good news is that a new version is now available. They are called Apple AirPods 2 Pro and were put to the test.

The bad news: Apple has once again increased the price. That seems to be a basic philosophy in California. Which quickly raises the question: Is the price structure right, is the new price really justified with the Apple AirPods 2 Pro? Yes, it is. This much can be said from our listening test: this is simply one of the best in-ear headphones ever to grace our eardrums.

Apple makes own chips

What is the reason? Especially on the new engine. Apple has installed its H2 chip here. To commemorate: Until now, Apple has been stingy and bought its chips from Intel. Now the reach into the own repertoire. This is exactly what makes the new AirPods Pro 2 stand out from the crowd of competitors. So let’s be quick: This is the most sensible, potent in-ear an Apple user can plant in their ear canal. Then the critical message: If I am not at home in the apple community, then this sound converter is at most a nice aperçu. If I had a Samsung smartphone, for example, this would be the point where I would stop reading on.

Welcome, your iPhones!

Thus, the ultimate plus points are only available near an iPhone. I simply bring my new AirPods and charging cradle close to the iPhone. Immediately they are recognized. Then the process of initialization starts. With handsome options. So I can scan my head via the iPhone’s camera, plus the shape of my ears. Then my second-generation Apple AirPods Pro are deposited with all personal data. From now on, the sound flows individualized into my auditory canal. Here’s another new feature: Apple also includes an ear fit in XS – i.e. maximum small. Kids had complained in the past that there wasn’t a matching ear gang holder. So now there are four different fits available. Finely packed in the delivery, the ear that does not close perfectly here is highly rare.

In the test: Bluetooth headphones Apple AirPods Pro 2Apple AirPods Pro 2: Overview of the different ear pads. — Four Ear Pads up to size XS allow an optimal fit to a wide range of ear shapes (Photo: Apple)

In the test: Apple AirPods Pro 2 Bluetooth headphones — Four Ear Pads up to size XS allow an optimal fit to a wide range of ear shapes (Photo: Apple)

Chip tuning for the ears

Once again, the H2 chip is the star of the Apple AirPods Pro 2. Not only does it recognize the individual head, it can also screen and eliminate nasty outside noise at 48,000 steps per second. Nominally, Apple states that the noise suppression is twice as high as in the predecessor. A rough figure, but we agree: There has never been a more efficient, more relaxed Bluetooth in-ear in our ears. Apple is not a design factory, but a machine for the best appearance, so also here.

One step back: Now we have calibrated and deposited our ears. What does Apple do with this data? First: They are not passed on. In terms of data protection, we are on the maximum safe side here in the wide web. But we can also resurrect 3D audio – that is, a mix with sound sources behind, in front of, and above the ears. Succeeds extremely well. If the original source code is included.

Noise-canceling and battery in a practical test

A brand new feature is a second microphone in the body of the Bluetooth earphones – which improves noise suppression and also the hands-free mode for phone calls. Class also: We can suppress the acoustic environment, but also decidedly let it through. So either we are autistic, or members of the acoustic society – the transparent mode makes it possible.

Will we run out of steam at some point? No, let’s assume I take an ICE train from Hamburg to Munich. Then the new AirPod accompanies us the entire way. If we put it back in its shell, it could soak up another 30 hours of power.

The charging cradle itself now also has a speaker. For example, if we have lost sight and sound of our Bluetooth headphones, we can easily find them using Apple’s location function – the shell starts to beep. Then a little addition: there is a preparation for a sling; we can now put the box around the neck or hand. Practical. How we like it in the first place that Apple is willing to learn. You do research, you launch a product, you tighten the screws – this is where Apple is clearly better positioned than many, if not all, of its competitors in the market.

Apple AirPods Pro 2

Butter to reality – does it really sound that good? We need to tune in. These are simply a pair of the best InEars we know.

At first, the new AirPod looks pleasing. No show. What gladdens our heart. There are tons of competitors that especially bang on the bass drum. The Apple remains on course. These are fundamentally honest, audiophile values. It appears less portly than its predecessor, but not more sporty. Rather, a veil disappears, a lot of new information is added. The pros call this fine dynamics – the impulses reach our eardrums faster, clearly a gain over the old brother. The spatial impression is also great. In the current sense: a cornucopia, a pipeline – without the danger of exposing oneself to a critical authority.

And yes: The enthusiasm only spills over to those who are at home in the Apple world. If I use an iPhone, then I’m on the right side. The iPhone is crucial for the initial installation, but after that it is no longer mandatory; I can also stream my music via an Apple Watch.

Test conclusion: Are the Apple AirPods Pro (Gen 1) an alternative?

As a regular iPhone user, should I seriously consider non-Apple earbuds? Based on the experiences in our test, we think not, especially as the noise-canceling can keep up with the best in this segment and many comfort features are only possible with the original.

One more Thing – add one more caveat: If I already own the first generation AirPod Pro, things get more difficult. Is it worth switching to the new Bluetooth earbuds, which are not exactly cheap? The sound gain, while significant, will not change our acoustic emotional life. But those who are new should clearly invest the highest amount. Here there is round-about ten percent more information. Which is an extremely high ratio in the high-end market. The bass seems more powerful, but not overdone, everything sounds stronger in the contours, plus the highly effective noise reduction. Clear recommendation.

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