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The one thing AirPods do that others can't
After two years, my Apple AirPods Pro 2 finally bit the dust, prompting me to consider AirPods alternatives. As an iPhone owner, Apple’s AirPods are the best option for those seeking convenience. But I wanted a non-Apple pair of earbuds to make more sense for my needs than AirPods. As it turned out, none of the alternatives offered everything I wanted, specifically Adaptive Audio, or some equivalent. Of course, not everyone likes this feature, but for me, it’s a game-changer and something I couldn’t give up.
Is this feature worth the extra cost to you?
What is Adaptive Audio, and how does it work?
Adaptive Audio is Apple’s noise control mode that blends active noise canceling (ANC) and audio passthrough (aka Transparency) technologies on the AirPods Pro 2. With this, you hear a mix of alarming sounds from your environment (e.g., a car horn) while unimportant din (e.g., wind) is canceled out. It isn’t perfect. Still, if I’m walking around or on public transit, I much prefer Adaptive Audio to ANC or Transparency mode alone.
Apple’s AI-powered algorithm can identify voices too, which is one of my favorite applications for Adaptive Audio. The catch for all of this: you need an Apple device like an iPhone to use Adaptive Audio.
The case for Adaptive Audio
Adaptive Audio provides an ideal listening experience for me. When traveling through the country or my own neighborhood, I get the best of both worlds by tuning in and out at the right times.
Like bone conduction headphones and open earbuds, I can hear my environment and music all at once. My AirPods hush distracting background noise and keep me alert to urgent sounds. Practically speaking, this means the drone of a train car will be muted while important information, like announcements for my next stop, comes through the earbuds clearly. With the weather getting colder, I’m biking less and taking the train more. Suffice it to say, I’ve grown dependent on Adaptive Audio. Another perk is that I prefer the more versatile fit of AirPods, and earbuds at large, to bone conduction headphones.
After getting used to Adaptive Audio, I can't willingly give this feature up.
Beyond biking and walking around, I also like this for working in public places. I’m able to drown out the ambient din of a coffee shop while remaining aware enough if someone asks me to scooch over. I welcome this feature. It promotes prosocial behavior as opposed to earbuds’ Conversation Awareness modes. I’m not too hot about Conversation Awareness since I find it rude to speak to someone with earbuds in.
The case against Adaptive Audio
Of course, not everyone likes the idea of adaptive audio, and I think that’s because early attempts at adaptive sound fell flat. Take Google’s implementation of Adaptive Sound on the Pixel Buds A-Series. This underwhelmed many people, sullying the reputation of adaptive audio modes. Even Google quietly pulled this feature from its app with the release of the Pixel Buds Pro.
Google’s Adaptive Sound is not Apple’s version. Google’s version underwhelmed me and my former colleague. Upon its release, Adaptive Sound adjusted the volume of your media according to your environmental noise. With Adaptive Audio from Apple, compatible AirPods use ANC and Transparency to create an optimized mix of your surroundings. Apple doesn’t affect the loudness of your music like Google.
With Google's latest earbuds, you get noise canceling and audio passthrough, but no option that intelligently mixes the two.
That said, plenty won’t like Apple’s Adaptive Audio because they have a sensitivity to sound changes. This dynamic adjustment could be more distracting than helpful and even disorient certain listeners. Then there’s the fact that Adaptive Audio uses more battery than having the sound mode off. This means you’ll have to recharge your buds more, degrading the batteries quicker.
Do other earbuds have adaptive audio?
Other earbuds have a form of Adaptive Audio. Sony calls it Adaptive Sound Control and it operates like Adaptive Audio. In Sony’s case, the WF-1000XM5 sense how you’re moving (or not moving) and enable ANC or ambient sound control accordingly. The Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro have Adaptive Mode, which optimizes the ANC intensity depending on your environment. If you’re in a louder space, expect the ANC to be more intense than if you’re in a library. Jabra, RIP, has something similar.
Many other earbuds have noise canceling, transparency mode, or both, but none of them have Adaptive Audio like Apple’s. This is one of the biggest things, along with Apple’s myriad of accessibility features, that sets the brand apart from others. Not to mention how Apple’s plain Transparency mode is markedly better than most of the competition.
Should you buy the AirPods for Adaptive Audio alone?
While Adaptive Audio is one of the main reasons I purchased another pair of AirPods Pro 2, it is not the sole reason I repurchased them. If you’re an iPhone user, the AirPods Pro 2 have plenty to offer you. My next favorite feature is automatic device switching between Apple devices, along with Apple’s advanced Find My features.
On top of that, just this year the AirPods Pro 2 received FDA approval to function as over-the-counter hearing aids. With this, we are approaching a reality where we can customize precisely what sounds we do (and don’t) want to hear at a given time. The implications of this are as exciting as they are intimidating. I don’t know if I’m ready for a world where we can insulate ourselves like this. However, if you want the option to engage in this kind of future, the AirPods Pro 2 are the strongest contender.
We're halfway into a new reality where we can specifically choose which sounds we want to hear and which sounds we want to mute in our worlds.
That said, I don’t recommend AirPods of any kind to Android phone owners. Why? You wouldn’t even have access to half of the features that make AirPods what they are. Instead, consider other great earbuds like the Sony WF-1000XM5 ($298 at Amazon). These WF-1000XM5 are the cream of the crop and deliver high marks on just about every measure you can think of. Sony’s stellar noise cancellation will save your sanity during an hours-long flight and its OS-agnostic app affords an identical experience across devices.
How important is Adaptive Audio to you?
Frequently asked questions about AirPods Adaptive Audio
Adaptive Audio is not the same as Spatial Audio. Adaptive Audio adjusts the mix of noise canceling and Transparency through your AirPods, while Spatial Audio renders sound in a 3D-like field which is particularly fun for movies.
Yes, that is exactly what Adaptive Audio does. It is trained to alert listeners to urgent or important sounds and cancel out sounds that listeners would deem unimportant or distracting.
Adaptive Audio adjusts the mix of noise canceling and Transparency through your AirPods. Adaptive EQ dynamically adjusts the frequency response depending on the shape of your ear canal and any background noise that penetrates the earbud’s seal.
The AirPods have plenty of special features when you connect them to an Apple device. For instance, using the AirPods Pro 2 with an iPhone enables Adaptive Audio, Personalized Spatial Audio with head tracking, and Adaptive EQ.