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Top 10 new features of AirPods Pro (vs AirPods 2)

AirPods Pro new features explained

wireless earbuds, Bluetooth headphones, noise cancelling headphones

AirPods Pro is the lastest wireless earbuds offered by Apple. It complements AirPods 2 in the high-end market with some useful new features.

This wireless earbuds guide explains the top 10 new features of AirPods Pro (compared to AirPods 2): active noise canceling (ANC), wireless charging, in-ear design, transparency mode, force sensor, adaptive EQ, Sweat and water resistance with IPX4 rating, ear tip test, secure fit, and a $249 price tag.

Please note, the direct competitor to AirPods Pro is Sony WF-1000XM3, which offers better noise canceling and better audio quality (at $229).

#1.Active noise canceling (ANC): the best new feature of AirPods Pro

As explained in this guide in detail, active noise canceling (ANC) uses special sound waves to cancel the ambient noise and therefore gives you immersive and quite listening experience.

Bose and Sony are the indisputable industrial leaders in ANC for consumer headphones. It is unclear whether Apple licensed some technology from third parties or developed their own ANC technology in-house.

If you compare AirPods Pro with Sony WF-1000XM3, Sony is a clear winner in most situations. Please do NOT compare AirPods Pro with the first generation of WF-1000, whose noise canceling was a failure.

Anyway, for many Apple users, ANC is probably new to them. They will enjoy this feature gradually.

Please note, if you want to get better ANC, you may consider an over-ear headphone, like Sony WH-1000XM3, Bose Quite 35, or Bose 700.

#2. Transparency mode

Transparency mode is the opposite of noise canceling. In this mode, you can hear clearly outside without removing the AirPods Pro from the ears.

You can use the force sensor (read on) to switch between noise canceling and transparency mode instantly.

In fact, all noise-canceling earbuds and headphones have this feature.

#3. New in-ear design

AirPods Pro now adopts the in-ear design (see this guide on the difference among in-ear, on-ear, and over-ear headphones). This means the tips are supposed to be sealed into your ear canal.

Unlike AirPods and AirPods 2, AirPods Pro will “stuff” your ears if you are new to in-ear buds. It may take you a few days to get used to it.

The advantages of the in-ear design include the better audio quality (by blocking some ambient noise) and secured in ears.

For some users, the AirPods Pro can be used as sports earbuds.

Anyway, the in-ear design … Read the rest

How to use Samsung Galaxy Buds?

A complete guide for Samsung Galaxy Buds

wireless earbuds, Bluetooth headphones, Headphone 101

Samsung Galaxy Buds is Samsung’s first wireless earbuds for Android devices, although you can use it on iOS, Linux, or Windows devices.

This wireless earbuds guide explains everything you need to know about Samsung Galaxy Buds: box contents of the buds, the layout of the buds, how to use the buds, how to charge the buds, how to check the battery status, how to pair the buds with other devices, how to use touchpad commands to control the buds. A concise review of the Galaxy Buds was also included.

Of course, some questions you may have on Samsung Galaxy Buds were also answered.

What is Samsung Galaxy Buds?

Samsung announced Galaxy Buds, a wireless earbud for Android phones, together with the Galaxy S10 in March 2019.

Prior to Galaxy Buds, Samsung already offered Gear IconX as a fitness (and wireless) earbud.

Galaxy Buds is smaller and lighter by removing the built-in storage and workout-tracking ability in IconX.

So, you can think Galaxy Buds is the wireless in-ear earbuds for Android phones matching AirPods for iPhones.

What devices are compatible with Galaxy Buds?

The official spec sheet of the Galaxy Buds requires Android 5.0 and Galaxy Wearable app.

But this is for “quick” pairing.

In fact, you can use Samsung Galaxy Buds as a normal Bluetooth headset. Therefore, you can use the Samsung Galaxy Buds with most devices that support Bluetooth audio, for example, iPhone, Windows PCs, and laptops.

Unlike AirPods, Galaxy Buds does follow the Bluetooth standards. This means it is compatible with most devices that follow the Bluetooth standards.

In short, if your device can use other Bluetooth headphones, it can also use Galaxy Buds.

What is included in the Samsung Galaxy Buds box?

In most regions, you can find the following items in the Samsung Galaxy Buds box:

Earbuds (L/R).
Charging case (wireless charging dock).
Wingtips (3 sizes, S/M/L, M is pre-installed).
Ear tips (3 sizes, S/M/L, M is pre-installed).
A USB cable (USB-A to USB-C).
Quick Start Guide.

Please note, there is no charger (wall or wireless) inside the box.

Layout of Galaxy Buds and the charging case

To use Galaxy Buds effectively, you need to know the layout of both the buds and the charging case.

As illustrated below, there are mainly 11 parts you need to know:

Battery (and charging) status light for the charging case.
USB-C port for charging the charging case.
Metal

… Read the rest

What is active noise canceling (ANC)? How active noise-cancelling headphone works?

How does active (ANC) work? What is the difference between noise isolation (blocking) and noise-canceling?

noise cancelling headphones, Bluetooth headphones, Headphone 101, wireless earbuds

You need an active noise canceling headphone if you want to block the ambient low-frequency noise, like engine noise in the airplane. For example, AirPods Pro has ANC.

Active noise canceling (ANC) is different from noise blocking/isolating, which passively blocks both high and low-frequency noises.

This headphone guide explains what the active noise canceling (ANC) is and how the active noise canceling headphone works. It will not only help you understand ANC but also help you choose proper active noise-canceling headphones.

What is active noise canceling (ANC)?

Active noise canceling (ANC, aka active noise control) is a set of audio technologies that actively cancel the ambient noise.

Both the annoying noise and music reach your ear as sound waves transmitted through the air.

So, one simple way to reduce noise is to physically and passively block it. For example, there are many soundproofing materials and technologies.

In the airport, you may notice ground staff are wearing earmuffs to block the engine and other noises. In the shooting clubs, it is also common that earmuffs are used.

Active noise canceling (ANC), on the contrary, uses negative sound waves to actively cancel the noise.

This means ANC requires at least three components:

Power source. Active noise canceling (ANC) always requires a power source to detect and analysis noise and then generate a negative wave.
Noise detection. Normally, one or more microphones are used to sample the ambient sound.
Anti-noise sound wave generator. Once the ambient noise is sampled, an active noise canceling (ANC) system must generate an inverted (negative) sound wave (with similar amplitude) to cancel the low-frequency noise.

When the ambient noise is canceled, you will get a quieter environment for your music.

Active noise canceling (ANC) is still evolving, especially on how to sample ambient sound, how to analyze the sampled ambient sound, and eventually how to effectively cancel the low-frequency ambient noise in real-time.

Please note, active noise canceling (ANC) currently is most effective for low-frequency noise only.

Active noise canceling (ANC) vs passive noise blocking

As discussed earlier, noise can be “blocked” (passive) and/or “canceled” (active).

Most headphones, in-ear or on-ear or over-ear, can block certain ambient sounds. For example, some in-ear headphones are designed to seal the ambient sound. Of course, over-ear headphones usually can block more ambient sound.

For headphones, some manufacturers may also refer to noise-blocking as noise isolation.… Read the rest

What are the differences among in-ear, on-ear and over-ear headphones?

The differences of in-ear, on-ear and over-ear headphones are explained. The guide also shows you when you should get an in-ear headphone, when to get an on-ear headphone, and when to get an over-ear headphone.

Headphone 101

Normally, headphones are classified as in-ear, on-ear, and over-ear based on their sizes and ways of wearing.

This headphone guide explains the differences in size and sound quality among these 3 types of headphones. Then we explain whether you should get an in-ear, on-ear, and over-ear headphones to meet your needs (and comfort).

Why do you need to know the differences among in-ear, on-ear and over-ear headphones?

When buying a new headphone, the first question you need to ask yourself is what “size” of the headphone should be.

In the market, there are roughly 3 types of headphones based on their sizes (both wired headphones and Bluetooth headphones):

in-ear headphone (aka earphone, or earbud);
on-ear headphone; and
over-ear headphone.

The differences among in-ear, on-ear and over-ear headphones are NOT just about the size.

Quite often, certain type of headphone may be better than others for special group of users (e.g. people with glass), or better for special occasions (e.g., for running).

So, it is important to know the differences among in-ear, on-ear and over-ear headphones to get the headphone that is most suitable for you when you plan to get a new headphone.

Size matters: the obvious difference among in-ear, on-ear and over-ear headphones

In-ear headphone, aka earbud or earphone, is the smallest among the three. For example, Samsung Galaxy Buds, AirPods, AirPods Pro, Jabra Elite Sport are all in-ear wireless earbuds.

Because of the small driver (aka transducer), a unit that converts an electrical signal into sound (air pressure), in-ear headphone is small enough to fit inside your ears.

The on-ear headphone usually uses larger drivers. But the padding is not large enough to cover your ears. Instead, the headphone sits on your ears without fully covering them.

The over-ear headphone has a large enough padding to cover your ear. Manufactures can put larger drivers in over-ear headphones thanks to the additional space.

Sound quality difference among in-ear, on-ear and over-ear headphones

When sound quality is concerned, size is NOT the major factor.

Many headphone buyers have the wrong impression: the bigger driver means better sound quality. This is wrong.

Large drivers generally can boost high volume (louder) with higher capacity for the bass. But unlike the volume or bass, the sound quality (audio quality) is NOT simply determined by the driver size.

For all headphones, sound quality (audio quality) … Read the rest