AirPods Pro 2
USB-C model from 2023
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▶ From a video review of this product
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- Weak point
- One bud dying at 2 to 3 years, with a steep repair price
- Noise cancelling
- Excellent, and transparency mode is the best here
Why it ranks here. The earbuds people use, whatever else they own: a collector with a wall of really good headphones still listens to these more than anything, for the switching between devices, the best bass management of any noise-cancelling set, and a transparency mode that lets one owner hear a bird exactly where it is and another listen without getting overstimulated.
Two to three years is the lifespan, and one bud stopping charging is the usual failure; Apple quoted nearly half the price of the pair to replace one bud. Cancelling fades as the grilles clog with wax, and a clean brings it back. They are made for iPhones, and merely good rather than the best on pure sound.
What owners like
- The pair people actually use
- Best transparency mode
- Best bass management
What owners complain about
- Two to three year lifespan
- Costly single-bud repair
- iPhone only in practice
“(FWIW I can absolutely tell and I have a wall of really good headphones, and I still listen to the AirPods Pro 2 more than anything else (aka lossy Bluetooth streaming).)” — Reddit comment · u/Daemonxar · r/headphones · 2026-08-17
6 positive · 4 mixed · 1 negative · 11 voices · ✓ all 11 linked to source
Read all 11 quotes (11 voices)
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Most used: Apple AirPods Pro 2 Most expensive: Hifiman HE-1000 Stealth v2 Most admired: Sennheiser HD 650 Most respected: Sennheiser HD 800 S
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(FWIW I can absolutely tell and I have a wall of really good headphones, and I still listen to the AirPods Pro 2 more than anything else (aka lossy Bluetooth streaming).)
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I love my AirPods Pro 2. Best bass management of any ANC headphones. No bass hotspots. No fatigue.
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While the EarPods are ok , the AirPods Pro 2 are the best thing Apple has ever made and the sad thing is how they won’t last or be made again , they do not stop surprising me with how enjoyable they are for music and the convenience factor is a blessing. I think people re attracted to wired suddenly because of the nostalgia factor just like the appeal of vinyl and anti tech I guess.
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I used to have AirPods Pro 2, they died at 2y of everyday use, also got bored of subscriptions and ads, i switched to wired and an ipod, best decission ever, tho it now feels weird to be able to skip 3+ songs without a 30 second ad.
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Bought em around April 2024 in Europe, now in india. Worked excellently till 2026 Feb when I had to travel for a few months. I left them behind in a cupboard...When I came back in April the left one wouldn't charge so the airpods wouldn't work...Finally called apple for help and they took it in and said it needed a change, 45% of the entire price i paid for the whole thing for 1 airpod.
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Clean it with a toothbrush and bleach or any cleaning solution and then rinse that with water and then dry it. My active noise cancelation went from barely working at all to like it was when it was new
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One thing I've noticed is the directionality of the transparency mode seems much improved... I heard a bird from directly above me and looked up just in time to see a bird flying directly overhead, exactly where I heard the sound come from. I could easily hear the footsteps of people coming up from behind me on the walking path too.
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But using the transparency mode on these second gens I can actually listen to the music and not get overstimulated due to the loud sounds. Worth the purchase
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After 1 year of use I can confirm the following:- 1- it’s getting better and better with the constant updates. 2- almost flowless when it comes to connection to and b/w Mac & iPhone and Apple ecosystem. 3- the battery still as good as new. 4- it sounds pretty good and way better than any other AirPods I’ve tried. 5- the only issue I had with it:- the in-ear wheezing sound after using it for a while. I don’t know if it’ll affect my ears health but it’s concerning for sure. I would give it 8/10 and it’s definitely worth it.
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I use my Airpods Pro 2 when I'm outside. It's good and the ANC is great. But I don't think it can outperform any of my headphones. Maybe when you use headphones, you don't EQ them according to your personal preference?
