I don’t know what Sabrina Carpenter put into her “Espresso” tune that makes it so addictive, but on the new AirPods 4, it sounds like it’s been carefully crafted.
To give you some background, entry-level AirPods have always been No font Active Noise Cancellation (ANC). If you want to block unwanted noise, you’ll have to upgrade to AirPods Pro 2.
But then, the Cupertino-based tech giant dropped the fourth-generation AirPods at the “Glowtime” Apple event on September 9. In other words, the new AirPods 4 are now more “professional” than ever. Not only do they have ANC, they also have dialogue awareness, transparency mode, and adaptive audio.
You may be wondering “Is the ANC on the new AirPods 4 good?” Let me tell you about my brief experience with them.
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Apple AirPods 4 hands-on experience
I had a chance to demo the new AirPods 4, and before putting the headphones on I was worried they wouldn’t fit.
Photo credit: Kimberly Gedeon/Mashable
I am one of them “What’s wrong with me?” AirPods users have to buy earhooks to supplement my first generation AirPods Pro because they kept falling off. (It seems like everyone else has AirPods Pro secured, but I have trouble keeping them in because of some weirdness in my ears.)
However, to my surprise, the AirPods 4 fit Excellent Comfortable. My head shook, tilted, and shook, but the AirPods didn’t move. how so?
Secure fit
Apple says it used advanced technology to analyze thousands of ear shapes and more than 50 million data points to design a safer, more precise fit (for most on AirPods 4).
Mix and match speed of light
I have unusual ears, and despite their weird, atypical shape, the AirPods 4 fit snugly into my ear canals without falling over.
some soreness
The only downside is that I did feel some soreness after the demo. Which part of the ear hurts? Well, I had to look it up because I don’t know the name of this part of the ear, but apparently, it’s called the “helix crus”
No, it wasn’t searing pain or anything. This is bearable. But when I took the AirPods 4 out after the demo, I did feel pain. Then again, this might just be a “me” thing.
Active noise cancellation is surprisingly good
Next, I fired up one of my favorite songs of the year: “Espresso” by Sabrina Carpenter. There was a white noise simulation in the demo room, an airplane-like drone, and I turned on active noise cancellation.
Wow!
It was as if the noisy world around me disappeared, allowing Carpenter’s sweet vocals to take center stage. Even if you’re not in a crowded room or on a noisy street, you won’t realize how noisy your surroundings are until you turn on ANC. From the ticking of a nearby clock and the sound of distant traffic, to the hum of your air conditioner, to the hum of your refrigerator motor, these ambient sounds can have a negative impact on the immersion of your listening experience.
“Espresso” already sounds like a warm vanilla coffee with foam, but with the ANC turned on, it feels like Carpenter is serenading me in a cozy soundproof cafe while I drink pumpkin spice latté.
Why was I shocked? First, it’s almost unheard of to find ANC in open-back headphones like the entry-level AirPods. For example, the AirPods Pro 2’s silicone ear tips create a tight seal in consumers’ ears, which together with ANC technology makes it easier to block external sounds.
But open designs like the AirPods 4 are tricky because they don’t completely seal around your ears, leaving them somewhat exposed. However, with a combination of upgraded microphones, H2 processors, and cutting-edge computational audio, Apple has managed to pull it off.
I was eager to test the AirPods 4 in a more challenging environment, like an airport. In my opinion, AirPods Max are the best active noise canceling headphones. The AirPods 4 are unlikely to compete with the AirPods Max, but I’m curious if it could be a portable alternative with some trade-offs.
AirPods 4 comes in two models: one with ANC and one without. AirPods 4 with ANC are priced at $179 at Best Buy, while the model without ANC is $129.
