AirPods Pro 3 Review vs JBL, Bose, Samsung, Sony, Technics 🤔
Today we’re going to compare the AirPods Pro 3 to some of the top earbuds in the market, featuring the Bose QC Ultra Gen 2, the Samsung Buds3 Pro, Technics AZ100 and JBL Tour Pro 3. We’re going to see how they measure up in terms of noise canceling, sound quality, transparency, and mic pickup, and then I’m going to tell you which one you should buy. So buckle up!
Microphone Quality
In terms of mic pickup, assuming that you’re using the AirPods Pro 3 with an Apple device, it’s going to be pretty great because it will capture the full 10kHz range instead of the usual 8kHz, so it’ll sound like this. (iOS mic sample)
But if you’re using them with non-Apple devices like Android phones and Windows PCs, in quiet conditions, it’s going to sound closer to what the other brands offer, and in noisy conditions it applies very aggressive noise filtering so some parts of the voice pickup might be cut out entirely.
👉 Have a listen to the mic quality samples
Active Noise Cancelling
In terms of active noise canceling, the AirPods Pro 3 is now one of the most powerful noise cancelers available. Looking at these measurements, they are quite dominant at canceling low to mid frequency noise, so even in very noisy conditions, like on a plane, everything, like engine rumble and human chatter, are going to be reduced to a whisper.
There seems to be a hole around 1.7kHz, so you might hear some higher pitched noises seeping through (like the piercing sound of crying babies) and the following recordings will amplify that, but in reality, you’re not going to hear much of it. In fact, they are going to be quieter than the Sony, the Bose, the Samsungs, and Technics. Obviously the one with the weakest noise canceling here is the JBL Tour Pro 3.
👉 Have a listen to the ANC quality samples
Transparency Mode
In terms of Transparency, the one with the weakest transparency here is the Technics AZ100, followed by the Bose QC Ultra Gen 2. The AirPods Pro 3 actually fares pretty well here, able to passthrough ambient sounds at a degree that’s close to the base noise level.
So transparency will sound natural, it will be great for general awareness when you’re crossing the road, and for verbal exchanges.
The spike at 1.8kHz also means it’ll sound airy and spacious, definitely more airy and spacious than the Sony and JBL. I do think that the Samsung Buds3 Pro’s transparency is a little brighter, a little less occluded than the AirPods, but in reality, both are so transparent that it will feel close to not wearing earbuds at all.
Sound Quality
For sound quality, frequency sweeps show that actually, the AirPods Pro 3 has a rather flat tuning. So it’s not going to be as bass heavy as the Gen 2 Bose QC Ultra, or as bright as the Samsung Buds3 Pro, it really is a more balanced take on sound.
Let’s listen to the samples, and after that, I’m going to compare their sound quality individually, and share my take on which one to buy.
👉 Have a listen to the sound quality samples
Buy AirPods Pro 3 or Bose QC Ultra Gen 2?
Comparing the AirPods Pro 3 to the Gen 2 Bose QC Ultra, the Bose sounds a little more heavy in the bass, a little more prominent in the upper mids so there’s a brighter signature to percussions, winds and female vocals. It also is a bit more revealing in the background, whereas the AirPods is darker in that area. But what the AirPods excels at is better focus of vocals in the soundstage, so the bass-mids separation is better.
It also sounds a little cleaner and smoother. Now, I can name several reasons to buy the AirPods instead of the Bose. Its noise canceling is better so you’re going to get deeper silence, it’s a lot more portable due to its tiny case, and it has closer integration with iOS so if you’re deep in Apple’s ecosystem, you get access to the full AirPods Pro 3 experience.
I’m talking about Heart Rate monitor with fitness apps, Seamless switching between Apple devices, close integration with Siri so it reads out your messages and who’s calling.
For most people with a mixture of device ecosystems, I recommend the Bose because you can do true multipoint pairing, its mic quality is better for non-Apple devices, its sound quality is more customizable, you can get spatial audio with head tracking on all devices, and regardless ecosystems, you can access all of its features, settings and firmware updates. For AirPods Pro 3, that’s only available on Apple devices, so you do get more flexibility on the Bose.
Buy AirPods Pro 3 or JBL Tour Pro 3?
Compared to the JBL Tour Pro 3, the AirPods Pro 3 sounds more laid back in the mids so vocals sound a bit more restrained, whereas the JBL has more emphasis on vocal brightness and clarity. It also is more bass heavy than the AirPods, definitely a more vibrant, V-shaped signature.
What I prefer about AirPods is track separation. It’s cleaner, and as a result, it sounds a bit smoother. Reasons to pick the AirPods is its better noise canceling and transparency, its tiny case, seamless integration with Apple devices so you get better mic quality, as well as exclusive features like seamless switching.
I also prefer its control scheme, it’s set up in a way that you can access all of its music playback, call and volume controls even with just one earbud, whereas the JBL’s controls are quite limited to what you set for that earbud in the app.
On the other hand, I prefer the JBLs more for its flexibility. The fact that it’s a more platform agnostic product so whichever ecosystem you’re on, you get multipoint pairing, very customizable sound, spatial audio, and firmware updates.
Aside from the Smart Case being a very convenient way to control your earbuds without my phone, it even lets me connect to any wired audio source, which is why it’s part of my production workflow, because I use it a lot for monitoring from my non-wireless camera monitor.
Buy AirPods Pro 3 or Samsung Buds3 Pro?
Comparing the AirPods Pro 3 to Galaxy Buds3 Pro, I prefer the sound of the AirPods because it’s less hissy in the mids and highs, so I don’t get ear fatigue, but I also like how the Samsung’s heavier, more visceral bass response, and how it doesn’t bleed into the mids.
They’re both quite comparable in terms of soundstaging, one is not more spacious than the other. The reason I’ll choose the AirPods over the Samsung is they fit better, and so it retains its noise canceling and bass response better, whereas the Samsung is a lighter fit.
Its noise canceling is also better, and for Apple device users you can get deeper integration with extra features and settings, not available for Android devices. The Samsung is kind of the opposite of that. It doesn’t like Apple devices so for iPhone users you can’t get any custom settings, features or firmware updates, but for Android, it has the Wearable app that unlocks the custom EQ and control settings, as well as deliver firmware updates.
And if you’re using Samsung phones and tablets, you’ll also get better audio transmission with SSC codec, and seamless switching between multiple devices. What I also like about Samsung is the better mic pickup in noisy conditions regardless of what device I’m using. But since I’m daily driving iPhones, and I do want better noise canceling, the AirPods is the better choice for me. Besides, I can always turn on Voice Isolation mode for better microphone noise filtering.
Buy AirPods Pro 3 or Sony WF-1000XM5?
Comparing the AirPods Pro 3’s sound to the Sony WF-1000XM5, they’re comparable. Not too far off in terms of bass response or soundstaging, but the Sonys are more forward in the vocals so it sounds more vibrant, more exciting, whereas vocals on the AirPods sound more laid back and chill.
The AirPods also have better track separation so it sounds a little cleaner, less veiled than the Sony. If we’re being honest, I like them both as much when it comes to sound, but where the AirPods is a stronger choice is its better noise canceling, better control scheme which allows you to operate music and volume even with just one earbud, and closer integration with iOS which unlocks better mic pickup.
I also prefer its fit, because it doesn't have to be shoved into the ear canals as much as the Sonys and its foam tips.
And trust me, it has to be shoved in, otherwise there’s little noise canceling power. On the other hand, the Sonys offer more flexibility because its sound is fully customizable on iOS or Android, has audio-centric features like hi-res LDAC codec and DSEE upscaling, and has real multipoint pairing. That’s just the tip of the iceberg of what it can do, so for people with a mix of platforms like iOS with PC, or Mac with Android, the XM5 offers more bang for buck.
Buy AirPods Pro 3 or Technics AZ100?
I like the AirPods Pro 3 for its relaxed midrange character, so the soundstaging feels more open than the Technics AZ100, and it has a more vibrant overtone. But what the Technics does better is realism.
Bass has a bit more texture, mids are heavier, yet well separated from the bass, and there’s a bit more layering in the soundstage so the foreground’s more distinct from the background. Apart from the sound, other reasons why the Technics have been my daily drivers are their unique 3-way multipoint feature, so you can connect up to 3 devices at the same time, their wide range of custom options and features regardless of whether I’m on iOS or Android, great mic pickup, their superb fit, and the very small case.
That being said, the AirPods Pro 3 might be my new daily drivers because they don’t sound too far off from the Technics, but they’ve got better noise canceling and transparency, better mic pickup for iOS, better controls that allows operation of music and volume even with just one earbud, while still being small and pocketable. I might come back to the Technics often because I really like its sound, but for day to day purposes, I might just stick with the AirPods.
Check latest prices:
AirPods Pro 3 - Link TBA
Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro - https://amzn.to/4fvUNLn
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds Gen 2 - https://amzn.to/46N1zsL
Technics EAH-AZ100 - https://amzn.to/4hcKrQD
JBL Tour Pro 3 - https://amzn.to/4kUF4Ih
Sony WF-1000XM5 - https://amzn.to/3JGI1uN
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