AirPods Pro 3's Noise Canceling BEATS WH-1000XM6 and Gen 2 QC Ultra!
The AirPods Pro 3’s noise canceling is better than the best headphones from Sony and Bose? What?!
If we look at these measurements, what is clear is that the AirPods Pro 3 could be a more powerful noise canceler than the Sony WH-1000XM6 and Gen 2 Bose QC Ultra especially in the lower to lower mid frequencies. So it can deal with loud droning, rumbling noises more effectively than the headphones. Where the headphones are better is against the upper mids and treble, with the Sonys having a clear advantage here.
Active Noise Cancelling
But shouldn’t the headphones be better all around, since they’re bigger and cover the entirely? How can something so small be more effective against the lows? The only reason I can think of is that when you’re using headphones, even if the earcups cover the ears entirely, there’s still space in between.
That is a pocket of air, and air is a fantastic conduit of sound which creates its own resonances within the contained space of the earcups, and which in turn, has to be dealt with by the noise canceling algorithm. Whereas with earbuds like the AirPods Pro 3 that plug into the ear canal, there’s very little space for there to be resonances, and that simplifies the process of canceling low frequency noises.
What the AirPods Pro 3 is less effective against is higher frequency noises which are less predictable, and can be blocked more effectively with layers of material like cushions, the earcups, and electronics in the earcups. In the following samples, if you’re listening with earbuds or headphones, you can hear the rumbling on the headphones but not the AirPods, but you can hear higher frequency noises more on the AirPods Pro 3.
👉 Have a listen to the ANC quality samples
Is That Even Fair?
This comparison may seem stupid, like why is Aaron comparing earbuds to headphones? But the reason is because some people might be wondering if it’s worth getting the most powerful noise canceling headphones which are the Bose or Sony ones, or should they go for the most powerful noise canceling earbuds, the AirPods Pro 3 which are even more portable?
I’m here to tell you that it’s not so simple. Yes there are reasons to get the headphones, like the battery life. If you’re on a long flight, you don’t have to keep recharging them, they work continuously throughout on a full charge, instead of having to charge them in the case ever so often like the AirPods.
Plus, the cable connection means they can plug directly into the in-flight entertainment without needing to use a wireless adapter. Some airlines do support Bluetooth from their inflight entertainment but it’s still not common.
On the other hand, the AirPods is super tiny and portable, and as we saw, it will be even more effective against the droning noise of the plane’s engine.
Microphone Quality
In terms of mic quality, on Android, they’re pretty comparable in quiet conditions. In noisy conditions with noise gating, you’re generally going to get slightly better results with the AirPods Pro 3 because the Bose doesn’t amplify my voice as loudly, and the Sony’s noise gating is a little too aggressive that it cuts into my voice. if you’re using an Apple device, the AirPods will be capturing at a wider 10kHz band instead of the usual HFP 8khz, so voice capture is clearer, more natural in general.
👉 Have a listen to the mic quality samples
Transparency Mode
For transparency mode, the AirPods Pro 3 is a little better. There’s a brighter, clearer and airier feeling, whereas things are a little darker on the Bose and Sony headphones. Partly because it doesn’t have earcups and cushions to deal with. Still, all of them have fantastic transparency great for general awareness and verbal exchanges.
For sound quality, you’re going to get a very different experience from the AirPods Pro 3 versus the headphones. The most major difference is that all of the action is taking place in between the ears so soundstaging is more compact and the bass is more impactful. Either the Sony or Bose headphones will do better for a wider, more enveloping soundstage because the listening process also involves the outer ears, and that creates better spaciousness and height in the soundstage.
As for the quality itself, the Sony sounds more visceral and intimate, whereas the Bose has a more relaxed, laid back signature. The Bose is still crisp and detailed, bass is tight, but it’s also a very non-fatiguing listening experience. By default, the Sony doesn’t sound as impressive as the Bose or AirPods because of its bloated mids, but after my Singapore Spring custom EQ, I prefer its sound more than the Bose and the AirPods Pro 3.
So that is how the AirPods Pro 3 compares to the Gen 2 Bose QC Ultra Headphones and the Sony WH-1000XM6. Let me know in the comments which one you would get! Check in the links below for their latest prices.
Check latest prices:
AirPods Pro 3 - https://amzn.to/4oB4xHL
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones 2nd Gen - https://amzn.to/4gH7X9d
Sony WH-1000XM6 - https://amzn.to/4n6OcuL
