AirPods Pro 3

This ANC degradation issue bugs me for the last 3 months or so. I observed its pattern and usually the howling effect in mine occurs when the airpods battery drops below 80%, I noticed that when my left airpod is for is at lower battery percentage such as 60+ percent and I take out the right airpod with 100 percent battery, the howling only happens to the earbud that has lower battery which is at that time my left pair.

[...] I've had mine since Christmas and would never have imagined my pockets would've scuffed the case this much. Having had the APP2 for a couple of years, I went in to these with my "ears wide open" and as much as a lot of reviewers originally said the musical sound quality was better in the APP2 (and I wouldn't really disagree), I primarily use them for listening to podcasts, some phone calls and on balance I find them a better overall experience than the APP2. As you say, both transparency mode and ANC are excellent and I've been unaware of the audio anomaly you describe otherwise I'd be miffed. [...]

[...] I just bought the newest AirPods Pro 3 and they can’t be found with the iPhone unless I upgrade to the newest operating system. [...]

I’m going to be honest I fell for the AirPods Pro 3 hype about it being the best noise cancelling of all time and I bought a pair. I found the noise cancelling worse than my $30 Anker Soundcore P30i, I could never get the hearing test on the AirPods to pass no matter what depths of a quiet room I went to, and the sound quality on music was worse than my Ankers. [...]

What realllly irks me is that Apple did not even make the new AirPods Pro 3 backwards compatible with iOS 18. [...]

On macOS there were some issues but I can't say exactly because I returned my AirPods Pro 3. Other than the missing artwork and label, with AirPods Pro 3 on iOS 18 you also can't see the battery level, you can't take a Hearing Test, and more. [...] So I returned my AirPods Pro 3, an easy decision. Just not worth the hassle for me.

[...] While we may have some overlap in issues, I would say that the Airpods Pro 3 are incredible. [...] The noise cancellation works too well, the sleep detection is a godsend, and the battery life is so good. [...]

I've been on 4-5 flights since upgrading to the Airpods Pro 3 from the 2 and haven't experienced this, though I had occasionally experienced a similar whine on my Pro 2 that seemed to have been resolved in a software update sometime back. [...] Better fit, better ANC, and much improved battery life. I typically wear mine almost all day so comfort is hugely important to me.

I'm also very disappointed with the Airpods Pro 3 I use them mainly for running, and after I accidentally put my Pro 2s through a washer/dryer cycle, I ordered the Pro 3s, but I've noticed they feel heavier in the ears and make this annoying loud thumping sound every time my foot hits the ground, making them almost unusable for my primary purpose Also sometimes I fall asleep in bed with them while listening to a podcast, and have experienced the same painfully loud screeching as described by the article when the microphones brush against the pillow

[...] The FR (as I hear it) is vastly superior to the APP1, which severely cut off the top end when ANC was active. The APP3 has enough treble precision and extension to generate an actual soundstage, and imaging/localization is far better. [...] Bass…it has the consumer boost profile. [...] If active, working out, or in noisy places, the ANC improvement and cutting through the background is worth it. [...]

[...] The AirPods Pro 3 or really any of the recent AirPods are magical products. [...] From early reviews it sounds like the Pro 3 has astounding microphone quality on top of the wide versatility and portability that the product already has. [...] Maybe they’re a waste of money to need to be replaced somewhat frequently, but when you throw out AirPods you’re throwing out mere grams of total material. A replaceable battery would barely help that impact, it would mostly save you money to not buy the product all over again. And if you’re like me spending hours a day in meetings, AirPods are downright cheap for the utility they provide. The average person is throwing out a pair of AirPods’ worth of fuel weight and carbon emissions every time they drive 10 minutes down the road or buy one hamburger with all that packaging from McDonald’s. [...]

I don’t usually go for mainstream stuff but the AirPods Pro 3 is part of my life now. [...] Best ANC, best transparency and the sound itself is awesome and not to mention the seamless integration between my iPhone , MacBook Air and iPad. I did eventually get the Technics AZ100 but it still paled in comparison to the AirPods Pro 3. [...]

What drives me crazy is the high pitched sound that comes from them when I take the right one off. [...] THAT is driving me insane because it actually hurts my hearing. It didn’t happen to any of the 2s I bought previously. 😢 I thought I got a faulty pair too so I returned them and the same thing happened.

I got the InZone gaming buds version which are supposedly very similar to Sony's WF-1000XM5 ( I wanted to try out the higher-end wireless Bluetooth LE Audio and their USB-C transceiver, and I wanted something that would let me side-step the Bluetooth stack on my Steam Deck (AirPods are horrible and get lag on Deck after 30 mins; that one is Apple's fault), but even in the best case I find Bluetooth on the Deck is annoying. I would say the sound is great and overall better than AirPods Pro 3 when I compare the AirPods and InZone buds playing Spotify Lossless content from my iPhone, but the sound is not to my taste. Not sure how much of the quality comes from the LE audio vs better sound hardware engineering. They sound more detailed in vocals, mids, highs, but are a little warm and muddy in the lows. I can't get the sound profile to match my AirPod Pros 3 or my Kef bookshelf speakers with EQ, but I didn't try very hard. The left bud also sometimes takes a bit longer turn on once I put them in my ears, up to 30 seconds before it starts playing audio. AirPod Pros 3 are ahead in noise cancelling, transparency, and touch controls -- the InZone buds use long touch vs short touch for volume up/down which is confusing, it's much easier to increase the volume and harder to decrease it. AirPods win out for convenience when using with Apple hardware also since I have to use the USB-C dongle since Apple hardware doesn't support Bluetooth LE Audio / whatever the codec is. [...]

Trackpad isn’t as good, true. But it’s not a bad trackpad, either, and I would counter that other operating systems that aren’t macOS support external normal mice a lot better. [...] I would be very interested to try the haptic trackpad on the Lenovo ThinkPad X9 15 Aura Edition. macOS assumes you’re using a trackpad to a fault, to the point where I prefer a trackpad on macOS desktop systems. That’s an operating system choice that a conspiracy theorist might tell you is Apple’s way of artificially differentiating their patent-protected trackpad hardware products. If Apple just used a normal mouse and designed the OS around it like everyone else they couldn’t sell you the advantage of their fancy trackpad, since we all know a dedicated mouse is more precise and quick, so that situation is yet another crazy expensive vendor lock-in accessory along with the Touch ID keyboard. [...] Worse speakers, this is true, though it’s improved by installing Easy Effects and running a Framework profile. I use my AirPods Pro 3 on the Framework and they work great with it. MacBook speakers sound really good but they are still laptop speakers. [...] It’s very comparable to a MacBook, the screen has slightly more flex but the keyboard deck and core system is almost identically rigid. [...]

[...] Took a bit of effort and updates to run the hearing test for AirPods Pro 3. Turns out I connected over Bluetooth when I should’ve paired them the Apple/iOS way. [...] The ANC is fantastic, sometimes I even forget fans around me are on. Only issue is that when I use live listen mode and everything is super clear, people still treat me like I’m using full noise cancellation.

[...] I have roughly 50,000 flight miles on the new AirPods Pro 3, and while I do prefer them to the 2s, I too have some annoyances with the left AirPod. [...] The noise cancellation also feels a bit more variable - when it's good it's significantly better, but sometimes I get cycles or loops where the algo doesn't seem to be working right. [...]

I was going to wait for a few bugfixes until I upgraded, but I was forced to update to iOS 26 because the AirPods Pro 3 that I bought required it for some inexplicable reason (which I didn't know until I tried to pair them). [...] But sheesh, none of the OS updates were ready for release. I found 3 obvious bugs (non-functional UI elements, invisible labels due to incorrect handling of dark mode, soft locks caused by guided access) not to mention a distinct pause when unlocking the device, GPU issues with Safari. It seems like the pendulum has swung from Apple making mediocre overpriced hardware and reliable software, to making best-in-class hardware and garbage software. I'm hoping that with the end of Intel support we get a "Snow Leopard" style polish and bugfix of the entire stack, but with their recent track record it seems unlikely. [...]

I was honestly expecting more w/ the Audio Quality. I truly didn’t expect just at how “sharp” it can get with the audio quality esp at certain tracks. With the ANC, I once had a similar issue. ANC just felt “weak” for me tht one, and ONLY time it happened. ANC just sounds weak, feels like im underwater. It got fixed tho when I tried to put them back at the case and restarted my phone. [...]

Let's not forget non-compliant USB chargers. I remember reading about a Chinese mini-PC manufacturer that sold a computer with a charger which provided 19V or so from the start without any negotiation. [...] It was a barrel charger and it fit. [...] I don't like the product because of its charging mechanism, not reporting battery level etc, I don't buy it. [...] Other than price not being adjusted to product performance and quality, AirPods Pro 3 are a very good product. [...] (Somebody recently RE'd AirPods BT protocol/calls IIRC and found them reporting battery on non standard ?variable name?. He then got Android phone to show battery level after a small modification. [...]

Screenshot 2025-09-27 at 09.29.322204×1196 245 KB A quick note in regards to the above measurements, in particular the ANC off ones, I think that the differences below 1kHz and especially the notches can be explained by the 5128’s tendency to show “rocking” modes that may not occur in real human ear canals, combined with the ANC off Adaptive EQ function working in a different way from when the feedback loop is activated (all other modes), and not having the capacity to apply very fine grained filters to counteract these notches. This measurement was done in a clone 711 coupler with putty to stabilise the Airpods to avoid any rocking mode and the difference is lesser.

As we’ve talked about recently, the AirPods Pro 3 is a pain in the butt to measure, but difficulty doesn’t mean people should feel okay providing subpar measurements. [...] But we wanted to make sure you all had something reasonable to chew on for when we published our full review, which can be seen here: Without further ado, here are our measurements, with their specification outlined: Compensated, typical visualization from The Headphone Show Compensated2160×1215 453 KB Raw visualization, full volume gradient, ANC On ANC On1920×2287 355 KB Raw visualization, full volume gradient, ANC Off ANC Off1920×2287 389 KB Raw visualization, full volume gradient, ANC On and Off (to check status of priming & difference in frequency response between modes) ANC OnOff1920×2287 481 KB

My Aipods pro 2 purchased 2022, still gives me 5 1/2 hours …I don’t know why people complain about aipods pro battery…it’s not like I don’t use them…I use them regularly..

I had the exact same issue with it suddenly amplifying bass (my air conditioner and motor vehicles being big triggers) on my AirPods Pro 3, and the memory foam eartips did actually fix it. Kind of a surprising result. I hesitate to share an Amazon link but it might help rescue your investment if you still have them:

[...] The only one I really care about is heart rate monitoring during exercise and the AirPods Pro 3 do that.

[...] You want years of software updates? [...] I think the fairbuds are their best product, but I also imagine AirPods Pro 3 are on a whole different level of sound quality, noise cancelation, voice quality/voice isolation, and firmware/software polish. And let’s be honest about repairability with tiny earbuds: being able to replace the battery is has such a tiny impact on their footprint. If I have to throw out my AirPods Pro 3 every 5 years due to battery degradation, that’s such an insignificant quantity of material being wasted, so it’s probably worth it to get a better product. [...]

Pro tip: apple airpods pro 3's somehow solve car sickness for me. No other noise cancelling product has ever had anything similar.

I have an iPhone 13 mini and have avoided upgrading to iOS 26 because I've heard it's bad for the battery. [...] In the meantime, I'm unable to use Find My with my new Airpods Pro 3 (I can use them with the Pro 2), and I can't buy new AirTags because those also require 26. Perhaps Apple has gotten the message that the glossiness (glassiness?) of iOS 26 was not a sufficient lure, especially when it came with a noticeable performance/battery penalty.

I don’t own the AirPods Max, but for the AirPods Pro 3 I had to replace the stock tips because none of the sizes stayed seated in my ears. I went with the Azla SednaEarfit Max. They are a huge upgrade to the terrible stock tips, as now the seal doesn’t break and the earphones stay in place during workouts.

[...] It was, I think the best noise cancelling money could buy and I’ve tried several of the Sony and Bose Headphones. Then funnily enough my AirPods Pro 3 completely smokes my AirPods Max. There are times when I literally can’t notice someone calling out my name, when I wear my pro 3 with ambient sounds, this never happened even with over the ear noise cancelling phones in the past. [...] Now I wonder if AirPods Max 2 is even better than AirPods Pro 3 but we are soon reaching the point of diminishing returns. [...]

The AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3, and AirPods 4 WITH ANC all have cases with speakers and separate Find My integration that I belive is what you are looking for. It’s the only reason why I have upgraded to ANC on the Airpods 4, because I don’t really like ANC, but I want the smart case.

I just got a pair of AirPods Pro 3 and have been looking for a way to use for Live Translation of a language other than Spanish. I don't feel like I 100% needed to hear the English translation, because the animation tells the story almost without words. [...]

Something happened today as I was closing my car door, where I had the Airpods (Pro 3 as well) make this low but extremely loud rumble-like sound. [...] ANC on, nothing playing, sat on the driver seat and closed my door with a little bit of force.

I've flown twice with my new AirPods Pro 3, and both times I had this exact experience; high pitched and loud feedback. They were properly cleaned, and had a "good seal" according to the settings wizard. Glad to see I'm not the only one at least, and hopefully this will be possible to fix as a software update, rather than having to replace the AirPods.

I upgraded iOS after I discovered that the AirPods Pro 3 lose native integration with iOS 18 and macOS 15. Hated it so much, I sent the AirPods Pro 3 back for discounted AirPods Pro 2 and am considering trading my upgraded iPhone in for the latest model I can get on iOS 18. I'm going to ride iOS 18 and macOS 15 into the sunset and then leave the Apple ecosystem.

I bought the original AirPods too. Liked the sound, but the noise cancellation was useless. Recently bought AirPods Pro 3 and noise cancellation is now excellent. [...]

I have had the same issue. I claimed warranty,got a new left earbud and everything is working flawlessly now.

I have the Pro 3, and it’s excellent for noise cancellation. I make calls in a noisy gym, and the person I’m talking to can still hear me clearly.

I also have the same issue. I got my Airpod pro 3 in january 😢

7:05 I often boosted the transparency mode through headphone accommodation and on god it’s INSANE. I generally have issues with understanding what people is saying and the way this boosted up the outside volume is insane, Even better than the pro 2. patina

I have never heard this ANC noise to be honest. I have loved them so much. Also, I only wear them when I’m listening to something though so even if there were a faint noise, I don’t feel like I would hear that.

[...] The noise cancellation is amazing. [...] It sounds exactly like everything in the house dying at the same time 😂

I don't have that hollow sound. Had the app3 for almost a month now. Aside from it does just almost completely remove the hum repeated sounds in the background, it does not completely remove all the sounds, maybe reduced it to about 10%.

I almost never use ANC on any of my earbuds or headphones so I wouldn’t know if my APP 3 is effected by the bug mentioned here, other than that they have been great earbuds for me and I’m glad I have them. No regrets here

[...] I’ve not had these issues and I use them daily and have done for ages

I had the same problem with the ANC. But when I got mine replaced for a different issue it got fixed.

Had mine for a month and nothing is wrong with mine, Even the software update improved the ANC and improved it he audio. I pretty sure it’s a software glitch with the chips.

I actually returned mine the fit was not good and it hurt my ears. So I purchased another pair of air pods pro 2.

Just had this issue twice, replaced them the first time through apple care and now I’m waiting for another replacement. I do think it’s an earwax issue as I have a lot but it’s annoying. These however are night and day better than the AirPods Pro 2

[...] I wear my AirPods Pro 3 mainly for movies and TV shows and I have been very happy with them. [...]