The headline feature of the AirPods 4 is Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), but Apple has also improved overall audio quality beyond just blocking out environmental sounds. For the first time in “regular” AirPods, at least one model has ANC listed on the specs, and there are a few key components that allow the earbuds to effectively cancel noise, even though the flexible tips don’t completely seal in your ear. The AirPods 4 also feature certain changes that improve overall sound quality, an impressive feat in itself for open-design earbuds.
As for the ANC setup on the AirPods 4, the combination of improved earbud shape, the power of the H2 chip, and upgraded microphones all work together to provide useful noise cancellation. Apple isn’t the first company to offer ANC in open-ear earbuds. I’ve reviewed dozens of sets of earbuds over the years, but after just a few minutes of using the AirPods 4, I can tell you that they’re the first to employ noise cancellation in a way that’s actually useful without completely sealing your ears. The ANC setup here clearly blocks noise, which isn’t always the case with earbuds of this type.
Apple has amassed a database of thousands of ear scans and 50 million data points, both of which contributed to the tapered design and smaller size of the AirPods 4. These changes allow the earbuds to fit better in more people’s ears. A better fit means the ANC technology will be less reliant on a perfect seal to work, but it should also make the earbuds feel more comfortable.
The updated microphones have a lower noise floor and higher frequency bandwidth, which means the system can detect a wider range of sounds that it might need to block out. Additionally, the ANC with the H2 chip uses advanced computational audio. This component enables AirPods Pro features, from voice isolation to Siri interactions, to be available in AirPods 4.
Billy Steele (Engadget)
For the first time, the regular AirPods now have ANC along with a Transparency mode. My brief testing in the crowded hands-on area after the event yielded less-than-ideal performance, but the sound quality here should be just as natural as the AirPods Pro. There are a few reasons why I didn’t hear myself as clearly on the new model, including that the demo room was wall-to-wall packed with journalists, noisily vying for limited space.
Apple also aimed to significantly improve the overall sound quality of the AirPods 4, and the main way they did this is pretty simple. Instead of pointing the drivers towards the side of your ear, they repositioned them so that sound is aimed directly into your ear canal. This change also reduced sound reflections inside the AirPods housing, allowing for better performance at higher frequencies, resulting in better overall clarity. There’s also a new acoustic architecture, new low-distortion 11mm drivers, and a new high-dynamic-range amplifier.
These acoustic changes to the AirPods 4 result in a clear improvement in overall sound quality. After a short listening session, I can vouch for the improved sound quality, which is what was stated in the announcement, making the audio deeper and fuller. Even if you don’t buy the ANC version, you’ll notice a big difference between the AirPods 4 and the third-generation AirPods.
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