The AirPods Pro distinguish between three different sound modes: Noise Canceling, Off and Transparency. In this tip we explain the three different positions to you.
The three AirPods Pro sound modes explained
The AirPods Pro stand out from the regular AirPods with a better fit, a new design and support for active noise cancellation (or noise canceling). Because the earbuds seal your ears a lot better than the normal AirPods, Apple has created three different sound modes that you can switch between. But what exactly does each stand do and when do they come in handy? We’ll go through them with you.
1. Noise canceling
This mode activates noise canceling, so that the AirPods filter out the ambient noise. As a result, the buzz in a noisy compartment disappears, for example, and you can listen to music better without having to set the volume to maximum.
With noise cancellation, the AirPods reject the sound of your environment with a counter-noise that continuously adapts to the situation and the fit of your ears. The microphone on the outside of the AirPods registers the ambient sound and the speaker on the inside blocks this with a counter-sound, which mutes the sound of your surroundings. According to Apple, the sound is adjusted 200 times per second.
Noise reduction is therefore especially useful when you are in the office or on the train, but not when you participate in traffic. By blocking ambient noise, for example, you can hardly hear cars coming, which of course entails the necessary dangers. Fortunately, there are two other AirPods modes that you can activate for those situations.
2. Off
The Off mode simply turns off the noise cancellation, but that does not mean that the AirPods Pro immediately sound the same as the regular AirPods. Thanks to the silicone earplugs, your ears are much better closed to your environment, so you still hear less about what is happening around you. Good news if you want to listen to music or a podcast, but still want to get something from your surroundings.
It is best to activate the Off mode when you are walking down the street, or if you are in a quiet room where noise reduction does not add anything.
3. Transparency
The new Transparency mode is an interesting one. Apple has added this mode so that you can hear everything that is happening around you even with the AirPods Pro in your ears. Once you activate this mode, the earbuds amplify specific sounds around you, such as voices. This allows you to have a conversation with someone as if you don’t have earplugs in, although you will probably have to explain to this person that you just understand them.
Because Transparency enhances sounds, this mode can also sometimes make specific sounds louder than intended. For example, we found out that tapping a keyboard suddenly sounds much louder than intended, which does not make this mode perfect. Let’s hope Apple can refine this with a software update, because the idea of this mode is a very practical one.
Want to know more about the AirPods Pro?
There are several ways to activate these modes. You can control this via the Control Panel of your iPhone, on your Apple Watch or by pressing and holding the stems of the AirPods Pro. Want to know more about the ways in which you operate the AirPods Pro and do you want more useful tips? Check out our overview below and get the most out of the AirPods Pro.
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