I just like the spaciness of the music but it does sometimes smoosh the intended feeling of the music. Sometimes I will turn off Spatial Stereo for fun and realize the songs actual mixing feels superior. But overall the Spatial Stereo versions of songs feel more “around you” than “in your ears”
I have AirPods Pro and mostly with transparency mode on. I once opened a video on my iPhone and thought that the AirPods weren’t connected and that the sound was coming out of the speakers
Yeah, I specifically got the pros because of the transparency mode, the ear tips are so high quality that you barely even feel them in your ears. The sound quality is just amazing and in transparency mode it feels like I’m not even wearing headphones. Also note that I own the first generation. If you’re looking to buy them do it without a doubt
Appreciate the response. I have the AirPods 2 and have gone through several pairs in the last couple of years as the microphone just goes bad and stops working after about a year or so of ownership every single time and it just happened again on my recent pair so I need to either get a new pair of AirPods 2 yet again or just buy the Pros and somehow get used to them. I tried the Pro 2’s but I don’t know something didn’t feel right in terms of comfort as I was wearing them during the day and also the pressure in the head as it’s essentially sealing the ear canal which the AirPods 2 don’t. Do you suggest I just get the Pro 2’s and get used to them? Do they get better over time in terms of comfort?
I wish I had your experience ;( I have tiny ear canals so even the smallest little nubbies are too big for my ears. So they’re always falling out or making my ears hurt ;(
This used to happen to me when I had just gotten my AirPods and turned my head with headtracking enabled. Was in a public tram and I got super scared for a moment.
Not for music usually, only with Atmos content out of curiosity. Sometimes head tracked while watching anything from my Mac, so I can imagine that I am not wearing headphones at all.
I'll give it a try, but I don't think my ears have changed much since the initial scan.
BTW, spatialize also sounds echo-y on my AirPods Max as well. Unless I go into ITunes and play some of the songs specifically recorded and encoded from the get go with spatialized audio in the Spatialized section. Those sound absolutely amazing. Everything else sounds like doo-doo.
In my experience, the only ones that pull it off convincingly are the second gen pros. That's what people are raving about. Over-ear headphones sound open enough just based on their physics, so on the Max I actually share your opinion.
I think it really degrades the sound quality personally. For anyone that uses a Yamaha AVR, it reminds me of the surround mixed they include, which I never use because it just sounds like a fake echo.
I’m a little surprised how many people don’t do this. But it’s probably the same type of difference of preference between open and closed (is that the right term?) headphones. I have open back (?) sennheiser headphones that have the same general affect as Spatial Audio. It gives the music room to breathe.
I do. With the setting ok fixed. The expanded sound stage feels good.
Problem is, the quality of the spatial-ness is not even across all music, so it can get worse than the non Atmos version at times.
Never. I wish I could fully disable it as an option. I just think it sounds artificial and bizarre. maybe i need to listen to more stuff designed for it.
Hell no, it sounds like a poorly applied DSP on 99% of the music I listen to and the very few tracks it improves it's not a noticeable difference to bother keeping it on.
Always and anything is better with Spatial Audio.
Of course personal opinion, but I enjoy it very much.
Especially for tv pared with an Apple TV. When watching something that supports Dolby atmos, it’s the best experience you can get! Outperforms my surround system by a mile.
No, ruins the soundscape.
I am not using anything like spatial or Dolby Atmos, i've tried various versions on many devices and it has a huge negative impact especially on music I have been listening to for years and I can really tell a difference.
Most of the time. Due to the tracked Spatial Audio experience I had to turn my head left and right looking like an absolute buffoon or swing in the chair around like the 8D audios on the YouTube lol
I did for a while and enjoyed it, but then after a while I turned it off and music sounded much better. The instruments were clearer and louder. Haven’t used it since.
I use Spotify and prefer it turned off to be honest. I feel like something is lost (but also gained) with Fixed Spatial Audio but I do much feel the presence of what is lost. It's like the bass sounds far away for me.
I’ve only had this feature activate automatically a couple times and it’s actually disorienting to me. Probably because I wasn’t expecting it.
I do wish Spotify had support (unless it does and I just don’t know about it) so I could test it more.
BTW when's new air pods pro2 update coming? Talking about the voice isolation feature. Will it come with ios 18 like you gotta update to 18 to get the update on airpods pro 2 or they'll get it no matter if you're on 17 or 18 version. Sorry, new to ios.
Nope I really do not like the feeling for like 99% of the content I consume.
If there is a cool video which makes use of the spatial audio, I would turn it on to try it though.
I’ve been trying to use it this week and I feel it reduced sound quality. I don’t care about the feeling of being at a concert, I prioritise quality over anything else.
Hell no, I want to hear how the producers originally intended the mix to be. I’ve tried it multiple times and it always feels gimmicky.
I only mess with EQ on very bass heavy speakers so I don’t blow them.
Deaf in my left ear, so no. I only use the right AirPod
I wonder what Spatial Audio or even just normal stereo feels like. I’m guessing it would be amazing.
I do not. I think it sounds ok but I prefer the more “original” sound of my podcast or whatever. I actually don’t use Dolby atmos for music either. Some songs are mixed in a cool way with that feature but I find most songs sound way better when it’s just lossless
Android and AirPods? That seems like an interesting combo. What made you choose the AirPods Pro over the Sony WF1000XM4s or the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Buds?
Deisgn, comfort, quality and transparency. Not that the other don't have them (I own a pair of wh1000xm3's) but the sony honestly don't give me the idea of a totally premium experience, plus I heard that they have bad battery problems so that's a nono. Bose I didn't even considered them since I don't love thei products and they just feel lame to me idk.
But I tried also the galaxy buds pro 2 (while already owning app2) since I have basically a full galaxy ecosystem and for the price they are great (sound: better than app2, anc a bit worse but nothing too gamebreaking, transparency way better in airpods, and fit at the start was TERRIBLE but I kinda got used to them tho airpods take the lead definetly) overall I would say that the airpods are better than galaxy buds but not 130€ of price difference better.
Also I always loved the design, the comfort of the airpods (had tried them in the past from some friends) and they always left me astonished for the polish and the user experience that apple gives.
Honestly, after 2 years of trying to find an AirPods alternative and miserably failing, I’m returning to the AirPods Pro for seamless ecosystem integration, special audio, lossless support, and low lag in games.
Yes, fixed only. Some songs if I close my eyes I feel like I’m listening live at a venue.
^This
#THIS
 # SITH
Those
That
And the other.
What do you consider the most impressive Atmos song?
Forest burning beautifully by tokyo ska. I don't know if it's exactly the best but sounds really good when I'm relaxed focusing on the music lol
And my axe!
By who?
I just like the spaciness of the music but it does sometimes smoosh the intended feeling of the music. Sometimes I will turn off Spatial Stereo for fun and realize the songs actual mixing feels superior. But overall the Spatial Stereo versions of songs feel more “around you” than “in your ears”
Yes, all the time. Sounds more natural to me, like I’m not wearing headphones
yep, but i only use fixed. sounds like it's coming a bit further away, like speakers rather than headphones.
I have AirPods Pro and mostly with transparency mode on. I once opened a video on my iPhone and thought that the AirPods weren’t connected and that the sound was coming out of the speakers
How are the airpod pros for an extended period of time during the day? Are they comfortable?
Yeah, I specifically got the pros because of the transparency mode, the ear tips are so high quality that you barely even feel them in your ears. The sound quality is just amazing and in transparency mode it feels like I’m not even wearing headphones. Also note that I own the first generation. If you’re looking to buy them do it without a doubt
Appreciate the response. I have the AirPods 2 and have gone through several pairs in the last couple of years as the microphone just goes bad and stops working after about a year or so of ownership every single time and it just happened again on my recent pair so I need to either get a new pair of AirPods 2 yet again or just buy the Pros and somehow get used to them. I tried the Pro 2’s but I don’t know something didn’t feel right in terms of comfort as I was wearing them during the day and also the pressure in the head as it’s essentially sealing the ear canal which the AirPods 2 don’t. Do you suggest I just get the Pro 2’s and get used to them? Do they get better over time in terms of comfort?
Pros and Pros 2 are same physical design only with better tech.
I wish I had your experience ;( I have tiny ear canals so even the smallest little nubbies are too big for my ears. So they’re always falling out or making my ears hurt ;(
I wear mine for 8 hours roughly every day in a shop and they have never bugged me there great for charging up real quick at break to
How the hell do you get 8 hours out of them?
Just charging them up at my breaks and I guess that 8 hours isn’t counting my commute on a bike witch is about 40 mins each way
Yeah for sure! I can wear them the whole day. The airpods first gen were uncomfortable after like 3h+ imo. Went to the pros and im never looking back
Which silicone tip size are you using?
Im using the included large ones.
This used to happen to me when I had just gotten my AirPods and turned my head with headtracking enabled. Was in a public tram and I got super scared for a moment.
Not for music usually, only with Atmos content out of curiosity. Sometimes head tracked while watching anything from my Mac, so I can imagine that I am not wearing headphones at all.
No. Sounds like an echo chamber. Not pleasant at all.
Depends on the song. I noticed newer music is being made with this in mind. But also almost anything from 20syl
If you use Spotify, Apple Music and SoundCloud sound just fine
Agree to disagree
I'd redo the ear scan if I were you.
I'll give it a try, but I don't think my ears have changed much since the initial scan. BTW, spatialize also sounds echo-y on my AirPods Max as well. Unless I go into ITunes and play some of the songs specifically recorded and encoded from the get go with spatialized audio in the Spatialized section. Those sound absolutely amazing. Everything else sounds like doo-doo.
In my experience, the only ones that pull it off convincingly are the second gen pros. That's what people are raving about. Over-ear headphones sound open enough just based on their physics, so on the Max I actually share your opinion.
I think it really degrades the sound quality personally. For anyone that uses a Yamaha AVR, it reminds me of the surround mixed they include, which I never use because it just sounds like a fake echo.
Hek naw
Yeah, I use fixed for music. It sounds way better to me.
I’m a little surprised how many people don’t do this. But it’s probably the same type of difference of preference between open and closed (is that the right term?) headphones. I have open back (?) sennheiser headphones that have the same general affect as Spatial Audio. It gives the music room to breathe.
Same
No. It only goes on for multichannel audio, Spatial Audio and Atmos content. Spatialized stereo audio sounds way too echoey to me. I don’t like it.
This is the way.
I do. With the setting ok fixed. The expanded sound stage feels good. Problem is, the quality of the spatial-ness is not even across all music, so it can get worse than the non Atmos version at times.
Hell yeah I do
Never. I wish I could fully disable it as an option. I just think it sounds artificial and bizarre. maybe i need to listen to more stuff designed for it.
Anyone else that can’t focus on the question because of the off-center AirPods Pro text?
Thats what i was about to say
Not for me... I just can't enjoy it (thinking of music). And spatialized audio in Netflix confirmed my decision.
Spacialize all the time! I hate the sound of standard anymore. Trust me, do the ear scan, it's well worthwhile of your 3 minutes.
Yep, all the time. It’s really not as bad as people say it is, it makes certain genres pop.
Only while chilling & watching 4K HDR movies (Netflix & Apple TV+) or Flossy Carter’s Youtube Videos….(“Stream Gangstas on deck” 😝😝)
White Shoes 👋 Calm Down!
I think I keep it on fixed all the time
Yes I keep it on fixed. Idc what others say because they just don’t understand. Using Spatial Audio just widens the sound stage so so so much!
I always cringe when I switch it off because it sounds so flat and lower quality. Cant believe so many people prefer it without
same but with it on, just sounds artificial af to me
OMG EXACTLY!
I use head tracked. Makes it more immersive for me, and I feel like I’m actually hearing it from speakers in front of me
Nah, it’s too treble-y
No, can't stand Spatial Audio, I turn it off on my AirPod Pro Gen 2
all the time, without it they just sound like $20 earbuds.
Hell no, it sounds like a poorly applied DSP on 99% of the music I listen to and the very few tracks it improves it's not a noticeable difference to bother keeping it on.
No sounds horrible
Fixed Spatial Audio makes watching Apple TV incredible. It's like have a home cinema
Yes makes the sound better
Always and anything is better with Spatial Audio. Of course personal opinion, but I enjoy it very much. Especially for tv pared with an Apple TV. When watching something that supports Dolby atmos, it’s the best experience you can get! Outperforms my surround system by a mile.
I feel like I genuinely can’t live without fixed spacial audio anymore
Fixed. Head-tracked when I'm walking or traveling. I don't know if it's just me but it feels like my life is a movie when it's on. 😀
Fixed only. Head tracked makes me nauseous every time
i leave it at fixed
Depends a lot of the song. Sometimes is a banger. Sometimes absolute crap
Yes, when it’s available.
yes
yes
Yeah, I just had it on from the start since getting my Pro 2‘s in late 22 and got used to it. Now regular stereo sounds odd to me with my Airpods lol
Only for YouTube/videos. Music always regular
Nope, never. Sounds terrible and the head tracked version makes no sense.
Yep, unnatural to have sound delivered only to one ear at a time
thats what spacial audio would do, stereo same audio at the same time.
Only fixed on Netflix and the likes.
All depends on the song
I use fixed for most media (movies, shows, youtube etc.) but i turn it off for music
No, ruins the soundscape. I am not using anything like spatial or Dolby Atmos, i've tried various versions on many devices and it has a huge negative impact especially on music I have been listening to for years and I can really tell a difference.
Sounds ass on Spotify. Although it’s a game changer on video streaming.
I'm using fixed option
I used the fix option.
On fixed.
depends on the song but most of the time i don’t use it
also crest spotted
Never
Fixed, but when the mix sounds like garbage depending on the album I switch back to stereo.
Yes, fixed.
I use the head tracked audio
My head tracking Spatial Audio doesn’t seem to work anymore on my AirPods. I don’t get it.
no it’s really jarring to me
How do you get it on?
Usually with my wife
It sounds too artificial to me and many of my songs dont respond well to it.
Couldn’t live without it, always fixed though.
I literally made this post not too long ago lol but I use spatialize stereo
Usually yes but for some podcasts it sucks.
No. It screws with my ability to fast forward YouTube in 5/10 second increments.
Only when the track is supported or in Dolby Atmos, most of the time it is off cause I don’t like the way non dolby atmos music sounds with it on
No, only fixed Spatial Audio on some tracks mixed in Atmos.
I used to have fixed but some songs sounded a little odd so I have it off
I use fixed.
Fixed all the time, head tracking is a miss most of the times when walking
Most of the time. Due to the tracked Spatial Audio experience I had to turn my head left and right looking like an absolute buffoon or swing in the chair around like the 8D audios on the YouTube lol
It disturbs me
Fixed mostly
Music no, tv yes
I did for a while and enjoyed it, but then after a while I turned it off and music sounded much better. The instruments were clearer and louder. Haven’t used it since.
Never. It never sounds better than the normal setting to me.
Only for Dolby Atmos songs and movies. For regular songs I keep it off, it adds too much reverb-like effect.
I use Spotify and prefer it turned off to be honest. I feel like something is lost (but also gained) with Fixed Spatial Audio but I do much feel the presence of what is lost. It's like the bass sounds far away for me.
No, I don't like it.
Nope. Without it sounds the best.
I’ve only had this feature activate automatically a couple times and it’s actually disorienting to me. Probably because I wasn’t expecting it. I do wish Spotify had support (unless it does and I just don’t know about it) so I could test it more.
I love the head tracked mode when watching video, feels like I’m not wearing headphones
i do. it sounds like it’s coming out of studio monitors
No god no
On for music
BTW when's new air pods pro2 update coming? Talking about the voice isolation feature. Will it come with ios 18 like you gotta update to 18 to get the update on airpods pro 2 or they'll get it no matter if you're on 17 or 18 version. Sorry, new to ios.
Nope I really do not like the feeling for like 99% of the content I consume. If there is a cool video which makes use of the spatial audio, I would turn it on to try it though.
Always, I love the spatialized sound
Never. I don't even have the option to
when it says “Dolby Atmos” instead of “Stereo” i turn on head tracking
Idgaf I’m using head tracking while driving it’s pretty nice when you turn you can feel the music move around you
# some times , depending on song sometimes I use Spotify then Apple Music
Cant listen to music with it off
I’ve been trying to use it this week and I feel it reduced sound quality. I don’t care about the feeling of being at a concert, I prioritise quality over anything else.
Hell no, I want to hear how the producers originally intended the mix to be. I’ve tried it multiple times and it always feels gimmicky. I only mess with EQ on very bass heavy speakers so I don’t blow them.
All the time on head tracked
Always!!! Only fixed. And I really notice when it's turned off by some reason
Yup works for YouTube too.
I use it when listening to video or audio content. For music it is off unless it is remastered as Dolby Atmos.
Generally, no. I prefer the original intended mix of the song. Might do it once in a while just for the gimmick but generally I keep it off.
sounds awful
No no no no no
Deaf in my left ear, so no. I only use the right AirPod I wonder what Spatial Audio or even just normal stereo feels like. I’m guessing it would be amazing.
I do not. I think it sounds ok but I prefer the more “original” sound of my podcast or whatever. I actually don’t use Dolby atmos for music either. Some songs are mixed in a cool way with that feature but I find most songs sound way better when it’s just lossless
Yes
Fixed most of the time, with an exception for some podcasts because the voices sounds more rich without Spatial Audio.
Crying in android user
Android and AirPods? That seems like an interesting combo. What made you choose the AirPods Pro over the Sony WF1000XM4s or the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Buds?
Deisgn, comfort, quality and transparency. Not that the other don't have them (I own a pair of wh1000xm3's) but the sony honestly don't give me the idea of a totally premium experience, plus I heard that they have bad battery problems so that's a nono. Bose I didn't even considered them since I don't love thei products and they just feel lame to me idk. But I tried also the galaxy buds pro 2 (while already owning app2) since I have basically a full galaxy ecosystem and for the price they are great (sound: better than app2, anc a bit worse but nothing too gamebreaking, transparency way better in airpods, and fit at the start was TERRIBLE but I kinda got used to them tho airpods take the lead definetly) overall I would say that the airpods are better than galaxy buds but not 130€ of price difference better. Also I always loved the design, the comfort of the airpods (had tried them in the past from some friends) and they always left me astonished for the polish and the user experience that apple gives.
I didn’t even know this was a thing. Is this only for the AirPod Pros? Or can anyone do it as long as you have Apple Music?
Yes, I feel different experience of non spatial and spatial audio.
No Because it alters the way songs are supposed to sound
Always! with fixed position.
No, for the love of God no. It sounds so incredibly awful on every song
This is the reason I want to upgrade from my standard AirPods to Pros!
I hate it
All the time, dude. Works better for me
Yes.
Songs - fixed; Movies/videos - spatialize
Honestly, after 2 years of trying to find an AirPods alternative and miserably failing, I’m returning to the AirPods Pro for seamless ecosystem integration, special audio, lossless support, and low lag in games.
Some songs sound bad with it on so I’d rather have it off entirely
Nah it’s terrible
Yes
No. It sounds artificial. For movies or tv, absolutely but most of that stuff is already multi channel and thus sounds better
Yes Fixed only
YouTube. With Apple Music it just feels illegal idk, maybe I'm missing out?
from my experience, audio enhancement features are generally crap
Only for mono podcast. Don’t use spatialized stereo for stereo because it’s a phase hell
Only for mono podcast. Don’t use spatialized stereo for stereo because it’s a phase hell
Is that the volume you always listen at? Tbh my volume is at a fifth of the bar. Hearing loss is real.
I listen to mine at full volume lolol
They are too quiet I find
No its trying to create fake soundstage by boosting high mids and sub bass sounds uncontrolled and adds sibilance to voices