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Apple AirPods Pro 2 update (7A294) with hearing aids features - personal reviews please!

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When installing new firmware and reporting on use for these airpods, please also let us know what region (or country) you are in.

Sadly, the interweb is no longer truly global…

Will do! I just got the latest firmware today, but there’s still no sign of the hearing aid feature. It is likely that it requires a new iOS update, so maybe the AirPods Pro 2 are ready waiting for a new iOS release.

They’re good for music, but certainly not enough for my hearing loss. I find them hard to keep in my ears, just like with domes. I am used to full shell molds for my hearing aids.

Mild to moderate, not moderate to profound. I’m in the mild to moderate, and I think they only take the edge off.

WH

IOS 18 w AirPods Pro Gen 2. Latest firmware already installed. I am seriously impressed with their auditory capabilities. I am able to import latest with moderate to severe hearing loss left ear sec to acoustic trauma. There is sufficient adjustability amongst the several parameters to rival Costco Jabra enhanced Pro. The JHB’s aren’t worth a crap for serious music listening, in the toilet. Pods are superlative. JEP’s excel in high noise environments where their harsh, raspy treble doesn’t matter, eg, restaurants, dinner/social gatherings. Where quiet contexts are the order of the day, I choose the Pods. The capability rivals the Lyric 4. For $270 or so, they are a no brainer. Others of you may have different experiences. Anthony

A user that use them for loud noise reduction
I used the Decibel X app to measure the volume of my motorbike. It measured over 100 , with the loudest volume in the low frequencies under 500 Hz.

But mechanical noise isn’t the only issue. As with grandad after Christmas dinner, the real problem is wind. Anyone who has ridden a motorbike fast will likely tell you that at high speeds, you don’t hear that 100 dB exhaust anymore thanks to wind buffeting.

While helmets can help muffle all noise somewhat, a 1996 study commissioned by the University of Southampton (U.K.) found that at 70mph noise levels within a helmet can still reach 95 dB. What’s more, a 2019 study at the University of Sheffield (U.K.) found that when it comes to low frequency noise, helmets are ineffective at noise elimination, and can even increase noise levels thanks to sound pressure waves causing vibrations within the helmet.

Naturally then, after some time riding a motorbike, I’ve started to experience increased tinnitus and hearing damage. The solution? My trusty AirPods Pro 2, which have surprisingly proved better than all other protection methods I’ve tried, and have saved my hearing.

In my experience, the custom transparency mode works fine when you’re not around your iPhone. You can turn off in your phone and it will work. It’s not perfect though, but it could serve as a decent backup for some people, or even a main hearing aid for a few. On the other hand, the headphone accommodation for streamed music only works if you’re using an Apple device though.

Please note that I am talking about a feature that’s been avalaible for a few years now. I do not know how similar or improved the new hearing aid feature will be.

In reply to @RobHooft

Hi Rob, for me they work without being connected either to my ProMax 15 or to my iPadPro12. My protocol after charging them is to check which mode i want, check for ear tip fit, ensure that each is secure in my ear (and that is a MAJOR, MAJOR flaw in Apple’s design, witness the # of after market attempts at more secure fitment). And go about my daily business until the charge depletes, typically 6 hours of continuous use with a mix of phone call or two, conversation with friends, and mostly listening to music. They serve as a seriously important back up to the Jabra 20’s. With apologies, I’m in USA. HTH

For those who may have missed it Headphone Accommodations is now available in Mac OS Sequoia in addition to iPad and iPhone. It doesn’t use your like iPhone but for me it delivers a vast improvement.

What I’m curious about is whether these country-based restrictions will relate to the airpods or the iphone/other device? Since most the software stuff is happening on the mobile device, right? So, if you say purchase the airpods in one country, and an iphone in another - which will block you from using it in a country? Or do both have to be from green-lit countries? Or does it matter where the device is from? Is it basing it on where you are when you do the software and firmware updates? So many questions, so unlcear how this works. I don’t want to get them and then have them not work…

When you initially set up an iPhone you pick a country. That will fix the rules as appropriate. And it will configure the AirPods from there.

WH

In the past, I used the AirPro in transparency mode in one ear (hearing in my other is useless) to good effect, with moderate hearing loss in that ear.

Battery life not great of course but the sound quality for music is worlds better than a .

I’d question though, whether these are OK for your ear health, given the need to totally plug your canal with them stuffed in. OTOH, I don’t know if that is really a potential problem. They are more likely to fall out than a HA, for sure.

In reply to @StevenS

Hi. I’m new to the group. I have a different size of silicon “cup” in each ear. Have you used the Apple fitting app to check that you have a good seal?

It took me a while to find the best fit for me and I push them in my ear with the long bit pointing down and then twist them into position so the long bit is parallel with my glasses.

I’ve been using them for a few weeks and gradually increasing the time I have been using them each day. For music I am hearing frequencies in my left ear that I haven’t heard for years. I love being able to listen to music and when I start to speak ot somebody the music fades away until we have finished our conversation.

I tried the Jabras at Costco a few months ago and they were not to my liking at all. I walked around the store testing them but I have found that I prefer the AirPods. The £1000+ difference in price is a bonus and it seems to me that simply buying two sets of Airpods will give me 12 hours of use which should be more than enough.

I’m looking forward to the updates from Apple but I will wait until they have made the changes before I go near the IOS 18 update. There are always bugs to iron out and 18.2 or later will be the point when I update. I might be a bit impatient and update when 18.1 is released but I am happy with them as they are.

Mine are now 7A305. They updated themselves overnight. I spent half an hour before I went to bed to get them to update without success and then they updated themselves. I can’t see any differences in the apps/control centre but noise from the wind when outside has seemed to have dropped significantly.

My only experience with was after a test in Costco a few months ago and a wander around the store with a pair of Jabras in my ears. They were very trebly and everything seemed to be exaggerated. The Airpods sound really natural to me and, although I’m not that bothered about the music side of them the quality is excellent.

An extra bonus for me is I can watch a TV programme using my Apple TV and it streams the audio direct to the Airpods.

In reply to @e1405

Hi all, here is a link to an early review of the AirPods hearing aid and audiology test feature. According to the reviewer the software update to enable it will be available next week and will also be supported on MacOS Sequouia.

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