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# The AirPods 4 with ANC are impressive!
I've owned a few sets of AirPods since their initial release, and they've always been some of my favourite audio appliances. With the new AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 released, I thought it was time to pick up a new pair.
I initially purchased the AirPods Pro 2, but the pair I received had the infamous audio imbalance issue where the audio panning is constantly stronger to one side or the other. In my case, the audio balance was noticeably skewed to the left. I wasn't about to give up in the case of a one-off defect, so I picked up another pair the next day and returned the first pair. The second pair also had the same issue …. At this point, I didn't want to try my luck a third time, so I opted for mostly a side grade, the AirPods 4 with ANC (active noise-cancelling).
From what I know, the AirPods 4 with ANC is missing very few features compared to the AirPods Pro 2. Most prominently, they lack the clinical hearing aid and hearing test functionality and the ability to adjust the volume using the stem controls on each AirPod. If I missed any other significant features, it likely wouldn't matter to most people, but I don't *think* I did.
Even though I often use both designs throughout the day, I still find myself returning to the classic more and more. I highly prefer the classic AirPod design without the silicon ear tips over the Pro design, so I wasn't bothered by this tradeoff. With the AirPods 4 with ANC being an even better choice this generation, I could finally and confidently ditch those annoying ear tips.
I've been testing the active noise cancellation on the AirPods 4 for about a week now, and they are impressive. They aren't 1:1 with the Pros since they lack that silicon ear tip to seal the audio, but they are **very** close. The AirPods 4 do an excellent job at cancelling out low and steady sounds and are also effective for higher frequency sounds. The active cancellation range does get noticeably better the further you move out, with anything about a metre out typically being silent, and anything closer in depends on its frequency. I'd rate the AirPods Pro's ANC at around 7.5‒8/10, the AirPods 4 at 6‒6.5/10 for high-frequency sounds, and again at 7.5‒8/10 for low and steady sounds.
Some other compliments I have are that the battery life is great and lasts me a fantastic amount of time, the charging case is nice and small for pocketing, and the shape of the AirPods makes for a comfortable and secure fitment.
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