Since the latest software update of iOS 18 and macOS 15 Sequoia, Apple’s second-generation AirPods Pro headphones have new hearing health-related features that were announced earlier this spring.
In the United States, headphones can now perform three additional functions:
- They feature an improved noisy sound reduction mode to protect ears in an environment where noise is deafening.
- They can be used to take a hearing test.
- They can serve as hearing aids by amplifying voices and adjusting sound in a personalized way to meet the user’s specific needs.
In Canada, only the sound reduction feature is enabled for now. But I had the opportunity to carry out a hearing test with AirPods Pro 2 headphones coupled with these software improvements, during a recent visit to the United States.
Reduction of noisy sounds: better than traffic jams
Noisy Sound Reduction, which is now enabled by default on AirPods Pro, reduces certain sounds when they exceed 80 decibels, the threshold at which prolonged exposure to noise can become harmful.
This feature is enabled in transparency mode; you will therefore continue to be able to hear what is happening around you, which is not always the case if you use earplugs or noise-cancelling headphones.
I tried the feature in different environments: on the subway, at a loud party, near heavy machinery, near construction tools, and at a concert in an arena.
The lower the noise, therefore closer to the threshold of 80 decibels, the smaller the reduction, generally sufficient to return to a safe level. In the metro, for example, I could go from 83 to 79 decibels, which may be appreciated by employees who are regularly exposed to noise.
On a construction site, I also tested the functionality. In all of these cases, the sound was more natural, and it was easier to talk with other people than with earplugs.
– AirPods Pro 2 can be used to reduce ambient sounds when they are too loud. In this image: Ambient sound measured by an Apple Watch (left) in a show, and the sound that reached my ears when I wore the headphones (right).
However, I was a little disappointed by the concert test. The sound volume was reduced considerably (from 101 to 76 decibels) and the sound quality was affected too much for my taste, about as much as with earplugs. So I took out my AirPods Pro 2 to enjoy the music.
Note that the functionality is particularly advantageous for Apple Watch users: they can receive a notification when the ambient noise is too loud and measure the noise reduction observed thanks to the AirPods Pro.
Un hearing test tried (and good news)
I took a hearing test with the AirPods Pro 2 during a recent trip to the United States. Since the feature is purely software, there is no need to purchase new headphones if you already own them.
The test takes about 5 minutes in an environment without any noise: as soon as you hear a sound, you tap on the screen. At the end of the test, an audiogram similar to the one we would have obtained in a clinic appears on our smartphone.
“Unfortunately,” I wanted to try the hearing aid functionality, but was unable to, since my hearing loss — 11 dB HL and 14 dB HL — for Decibels Hearing Loss in English, the measurement used to assess hearing loss ― was not large enough according to the test to activate the functionality.
– I was able to try the AirPods Pro 2 hearing test during a recent visit to the United States.
Obviously, having too good hearing to test hearing aids is a big problem.
According to Apple and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States, the body which notably approves medical devices, the test should be of a quality similar to that obtained from a health professional.
“It’s still better to get tested by an audiologist, since they can detect other conditions,” notes Steve Taddei, audiologist and co-founder of HearAdvisor, a company specializing in evaluating the performance of hearing aids. . This will ensure that the test has been carried out correctly.
What valent AirPods Pro 2 as hearing aids?
In the United States, the hearing aid feature can be activated only for users aged 18 and older who have mild (25 dB HL and above) to moderate (up to 60 dB HL) hearing loss. The sound played in the headphones, whether when listening to music or TV, or even in transparency mode, is then modified according to the results of your audiogram. The iPhone also allows you to digitize a professional audiogram by taking a photo of it; it uses these measurements rather than those from the AirPods Pro 2 test.
While I haven’t been able to try the AirPods Pro 2 as hearing aids, Steve Taddei of HearAdvisor has tested them in the lab and with specialized equipment, as he also did for the vast majority of hearing aids for sale in the United States.
“For their price, these devices are excellent,” observes the audiologist. Among the twenty affordable devices (under about $700) tested by his company, the AirPods Pro 2 are the ones that get the highest score, if we only take into account the performance once the earbuds have been properly fitted. adjusted to the user’s ears (with default settings modified).
– AirPods 2 Pro results (blue) in five categories, compared to the average score of all other devices tested by HearAdvisor, regardless of price (gray). Image: HearAdvisor.
“Many devices that can be obtained with a prescription, and which are more expensive, nevertheless offer better quality, particularly in relation to the intelligibility of voices in noisy environments,” explains Steve Taddei. However, he adds that the AirPods Pro 2 are doing well by standing out, among other things, for their quality for listening to music (since modern hearing aids can also be used as Bluetooth headphones).
The biggest drawback of the AirPods Pro 2 is obviously their battery life. The battery of Apple headphones allows them to last only 6 hours. For listening to music, it’s enough. To hear better all day, it’s not. “Medical devices are better suited to being worn all day, a necessity for those who suffer from permanent hearing loss, as their brain must reaccustom itself to hearing with devices,” explains the audiologist.
In online discussion groups, several users who suffer from hearing loss indicate that they have purchased a second pair of AirPods Pro 2 so that they can charge one while they wear the other.
Devices that cancould change the situation
In Quebec, approximately 10% of the population has permanent hearing loss, and only 2 out of 10 hard of hearing people wear a hearing aid. They generally take seven years before adopting this solution. However, “even mild hearing loss can have a significant impact on a person’s quality of life,” emphasizes Steve Taddei.
While the price of hearing aids usually ranges from $3,000 to $8,000 in Quebec, the AirPods Pro 2 only cost $329. The difference in cost is therefore major and could help certain people become aware of their hearing loss and respond at least partially to it. “These devices would be a game changer for someone who can’t afford hearing aids,” said Steve Taddei.
However, they will have to wait a little, since the launch date of the functionality, which must be approved by Health Canada, has not yet been announced in the country.
Remember that, since October 2023, inexpensive hearing aids have been available over the counter in the United States. The Order of Speech Therapists and Audiologists of Quebec (OOAQ) is putting pressure on the federal government to imitate our neighbors to the South. Currently, only hearing aid professionals have the right to sell, fit, adjust or replace hearing aids in Quebec.
Also read: Wireless headphones: 178 models tested
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