When Apple introduced the second-generation AirPods Pro earbuds, one of the benefits the company touted was the hear-through mode, which Apple calls adaptive transparency (video). While you’re wearing the earbuds, this mode lets in sounds from the outside world but limits volume levels to “minimize the intensity of loud noises like sirens or power tools,” according to Apple. Some music fans concluded that this meant they could use the AirPods Pro earbuds for hearing protection at loud clubs and concerts. A few media outlets explicitly encouraged using the AirPods Pro instead of earplugs at concerts—with one suggesting that the adaptive transparency mode would bring “anything over 85dB [decibels] back down to that level.” The writer continues, “As a result, you hear music roughly as you would without them and can avoid potential hearing damage.” This statement got us thinking: Could earbuds really be a better choice for hearing protection than earplugs, or are they more likely to allow hearing damage? We decided to put several popular earbuds to the test and find out.
from Wirecutter: Reviews for the Real World https://ift.tt/JsbdZmK
