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Ask HN: How can I make wired Airpods Pro?

15 points by herodoturtle ↗ HN
I mostly use my Airpods Pro for their Active Noise Cancelling whilst working at my desk for ~8 hours a day.

I'm finding their relatively short battery life and gradually deteriorating capacity highly frustrating (and ultimately wasteful).

Is there a way to power these in wired mode? Surely something like a USB-C cable can do this?

For comparison, I still have and use my original wired EarPods with their 3.5mm jack from back in the day - which work perfectly after many years of heavy use.

I wish Apple would release a USB-C wired version of these with Active Noise Cancelling like in their AirPods Pro.

It would be helluva practical for those long work sessions and also better for the environment.

My next best bet is the Bose QC20 - but even these have a quasi-battery solution which ultimately depletes.

20 comments

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square_usual
I don't think there's any good wired headphones that power ANC without a battery - that's because ANC takes power which the 3.5mm jack can't deliver. Would love to be proven wrong on this, but even if you find a pair of wired headphones that do ANC off battery it's unlikely the ANC is any good, as there's only three manufacturers that seem to get it right - Sony, Bose and (now) Apple.
herodoturtle
Would a USB-C cable that handles both power and audio transfer not work?
square_usual
It should, but I'm not an audio engineer, so I don't know for sure. The bigger problem is that there's very little demand for it, as far as I can tell.
Andys
I was just thinking the same thing tonight, that I want apple to make wired versions of its headphones again
rvdbhc
There are really good /wired/ noise cancelling headphones on the market. Including in-ear ones. I love my Airpods Pro, but they are nowhere near as good as wired ones. So I'd look into those instead. (perhaps a second hand pair and sell the airpods ;) From a electrical perspective: the airpods have 2 small metal strips at the bottom. Improvising a little adapater should be straightforward. Main question is what voltage does it take and if the airpods themselves have built-in over-charge protection. (charging at 4v should prevent over-charging)
square_usual
Can you link one of those models? Extremely curious to see wired ANC headphones that don't need a battery at all.
sheinsheish
The Sony wh1000xm4 can function passively (minijack connection) and the noise absorption happening just because they cover your ears is sometimes enough. When you switch them on it’s another world.

https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/wireless-headphones...

square_usual
True, I own those, but when switched off it's not ANC. Like OP, I'm interested in seeing if something can match ANC, like in the AirPods Pro, but without a battery at all.
xvaier
It's a 3.5mm connection, but the sound quality is noticeably worse when they are off and running passively, even when running them through an amp.
xvaier
I own the Sony WH-1000xm4 and their battery life is terrific. I work 8-10h during the day and sometimes add a 2-3h gaming session and they regularly last more than two full days without recharging.

Their noise cancelling is top notch and the sound, even over bluetooth is very good. They can be plugged in using a 3.5mm cable, I use a V-Moda boom mic attachment that adds a high end mic for voice chat or zoom calls.

KMnO4
I second this. I have the same setup (XM4 with V-Moda Boom Pro). It’s fantastically comfortable, battery life lasts forever (and when I don’t need ANC I still use them as wired headphones), and everyone on my meetings comments on how clear my voice is without picking up background noise.
herodoturtle
Thanks for the tip.

I know the WH-1000xm4 are great. I get a similar benefit to what you describe from my Bose QC35 II.

But I'm specifically wanting in-ear earbuds (like the Airpods).

And since earbuds in turn usually mean a compromised battery life, I'm hoping for a wired version with good ANC.

Terretta
These last ages when the sound comes through the wire:

https://www.amazon.com/Sony-Cancelling-Wireless-Behind-Neck-...

These do well too:

https://smile.amazon.com/Bose-QuietComfort-Acoustic-Cancelli...

If you look carefully at the Sony’s cables, perhaps you could make audio and charging at the same time:

https://i.rtings.com/assets/products/ELwt6CC8/sony-wi-1000x-...

https://www.rtings.com/headphones/reviews/sony/wi-1000x-wire...

FWIW, while I own the full size ANCs everyone is raving about here, as well as AirPods Pro and Max, I use one or the other of these two models on intercontinental flights because they last 16 - 24 hours of playtime when wired.

p49k
If you buy a good pair of IEMs and buy Comply foam tips, it will block outside noise better than the AirPods. You can go a step further by visiting an audiologist, having impressions made of your ear canals and ordering a custom set of IEMs for a perfect fit.
samrolken
The AirPods Max have ANC and they can be used while plugged in to power.
square_usual
Can the ANC work purely off the cable power or does it need the battery? I can't find a clear answer to that, and like OP I'm more concerned about longevity: if the battery dies out, can I still just plug them in with the lightning cable and use them with ANC on? One source [1] says that they don't work passively at all, i.e. they won't even play wired music if the battery is discharged, so I'm not sure it'll work as I'd hope it would.

1: https://www.whathifi.com/advice/apple-airpods-max-tips-trick...

approxim8ion
The passive noise isolation you get with most IEMs has been pretty great for me, I don't miss ANC. I'd recommend you start cheap with a pair of KZ or Blon IEMs ($15-30) and getting the memory foam tips that give you a better seal in-ear ($5-10). If that doesn't do it for you, you can consider ANC options.

It's true that transparency mode is not something you get with this option, so you will have to consider how important that is for you.