Could Happy Plugs' Air 1 ANC Be a Dupe for Apple's AirPods Pro?
Our editor gives her honest review of the Swedish brand’s noise-canceling wireless earphones.
When Apple first released the AirPods back in 2016, I was skeptical about the idea of wireless earphones. I knew that if I owned a pair, I would lose either earbud right away. I also didn’t understand the concept of the product and the need for it. However, as my friends started to get their own AirPods, they wouldn’t stop raving about how convenient they are and I eventually caved in last year. Since then, I’ve been using my second-generation AirPods every single day.
Technology constantly evolves and just last October, Apple dropped its noise canceling AirPods Pro with a hefty price tag. Having just purchased my AirPods, I decided to search for a more affordable alternative that had more or less the same specs as the Pro. When I got my hands Happy Plugs‘ Air 1 ANC, I instantly fell in love with its features.
Read on for my honest review and find out if I’ve completely switched from my AirPods to the Air 1 ANC.
Pauline De Leon/Hypebae
I take the train to work every day and I’m not 100 percent comfortable with using noise canceling headphones during my commute, in case I run into someone or there’s an emergency. Thankfully, the Air 1 ANC offers three different sound modes for you to choose from: active noise canceling (ANC), transparency and regular.
Composed of feedforward and feedback noise cancelation, the hybrid ANC technology captures both the noise outside and inside of the earphones. The earbuds also come with a quality microphone that picks up speech and suppresses ambient noise while you’re on a call. Additionally, you can change the frequency of the volume with the tap of your finger. Battery-wise, the Air 1 ANC can last up to five and a half hours (seven without ANC) and a total of 30 hours (38 hours without ANC) with the charging case.
However, one thing I would change about this product is how sensitive to touch it is. Even the slightest tap could pause your music instantly. I wouldn’t say I’ve been using it as much as my AirPods, but it’s definitely something I’d recommend to those who are on a budget and still want top-of-the-line sound quality.
Happy Plugs’ Air 1 ANC retails for $149.99 USD and is available online.
