Yo I didn’t think much about it when I asked my partner to repeat the same thing. But then I did it again. And again. And one day, my audiologist gave me the verdict: after years in war zones being too close to things that exploded, I had moderate high-frequency hearing loss. I needed hearing aids. The option he showed me cost $7,000.
The surprise of the sticker was stronger than the diagnosis. In the US, insurance typically doesn’t cover hearing aids, which meant I had to pay the entire cost out of pocket. I found a compromise at Costco: the Jabra Enhance Pro 20s for $1,600. I spent the next month acclimating to its digital processing until it finally sounded normal.
Today, there is another option: Apple’s AirPods Pro 3. At $249, they promise to help 28.8 million Americans who need hearing assistance but for reasons of cost, stigma, or simply stubbornness, do not use it. The FDA first approved its predecessor, the AirPods Pro 2, for use as over-the-counter headphones in September 2024, but the newer version is supposed to boast even better fidelity. When a friend gave me a pair for my birthday, I had the perfect opportunity to see how they perform in real life.
Apple’s AirPods Pro 3
Nearly 50 million Americans have some type of hearing loss, but only 16% of adults ages 20 to 69 who could benefit have ever used hearing aids. The consequences are multiplied: adults with hearing loss face a 58% greater chance of unemployment and earn 25% less when employed. Untreated hearing loss is the largest modifiable risk factor for dementiaaccording to the 2020 Lancet Commission.
The average American waits seven to ten years after noticing symptoms before seeking help. Cost is the main barrier, with traditional hearing aids costing between $2000 and $7000. The other barrier is stigma; Nobody wants to look old.
Measure your hearing loss
Before you can use AirPods as hearing aids, you can complete a 10-minute self-test to identify where you have hearing loss or upload the results of a professional audiogram performed by an audiologist. Since I just completed one of them 18 months ago, I compared the lab results to what Apple could achieve.
My clinical testing showed classic noise-induced damage: mild to moderately severe sensorineural hearing loss, worse in the high frequencies where consonants live. The iPhone test, conducted in my quiet home office, was spot on, but softened the severity. He measured my loss at an average of 33 to 34 dBHL (hearing level in decibels), compared to my audiologist’s 35 to 45 dBHL.
“AirPods won’t be as good as walking into a booth and having equipment calibrated, but I have to admit it’s pretty good,” said Dr. David Zapala, PhD, president of the American Academy of Audiology. “Much better than previous versions and other devices… Normal audiograms are plus or minus 5 dB, so a 10 dB difference in decibels is within the range of variation of the test.”
Switching between my professional audiogram and Apple’s auto-generated profile for a full day revealed some differences. The iPhone settings made sibilants a little more confusing: “s” sibilants lost their edge and hard consonants like “k” and “d” sounded a bit percussive. But the conversations remained clear. My partner didn’t seem to notice if he was hearing her differently, regardless of what devices he was using.
Can AirPods really compete with headphones?
Sound quality: The Jabras aim to “acoustic transparency“, meaning that the sound you hear is almost identical to what you hear with your ear open. And they work more or less after the break-in period. They handle themselves moderately well in restaurants, isolating conversation from clanking and background noises.
AirPods create what I would call “amplified reality.” They sound crisp and clear, but with a digital sheen that never quite went away.
Battery life: This was no contest: my Jabras run 24 to 30 hours per charge, the AirPods max out at maybe 10 hours. That’s not necessarily a deal breaker, as you can pop them in the charging case and get about three more hours out of a 15-minute charge, but it’s an important caveat to keep in mind if you don’t have convenient charging opportunities within your schedule.
The occlusion effect: This is that annoying muffled sound that happens when you have a blocked or “occluded” ear canal, and it can make your voice sound really strange as it resonates in your skull. Both devices try to solve this problem, but they do it in different ways.
Jabras do not completely close your ears and allow outside sound to mix with the amplified sound, so voices and other noises sound more natural. AirPods, however, seal the ear canal, so any outside sounds (including your own voice) must be processed digitally. Sometimes it makes your own voice sound abnormally loud.
Social perception: Jabras are almost invisible. Only a small transparent wire snakes to my ear from the bodies hanging behind my ears. My partner says you really have to know what you’re looking for to notice them.
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The AirPods, on the other hand, are a no-brainer. People generally assume I’m listening to music and there have been times where people seemed reluctant to talk to me, thinking I wasn’t listening to them or wasn’t on a call. But once I explained that I use them as headphones, the conversation went normally. (They generally expressed some surprise that AirPods can do that.)
Real world failures
In a crowd: At dinner or a bar, Jabras can handle overlapping conversations. The AirPods struggle, however, sometimes amplifying the wrong voice or creating a confusing audio soup when multiple people are talking.
Music: Naturally, the AirPods take down the Jabras. In addition to amplifying voices and conversations, AirPods will use the same audiogram to improve media streaming. Listening to Kind of Blue by Miles Davis, all the instruments shined. The Jabras played music but sounded like a small AM radio to my ears. No, thanks. But then again, they’re not really designed for high-fidelity music.
Cost
My $1,600 Jabras included three years of unlimited tune-ups, cleanings and support. The AirPods ($249) do not offer professional support. If you can’t adjust the amplification for your specific hearing loss pattern, there is no expert who can help you, only Apple’s algorithms and trial and error.
Who should buy what?
Consider AirPods Pro if:
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You have mild to moderate hearing loss.
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Need situational assistance instead of all-day assistance
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You already use an iPhone or AirPods regularly
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You want to test whether hearing aids help before making a bigger investment
Stick with traditional hearing aids if:
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You have moderate to severe loss.
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Needs battery for the whole day
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Can afford the highest cost
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Want professional support
If you are undecided, try them
The AirPods Pro 3 aren’t perfect headphones, but at $249, they’re a great first stop for the 28 million Americans with untreated hearing loss. They are affordable, accessible and their ubiquity helps dissolve the stigma.
I still primarily use my Jabras, which are tools designed specifically for a single job. But I keep the AirPods in my pocket for listening to music, making calls, and those times when I just don’t feel like dealing with something stuck deep in my ear canal. Sometimes 80% of the performance for 15% of the cost is fine.
If you suspect you might benefit from them, give them a try. They may just unblock that distant conversation with your grandchild or that punchline you missed at dinner.
“When I encourage people to use them, I more or less tell them: Look, try the simple thing first,” says Zapala. “Try AirPods. You’re not risking a lot of money or time. If it doesn’t work, you’ll still want to listen to music through them.”
