Hi everyone. I've had the experience of using the Airpods 3 for a little over a year now consistently (at least 4x a week, 2 hours per session minimum). Recently, I purchased a pair of Airpods Pro Gen 2. I wanted to share a little bit of my experience with the two products. Important thing to note is that the audio listening and ear comfort experience is all extraordinarily subjective, so at the end of the day, it all comes down to personal preferences. I will also say I listen to rock music mainly with these, and think your favorite music selection does play a role in selection.

Airpods 3rd Gen: the bulb shape takes time to get used to coming from the Airpods 2nd generation form factor. Over time, they became if not as comfortable as the prior generation, close enough to be worn consistently. These hold a charge for a long period of time; I rarely have to charge the case. The Airpods 3rd gen are completely open with all ambient nose heard. They pair quickly with Apple devices and hold a long range. As far as the sound profile goes, I would rate the tuning as the following. The mids as great, the treble is excellent, and the bass is mediocre. The mids are tuned well and are neutral. Vocals and instrument separation are all great. There is clarity in the sound and its not muddy. The treble is excellent. It is flat overall with slight emphasis. Rock music is elevated with treble tuned this way. I would describe the treble sound as bright. Some may prefer treble to be more under-tuned and may find some vocals and cymbals harsh (I'll get to that with the Airpods Pro 2). Overall, I prefer the detail coming through. Finally, the bass accuracy is mediocre. This is similar to the prior generation Airpods. Without the acoustic seal, there is no low end. I will say there is some warmth to the bass. But in general it is lacking which gives a somewhat uneven sound profile. Soundstage overall is nice and airy, wider than the prior generation.

Airpods Pro 2: The form factor is similar to the prior generation. This time, Apple provides an extra small tip. As someone who generally does not prefer in-ear devices, I did not find the Airpod Pro 1 comfortable, but I do find the Airpod Pro 2 much more tolerable. Still, I find myself only capable of wearing them for relatively short periods of time right now. Maybe an hour or so tops. Its possible wearing the Airpods 3 got me more acclimated to the similar bulb shape. Noise cancellation is superb on these. Excellent job blocking out sound, and maintaining a consistent sound profile even with the ANC on. As far as sound profile is concerned, the mids and treble overall are very similar to the Airpods 3. The treble is slightly underemphasized compared to the Airpods 3, which some may prefer as its less harsh. The main distinction between the two is in the bass. Because of the in-ear tip, the bass is signicantly fuller with more depth, warmth and sub-bass. There is some "thump" to these. The acoustic seal provides a more clear and wider sound stage. You will hear detail in songs you may have not heard before.

Overall, I enjoy both of these headphones quite a bit. Personally I find the Airpods 3 more comfortable because of the lack of in-ear tip. But I do enjoy the Airpods Pro 2 with the XS tip now included. Overall sound quality is better on the Airpods Pro 2 because of the acoustic seal. The mids and highs are similar in tuning, but the bass is much improved on the Airpods Pro 2. ANC works very well on the Airpods Pro 2. I can recommend both and will most likely switch between the two. The Airpods Pro 2 are great for the gym as an example, while I would wear the Airpods 3 around the home.