I’ve been using AirPods Pro as hearing protection for years

Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

With the launch of iOS 18.1 imminent, Apple is about to officially recognize the AirPods Pro’s hearing protection capabilities. And all I can say is this: What took so long?

For seven years, I rode a Harley-Davidson touring bike with aftermarket pipes and a high-flow air intake — modifications that made it a lot louder than when it rolled off the assembly line. On most motorcycles it’s wind noise and not the sound of your bike that poses the greatest risk to your hearing. Not so with my Harley.

I never measured its level in decibels, but it was loud enough that on the days I didn’t use earplugs, I experienced some residual ringing after just 30 minutes of riding.

Then one day, I tried using my AirPods Pro instead of earplugs. I’d been wowed by their impressive active noise cancellation in other scenarios, so I figured why not?

In truth, I was motivated by the ability to listen to music while I rode. The bike had its own stereo system — but why add yet another layer of loud sound outside my helmet when I could get way better sound from inside?

I was absolutely stunned by how well the AirPods Pro tamed the Harley’s exhaust and engine sound. It’s not an exaggeration to say that it felt like it reduced the noise by half — maybe more. They offered a greater reduction of noise than any of the earplugs I had used until that point.

At the time I questioned if I was simply trading hearing damage I was aware of for damage that was being caused inaudibly. However, an audiologist I spoke to when I was researching noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) reassured me that the physics of anti-noise (the act of canceling an incoming sound wave with one that is its total opposite) does indeed reduce the decibels our ears are exposed to.

Historically, Apple hasn’t published any stats to back up what my ears were telling me. It relies instead on generalized marketing language, e.g., AirPods Pro 2: “Up to 2x more Active Noise Cancellation compared with AirPods Pro (1st generation).”

However, when The Wirecutter put the AirPods Pro (and several leading hearing protection alternatives) to the test in 2023, they discovered that ANC mode on Apple’s buds can reduce 105dB sounds by 23dB. That’s enough to bring these otherwise dangerously high levels down to 82dB. To put that into perspective, it’s the difference between being able to safely listen for less than 5 minutes and being able to do so for up to 40 hours.

With iOS 18, Apple is now willing to publish some concrete numbers for the AirPods Pro 2’s ANC capabilities, and The Verge has a published a great preview of what to expect.

Apple/The Verge

My Harley is gone. I traded it in at the end of the 2024 season for a much quieter Honda. But I’ll continue using my AirPods Pro when I ride. Some things are worth keeping — like my hearing.