13 ms·
For all the complaining about the pricing here, just set a reminder to yourself for 1 year later, when the pandemic has waned and some workplaces begin to retur
by blantonl 6y ago
For all the complaining about the pricing here, just set a reminder to yourself for 1 year later, when the pandemic has waned and some workplaces begin to return to normal. Then take a visual survey of how many people are wearing these in those hip open office development workspaces.
You'll see the pricing didn't matter at all. You'll probably be wearing a pair yourself when you do that visual survey.
- hajile 6y agoBut my Shure IEMs offer better sound isolation and better sound quality and cost less money.
- myspy 6y agoI love me some Shure, but it's to early to trash these new headphones before having listened to them.
- jojobas 6y agoIt's also early to hype them like there's no tomorrow, or preorder stuff that nobody you should trust has seen, but there we are.
- buzzerbetrayed 6y ago> It's also early to hype them like there's no tomorrow Who is doing this? I basically haven't seen anyone overhyping them. In fact I would say that 95% of what I've read has been very skeptical so far.
- jojobas 6y agoThis HN post about a headphones announcement has more than 1200 comments. Have you seen that before for any other headphones? How is this not hype?
- jmull 6y agoOrdering is the rational thing to do if you're interested in these. Best to judge them for yourself and then return them if they don't meet your expectations. Waiting for reviews is ok too, though people seem to lose their minds when it comes to Apple (both for and against them). So the reviews are probably going to be even less useful than normal for headphones.
- dbbk 6y agoWhat's wrong with preordering? I bought them the moment they went up in the Apple Store. If I don't like them, or can't justify the cost, I've got about 3 weeks to return them. No problem.
- samatman 6y agoI'm not in the market for a $500 set of headphones. But when the HomePod was announced, I ordered it immediately, and have never once regretted that decision. These things are just a HomePod that fits on your skull. If the price is acceptable and the product is something you'll use and enjoy, get them. They're going to sound absolutely amazing.
- defterGoose 6y agoNot really, without analog input and only wireless digital input, fidelity is fundamentally limited (with current tech).
- Tepix 6y agoThere's no reason why your ears can't be more limited than wireless digital input.
- clajiness 6y agoI'm shocked by how many people claim to be able to state absolutes about a product that they've never tried. How do you know your headphones offer better sound isolation and better sound quality?
- draw_down 6y agoGotta own the Apple fanboys.
- dimator 6y agoYa that's a fair point, but the flip side is that there are people in the comments ready to preorder, also without having tried the product. There's something cringy to me about that level of blind brand loyalty.
- xuki 6y agoLet me introduce you to 14 day return policy.
- leafmeal 6y agoI suspect return policies are often used to justify unnecessary purchases. How many times have you bought something online you didn't actually want, but then didn't return it because it was too much of a hassle? Even if things are returned, they can often end up in landfills still (though I doubt that would happen with these $500 headphones). https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/marketplace-amazon-returns-1.5753714 https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/marketplace-amazon-returns-1....
- 1123581321 6y agoIt's perhaps more fair to say that generous return policies reduce the risk of choosing a premium product in a category because they let the buyer verify the (subjective) value of it.
- fatbird 6y ago
- squeaky-clean 6y agoHave you used a pair of ANC headphones?
- deleted 6y ago[deleted]
- rootusrootus 6y agoThat seems like an apples-to-oranges comparison. Apple makes (or at least used to make) their own IEMs, which are more directly comparable to Shure. They were also pretty good, and competively priced. But they weren't at all the same kind of products as a set of wireless noise canceling over-the-ear cans.
- perfectstorm 6y agoI have a feeling that this 'allows' Bose and Sony to raise their prices causing everything to normalize around $500 price range. Remember the original pixel (or nexus)? they were priced around $350-$400 and look where they are now ($700).
- delecti 6y agoI think you're right, but your example is faulty. The Nexus line started at $530. It was only a few of the later models that were budget. The successor Pixel line launched at $650.
- hocuspocus 6y agoI don't really see how that would work. The Sony XM3 and Bose QC35 II were regularly under €180 (VAT included) in the past days. Who's going to suddenly pay more than twice for the same? And the original Nexus was expensive. So was the original Pixel. You can't really draw any conclusions from Google's inconsistent smartphone lineup and pricing over the past decade. Cheap Nexus phones: 4, 5, maybe the 5X if you waited a bit. Expensive Nexus phones: 1, S, Galaxy, 6, 6P. Expensive Pixel phones: all of them except the 'a' line, sometimes ridiculously so given the poor experience.
- 0x008 6y agoBose launched new headphones at $400 and sell the old ones (3year old tech) at $180. So they will launch a „new improved“ line to compete at the $500 price bracket.
- parineum 6y ago> maybe the 5X if you waited a bit. Even the expensive pixels are cheap if you wait.
- SulfurHexaFluri 6y agoDid that and got a second hand pixel 2. Battery needed replacing which is next to impossible without smashing the screen. USB port was struggling to hold on to the cable and google cut off software updates for it.
- lm28469 6y agoPricing is rarely an issue. People spend stupid amount of money to show their status, if anything it's a feature
- wpietri 6y agoI think that's a big part of what Apple sells. And I think it also helps explain how pretty much any Apple product announcement is contentious on here. Most people buying status goods won't say, "I buy it so people think I'm more interesting and important." They instead justify purchases in conventional terms like quality. That makes objective discussion of quality fraught because they create feelings of status threat and cognitive dissonance.
- ogre_codes 6y agoObjective discussion goes out the window because rather than look at the actual features of a product people instantly start claiming Apple products are fashion statements. So we end up with dead end conversations about meaningless things like this one.
- wpietri 6y agoPersonally, I'm happy to look at actual features. But there's no denying they are fashion statements. For Jobs, this went back a long way. Look at the way the initial Mac and the NeXT compared to the competitors of the day. I definitely got involved with the NeXT just because it looked so cool. And honestly I stayed doing NeXT development work long after a rational person would quit. And I think that carried forward. Look at the iPod silhouette billboard ads, which were iconic. [1] Those are not about features. Those are about how fucking cool the iPod was. The iPhone was demonstrably a status symbol. [2] And this has obviously worked well for Apple. They sell under 20% of all phones, but make 2/3rds of all phone profits. Actual features are not the only thing in play here. [1] https://www.pophistorydig.com/topics/tag/ipod-billboard-ads/ https://www.pophistorydig.com/topics/tag/ipod-billboard-ads/ [2] e.g.: https://www.deccanchronicle.com/technology/mobiles-and-tabs/090718/iphone-ipad-are-status-symbols-research.html https://www.deccanchronicle.com/technology/mobiles-and-tabs/...
- jayd16 6y agoAre you saying they're popular or good? AirPods are popular but I don't think they're very good at all. At least the pros have the rubber tips.
- judge2020 6y agoThe tech is good on the first one which makes up for the lack of adjustable tips (a few people I know couldn't use them because Apple's design doesn't work for their ears).
- thrav 6y agoI actually dislike the rubber tips. The original AirPods fit my ear so well that I can shake my head without them coming loose, and comfortable to the point that I literally forget they’re there. If they had better battery life, they’d be the perfect easy headphone.
- jayd16 6y agoI'm sure they work for some ears but you have to admit that Apple itself has categorized rubber tips as a premium feature even though much cheaper competitors have had that design.
- occamschainsaw 6y agoI was in the same boat as you, normal Airpods stayed in my ear while running but the Pro Airpods kept falling off. I then found some third party foam tips on Amazon and that made the Pros feel invisible like normal Airpods.
- filoleg 6y agoDo you mind linking those third party eartips? I am in the same boat as you, original airpods fit me like molded, I could jump and run with not even a hint of earbuds moving inside the ear. While airpods pro tend to wiggle and not stay fully in.
- ogre_codes 6y ago
- doodpants 6y agoIf you think of them as being just over half the price of a monitor stand [0], they're actually quite a bargain! ;-) [0] https://www.apple.com/shop/product/MWUG2LL/A/pro-stand https://www.apple.com/shop/product/MWUG2LL/A/pro-stand
- warriorstar 6y agoAnd if you're actually the target market for that stand and monitor, they are also quite a bargain, because if you're not mounting that monitor on that stand, you're mounting it on a more expensive rigging.
- Tepix 6y agoThat doesn't make it a bargain the same way that $400 for wheels on a Mac Pro are not a bargain. $25000 for 1,5TB of ECC RAM on a Mac Pro are not a bargain. You can buy them for $12300 yourself and plug them into the box.
- jonwinstanley 6y agoNo one buys Apple because they are cheap. They make great quality stuff. If you don’t want to buy it, don’t
- unixhero 6y agoQuality of parts are the same as buying them from OEMs. Your argument is flawed here.
- nojito 6y agoThat stand is easily the best stand on the market. I can never justify buying one, but I get jealous of all my coworkers who have them on their desks.
- alexandra_cgg 6y agoJust bought a pair, I really like the sleek look. I think it fills a need in the market for headphones that work for both genders. It feels like the QC/Shure/WH-1000 were designed mainly for the male market.
- locusofself 6y agowill they work for xe/xemself though is the question
- partiallypro 6y agoI won't be wearing them, they look absolutely terrible. Honestly like headphones you'd find at a dollar store bin (in terms of design.) But they will probably catch on, I think the AirPods themselves looked silly but so many wear them now as a fashion statement. Apple has somehow convinced people that they are a fashion/status company, it's incredible.
- deergomoo 6y agoAmazing how some people just cannot accept that something made by Apple could sell millions because it’s actually good. The “fashion statement” argument is completely farcical, always has been.
- dghlsakjg 6y agoAnecdote time: I'm normally an apple user, butttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt (I'll explain that in a second) I have a pc for gaming and casual browsing. I bought a Microsoft brand keyboard under the assumption that it would be good since Microsoft hardware seems to be well reviewed when it comes to the surface line. The keyboard is garbage, feels cheap, has dumb 'emoji' and office hotkeys that I can't easily disable or remap. And it typed that super long string of t's up there for some reason. I know that apple has made bad keyboards, but I use one of their butterfly keyboards daily and it is better than the Microsoft one. I can walk into the apple store and know that even if I buy the cheapest product, it is still a well-built product. I've tried to give non-apple hardware a fair shake, and it just never matches up. I had a project where I needed to use a windows laptop and the company provided me with a Lenovo Carbon x1 (admittedly not the most recent generation). I still can't believe that was what people recommend from Lenovo against macbook pros.
- abc_lisper 6y agoI think lot of Apple hate comes from not being able to afford it at some point in their lives and having seen others enjoying it. How else can we explain the hate, actual hate towards Apple. It can be argued well that Apple's products are among the most reliable of consumer electronics, and are user friendly.
- turtlebits 6y agoI think spatial audio might be the killer feature. They just added an update for the Airpods Pro, and some of the comments/reactions to it sound promising. Homepods sound amazing in a stereo pair, and Apple just released an update for Dolby Atmos support.
- john_minsk 6y agoCould you please elaborate a bit more or may be just share a link. I was thinking about using 2 HomePods as a sound system for my TV, but figured it was too much to ask.
- malshe 6y agoIf you are asking about stereo pairing, here is the official link: https://support.apple.com/guide/homepod/set-up-stereo-pairing-apd1ed62a52a/homepod https://support.apple.com/guide/homepod/set-up-stereo-pairin... I use a pair with my TV and the effects are really awesome.
- turtlebits 6y agoYou can't use HomePod(s) as direct TV output, you'll need an Apple TV. https://support.apple.com/guide/tv/play-audio-throughout-your-home-atvb50fb1c50/tvos https://support.apple.com/guide/tv/play-audio-throughout-you...
- arafsheikh 6y agoI don’t understand why people like the spatial audio feature. How often do you move your head relative to your iDevice while watching a movie? The field of view is too narrow for it to make any sense. If you ignore the above then the only trick that’s left is the fake 3D effect; which isn’t novel or even desirable for someone who cares about authentic sound.
- dzhiurgis 6y agoOr how often do you watch movie with headphones? One potentially useful feature would be spatial audio on conference call when multiple people talk - you can discern different information sources when they come from different direction. AFAIK that’s how fighter jet helmets work.
- puranjay 6y agoThey're not terribly expensive for high-end wireless headphones with active noise cancellation. Sennheiser's better wired models start at this range (HD660 S my current favorite, is about the same price).
- arafsheikh 6y agoIt doesn’t make sense to compare these to the wired Sennheiser cans. These are targeted towards a completely different market. I’d be surprised if the sound quality comes anywhere close to HD660S.
- willtim 6y agoNot really a valid comparison. If you buy a pair of high-end Sennhiesers, they'll last many many years. I still use my HD580 from the 90s. They also sell all the necessary spare parts and are easy to repair (mine have had new cables and pads). An Apple product be will be e-waste in less than 10 years, the glued-in battery will start failing in less than 5.
- leokennis 6y agoI will set that reminder. My guess is these headphones will be about as popular as the original HomePod. Not a failure, but definitely a niche-y product. Apple's magic is making you pay just that bit more for a "magical" experience. Bluetooth earbuds: $100. AirPods: $159. Clunky smartwatch: $300. Apple Watch: $449. However the price difference with competing products here is so large I think Apple has priced themselves out of the market here.
- frutiger 6y ago> However the price difference with competing products here is so large I think Apple has priced themselves out of the market here. The idea that a comment on HN has done more extensive research and modeling than Apple for a pricing a particular product is amusing.
- warriorstar 6y agoIt's mind-blowing. It's like they've never walked down the street of a major city, and see the $200+ AirPods line are already the most popular headphones used.
- 1123581321 6y agoThey at least contributed something interesting to read.
- fomine3 6y agoIIRC AirPods was cheaper TWS earbuds at launch, but soon chinese manufacturer start selling cheaper products in extremely cheaper price.
- maest 6y agoI'm having a hard time understanding what you're trying to say.
- Krasnol 6y agoAs far as I understand it: OP thinks people who complain about the price, think that they won't sell while people who complain about the price are either: - making fun of people who would have to pay the price because they feel the peer pressure or - are pissed because now every other brand who thinks it's fashionable will push their price because they know people will pay it or - have perfectly working headsets already which were significantly cheaper or - are jealous that they can't pay for them ...which makes OPs comment look quite ridiculous.
- ogre_codes 6y agoDon't know about the "hip" workplace, but for me anyhow these are at least in concept perfect for the open floorpan office I work in (during non-pandemic times).
- reanimated 6y agoAnd why exactly these are "more perfect" for the open office then Sony's XM4?
- ogre_codes 6y agoI didn't say they were. We haven't seen any reviews of these so it's impossible to say one way or the other. I'm a bit put off spending $400 on a pair of headphones, let alone $550. But it's a bit premature to suggest A is better than B when nobody has actually touched A.