For myself, headphones are all about audio quality. I will happily pay more to get the best listening experience and the sound quality is 100% where it’s at for me. I own multiple headphones for different environments (home, travel, walking, gym) and different listening experienced (closed vs open design). My search is for the best in each category of headphone and therefore in each environment. Also after years of testing headphones and speakers, the ONLY WAY TO TEST in my opinion is a back and forth comparison with the same equipment and songs. Our ears forget what something sounds like and it’s easy to get very excited with a new headphone or speaker and think “this is the best I’ve heard”. We have to do a back and forth session to notice the differences. There is no other way to do it. This is why I write my reviews the way I do and why I think 90% of reviews out there are useless. People get excited with a new item and make exaggerated claims because its hard to compare using memory alone. Countless times I’ve gotten excited about headphones, speakers or food and thought “this is the best” and then am surprised when I do a back and forth comparison to realize that it really wasn’t that good. So let’s get started!Airpods 3rd Generation vs Razer Hammerhead. These are my two best in-ear unsealed headphones. I’ve tried a lot and thought compare the best. The Airpds retail for $169 and the Razers were $99 (now $39).Airpod audio sound more inside your head (more intimate). Razer audio sounds more outside your head (wider sound stage). Razer sounds more 3D.Airpod audio is more balanced across the spectrum and sounds full and flattened. Razer audio has the vocals more forward with the instruments more in the background. Razer has a larger spacial quality to the audio.Airpod audio has less texture and detail. Razer audio has more texture detail.Airpod audio has a thicker rumble to the bass and the bass remains during the music. Razer audio has tighter, punchier bass. The difference is like a higher quality sub-woofer that is accurate, tight and strong versus a lower quality sub-woofer which extends the bass with a rumble rather than a tight punch. Razer audio sounds like a higher quality sub-woofer (less rumble, more punch).Airpods secure better in my shaped ears and feel tucked in, while not sealing my ears. Razers feels like they are sitting on my ear and not tucked in like the Airpods.Airpods 2nd Generation is inferior in every way to the 3rd Generation. 2nd Gen have noticeably less detail, sound very flat and do not fit the ear as well.Final opinions: In my search for unsealed in-ear headphones, the Airpods 3rd Gen and Razer are the best I’ve heard. There aren’t many competitors in this genre of headphone and these two are the best IMO. It’s a toss up between which one is better because different people have different listening preferences, music styles and personal needs. I’ll do my best to advise.- If you constantly wear your headphones, walking with them, using them for calls, etc – the the Apple Airpods 3rd Gen are the way to go. They are more comfortable and secure much better in the ears. They won’t fall out. I’ve had the Razers fall out on my walk numerous times that it’s almost a daily occurrence.- If you want a more audiophile grade experience with a Bluetooth in-ear unsealed headphone, the audio quality of the Razer is better IMO. More detail, more texture, wider sound stage, and tighter bass. The only draw back with the Razer is that the sound stage is artificially-enhanced by adding a echo-like effect. It’s small but it’s there.- If you want a more forward sounding and someone intense audio experience the Airpods push the sound into your head and give an intimate but somewhat intense experience. People who want to be inside their music (like center-stage, front row seat) will prefer the Airpods 3rd Gen. This would be better for electronic music, hip hop, dance and most of the modern trends.- If you prefer to sit in the middle or back of the venue and hear the instrument separation and a wider sound stage, the Razer is a better choice. It’s not an intimate but it’s more open and airy and has a more laid back quality. This is better for jazz, blues, and classic rock.A little background: I prefer the open ear design to my over-the-ear headphones and I own or have owned many of the flagship (very best) headphones from brands like Sennheiser, AKG, Audio-Technica, Hifimann and Sony. I have owned the best wireless over-the-ear from Sony, B&O and Philips. I have owned the best wired in-ears from Sennhesier and Westone. I have owned the best wireless in-ears from Sony, B&O, Tozo, and too many to remember. I also own audiophile grade amplifiers and DACs costing costing well over $1,000 each. At present, wired headphones will always sound better than wireless. More information can pass through wires than airwaves. In the future, wireless will match wired but I think that will take a while to happen. For now, if you want the best listening experience, get a wired headphone.

These earbuds work really well. They’re comfortable in my ear even when laying on them. They stay put. One has fallen out two times total, and one of those times I knocked it out by accidentally hitting the stem while reaching up. The sound is really good. These come with the sound feature that makes the sound seem directional. In other words, for the first couple days, I kept pulling them out to make sure they were working because the sound from the earbuds seemed like it was coming from my phone. It makes the viewing experience seem more natural. These are not the noise cancelling kind. I can still hear what’s going on around me, which is how I want it. I can hear if someone needs to talk to me without anyone having to yell. I can hear my environment well enough to be safe, but not so it ruins my listening experience. The sound is crisp and clear. They’re rated to last 4 hours before needing to be recharged, but I’ve gone a little longer. They seem to peter out one at a time, so you can actually charge the dead one and continue using the other one and then switch when the second one goes. This has been helpful for marathon phone conversations. I don’t think this works for listening to content because pulling out one earbud causes the content to pause – another cool feature since you don’t have to find the pause button when you need to stop for a minute. It automatically stops for you and picks right back up when you put the earbud back in. Do you can accomplish the pause by pulling out just one bud. You can always squeeze the post to pause as well. They charge up quickly in the case. The case charges quickly as well (and lasts at least 30 hours between charges). I bought a silicone case for mine and they still charge easily on the charging mat. They can also charge using a regular lightning cord. I’ve done both with no problem. They do work with you Find My app, but I think it’s just the case that it finds. This is a problem if you’re bad about taking them out of your ears and just leaving them around the house. No handy ping for that. I’ve dropped mine a few times. They seem pretty sturdy – no cracks or other damage. I love that my jack is now free so I can charge and listen at the same time. I really like these.

I am an android user and I swore to never buy an apple product. But then I met and married a man who is an apple user. His greatest flaw really. I bought these for him since he had been wanting them for a while. He had a hand me down 1st gen pair where one of the earbuds wouldn’t charge correctly and as a result was always dead. He hasn’t had any of those issues with these and he’s been using them for over a year now. He loves them and says that the battery life is good and the audio quality is very good as well.The things we do for the ones we love.

Love my AirPods!

Uses every day.