With a $10 spend on an off-brand accessory, and judicious use of a compressed air cleaning can, I've solved the problems that were starting to put me off Apple's AirPods forever.
I'm on my second set of AirPod Pros, and my third set of AirPods overall, because when they're working they sound great and are so handy that it's difficult to imagine anything else. But, until I discovered this little accessory, I was reaching my limits.
When I spend that much on a product, I expect it to be perfect. Part of that, of course, is having a very long (if intermittent) memory.
I don't think the legendary MDR-W10 headphones for the 'Sport Light' Sony Walkman cost as much as Apple's – though they're pushing $100 on eBay for retro collectors these days.
The AirPods, though, aren't just for listening to music – or even just content on your phone. The AirPods Pro include a microphone that can be used to record audio, which is useful when combined with some of the best action cameras.
(A word of caution here – the latest DJI Osmo Action and Insta360 Ace Pros are in this list, but not all action cams are – so check first).
There are problems with the AirPods – especially the AirPods Pro – though.
Not in the first moment. Opening the box and putting them on has all the lustrous joy of any new Apple product. This is a company that understands how to make its customers feel as premium as the pricing and the product line.
Over time, though, the ear tips – the piece of the AirPods Pro that fits into the ear (there are several sizes in the box, so you get the right fit) inevitably picks up natural dirt. This seems to seep into the rubber, too, so that the grip on your ear lessens and the pod itself seems a little looser.
That just means you need to push it back in a little more often as you're on the move. A minor irritation.
Much more serious is the fact that, eventually, I found both of my AirPods Pros started whistling and squealing at me. The left one at first, though after a while both were guilty.
Not because of temporarily confused Active Noise Cancellation or Bluetooth interference – issues that can be fixed with a quick reset – but presumably because dust or debris was making its way inside the pod itself.
This does not seem an easy fix for a device that has already left me feeling guilty simply because I, like virtually all humans, produce cerumen (ear wax). I find myself starting to understand why some, like my wife – a recording artist – opt for big headphones (these still include a microphone).
She has to be able to listen back to her work (Apple Music, Spotifty) reliably at quality and probably doesn't need the headphones screaming and whistling to her just for being human. Not, of course, that she has any earwax!
Nonetheless, I didn't want to buy new headphones and I prefer the compact AirPods anyway – easier to use while filming. So…
The $8 solution
I decided to replace the ear tip, to remove any stray dried wax that might be vibrating inside the headphones and confusing them.
I found the "Inesore 5 Pairs Replacement Ear Tips for AirPods Pro 3 with Hole for Noise Reduction" (admittedly, I don't think that's a great bit of product naming), which included a "cleaning pen."
- 🇺🇸 Inesore 5 Pairs Replacement Ear Tips for AirPods Pro 3 (Amazon USA Link)
- 🇬🇧 5 Pairs Replacement Ear Tips for AirPods Pro 3 with Hole for Noise Reduction (Amazon UK Link)
In a matter of moments I popped off the old earbuds. I've done this in the past but, crucually, this time I used the "pen" – actually a tool with fold-out brushes and a silicone point.
This enabled me to clean the inner meshes where there was visible wax buildup. I also gave them a bit of a blow with a can of compressed air (in the past this has, on its own, bought me a few days without the annoying whistling).
After a few moments of loving attention, I popped the AirPods back into my ears… and they sounded entirely new again.
This brush tool that I hadn't even been looking for (it was the new ear tips I had been searching for) feels like it has restored my faith in these products just as I was on the verge of giving up.
And it was a lot cheaper (proportionally) than maintaining my camera when the viewfinder was cracked!
