March xx, 2021
#17: FengPods Pro v4.5 (2021) - NEW, coming soon !
FengPods TWS (AirPods Pro replica on Airoha 1562A / BT 5.2) ~$66:
W2C: AliExpress ( -version is also available ).
The new modification of the AirPods Pro replica - according to Chinese classification it's v4.5.
Sample in the process of testing. An updated review will be available soon. For an overview of the similar version on 1562A chip, see below.
Образец в процессе тестирования. Обновленный обзор будет скоро доступен. Обзор похожей версии на чипе 1562А ниже.
February 3, 2021
#16: Air3 PRO v4.5 (2021)
Air3 PRO TWS (Air3Pro-developed version, Airoha 1562A / BT 5.2) ~$66:
W2C: AliExpress ( -version is also available ).
The new modification of the AirPods Pro replica - according to Chinese classification it's V4.5.
What's new in this version:
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The use of a new chip 1562A made it possible to implement "hybrid" Active Noise Cancellation - ANC (-35DB).
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Fixed bugs of FW: Unstable % batteries, Apple Watch incompatibility, MacOS connection
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Spatial Audio added
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Each headset and case have their own serial number. The iOS settings show the serial numbers of the model that corresponds to engraving on the case (box).
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Type: in-ear-channel headphones
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Chip/Bluetooth: Airoha 1562A / 5.2
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Agent/FW: AB1562А / V1.1.1.1 2020/3/9
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Package/Build quality: 7/10 | 7/10 ( *** -3 for non-LUX box / for unglued mesh inside ear pads )
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Sound "in general": - 9/10 | bass - 8/10 | with EQ - 9/10 (supported codec – SBC, AAC )
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Noise Cancellation / "Transparency": 8/10 | 8/10 ( "hybrid" Active Noise Cancellation )
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Microphone/NoiseReduction: 6/10 | 6/10
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“Squeeze" sensor: 10/10 (accompanied by a light "click")
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“In ear” sensor: 10/10
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Battery: case = 400mAh; pad = 30mAh
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Wireless Charging: ~1:30h up to full recommendations
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Autonomy in modes: "OFF" | "ANC" | "Transparency" (iPhone, BT4.2, mus.level 11/16=69% ):
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«Master» : 2:41|2:17|2:33→5% / 2:49|2:19|2:36→off
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«Slave» : 2:49|2:19|2:34→5% / 2:51|2:20|2:36→off
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Compatibility: iPhone / Android / Mac OS / Apple Watch
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Multi-Device Connect: No
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Live Listen: Yes
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AudioShare: Yes
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Spatial Audio: Yes
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Renaming: Yes
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GPS: Yes
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Packaging and the Set - 7/10 ( *** -3 for not high quality box only ) .
Box (I have an "Apple box" version) - a good, white, dense, thick cardboard , plastic of the lodged (not cardboard!) matte, solid and thick. But the overall quality isn't as LUX-copy: the joint points of the cardboard are visible inside the box and the cover (not covered by white paper); The paper "folder" with the documentation is made not from fully matte, but from the semi-matte cardboard, the printed texts don't match the original (too bright, the font is different); All 4 clamshell books do not have rounded corners like the original; The ear pads "case" is made of cardboard ( not plastic), there are no "sockets" inside - ear pads just fall out when you open the "case"; there are appropriate logos and signs on the box, but the font differs from the original (though, almost not noticeable); there are two labels with the serial number on the side of the box but the view of the right label confuses a little (the location of the information and font differs from the original). There is a "tab" on the surface of the packaging (but you can hardly break the packaging with it). Type-C-Lightning cable is a sufficiently soft and decent (Lightning Connector - matte).
UPD: On the question about quality of the box, the seller said that it was a "fast" order before the Chinese New Year, high-quality packaging needed to wait and parcel would not leave on time. The next bulk promised high-quality LUX packaging and the set (exactly the same as # 15: Air3 Pro (v3.9)
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Engraving - 100% as the originals::
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Each earphone and charging case have their own serial numbers. The s/n are written in the FW and displayed in the settings - all 3 different numbers (tap on the line with s/n). "Main" number for checking on Apple's website is on the Case (box)..
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The "main" serial number "checked" on Apple database - headphones are identified as original by the date of purchase, also "preserves a guarantee" (at my sample until August 26, 2021).
“-labels":
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Build Quality and Features - 7/10 ( *** -3 for unglued mesh inside ear pads )
Despite explicit flaws with packaging, the assembly of the headphones themselves is very high-quality, the joints of the compound of plastic parts of the headphones although noticeable, but are well polished and do not have tactile tactful "joints". The button on the back of the case does not protrude, pressing the characteristic soft "click".
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Metal Hinge with an insignificant backlash of the lid (purely "technological", this is not a defect - see Video - for the "display" of the backlash, a rather significant effort is applied with fingers). The lid on the "reversing" magnet - keeps very confident in the open state by ~ 120°, does not slam (for comparison, above, see Pro and AP2). The headphones are easily "flying" into the case, are magnetized in the right position inside the "channels", do not fall out when shaken:
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Ear pads.
There is plastic mesh at the exit of the "sound channel" and in the holes of the silicone ear pads the nylon
mesh are also glued. Each ear cushion has 2 holes on the side - the same complementary holes (for noise
canceling microphones - ANC) are located on the side of each "sound channel".-
During use, holes and meshes can become clogged with dust, which can sometimes cause low volume or malfunctioning of the ANC system. It is recommended that you periodically check their status.
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*** The assembling quality of the ear pads isn't good enough: when the ear pads were removed, the nylon mesh easily peeled off from their seats and remained on the sound channel (right photo). I had to carefully put them back in place. Be careful when removing the ear pads (I recommend you first "turn" the ear pads inside out and then gently pull it - the ear pads are durable, will not break).
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However, instead of a metal mesh covering the microphone hole in the originals, this replica uses plastic "imitation". The same plastic imitation closes the hole next to the "in ear" transducer. BUT! It is rather difficult to recognize the imitation - "to the touch" and "visually" they feel like "metal mesh":
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A fake sensor is drawn on the underside of the "head" of the earphone (of course, it is not there). There is also a hole at the bottom of the headphone stick (for a microphone).
ATTENTION: It is strongly recommended to produce the initial "burn-in" speakers for 1-2 hours.
During the first 20-30 minutes it is not recommended to raise sound volume over 70-80% of the maximum !
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Sound - 9/10 | bass - 8/10 | with EQ - 9/10 (supported codec – SBC, AAC)
And on iPhone and Android the sound is well balanced by default (EQ-preset "Acoustic" was used on iOS) - there is a lot of bass (IMHO) - the in-ear-channel headphone design affects ! Additional setting by EQ, in principle, is not required but headphones are easy to tune in any equalizer (see Equalizing Recommendations).
Volume Margin:-
iPhone (iOS 12/13/14) – good, 16 «steps» available (comfortable level in a quiet room – 10...11/16 = 63%...69%)
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Android (7/9) – good, 15 «steps» available (comfortable level in a quiet room - 10/15 = 67%)
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About the sound on different chips - Airoha VS Realtek
Many times on 4PDA forum and in tests I described the subjective (IMHO) difference between the sound of headphones on the Airoha and Realtek chips but these comparisons concerned the half-in-ear headphones. Present model is another type - in-ear-channel - I have no sample of the same rep on Realtek chip, so there's no objectively compared with anything. Therefore, I can only give my subjective opinion about the sound of these headphones and the previous version on 1536 ( #15: Air3Pro v3.9+ ):
In both models the sound can be described as "good", it is 100% compliant with the "general" description of the sound of most replicas on Airoha chip (tested different versions on different chips). I would characterize it as "smooth in the entire frequency range" + GOOD BASS. Personally, I would prefer (by sound) models at chip 1536 - In my opinion, the sound of 1536 is a little bit more "volumetric" (although, suspect that DSP in both models are the same, perhaps a little different internal EQ settings).
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Soundproofing and "Noise Suppression" / "Transparency" Modes - 8/10 | 8/10 ( "hybrid" Active Noise Cancellation )
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Sound Isolation - Replaceable ear pads design provides good isolation from any external sounds. The set includes 3 pairs of different sizes: medium ones (M, which go "normally") came up to me, they hold well in my ears, does not press or rub anything (I tested it continuously for several hours), the headphones do not fall out even if I jerk my head sharply. When replaced with larger ear pad (L) - the fit in the ears became even tighter and the bass noticeably increased !
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But! Personally, I don't like (although ... gradually I get used) in-ear-channel headphones - annoying that you "hear" by the inner ear each of your cough or every crunch of food; Talk with the interlocutor (when headphones in the ears) is also uncomfortable. I strongly recommend that you test such type of headphones by yourself before ordering - whether they personally will be suitable.
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Noise suppression. Unlike the previous version (V3.9 on Airoha 1536), here is real but not fake noise suppression. The chip 1562a has built-in noise cancellation chains and supports connecting multiple microphones (FeedForward + Feedback). This model is implemented "hybrid" active noise reduction system = Active Noise Cancellation (ANC). But, unlike expensive headphone models (Sony, Bose), where complete "isolation" from surrounding sounds is possible, there is incomplete noise reduction here - the system suppresses predominantly low-frequency noises up to ~ 500Hz (metro noise, engine rumble). The system practically does not suppress Medium and High frequencies - you, for example, can hear the conversation around you, although a little bit muffled. The seller declares the level of noise cancellation -35db, according to my feelings it is slightly smaller, although certainly significantly reduces the level of low-frequency background providing more comfortable listening to music in noisy places. When the mode is activated, in a quiet room in pauses between tracks, you can hear a weak "white noise" signal - the operation of the ANC system.
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IMHO: At home the test showed a rather effective suppression of household noise (vacuum cleaner, TV, hairdryer, coffee machine, etc.) - the level of the LF-background (so-called "hum") becomes significantly lower. In the subway, the noise suppression is also showed itself in the best way: essentially (but not up to silence, of course) reduced the level of the hum of trains as an outside of the train and inside - even the volume did not have to add ! The second plus (more precisely, the absence of a minus, which was observed in the first versions of the Pro-replica): the absence of parasitic modulation (microphone whistle) at the moments of loud stops announce or sudden strong sound (knock/rumble) - noise reduction and Automatic Gain Control (AGC) systems are not overloaded and correctly work out all harsh sounds.
UPD: A longer test in the subway showed that the noise reduction system is not ideal - in older (very noisy) trains with sharp strong sounds in headphones, a quiet "click" is heard - apparently, the AGC system is still overloaded and restarted. In principle, these sounds are not annoyed, but ... it's here !
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With Transparency in this version they had even better results than in the previous one (according to the seller's statement was improved algorithm). When you activate this mode, in addition to the music, you will also hear the surrounding sounds (the overall emphasis is shifted towards the average frequencies and the low frequency level decreases slightly but this is not critical - you can raise the volume level by 1 step).
IMHO: to stay home and to hear homemade at the same time - well, such an occupation (but in the office, it is likely that it will be more relevant). But the regime turned out to be very useful on the street - all the same need to hear the world around and otherwise the hit under the car is provided ! An insignificant minus is only one - in a strong wind the microphones quite successfully "broadcast" in the ear also and wind whistle.
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Microphone + NoiseReduction (headset) - 6/10 | 6/10. Microphones are in both headphones, they work separately (2pcs in each, but only one works on the headset - at the bottom of the "stick" headphone). Finally, a more or less decent (IMHO) version of a microphone on Airoha chip is here: mics are subjectively "loud", the noise is triggered with an acceptable delay and processes not aggressively - the distortion of speech is minimal. As a headset for constant conversations - possibly the microphones are not the most ideal ... but the mics performed well - the intelligibility of speech is sufficient, the interlocutor hears loudly, does not ask (see an additional test microphone in "outdoor conditions" - while driving ).
Mic test "indoor":
(quiet speech + noise)
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mic test Air3 PRO 1562А L.mp3 ( 449 КБ)
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mic test Air3 PRO 1562А R.mp3 ( 464 КБ)
Mic test "outdoor":
(in auto, quiet speech + noise)
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mic test Air3 PRO 1562А (outdoor).mp3 ( 2 МБ)
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"IN EAR" Sensors (IR) - 10/10.
The latest version of the "optical" IR-sensor (infrared, receiver and transmitter in one block). Located on the "inner" side of the head of the headset (the party that is facing "into the ear"). In the settings there is an option of shutdown of the sensors (iOS). Sensors confidently work on removal/ inserting headphones in the ear as well as bring close of any non-dark items (hand/ear/book) for a distance less than ~ 5mm = excellent sensitivity! If you have listened to music before extracting a headset then on the return of headphones into the ear,the playback will continue. Video operation of the sensor in the IR-range:
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If you put a headphones on a light object (for example, on a table from light wood) "head down", then the sensor will work falsely - i.e. "think" that he was invested in the ear back ! If the table is dark, then the false trigger does not occur (apparently, the IR-radiation is completely absorbed by dark objects and the sensor does not work). To avoid false positives, put the earphone on the table "head up".
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Controls (Squeeze Sensor) - 10/10 (accompanied by a light "click").
It's implemented by "squeezing" (the press sensor), the touch/tapping does not react in any way - you can correct the headphones in the ear and wear them under the cap. "Squeezings" work equally on the iPhone and on Android; it's not necessary to configure anything "Through the iPhone" for Android:-
⁃1 (L|R) - play/pause, (Call: ⁃1 (L|R) - accept/finish | “Long squeezing” – decline call).
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⁃2 (L|R) - next track
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⁃3 (L|R) - previous track
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- “Long squeezing”: iPhone: (L|R) – Siri / Noise canceling mode control (selectable in settings)
Android & MacOS:-
(L) – Calling the voice assistant (Google or other by default)
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(R) – Noise canceling mode control (ANC-OFF-TRANSPARENCY)
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Battery % charge indication and operating time:
Battery charge indication - standard for iOS: the charge of 3 batteries is displayed - R / L / Case. The Chinese have fulfilled their long-standing promise and fixed the "disappearing" indications of % battery charge - now they do not disappear from the widget. In addition, the headphone icons have been corrected - they are now correct (in iOS <13, either the old icons or generalized Bluetooth can still be displayed).
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Case (charge level when opening the lid or pressing a button) :
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50%-100% - green
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<50% - orange
Charge indication (wireless or cable): within ~8s orange, then turn off.
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Headphones: for modes OFF | ANC | TRANSPARENCY
(iPhone, mus.level 11/16=69% ):-
«Master» : 2:41|2:17|2:33→5% / 2:49|2:19|2:36→off
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«Slave» : 2:49|2:19|2:34→5% / 2:51|2:20|2:36→off
When the threshold is achieved in 5%, the headset begins to signal a low charge of a short 4-tone "decreasing" signal.
LIFE-HACK (rather "crutch", checked for the iPhone, for Android, I think the same): To increase the time of work to the maximum possible, periodically forcibly change in places "Master" and "Slave" headphones. For this, approximately after 1-1.5 hours listening to music:-
Check the remaining headphone charge (L and R) in the widget,
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Place both headphones in the case, close the lid, wait 3 ... 4s so that the headphones are completely "turned off" (the headphone icon will disappear),
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Open the lid, get the first only the one that the remaining charge is more and hold the ~ 3c earphone close to the case (if the lock screen is active or the phone is unlocked then the Popup window may appear; there will be no indication on the blocked inactive screen), insert it In the ear and wait for the connection signal (something, like, "Ta-Damm" - that is this headphone will become "Master"). If there is no signal, then return headphone back to the case, close the lid and repeat the procedure.
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get a second earphone (now it will be "Slave")
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Apple's Magic.
Since there is no Multi-Device Connect in this rep, then you will not get a "seamless" switching between multiple devices as implemented in the original AirPods. However, you can "pair" headphones with multiple devices in turn and further switch them between all devices without re-paring. But at the same time, you must disconnect headphones from the current device (Disconnect or you can simply turn off the Bluetooth) and then connect them to another device. Unfortunately, so far only so.
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Connection to iOS: Open the cover, wait for Pop-Up window appearance, press the button on the case. The Pop-Up window appears during the first connection and later or with the active lock screen or on the unlocked phone. On the locked phone (inactive screen) there is no indication happened - headphones will simply connect automatically:
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If the <iOS13 system is installed on your smartphone, it will be proposed EITHER to update the system to relevant OR to adjust the headphones with limited functionality (limitations relate to switching the "Noise reduction" modes and "transparency" - only the choice of "Normal" and "Noise Cancellation" will remain in the settings, Which, however, does not interfere with the switching between the "ANC" and "TRANSPARENCY" modes).
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On IOS versions 12/13, headphones can behave a bit unstable: they are connected not from the first time or too long (re-connection helps). Sometimes the only one earpiece is connected (put the unconnected earphone in the case, close the lid and get it again). On iOS 14 and on Android 7/9 such bugs did not observe.
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Connection to MacOS. Connection process is standard for Bluetooth devices: After pressing the button on the charging case, a request will appear on the pair confirmation, after which the headphones are connected to the system. Through the Bluetooth menu, you can check the charge of each headset and case as well as codec type (available only when playing sound through headphones).
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Connection to Apple Watch. The full compatibility of the replica and the clock is declared. The provider claims that the problem of incompatibility is solved - the clock and the replica can be simultaneously connected via Bluetooth to the iPhone (iOS14) and there will no problem with the output of sound to a replica. Unfortunately, I do not use Apple Watch, so I could not check this functionality (I expect the appropriate video from the supplier).
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Live Listen.
This version also supports Live Listen mode (mode for poorly hearing), i.e., taking on this mode, you can, for example, leave the phone on the table and went out (not so far) but you will continue to hear everything that happens at the table.
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Audio Share: This mode is implemented in this version but only replicas based on the Airoha chip are supported as a "second" headphones. The description of the connection process can be found in the network or on the Apple's website.
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After clicking on the Share Audio button, you will see some other pictures of the devices
which you can share your music / film with (different types of headphones or tablet):
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Place the open case with the second pair of headphones closer to the iOS device
and on the picture that appears, click the Share Audio button:
After a successful connection, in the AIRPLAY and CONTROL PANEL settings two devices will appear with the possibility of separate control of noise reduction and volume control:
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P.S. I couldn't run this mode from the first time - perhaps I tried to connect an "incompatible" pair of headphones; Despite the fact that it was also on Airoha 1536, the connection process was not finished with success. Later I tried with another pair of headphones (on Airoha 1562 chip) and everything turned out.
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Spatial Audio.
This functionality is implemented In the FW and it can be tested (listen) in the appropriate section of the settings: Settings → Bluetooth → Airpods Pro → Spatial Audio.
BUT! In the case of using together the original devices like iPhone/iPad and AirPods Pro, tracking the position of each other in space is carried out through accelerometers and gyros built into both devices. Based on this data, the smartphone/tablet processor recreates the volumetric sound around you. Therefore, the function is called spatial audio but not just a "3D sound". In the considered replicas there is no gyroscope, no accelerometer and, most likely, we will not get interactive spatial "interaction" between the smartphone and headphones, rather it will be just a "3D sound" ! Nevertheless, the functionality in the FW is somehow implemented and it is well audible when the test clip is started. But how (and, most importantly, on what content?) we could really check spatial effect on a replica I do not know (at least the iPhone 7 on iOS14 with 3A283 firmware is required). I will look for a way and update the review.
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GPS.
Functional of pseudo-GPS geopositioning is implemented: - when calling an application to find the iPhone, your headphones will appear in the device list - you can search for them by playing through the audio signal:
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Renaming:
Headphones can be renamed at any time both on iOS and on Android.