It seems that, for $250 (or €280), Apple mainly didn't want to offend anyone. The AirPods Pro sound plays it extremely safe, and has all the right to do so. This pair isn't bought for their sound quality (alone), it will be bought for the active noise cancelling, rapid switching between Apple devices, as a fashion statement, or simply because… you can never have enough Apple devices, apparently.

To please so many, the AirPods Pro sounds warm, smooth, and relaxed. To thank is an abundance of lower mid-tones. It's a sound profile suitable for all genres, from Coldplay's pop songs to classical pieces, from Kanye to hardcore. Never does it get all out of the music, but never does it sound bad. You won't find any moments where vocals sound too sharp. You won't find a bass that will blow your socks off either. There's plenty of separation between the instruments and electronic tones in songs, and it's easy to discover different details of songs on the left and right of you.

What's noticeable, too, is that the sound signature with or without the ANC on, are remarkably similar. Much more than on many headphones. Without ANC, more mid-tones and highs are resolved; with ANC there's a bit more emphasis on the lower frequencies.

Whether this sound quality alone is worth 250 dollars? Well...

Looking at it more analytical, the sound of the AirPods Pro has some downsides. Mostly, the bass sounds mushy. It lacks impact, a punch in dance songs where you expect a big bass slam. However, in songs where the bass is prominent, it becomes immediately apparent the bass lacks tightness. It has a passiveness to it, and it can get muddy in the lower frequencies. Instrument tonality isn't very convincing either. Especially drums, guitars and bass-guitars sound smoothed out, and don't resolve much detail. Highs roll off early too, to retain a relaxing sound signature.

Technical, there are enough comments to be made about the AirPods Pro. However, the AirPods Pro do deliver a pleasant smooth sound you can listen to for hours. Presumably, that's exactly the way most users would want it.