Best Alternative to AirPods Pro, with a catch.

The Funktopus · 17 Jun 2023 at 03:05

Just wondering whether anyone could recommend me a pair of Bluetooth earbud type earphones as an alternative to my AirPods Pro?

Don’t get me wrong, I love my AirPods, but as I work offshore, due to the rules imposed by the helicopter operators, I can’t bring them out to work with me, as their charging case can’t be physically switched off. I have a pair of Sony WH-1000XM4’s I got last year which are great, but I’m not a fan of wearing over-ear type headphones while moving about, and certainly wouldn’t want to try and use the gym in them. I have been using just the generic wired Apple Earbuds for the time being, but as they have no weight to them, I keep accidentally leaving them in my pockets and inadvertently washing them, and have just gone through my second set in 6 weeks.

I don’t mind spending a bit to get a decent set either, so my budget is around £200. The only stipulation is that they need to have a physical on/off switch, so I can prove they’re dead on check in at the heliport.

Cheers.

DataVampire · 18 Jun 2023 at 22:22

I am pretty sure all of the main brand wireless earbuds case you can not turn off. its a charging case for the buds. the only way i know is to let the battery in the case go flat also kind of defeating the object of the case in the first place.

Jimbeam3678 · 22 Jun 2023 at 17:21

Ask them at the heliport how other people have solved this problem. Might be an idea as it’s a unique use case.

Pulseammo · 22 Jun 2023 at 19:37

I know this likely doesn't help you much because they make the rules but what does the helicopter operator mean by "switched off"? If I turn my phone "off" then it's still on.

The button on the side only shorts or makes a signal to the motherboard momentarily causing it to turn "on", the phone isn't drawing no power when it's "off". It's not like an old gameboy or something similar where the switch disconnects the battery from the circuitry.

Are you allowed a powerbank or similar device like that on the chopper? Seems to me the charging case is just a glorified powerbank, especially if the headphones aren't in it and charging.