Apple’s AirPods have always struck me as peculiar. Not just because of the shape, which is definitely odd, but the fact that so many owners rave about their $159 earbuds, despite admitting to mediocre sound. Surely the most important feature of any headphones sold for that price is the quality of the audio?

Nevertheless, I bought a pair at the urging of several of my colleagues. Now I get it. The AirPods experience is simply delightful in ways that fiddly Bluetooth headphones have yet to achieve. They’re so lightweight that I forget I’m wearing them and they make Siri surprisingly useful. The battery also lasts forever (in wireless terms), thanks to the clever charging case that also doubles as an iPhone stand.

But the sound… I had…

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