Seeing the Apple logo attached to a double-digit price tag usually raises a few eyebrows. After all, we are accustomed to handing over well over a hundred pounds for a pair of brand-new AirPods. So, when second-generation Apple AirPods complete with a charging case suddenly pop up for a mere 53 euros, it naturally looks like a glaring pricing error. Surprisingly, it isn’t. This drastic price drop is actually down to a limited-time offer over on eBay rather than a retailer’s blunder.

The seller is offering these second-generation in-ear headphones as used, fully tested, and hygienically refurbished units. By applying the voucher code PERFECTEBAY3E at checkout, the already reduced price of €54.99 gets knocked down even further to an unbeatable €53.34. You genuinely won’t find them cheaper anywhere else. The only real catch is that it’s simply an older model, and buyers might spot some minor, purely cosmetic signs of wear on the original charging case. Otherwise, you still get the standard touch controls and up to five hours of playback time.

While nabbing a standard pair for fifty euros is a solid win, many users ultimately prefer to invest in the premium AirPods Pro or AirPods Max. Active noise cancelling, or ANC, is undoubtedly the main draw for these higher-end models. Yet, figuring out exactly how to switch the feature on isn’t always immediately obvious. It is worth remembering that to truly unlock the full AirPods experience, you need to be deeply embedded in the Apple ecosystem. Android users generally end up with a rather restricted feature set and might honestly be better off looking at other wireless earbuds. If you are using Apple gear, however, managing your listening modes is incredibly straightforward.

Managing ANC on your iPhone or iPad

There are a couple of straightforward ways to tweak your noise cancellation settings on an iOS device. The quickest route is arguably via the Control Centre. Pop your AirPods in, make sure they are connected, and open the Control Centre on your screen. Give the volume slider a long press until a set of extra controls appears. From there, simply tap the Noise Control icon tucked in the bottom-left corner to choose your preferred listening mode. Alternatively, you can dive straight into the Settings app. Tap on the name of your AirPods near the top of the menu and select your desired setting right under the Noise Control header.

Adjusting audio modes from a Mac

Desktop and laptop users have similarly simple options. First, ensure your AirPods are connected and currently in your ears. You can click the Control Centre icon up in the Mac menu bar, hit Bluetooth, and click the arrow hovering next to your AirPods to select Off, Noise Cancellation, or Transparency. If you prefer navigating through the system menus, head to the Apple menu and open System Settings. Click on your AirPods in the sidebar, and use the Noise control menu in the main window to pick whichever mode suits your current environment.

The Android workaround

Things get a bit trickier if you have paired your AirPods Pro to an Android smartphone. In this scenario, the only way to toggle your noise cancelling is by physically squeezing the stems of the earbuds themselves. Straight out of the box, the AirPods Pro will only flip between ANC and Transparency modes when connected to a non-Apple device. To actually turn the feature off completely, you are going to need temporary access to an iPhone.

If you can borrow one from a mate, pair your AirPods to their device and open the iOS Settings app. Tap the name of your AirPods Pro, which should sit just below their Apple ID. Navigate to ‘Press and Hold AirPods’, choose ‘Left Noise Control’, and tap the ‘Off’ option. Once you have done that, pressing and holding either stem will cycle smoothly through ANC, Transparency, and Off, even when you reconnect the earbuds to your Android phone.