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A Rare Look Inside the Jaw-Dropping Hi-Fi Lab Where Apple Tests the Latest AirPods

It includes bucket-list loudspeaker systems, 3D ear scanning and dancing robots.

Living room entertainment setup with a large flat-screen TV, built-in wall speakers, two white smart speakers on a wooden cabinet, and a subwoofer on the floor.Photo by Tucker Bowe for Gear Patrol

By Tucker Bowe

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You probably don’t associate Apple with Colorado or hi-fi audio.

But the Cupertino-based tech giant has quietly spent the last few years setting up shop in Boulder, where it develops upcoming hardware — especially its products with speakers and microphones.

I recently got a rare tour of the facilities to see — and hear — firsthand how Apple developed, tested and fine-tuned the AirPods Pro 3, which it calls the “world’s best” in-ear noise-canceling wireless earbuds.

From world-class listening labs to advanced motion-capture stations, what I saw convinced me that Apple is no longer just a phone or computer manufacturer but, in fact, one of the world’s largest hi-fi companies.

White rectangular sign with a green Apple logo and text "Boulder 5 2400" in front of a modern glass building.
Apple opened facilities in Boulder, Colorado, in the last few years.
Photo by Tucker Bowe for Gear Patrol

Power up

My first stop on the tour was a special listening lab called the Power Station, named after the famous recording studio in New York City.

Here, Apple has constructed an elite Dolby Atmos surround system that features 17 loudspeakers by PMC, a high-end British audiophile maker.

Home theater setup with a large wall-mounted TV, built-in black speakers, a wooden media console, and a black subwoofer on a carpeted floor.
One of Apple’s audio labs. Named the Power Station, it features a surround sound of 17 PMC loudspeakers.
Photo by Tucker Bowe for Gear Patrol

Apple didn’t disclose the exact speakers it uses in the room but those on the wall appeared to be the PMC ci140, which sell for nearly $7,000 per monitor.

Home theater setup with a large flat-screen TV, four tall black speakers, two subwoofers, and a wooden media console with white smart speakers.
A loudspeaker system that likely costs more than most cars.
Photo by Tucker Bowe for Gear Patrol

One of the goals of such an audio lab is to compare the spatial audio capabilities against those of Apple’s earbuds.

Naturally, wireless earbuds won’t deliver sound as good as a high-end loudspeaker system, but the company’s goal with the AirPods Pro 3 was to make the two comparable.

A place like the Power Station lets the company’s engineers hear how close or far they are in the development.

Modern music studio with wooden floor, acoustic guitar on stand, drum set, desk with computer, and wall-mounted TV.
A glimpse into another of Apple’s audio labs in Boulder, Colorado.
Photo by Tucker Bowe for Gear Patrol

Another nerdy fun fact: all of Apple’s audio labs, not just the Power Station, were built on a separate, spring-loaded foundation.

The idea with the separate foundation is that it further isolates the audio labs from outside vibrations that could lead to sound degradation.

This way, Apple can test and listen to the audio products under the purest possible conditions.

In search of the perfect fit

Wooden table with multiple black wireless earbuds on display, a laptop, and a large screen showing blue ear and earbud graphics.
Apple’s 3D ear scanning station.
Photo by Tucker Bowe for Gear Patrol

Output is one thing but fit is equally important when it comes to designing high-fidelity earbuds.

After checking out the various listening labs on-site, I headed to a different part of the facility that Apple used to test the fit of AirPods Pro 3.

The new earbuds have a slightly revamped design along with foam-infused silicone eartips, as well as their new heart-rate sensing capabilities.

Here’s a look behind the curtain of getting my ears scanned … using a bunch of iPhones.

Here, I was shown Apple’s 3D ear scanning station where they scanned and analyzed over 10,000 people’s ears to determine exactly where the heart-rate sensor needed to be placed in the new earbuds. They also used this data to improve the overall comfort, fit and stability.

Hand holding a black baseball cap with a blue patch and four small gray spheres attached to the front.
Apple’s motion capture station is similar to those used by the film and gaming industries.
Photo by Tucker Bowe for Gear Patrol

I also saw a series of stations that Apple used to simulate how humans move in the real world across a range of activities. This way, they could test the fit of AirPods Pro 3, which is not only important for comfort but also critical for accurate heart-rate sensing.

In the motion area … using the iPhone 17 Pro Max’s new Dual Capture feature.

One such area consisted of a cage of cameras, which uses hats with retroreflective markers that bounce IR light off of them.

There was also a treadmill station to track the way AirPods move in someone’s ear while running or walking. Apple engineers use small stickers to measure how much earbuds shift throughout activities.

Close-up of a white wireless earbud inserted in an ear with black and white calibration markers on the ear and earbud.
Apple uses these QR code stickers to see how the AirPods have moved over time during certain activities.
Photo by Tucker Bowe for Gear Patrol
Person walking on a treadmill next to a large screen displaying four side-profile facial scans in a bright room.
All angles of testing AirPods during a treadmill workout.
Photo by Tucker Bowe for Gear Patrol
Apple’s advanced setup with a Mac Pro and Pro XDR Display.

For my last stop, I got to see a robotics station where Apple created what it calls the “special machine” — a mannequin head (with soft, printed ears that are designed to mimic human gears) attached to robotic arm.

Robotic arm with a human-like head mounted on a gray metal base with wheels inside an industrial space.
Apple fitted soft, printed ears on the mannequin head to simulate real human ears.
Photo by Tucker Bowe for Gear Patrol
The mannequin simulates human movement and activities. And yes, it dances.

With this, engineers can simulate even more activities, such as dancing, so that Apple can test the fit of AirPods Pro 3 in even the most extreme conditions.

Today, AirPods are by far and away the most popular earbuds on the planet, with much of their previous success simply coming down to their ease of use with the iPhone.

With every new iteration, however, Apple further blurs the line between consumer convenience and high-end audio, turning this simple white accessory into a cornerstone of our collective soundscape.

Editor’s Note: All of the above photos and videos were captured on the iPhone 17 Pro Max.

About the Author: Tucker Bowe has been on Gear Patrol’s editorial team since 2014. With a passion for consumer tech and hi-fi, he tracks everything from headphones and turntables to smartphones and wearables. If it lights up or makes noise, he probably covers it.

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