[ad_1]
The AirPods Max headphones sound great. For almost the price of an iPhone 11, anything less would be a huge disappointment.
Apple’s entry into the rapidly expanding category of on-ear noise-canceling headphones was inevitable, and the end result lives up to the company’s usual high standards. Tested in the US and Japan, across a wide variety of music genres, use cases, and connected devices, the AirPods Max showed a level above the typical $ 300 pair of headphones (roughly Rs. 22,200) in this class. . But they did not fully justify their price of $ 549 (approximately Rs 40,500) due to some errors and imperfections.
If you are an iPhone or iPad user, you will find the perfect match. But once Mac models and devices from outside the Apple ecosystem come into play, things can get frustrating. In our tests, use with a Mac sometimes caused problems with phone calls and distorted audio. For users of the Windows PC and Android ecosystems, switching between devices requires manual input each time.
Apple keeps pace with noise-canceling leaders like Sony’s $ 280 (roughly Rs. 20,700) WH-1000XM4 without threatening to outshine them. Where the company is clearly at the forefront is with its transparency mode, which delivers primarily natural sound for occasions when you want to hear the world around you without removing your headphones.
Built around a sturdy steel frame and aluminum ear cups, the AirPods Max are some of the heaviest earbuds in their class, but their weight distribution makes that not a problem in our tests. The mesh headband helps prevent pressure build-up on the top of the head over long periods of use, but is also a point of concern for durability, as it appears susceptible to picking up dirt or tearing and is not replaceable by the user like magnetic. ear pads. Apple’s decision not to provide a case that protects more than just the headphones compounds this.
As a battery-powered wireless earphone, this expensive device will only last as long as its sealed battery system, an issue that has plagued owners of regular AirPods. So even though Apple may tout them as audiophile headphones for a new era of wireless music, it can’t promise the same lifespan as wired alternatives from Audeze, Sennheiser, or Grado Labs.
The companies Apple is challenging the most directly with its AirPods Max are Bowers & Wilkins, Bang & Olufsen A / S, and Master & Dynamic, brands that combine fashion and luxury with their tech offerings.
That’s where the AirPods Max are already a winner, in part due to Apple’s brand cachet, distinctive design, and exclusivity that comes with a high price tag and early scarcity. Being seen in these will be a fashion statement, one that will likely attract more than a few influencers to do Apple’s promotional work for free.
But the company that pioneered several innovations with the iPhone and iPad seems to lack a true differentiating feature with these new headphones. Apple isn’t doing anything profoundly unique this time around, relying more on superior quality and software features like Spatial Audio (home theater-like surround sound) and snappy pairing that has helped popularize internal AirPods.
AirPods Max offer sound quality that makes them a pleasant listening experience regardless of the type of music. They are way ahead of any other personal audio product from Apple. And only a few in its category, like Shure’s $ 349 (roughly Rs. 25,800) noise-canceling Aonic 50, can come close to matching its sound.
However, that sound quality was affected by a number of intermittent bugs when used with a next-gen Intel-based Mac. AirPods Max sometimes distort sounds and don’t adjust volume through the built-in controls on the headphones. Audio was also not audible at times when making and receiving calls from the Mac, and the sound flowed into the laptop’s speakers. These problems require restarting the Mac or modifying settings to fix them.
Apple doesn’t put a power button on these earbuds, asking users to trust them to automatically handle power management. It also has an auto-detection feature that turns playback off when headphones are removed. But when playing from the built-in music app on Mac, that auto-pause feature sometimes crashed when removing the headphones. The problem does not occur with an iPhone or an iPad. It is an issue that could affect battery life as music could be streamed from a Mac without the user being aware. Apple said it is investigating these issues.
For those outside of Apple’s ecosystem, rivals like the $ 449 Jabra Evolve2 85 (roughly Rs. 31,200) can maintain constant connections to more than one device and deliver a more streamlined experience, similar to Apple’s. But to be fair, all of Apple’s audio products follow the same playbook – they work best when paired with iPhones and iPads.
The case that comes with the AirPods Max is flimsy and lacks any real protection. This is disappointing when even the most basic AirPods come in hard protective cases and the cheaper rival earbuds have more reassuring housings. Apple has argued that the minimalist design makes the earphones easy to hold and store, which is true, but it does nothing to protect the headband.
Apple says the case has a “smart” element (activated by magnets) that puts the headphones into an ultra-low power mode when not in use, but we found that the headphones use low battery power when not playing music and are left on a table. in yours. At least one third-party accessory maker, Waterfield Designs, has promised to recreate that feature with a sturdier AirPods Max case, but it’s unclear whether Apple will open up that feature to third parties.
The battery life, whether streaming from Apple devices or Android and Windows devices, has been enough to get you through a full day and more of music, calls, movies, and video games. It’s notable that Apple’s headphones are practically latency-free when playing over Bluetooth 5, making them viable for gaming. Apple quotes 20 hours between charges, in line with other high-end headphones, and provides a Lightning charging connector, which makes sense since most users probably own iPhones, although it will be a nuisance to other consumers.
Since the first AirPods were released in 2016, users have complained that the batteries in the headphones generally only last up to two years before needing to be replaced. Given the AirPods Max’s sealed design, that’s likely to be an issue in the future as well. Apple says you can replace the AirPods Max battery for $ 79 (roughly Rs. 5,800) or at no additional cost if you take the $ 59 AppleCare + option (roughly Rs. 4,300) on purchase.
To control the headphones, Apple relies on three main methods: software on connected devices, Siri voice control, and a minimal set of settings with its digital crown. Siri on AirPods Max is the same experience you’ll find on any other Apple device, and the microphones generally do a good job of helping the virtual assistant understand your commands. The microphone performance of the AirPods Max is good without distinguishing itself.
The AirPods Max aren’t the first earbuds to offer interchangeable ear cushions, but, like Apple’s other products of late, the magnetic system is intuitive and the ear pads will be easy to change for around $ 70 (roughly $ 70). Rs. Eventually wears out.
AirPods Max follow a familiar guide from Apple. They start with distinctive design and performance that outperform rivals, but at a higher price. In audio, that’s a formula that failed with the original HomePod, a home speaker that sounded better than the competition at launch but lacked a major differentiator.
With the iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch, unique advantages like the company’s own processors have helped Apple devices stand out. The original AirPods also became a hit due to their ease of use, discreet casing, and fully wireless design. But with the AirPods Max, Apple is missing an important differentiator beyond its brand cachet.
The high price is to be expected from a company that is not afraid to allow customers to specify iMac desktops at $ 5,000 (roughly Rs. 3.7 lakhs) and above, and initial demand suggests that it is not proving to be a deterrent to customers. Christmas shoppers and Apple’s loyal user base.
Apple is already struggling with weeks-long delays in fulfilling new AirPods Max orders and everything indicates that it will continue to sell every pair it makes for a while. The question, after the initial excitement of the novelty wears off, will be how quickly the company iterates to solve software problems and how willing it will be to lower the price to expand the AirPods Max market.
© 2020 Bloomberg LP
Is the MacBook Air M1 the portable beast of a laptop you’ve always wanted? We talked about this on Orbital, our weekly tech podcast, which you can subscribe to via Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or RSS, download the episode, or just hit the play button below.
