[ad_1]
The featured products are independently selected by our editorial team and we can earn a commission for purchases made from our links; the retailer may also receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
AirPods Max, Apple’s first pair of on-ear headphones, was announced via a press release last week and is available today.
The headphones garnered a lot of attention due to the success of the AirPods and AirPods Pro, and their price tag of $ 549. I’ve spent about a week with the headphones and they do a great job combining the best features of the AirPods Pro into a bigger, much better sounding package.
One step setup
Because I use Apple devices, setting up AirPods Max took less than a minute. The headphones require you to use an iOS device with iOS 14.3 or a Mac with MacOS 11.1, which were released earlier this week. These headphones are only compatible with Apple devices, unless you use them with a cable, which I will talk about a bit later.
The iPad I used during my initial test detected the AirPods Max within seconds of taking them out of their box and instantly pairing them. Once connected, I was able to start listening to music right away – no separate app needed.
If you’ve connected your AirPods Max to an Apple device, it will automatically pair with your other Apple gear, which is a useful time saver.
Designed for simplicity and comfort
Brandt ranj
AirPods Max follow Apple’s philosophy of making devices that are simple in appearance and precisely designed. The outside of your headphones is made of solid aluminum, with slim cutouts for microphones. Most microphones are used for active noise cancellation, but three are used to make your voice sound better during phone calls. I only received a couple of calls using AirPods Max, but no one complained about how it sounded.
Its headband frame is made of stainless steel, which glides on smoothly if you need to adjust the size of the earbuds to fit your head. This is a huge improvement over headphones with a thin, flimsy metal band or a plastic one that snaps into place. Simply put, the AirPods Max look good, so they should give their price.
These headphones only have two buttons: a larger version of the Digital Crown (originally on the Apple Watch) and one to switch between noise-canceling settings. The digital crown works quite well, but I barely touched it because it is easier to make volume adjustments on my device. However, pressing the button once stops or plays your music, which is convenient if your device is far away.
The active noise cancellation button serves only one purpose, but is incredibly responsive. There is no delay between when you press the button and when the headphones react, which is not the case with all active noise canceling headphones. One feature missing from Active Noise Cancellation on AirPods Max is the ability to adjust its sensitivity; either activate the function or switch to transparency mode, which filters out some external sounds.
Brandt ranj
Apple’s only controversial design choice was to stick AirPods Max with its proprietary lighting port. Most devices have moved over to USB-C, including Apple in many cases, but the company stubbornly sticks to this jack for its headphones, entry-level iPads, and iPhones.
Because it doesn’t have a standard 3.5mm audio output, you’ll need a special $ 30 cable if you want to use your AirPods Max as wired headphones in an aircraft’s entertainment center or TV headphone jack. If you want a wireless solution to those two problems, you can also get AirFly Pro from Twelve South, a wireless transmitter that works with all AirPods.
Apple says the AirPods Max get up to 20 hours of battery life per charge, and that’s been my experience using them as my main earbuds for about a week. I plug them in for an hour or so every other day, and that allows me to go through long sessions of listening to music and podcasts without battery anxiety.
I’m not too surprised by the look of Apple’s AirPods Max, but I was surprised at how comfortable they are to wear. Although they weigh nearly a pound (heavy by wireless earbud standards), the padding that Apple uses on its ear cups and headband is incredibly soft.
The top of the headband is made from an open woven mesh material that stretches to fit the head. I didn’t feel pressure in my ears or on the top of my head at any point during my test, even when walking or going up and down stairs. The AirPods Max were moving, but I never felt uncomfortable using them.
If the weight or feel of on-ear headphones has bothered you enough to switch to headphones or an on-ear pair, Apple’s design choice may bring you back.
Apple’s big bet on sound quality paid off
Brandt ranj
Apple had a lot to prove when it priced the AirPods Max at $ 549, up to $ 200 more than its main competitors: Sony’s WH-1000XM4, Bowers & Wilkins PX7, and Shure’s AONIC 50. You can’t go wrong with any of those headphones, we’ve tried them all, but Apple has achieved something really special with AirPods Max.
The company squeezed an impressive amount of audio performance out of standard AirPods, but it’s clear it could do a lot more with larger earbuds. The AirPods Max are the best pair of wireless earbuds we’ve tested due to a combination of custom hardware and software developed by Apple, and no other earbuds are playable.
Each earbud has an inward-facing microphone and a 10-core processor, allowing the earphones to use a feature Apple calls “Adaptive EQ.” Rather than letting you control how the headphones sound, AirPods Max will make micro adjustments several times per second based on your listening volume level and the track you’re playing. There’s no way to disable this feature for a totally flat EQ, which I think would be nice, but the results speak for themselves.
Because this feature is dynamic, the AirPods Max is prepared for whatever track you hear. A Tribe Call Quest’s Bass What it thundered without distortion. A guitar that I had lost before at John Martyn’s Solid air it sounded as clear as the lead vocal track. One artist that I returned to a lot during my testing was Bill Evans. I heard most of your Live in the Town Hall album during my initial preview period, and I was surprised by the presence of the audience when they clapped between songs.
Brandt ranj
Listening to the song Minority of his LP Everybody digs Bill Evans I could hear every beat of Philly Joe Jones’ drums during a fill. Fast tracks like that never sounded distorted or smeared, they always remained crystal clear, for better or worse.
However, these headphones will only sound as good as the source material, so if you’re listening to compressed files or albums that are poorly mastered, you’re in for a big surprise. Bob dylan Unplugged The album fell flat on AirPods Max because I could hear the limitations of the recording.
Adaptive EQ deserves some of the credit for the way AirPods Max sounds, but Apple’s custom-designed 43mm drivers do much of the heavy lifting. Each features a dual neodymium ring magnetic motor, which Apple claims reduces 99% of harmonic distortion. The AirPods Max innards would sound great on their own, but Apple’s software optimizes it, so it’s up for every scenario.
Nothing will completely replace playing Hi-Res audio files on a set of high-end wired headphones connected to an audiophile DAC, but the proper setup requires multiple components and a lot more money. The AirPods Max sound great and can be taken anywhere.
Ignored case
Brandt ranj
AirPods Max are carefully designed inside and out, but the case that Apple includes with them is the complete opposite. It only covers the ear muffs of the headphones, leaving the band fully exposed. It looks awkward on its own, and things don’t get any better when you put AirPods Max in.
It’s not worth discussing this case in depth, but putting them in is the only way to activate the earbuds’ ultra-low power mode. If removed normally, the headphones will remain powered on and connected for several hours before entering this state.
This makes the AirPods Max case an essential accessory if you are concerned about battery life, especially when traveling, making its odd design even weirder. Hopefully Apple will issue a software update that will give us more control over AirPods Max’s ultra-low power mode, or allow third-party companies to make cases.
The bottom line
Brandt ranj
The AirPods Max are a natural extension of Apple’s desire to enter the world of premium audio. Standard AirPods are just $ 125, and AirPods Pro sound better, support active noise cancellation, and cost $ 199 at some stores.
Apple solved the problems with its headphones and brought the best features (and more) to AirPods Max. The ability to simply pick up the headphones, have them instantly pair with my device, and start listening without pressing a single button made the experience of using them superior to other wireless headphones.
Switching between devices with a tap and never having to check if they made the new connection again was just as impressive. AirPods Max only works with Apple devices, but we have a ton of great alternatives if you use Windows or Android.
They’re a great investment and come with some design flaws that can be a deal breaker, but the AirPods Max are smart, convenient to use, and have a great pair of earbuds designed with Apple devices in mind.
AirPods Max, $ 549 at Amazon
[ad_2]
