AirPods Max Reviews

Two pretty decent video reviews of the AirPods Max

Apple AirPods Max – Do they SOUND like $549 Headphones?! – YouTube

(3) AirPods Max Review: Luxury Listening! – YouTube

This is a great written review: AirPods Max Review: Stunning sound with an expensive price (mobilesyrup.com)

Conversation 12 comments

  • bkkcanuck

    15 December, 2020 - 9:28 pm

    <p>Hard tell, but I was told they were not reference headphones – while the price is well into typical average reference headphone territory. Reference headphones are as neutral as possible (i.e. attention to reproducing the sound as it is — rather than typical consumer headphones that are not — i.e. typically base is boosted more on consumer oriented headphones). [I seem to remember one study and found that eEen audiophiles when blind tested tend to prefer good altered sound over neutral reference headphones]. Reference headphones are important for audio professionals in production. Maybe take the same tech in the future and come out with a 'more affordable' model ($250 – $300) I would consider buying, but at $549… very unlikely.</p>

    • shameer_mulji

      Premium Member
      15 December, 2020 - 10:00 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#600224">In reply to bkkcanuck:</a></em></blockquote><p>If you watch the review that I posted with Marques Brownlee, he even mentions that they are not reference headphones. A good pair of reference headphones can actually fetch a $1,000. </p><p><br></p><p>These are high-end consumer headphones that are designed for those who are invested in Apple's ecosystem AND want high-end sound. What really sets these apart from other $500 to $600 headphones is support for 1) Dolby Atmos and Spatial Audio with head-tracking (great for movie watching), 2) ease of device syncing / pairing with Apple devices, 3) Transparency Mode, and 4) wide sound stage, 5) the potential to add features via software updates.</p><p><br></p><p>That said, if you're not heavily invested in Apple's ecosystem and / or you just want a decent pair of headphones with good sound and nothing else, then obviously these headphones are not for you.</p>

      • SWCetacean

        Premium Member
        15 December, 2020 - 11:24 pm

        <blockquote><em><a href="#600234">In reply to shameer_mulji:</a></em></blockquote><p>Audiophile headphones can go well over $1000. My Stax SR-L700mk2 is almost $1600 if bought new, and that doesn't include the electrostatic amp that it needs since it can't be plugged into a regular headphone jack. </p><p><br></p><p>I see how the AirPods Max has a combination of capabilities that no other headphone has right now, but I think the market that would want that combination of all of its capabilities is currently small even among the Apple faithful. From reading impressions on the headphones subreddit, it looks like it has really good noise cancellation and sounds overall more balanced than Sony/Bose ANC headphones, but the soundstage is the result of some sort of DSP which causes the sound to lose clarity. It's a rather curious device; it will probably be much better in the second iteration.</p>

        • bkkcanuck

          15 December, 2020 - 11:30 pm

          <blockquote><em><a href="#600247">In reply to SWCetacean:</a></em></blockquote><p>I will stick with my cheapo Sensheisser HD 280 Pros…. not so pro and not so pricing and reasonably good sound for the price. </p>

        • shameer_mulji

          Premium Member
          15 December, 2020 - 11:41 pm

          <blockquote><em><a href="#600247">In reply to SWCetacean:</a></em></blockquote><p>"I think the market that would want that combination of all of its capabilities is currently small even among the Apple faithful"</p><p><br></p><p>I agree. By no means am I trying to imply there's a huge for these headphones but I'm glad to see Apple play in this space because I genuinely think they bring some value to this segment.</p>

  • j5

    Premium Member
    15 December, 2020 - 9:34 pm

    <p>Hard pass for $550!</p>

    • bkkcanuck

      17 December, 2020 - 4:13 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#600225">In reply to j5:</a></em></blockquote><p>I will likely pass on them as well (I am fine with my current wired ones), but I would not rule out them being worth it to some people… I use to have a 5.1 of reasonably high quality Paradigm speakers (before moving half-way around the world — 10 years ago), and if the headset can delivery a reasonably high quality sound… it could be worth it for some people. [I just cannot sit and relax in an environment where that sort of quality is needed — and I would not get the use out of it required]. </p>

  • Brett Barbier

    15 December, 2020 - 9:42 pm

    <p>I'm considering buying a pair… anyone know how much a kidney goes for?</p>

    • j5

      Premium Member
      15 December, 2020 - 9:43 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#600230">In reply to Brett_B:</a></em></blockquote><p>hehe</p>

  • wright_is

    Premium Member
    16 December, 2020 - 6:19 am

    <p>Like the first Buds, that looked like a pair of Oral B toothbrush heads sticking out the ears), these look horrible.</p><p>I don't know why Apple fails so spectacularly with the design of headsets. Everything else (apart from the notch on the iPhone) is generally sleek and well designed.</p>

    • Truffles

      16 December, 2020 - 9:03 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#600289">In reply to wright_is:</a></em></blockquote><p>And yet the shape has become iconic and they remain extraordinarily popular in a crowded market.</p>

  • Sprtfan

    16 December, 2020 - 10:00 pm

    <blockquote><em><a href="#600449">In reply to lvthunder:</a></em></blockquote><p>or they didn't make very many. </p>

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