Apple Airpods Max Review
After two years of rumor and speculation, the Apple AirPods Max was the most eagerly awaited headphones of 2023. They are, in fact, more average than many had anticipated, despite their exceptional audio quality and great quality of life features.
With a broad, immersive soundstage and a well-balanced profile, they can easily compete with the Sony WH-1000XM4 in this area. The pairing process is really simple, and we didn’t have any issues with connection dropouts
The return of the Apple Watch’s Digital Crown, which allows you to precisely change the volume and conveniently control your music playback, was a highlight for us. The lack of a 3.5mm audio connector is a significant design flaw.
Apple’s own Apple Digital Masters are the only ones that don’t support Hi-Res Audio codecs. The AirPods Max is geared firmly at Apple fans – people who already own an iPhone, use Siri regularly, and own one or more Apple Watches.
Design:
The Apple AirPods Max is the company’s first attempt at over-ear headphones. The earcups are composed of stainless steel, while the headband is made of knitted mesh to relieve pressure on the head.
We weren’t sold on the overall design at first, but we have to admit that it has grown on us; they stand out among the competitors. They’re extremely pleasant to wear, although not quite as much as the Sony WH-1000XM4.
Apple’s new AirPods Max wireless earbuds include built-in controls that look like the Apple Watch’s Digital Crown dials. Play or pausing audio, skip tracks, answer or finishing phone conversations, and activating Siri are all possible with these controls.
A noise control button on the right earcup allows you to switch between active noise cancellation and Transparency mode, while an Apple Lightning connector is located on the bottom of the earcup.
Comfort:
The Apple AirPods Max is a competitor for Sony’s flagship WH-1000XM4 headphones. They are substantially heavier than Apple’s wireless earbuds, weighing 385g, which is more than 100g more than the Sony headpiece.
However, because of the weight-distribution design’s efficacy, they don’t feel heavy on the head and there are no noticeable pressure areas.
Noise Cancelation:
The Apple AirPods Max are noise-canceling headphones with microphones integrated.
In noisy areas, the Transparency mode lets ambient noise travel through the headphones, allowing you to tune in to your surroundings.
Build:
The odd casing of the Apple AirPods Max has been compared to a bra or a gun holster. The case is insufficiently protective of the earbuds against scratches and dirt and is only somewhat better than tossing them into your bag naked.
The lack of a supplied wall charger may also irritate some users, though this is quite normal with wireless headphones these days. In terms of overall battery life, Apple claims that a full charge would last roughly 20 hours.
That’s much cheaper than the Sony WH-1000XM4, but we can’t picture many people discovering it before it’s too late. Apple also hasn’t figured out how to include an audio cable in the box. The Lightning-to-3.5mm connection is the only way to use the headphones wired.
Audio Performance:
The AirPods Max is excellent for listening to music of almost any genre. They have a large, well-balanced soundstage that gives each instrument enough room to shine. Apple’s Apple Digital Masters tracks, which are solely available through Apple Music, are the only ones that support Hi-Res Audio files.
Spatial audio:
Adaptive EQ, active noise cancellation, Transparency mode, and Spatial Audio are all possible with the AirPods Max’s ten audio cores. This ensures that the audio will always sound like it’s coming from the screen when you move your head.
It supports 5.1, 7.1, and Dolby Atmos content, which places sound all around you in a virtual world. This option is already available on Apple TV Plus, Disney Plus, and HBO Max, but Netflix and Amazon Prime Video have yet to follow suit.
Battery life and Connectivity:
The AirPods Max, according to Apple, can last up to 20 hours of high-fidelity audio, conversation time, or movie playback. We didn’t observe a noticeable loss in battery life when we left them in the Smart Case, even with Active Noise Cancellation turned on.
The Smart Case switches the headphones to a low-power mode, but there is no way to turn them off. When you use the Automatic Switching function, you can simply switch between your iPhone, iPad, and Mac while listening to music or accepting calls. Voice commands may also be used to control music, make phone calls, adjust volume, and receive directions.
Pros:
- Excellent audio quality and noise cancellation
- Audio that is cinematic and spatial
- The overall design is exceptional.
Cons:
- Extremely costly
- There isn’t a 3.5mm audio jack.
- Android functions are limited, and the bag is ineffective.
Conclusion:
The AirPods Max from Apple is among the best-sounding headphones we’ve ever heard. They’re simple to use, and the noise cancellation is on par with Sony’s WH-1000XM4 and Bose’s Noise Cancelling Headphones 700. However, because of their exorbitant price, limits for Android users, and lack of a 3.5mm audio connector, we’d only recommend them to iOS users with a lot of cash.
