Apple AirPods Max - Space Gray

TL/DR: Superb build quality, astonishingly good audio quality and best in class ANC add up to be the very best noise cancelling headphones you can buy, as long as you intend to use them with Apple hardware. Users of Android phones or windows desktops are probably better served by other options. Longer review: The first impression when these come out of the box is the sheer excellence of the build quality. The aluminium ear cups, stainless steel head band and soft memory foam ear pads all add up to a build quality that looks, feels and is light years ahead of any other offering at this or even much higher price points. By comparison competing headphones that are made of plastic, however well made, feel nastily cheap by comparison. Apple always focus on build quality and aesthetics and here they have outdone themselves. Comfort is surprisingly excellent. These headphones feel and are weighty but never feel heavy even after lengthy listening sessions. The fabric & memory foam ear pads combine with the mesh on the head band to make them surprisingly comfortable despite their relative weight. Again full marks in this department. The active noise cancelling is very impressive. When switched on the outside world really does simply disappear. Best of all, the sound signature is in no way affected by turning on ANC. No distortion, no hiss, no background noise at all. Again very impressive. Similarly transparency mode is handled equally well - turn it on and the effect is that of the headphones seeming to disappear. External sound is clear but so is whatever music you have playing. The engineers at Apple did a superb job with the transparency mode. Being headphones the £1M question is of course how do they sound? The answer is very good indeed. The sound signature is close to the Harman curve so the Airpods Max have a natural and neutral sound. Detail and separation are excellent. The sound stage is good though admittedly not as wide as other headphones I've tried. Bass is punchy but detailed and doesn't sound muddy in the slightest. Treble is tight and highs are handled again with detail. Be aware though that because the sound reproduction is excellent these headphones will severely punish low quality or poorly done recordings. In terms of ease of use, I don't think I've ever had a pair of bluetooth headphones that are as easy to use. Pairing with Apple devices is effortless (I use with an iPhone 12 pro max and a 2019 iPad pro) and switching between Apple devices is seamless and "just works." Android or WIndows users will however be missing out on a number of features and are probably best served by other options. One final point - the case that these headphones come with is a horrible joke. Given how carefully designed and engineered the headphones are the case is head scratchingly awful. It feels nice and is made of decent material but it does a very poor job of covering the headphones. I would imagine that everyone who buys Airpods Max will instantly also buy a proper third party hard case to go with them. No idea what Apple were thinking there but the included case is quite literally nearly pointless as an actual case. All in all, are the Airpods Max worth the (relative to the competition) very expensive price? Value is obviously a subjective thing but in terms of build quality, ease of use, convenience and most importantly audio quality these far exceed all of the competition. For me personally they're definitely worth the price and I genuinely find it hard to put them down. 9.5/10 for the Airpods Max, 2/10 at most for the pointless included "case."

I have had the Apple AirPods Max for a while now, and they have proven to be a premium addition to my audio experience. Here’s an in-depth review of their features, performance, and overall value: Design and Comfort The AirPods Max exude elegance with their sleek design and high-quality materials. The stainless steel frame, coupled with memory foam ear cups and a breathable knit mesh canopy, ensures both durability and comfort. Despite their weight, they feel surprisingly light and comfortable, even during extended listening sessions. The ear cups fit snugly around the ears, providing excellent noise isolation without causing any discomfort. Sound Quality The sound quality of the AirPods Max is exceptional. The audio is rich and detailed, with a balanced mix of deep bass, clear mids, and crisp highs. The custom-built drivers deliver an immersive listening experience, whether I'm enjoying music, listening to podcasts and watching movies. The spatial audio feature with dynamic head tracking is particularly impressive, creating a surround sound experience that enhances the overall immersion. Noise Cancellation and Transparency Mode Apple's noise cancellation capabilities of the AirPods Max are impressive. The active noise cancellation effectively blocks out ambient noise, making it perfect for use in noisy environments like airplanes or busy streets. The transparency mode is equally remarkable, allowing me to hear and interact with my surroundings without having to remove the headphones. Switching between these modes is seamless and convenient. Controls and Connectivity The intuitive controls on the AirPods Max make them easy to use. The Digital Crown allows for precise volume adjustments, track skipping, and Siri activation, while the noise control button lets me quickly switch between noise cancellation and transparency mode. Pairing with Apple devices is effortless, thanks to the H1 chip, which also ensures a stable and reliable connection. Battery Life The battery life is more than adequate for my needs, offering up to 20 hours of high-fidelity audio, talk time, or movie playback with active noise cancellation and spatial audio enabled. The included Smart Case puts the headphones in an ultra-low-power state to preserve battery life when not in use. Fast charging is a bonus, providing around 1.5 hours of listening time with just a 5-minute charge. Price and Value The AirPods Max are undoubtedly on the pricier side, but they justify their cost with top-tier features, build quality, and performance. For audiophiles and those who prioritize premium audio experiences, they are a worthwhile investment. However, for casual listeners, the price may be a deterrent. Conclusion The Apple AirPods Max stand out as one of the best over-ear headphones on the market. They combine luxurious design, exceptional sound quality, and advanced features like active noise cancellation and spatial audio. While they come with a hefty price tag, the overall experience they offer makes them a compelling choice for those seeking high-end headphones. If you’re in the market for premium audio gear and are willing to invest, the AirPods Max will not disappoint.

People talk trash about these headphones mainly because of the price, myself included... until I tried them, they are a game-changer, the noise cancellation is beyond amazing, the sound quality is the best I've ever heard, the build quality is elite. these will last forever and there's not going to be a reason to upgrade. Sony xm3/4s are good... but they're made of plastic, they don't feel as good as AirPods Max and they definitely won't last as long. sound quality, loudness, and ANC I give in favour of the Airpods Max. the controls are also superior and the transparency mode is amazing, it's like your not wearing any headphones at all. Complaints about the weight must be coming from babies because after 10 hours of use with a lot of head movement my neck/head is fine. When I got these headphones I wanted to hate them. I wanted to return them and keep my xm4s but they can't stand up to the Airpods Max at all. they do cost twice as much but I bought the xm3s and then the xm4s which did me £600 together, all because my xm3s cushions basically collapsed, so I couldn't use them anymore, so I got the xm4s to replace them and sadly they are also on the way to the same problem. the AirPods Max have replaceable earcups and the rest of the headphones is made of metal which is stronger and more durable than plastic. to put why AirPods Max are a better choice than Sonys xm3/4s I've done an easily understandable analogy: On the Sony headphones side, It's kinda like buying a car with the seats, steering wheel and tyres only made last about a year and having to buy a new car each time they wear down, with the engine, in this case, the drivers still working. When on the AirPods Max side, you could buy a car that's made to last for a long time with easily replaceable parts. I say this because the drivers in my xm3s are still working but the ear cushions are flat (which forced me to buy a new pair and I opted for the most recent pair with that being the xm4s), when/if this happens to my AirPods Max I'll just buy new earcups. instead of a new headset, like Sony is making you do with no replaceable earcups and inferior build quality. These save you money in the long run. people get confused with apple. let me clear it up: They make things last a long time, Apple will continue to release firmware updates for these headphones. Apple will always make the replaceable earcups for these headphones. people still use the AirPods they bought 4 years ago (my xm3s were lucky to make 1 year). people need to understand these will last years and years guaranteed. If you still hate these headphones then you just simply hate how successful apple is, I'll admit I'm no fanboy, the way apple makes a problem then sells you a solution is diabolical but it's just business, but in this case, Apple is selling a fantastic pair of headphones at a reasonable price considering the longevity of the product. ps. I use them on my pc with Bluetooth and they work just fine.

The Apple AirPods Max offer a premium audio experience in a stylish and sleek design. However, there are a few considerations to keep in mind. Firstly, some users have found them to be less comfortable compared to other headphones in their price range. The weight and clamping force may cause discomfort during extended use. Additionally, while the sound quality is impressive, it may not match the level of the AirPods Pro 2. Audiophiles or individuals seeking the highest level of audio fidelity may find the AirPods Max to be slightly lacking in comparison. Furthermore, the noise-cancelling feature on the AirPods Max does a good job in reducing external noise, but it may not excel in keeping the sound from leaking out. This could be a concern for those in shared or quiet environments where sound leakage is not desired. My wife could hear music even at low volume, other Top end headphones I use do NOT have the some issue. Despite these drawbacks, the AirPods Max still offer a premium and convenient wireless listening experience, with seamless integration into the Apple ecosystem. The build quality is solid, and the adaptive EQ and spatial audio features enhance the overall audio experience. The battery life is commendable as well, allowing for extended listening sessions without frequent recharging. Ultimately, if you value sleek design and seamless integration with Apple devices, along with above-average sound quality and acceptable noise-cancelling capabilities, the AirPods Max could be a suitable choice. However, if comfort and superior noise cancellation are your top priorities, considering other options might be worth exploring. The headphones ARE extremely solidly built as you'd expect from apple. Just wish they were slightly more comfortable as my ears were getting sore after just a couple of hours. MY ONE annoyance and it's a biggie. YOU CANNOT switch the blasted things off.

Like all Apple gear, these are expensive. Once you accept that, and with the expectation that the build quality and usability will be up there with the best that Apple produces, and, crucially, given that you've actually tried or own these, then you're in a position to give a balanced review. So, with that out of the way, let's look at these for what they are: impeccably built, fantastic sounding (IMO, for a wireless set), comfortable headphones that just work - brilliantly - with many devices. Switching between devices is handled with ease and they are a very comfortable wear, despite their weight on paper. The dial and button are a joy to use; every time my wife comes to talk to me I can quickly pause whatever's playing with one push of the dial, turn on transparency mode with a push of the button, and have a clear-as-day conversation before quickly resuming. Make no mistake: these headphones are extremely well designed and built. I have many headphones; some wireless but mostly wired, including a fully balanced audiophile setup and I can say that the sound quality is extremely impressive - for Bluetooth. I state that caveat because no wireless headphones will sound as good as a properly amped and cabled, balanced, setup with may seem obvious but it's still worth stating because there's no part of me that feels the Airpods Max sound deficient, within reasonable expectations. I could carry on describing how much I love these but I'll stop short of that and just say that I am extremely pleased. Summary: expensive, yes, but what Apple gear isn't? You get what you pay for and if you're in the Apple ecosystem and you want some over-ears, you'll do well to at least try them.

A few weeks ago I bought the Sony WH1000-XM5’s and was a little disappointed with them. To be clear the Sony’s are great headphones but after all the stellar reviews they got I found the sound to be a little muddy ( even eq’d ) and I also had issues with the sound breaking up a bit at high volumes or being a little pitchy if I tried to eq the break-up out. However, they are very good and unbelievably comfortable to wear and the ANC is absolutely fantastic As a fairly heavy Apple user the airpod Max’s had been nagging at me for a while but I was finding it hard to justify the price, was worried about a new version coming out in Sept, and had only just bought the Sony’s. Well, late one evening, when most of my more regrettable Amazon purchases are made, I decided to bite the bullet. On the whole I was not disappointed. The Max’s sound noticeably better than the XM5’s ( to me and the type of music I listen to) and the sound stage is much better. The MX5’s are great and you wont be disappointed but if you have more money than sense, like me, the Max’s do offer an even better audio quality than the already excellent XM5’s. The ANC is very close between the 2 but I think the XM5’s are very marginally better, but its really close. its not all roses though, and I will definitely be keeping my XM5 for one very good reason. The Max’s are a LOT heavier than the XM5’s. They are not uncomfortable but if you try laying down in the Max’s or walking around, the weight makes them shift noticeably on your head. So if you are sitting upright (ish) and not moving a lot the Max’s are fine. If you want to lay down with them on they try to slip off your ears, and they waggle about a bit as you walk around. The XM5’s are almost like wearing in-ear phones in that you almost forget you are wearing them they are so light and so comfy. So for long plane flights, or travelling in general I’ll be using the XM5’s. When I’m chillin’ at home I’ll use the Max’s. couple of other minor mentions. People keep saying the pass through on the Max’s is better than the XM5’s. This is true, although only by a small amount, but honestly who cares? If you are talking to someone or want to hear something just take the damn things off! I also don’t use either headset when I am making or receiving phone calls so could care less about those features on either headphone. The other issue is more of a worry and requires some investigation. These headphones seem to cause massive battery drain on my iPhone and iPad, an issue seemingly heavily reported on the tinterweb. It also makes my iPhone 13 feel like the screen is on-fire, so it’s clearly doing some heavy processing, possibly because of the atmos and lossless audio streaming over bluetooth. on the whole though, I agree that so far these are the best sounding, but not most comfortable, ANC bluetooth headphones I have ever heard. And sound is ultimately what headphones are all about, right ?

What an amazing set of headphones! I previously had my go to airpod pros and was slightly hesitant to shell out for the maxs. AirPod max have a heavy premium feel with plenty of weight behind them, a very simple button configuration that is easy to navigate when in use. The head band feels like it’s floating over the top of my head and with the mesh material it doesn’t create sweat this making for more pleasant listen, combined with the super soft ear cups too. As a side note I’m a user with 14mm tunnels through my lobes and there is no crushing or pressure point pinching either A fairly loud level of sound if required with no noticeable distortion at the high end, highs mids and lows appear to be set just perfect and one never out speaks the other. The noise cancellation is fantastic and makes listening pleasant as you don’t need to crack the volume up to drown out the noises of life be it in the car or train to just chilling indoors hiding from the rest of the family. Transparency mode feels like hd hearing but doesn’t take away from the quality of sound when listening to your music, allowing you to have those important conversations with constantly taking off and putting back on. Battery life for me has come in at 15-16 hour before needing to charge. From my short time of using this product I can say that there are two main points that personally annoy me, these are the fact that you can’t turn the head phones off manually which in turn makes me feel like I need the smart case everywhere I go and secondly the “smart case” doesn’t protect all of the headphones which concerns me that the head band may get damaged over time. Other than these points, a beautiful product that I will use everyday on my commute to and from work. This was not a paid review, I brought these with my own money. Thank you.

The AirPods Max is a polarising product. Apple bashers will hate them, audiophiles will be sceptical, Apple fanboys will (for the most part) love them. But the elephant in the room - the cost and THAT case. If you're tied into the a different ecosystem like Samdroid-Windows, or just don't like Apple products in your life for whatever reason you've convinced yourself of, then the AirPods Max aren't for you. But trust me, you're missing out. First off, no matter what "What Hifi" says (and in my opinion they have a history of giving questionable favourable reviews), these ARE better than the so-called market leader, the Sony WH-1000XM4. And it's not even a close run thing. They are sonically superior, the build quality is streets ahead, they look better, the Apple ecosystem works better than standard Bluetooth, and despite being much heavier than the Sonys, they are more comfortable for longer periods of time. The only place the Sony has the AirPods beaten is the battery life and the fact they have a proper case and a couple more accessories. The spatial audio is super clever but a bit of a gimmick to me. The ANC is excellent, and you can tap the button on the right ear cup to switch to transparent mode which works really well. The Digital Crown, which is similar to the one on my Apple Watch, works well for volume and track skipping and play/pause. The only thing I'd say is the rotary dial is a little sensitive. To the elephants: Cost - I got mine in a January sale from amazon for £400 on their 5 monthly deal. That's £150 off retail. Now I own them, I wouldn't feel begrudged if I'd paid the full amount. They're that good. Case - I bought a £22 Spigen hard case (also off Amazon), which is actually better made and higher quality than the case the Sonys come with, so even though I had to pay for them, it's better too. If you want to spend that much money, then you won't regret it. If you are sceptical, I'd suggest go to the Apple store and try them out. If you're an Apple basher, well why have you read this far? I mean, really. Genuinely an astonishing product from Apple.

Nulla da dire, qualità del suono superiore ad ogni altra cuffia da me provata. Comode, batteria che dura a lungo insomma, perfette.

Apple levererar igen med dessa välgjorda lurar med overkligt bra brusreducering. Släpper man igenom yttre ljud (en knapptryckning) går det fram så obehindrat att man nästan undrar om man har lurarna på sig. Integrationen med Apples övriga prylar är som vanligt helt sömlös. Närmaste Apple-enhet kopplas med ett enkelt kommando. Ljudet är kristallklart och välbalanserat med en dynamik som gör hela registret rättvisa. EQ:n känns dynamisk utifrån ljudbilden i musiken. Vill man ändå ha en annan ljudbild (jag har inget behov) så är det lätt fixat med iOS EQ. Testade även med film (via Apple TV). Wow vilken känsla, det kommer ljud från alla håll med en bas i effekterna som upplevs ha sin källa från en subwoofer. Att kalla det 3D-ljud känns som ett understatement. Slutligen kvalitetskänslan. Det är Apple hela vägen, inget billigt plastskräp här! Jovisst den är dyr, men trots det tycker jag den är värd varenda krona. Vad väntar du på? ;)

Gewoon geweldig, de muziek klinkt van alle kanten in het rond om je oren. ik hoor inderdaad geluiden en instrumenten die ik normaal bij afspelen niet (direct)hoor. Gewoon even genieten maar dan ook echt! Bij transparantie hoor je op de achtergrond nog gewoon geluiden maar niet overdreven hard dat je muziek verstoord. Het opladen is wel vervelend als je het zonder andere additieven wilt laden omdat je het snoertje onderaan een oor moet pluggen en je de koptelefoon dan moet laten liggen of ophangen aan het hoofdband. Nog een klein minpuntje is dat hij best zwaar is en een beetje te lang op begint het te knellen en dan heb ik al een best smalle hoofd.

Sealed and packed safely

[Spoil = un petit tuto sympa à la fin !] Il faut arrêter de dire que ce casque est trop cher (surtout au prix actuel –437 à l'époque de l'achat–. Bon ok, faut aimer la couleur saumon. Elle est très chouette en vrai !) Pour atteindre la même qualité sonore il faut taper dans du B&O H95 à 899 balles. Aucun casque ne propose une telle réduction de bruit et un mode transparence aussi réaliste. Ni d’égalisation adaptative qui scanne vos oreilles 200 fois par seconde. D'ailleurs, quelle fonction géniale ça ! Existe-t-il d’autres casques de cette gamme disposant d’une telle finition de dingue ? Non ! Un petit démontage – un site américain le fait très bien avec de belles photos à l'appui – fera passer les concurrents qu’on site tout le temps pour des jouets Playskool tant les finitions et l'assemblage matériel sont aux antipodes. Dois-je évoquer l’intégration géniale au reste du matos Apple ? La qualité du son ? On entend quelles critiques sur un Focal Stellia avec zéro électronique et un gros fil à 3 000 balles ? Aucune. Alors pourquoi bâcher celui-ci gratuitement la plupart du temps sans l'avoir juste essayé ? Tout ça, mis bout à bout, se paie. Il n’y a pas de mystère. Les marques qu'on lui oppose systématiquement ont dû souffler de ne pas se retrouver avec l’AirPod Max à 430 brouzoufs. Comparer les AirPods Max aux Bose et Sony est aussi débile que de comparer une Aston Martin à un Citroën Picasso. Ouais, ce sont deux voitures avec 4 roues et un moteur. Mais un univers les sépare… Et, si je puis me permettre, le son d'un XM4 (par défaut) est une farce. Il dégueule des graves qui dégoulinent sur les bas médiums. Quand on sort d'un bon casque filaire on a l'impression d'écouter un casque qui a un problème. L'AirPods Max a une courbe de fréquence qui privilégie clairement les basses. Les sub-basses sont superbes, les basses sont vives, super pêchues, presque physiques. J'adore ce casque entre autre pour ça. Quel plaisir. Mais ces basses ne bavent pas sur le reste du spectre. On a donc plus de détail, bien plus d'équilibre, et un son clairement orienté plaisir. Pour moins il manque un petit truc en haut dans les aigus (propre à mon exemplaire ?), j'en parle à la fin de ce commentaire ;) Bon, ok… L’étui est à revoir. Et je comprends 10 fois qu’on puisse se satisfaire pleinement d’un XM4 (après égalisation) ou d’un QC35II/45 ! Surtout à leur prix. Mais ils ne jouent pas du tout dans la même cour. Ça c'était le coup de gueule par rapport à ce que je lis et entend en permanence de la part de gens qui, dans 95% des cas, n'ont jamais essayé, voire simplement touché ce casque ;) J'attendais d'avoir testé pour m'exprimer, moi ;) Ces AirPods Max me tentaient depuis un an. Mais, quelles que soient leurs qualités, j'avais autre chose à faire de 629€. Puis je suis déjà équipé de bons casques filaires. Depuis quelques semaines, il a baissé de presque 200€. Là ça devient un belle affaire. Hop, commande faite. Premières impressions, c'est magnifique, les finitions sont dingues. On a l'impression d'avoir un objet extraterrestre dans les mains. Je n'ai pas ressenti ça depuis longtemps. Le son est excellent. Vraiment. Mais ça on le lit et entend partout. Je suis un casse-pied concernant les casques, j'ai eu que des filaires pour leur qualité intrinsèque, sans concessions. Je compare tout le temps, cherche la perle rare. Je ne jugerais pas le son seul (il y aurait beaucoup à dire, je pourrais m'étendre des heures) mais une expérience globale. Il ne faut pas comparer les AirPods Max à un casque filaire ouvert qui plus est. Ce sont deux usages, deux concepts si différents. Un excellent Fidelio X2HR que j'apprécie énormément serait un enfer dans la rue. Et c'est là, entre autre, que les AirPods Max sont géniaux. Réduction des bruits dinguissime, mode transparence bluffant, qualité sonore de très haut vol pour un casque BT, super confort, etc. C'est là qu'il est génial ce casque. Vraiment. J'ai testé le spatial audio sur Apple TV+ c'est jouissif. Sur le début de "Finch" avec Tom Hanks, en pleine tempête et dans l'entrepôt. Tout tourne autour de la tête, devant, derrière, au-dessus. J'avais été étonné avec des AirPods Pro, là c'est encore mieux. Ça me donne envie d'acheter un Apple TV 4K rien que pour ça. On verra plus tard... J'aimerais aussi voir ce que ça donne sur de la musique. Étant chez Deezer, je ne peux hélas pas. J'avais été très déçu sur un casque filaire en forçant la fonction Audio spatial. Peut-être que les casques Apple gèrent ça différemment. Mais si c'est aussi bon qu sur les bandes son sur Apple TV+, je crois que je vais craquer rapidement (Mise à jour après essai dans Apple Music : je ne comprends pas l'intérêt du Dolby Atmos – et donc de l'Audio spatial – en musique. Pour du ciné/séries c'est rigolo car on se croirait dans une salle de cinéma. Mais en musique, je ne pige pas. 90% des titres sont moins bons, de loin, qu'en simple, mais maîtrisée, stéréo. Sur quelques uns c'est horrible, on perd du détail, de l'impact, de la précision, tout. Et quand on repasse en stéréo, oufff, que c'est bon. De rares morceaux sont bien fichus, bien mixés. Mais c'est tellement rare). Bref, ne jugez pas sans essayer cet objet de dingue. On peut ne pas aimer, j'en suis sûr, pour des raisons pratiques principalement. Mais on peut aussi adorer vivre cette expérience à part, quasi magique dans certaines conditions... [Petit tuto sous iOS/iPad OS pour ceux qui ne connaissent pas. Hélas pas dispo sous Mac OS] Je trouve qu'il y a un léger manque d'aigus. Un gros creux dans cette zone crée une sorte de petit voile qui nuit un poil, à mon sens, au détail et à la spatialisation. À côté d'un excellent Fidelio X2HR c'est très sensible. Les AirPods Max sont meilleurs en bas mais, en haut, un mini bidule manque pour moi, selon mes goûts, mes oreilles. iOS permet de personnaliser légèrement, mais sensiblement, le son des casques Beat et Apple. Réglages > Accessibilité > Audio/Visuel > Adaptation des écouteurs > Ton équilibré. Vous pouvez aussi faire votre configuration personnalisée. Un extrait musical sera passé et vous devrez choisir, par trois fois, l'égalisation que vous préférez. iOS/iPad OS activera alors l'une des trois options : Ton équilibré, Tessiture ou Brillance. Ou aucun ! Avec "Ton équilibré", miracle. Je retrouve PILE ce que j'aime sur le X2HR. Du détail, de la spatialisation, de l'aération. Ça avec toutes les qualités et la signature sonore des AirPods Max fait de l'ensemble un compromis parfait pour moi !!!