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What I want from AirPods Max 2:

1) Make it possible to be connected to multiple devices at the same time. Sure, switching is easy (except when the headphones don't want to, and one needs to reset them ) - but it would be even easier if I didn't have to. I often have 4 devices next to me that could use my headphone (computer (laptop or iMac), iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch)

2) Support lossless audio

3) Replace lightning with USB C. USB C is now the standard on the computers and iPads, lets get rid of the last holdouts please - it was good for its time, but that time ended 3 years ago

4) Better case, that actually protects the entire headphone.
 
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I love mine. People say it needs a better case that protects the entire headphones but that's already available.

I don't understand the USB-C obsession either. For some devices that need fast file transfer I can understand but here it's just for charging. If you're not in the Apple ecosystem I can also understand but for someone like me I'm much more likely to have a Lightning cable nearby than USB-C. I have an iPad Air and USB-C is the one thing I don't like about it.

They just were released so I don't see a redesign anytime soon. This is a niche product that isn't going to get high sales like regular in ear AirPods. It would not make financial sense for a redesign so soon.
 
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While using the wired connection doesn’t give you “true” lossless because of the digital to analog then analog to digital from and to 24-bit / 48 kHz conversion, it’s still close enough that I doubt even audiophiles would be tell the difference. Keep in mind that even with a regular headphone jack headphone you won’t be able to hear true hi-Res lossless from Apple Music unless you have an external DAC.
It was demonstrated decades ago that insertion of a 16-bit/44kHz AD/DA in the distribution chain was inaudible. Search old Journal of the Audio Engineering Society papers. (”Demonstrated” because you can’t truly prove a negative, particularly in psychoacoustics.) It has since been tested over and over by private interests, typically under less stringent conditions but with the same results.

It’s questionable how much Apple should cater to subjectivist audio shamans. Is it profitable enough to chase those ever changing goal posts? Or does it create more problems than it’s worth for Apple? I have owned the Airpods Max since launch, and am far more interested in a decent carrying case and a way to turn them off (and a good way to implement EQ), than any hardware change to the product itself.
 
It’s strange to me when people defend Apple’s pricing of products by saying “But, I enjoy mine, so.”

Just because you enjoy something, doesn’t necessarily mean the price is right.

I enjoy bread. I use bread all the time. That doesn’t mean it should cost $599.
 
It was demonstrated decades ago that insertion of a 16-bit/44kHz AD/DA in the distribution chain was inaudible. Search old Journal of the Audio Engineering Society papers. (”Demonstrated” because you can’t truly prove a negative, particularly in psychoacoustics.) It has since been tested over and over by private interests, typically under less stringent conditions but with the same results.

It’s questionable how much Apple should cater to subjectivist audio shamans. Is it profitable enough to chase those ever changing goal posts? Or does it create more problems than it’s worth for Apple? I have owned the Airpods Max since launch, and am far more interested in a decent carrying case and a way to turn them off (and a good way to implement EQ), than any hardware change to the product itself.

All of that is accurate, but sort of irrelevant. The optics are that Apple sells a $550 pair of luxury headphones that can't play back the truly lossless audio they are promoting on their music service. That makes no sense, especially when you realize that the reason is because they are over engineered.

This is an example of Apple being a control freak again. There is no legitimate reason why the wired mode has to go through the DAC. Virtually every other set of bluetooth headphones that can be used wired bypass all of the internal electronics and perform like a regular set of analog headphones.

What that also means is that when the battery inevitably wears out in a couple of years, you are left with a paperweight. The APM will require frequent battery replacements to maintain any functionality. Will I be able to get them in two years? Sure. 10 years? I dunno. 20 years? 50 years? More? Probably not. Yet the Sony XM4s and countless other wireless headphones will work wired 100 years from now.

This is my number one issue. Audio equipment lasts forever. I have used headphones older than I am and they sound as good now as they did on day one. Apple has taken something that could have been timeless in a way no Mac or iPhone could and given it a finite lifespan.
 
Still overpriced and inferior to the Sony XM 4's.
I have the XM’3, [so I can’t attest to the XM 4’s]. But I will say, it’s a very close comparison of a product that I love the aesthetics, the comfort and the tech features are really intuitive on Sony’s, especially with the touch volume control.

As for Apples, the biggest drawback I’ve read, is the weight. I think the weight ultimately places discomfort on the users ear/head, just becomes fatiguing. And for that price, if you’re not wearing them due to discomfort, then what good are they, regardless of how good they sound.
 
Plenty of people bought these headphones.
Apple stores are open again. I just went in and finally tried the AirPods max. Set up with my iPhone 13 which was cool.
To me, they were below average which is surprising given I thought they would be above average. 90% volume and it was static crackling on a regular song it should be able to handle comfortably.

Bought an iPad Pro 11 tho!!
 
What always fascinates me in any conversation about headphones is that Americans refer to headphones as “it” and “one”, singular, and my fellow brits refer to headphones as “them”, “some”, and “a pair”. Just little nuances.
 
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Yet the Sony XM4s and countless other wireless headphones will work wired 100 years from now.
Irrelevant, since anyone who buys them, buys them for wireless use. For wired use, they sound bad for that price.
 
I have the XM’3, [so I can’t attest to the XM 4’s]. But I will say, it’s a very close comparison of a product that I love the aesthetics, the comfort and the tech features are really intuitive on Sony’s, especially with the touch volume control.

As for Apples, the biggest drawback I’ve read, is the weight. I think the weight ultimately places discomfort on the users ear/head, just becomes fatiguing. And for that price, if you’re not wearing them due to discomfort, then what good are they, regardless of how good they sound.
I didn't own the Sony's since I didn't like the sound quality at all, but owned the B&W PX7's for 5 months. They were lighter than APM but very uncomfortable due to clapping force. Couldn't wear them more than 1.5 hours. Sold them and bought APM and I can even walk with APM for 5 hours without ever getting any discomfort.

Weight is only one factor in headphone comfort. And probably not the most important one.
 
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They should offer a way to use standard USB-C for wired audio, so they get a clean digital input instead of the weird digital-analog (computer) -> analog-digital (cable) -> digital-analog (headphones) conversion they do now.
 
Honestly I don’t find them good looking. I really like the matte black Beats Studio design and was originally hopping they would go for that.
 
I have Bose 700, 35, XM 4, and the AirPods Max…yeah I’m a collector.

First the Max sound incredible for most people that can afford them, BUT…the idea that they can’t do uncompressed music via a wire seems like a design flaw or poor thinking.
 
I love my AirPods Max but part of me think it might end up sharing the same fate as the HomePod. Amazing device but too high a price point and serving a niche group to make it mainstream.
The problem with the Home Pod was not its price, but its idiotically limited feature set considering the price. Given its reliance on Siri, it's terrible as a "smart speaker". But its audio quality was superb, limited mainly by nonsensical I/O limitations. The Home Pod would've had a broader market if Apple gave it more flexibility to be part of a home A/V system.
 
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Still overpriced and inferior to the Sony XM 4's.
I laughed reading that having both. The XM4s sounds like **** in comparison. Bloated bass, terrible mids. Not even close. Price has been taken care of over time. I got mine fir $400 new in the shrink wrap. Much better build quality than the Sonys too. I’m giving my Sonys away since I no longer use them. Also spatial audio is a game changer along with Apple Music.
 
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