Just need that $30 or so discount for students on a budget
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AirPods Max Begin Arriving to Customers in New Zealand and Australia
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I do agree that the "case" both looks and seems rather silly. But I haven't used the case for my Bose NC 700, not even once. Not even when travelling so I don't see much of a problem with this personally. But I can't really wrap my head around what the idea behind the case was.
I also find the silicon finish on the headband to be rather strange. The earcups are aluminium, the telescope adjustment is stainless steel. They are all over the place with the materials. They will most likely feel very solid and premium but I don't associate silicon with anything premium. Their silicon cases etc are nice but I always prefer leather etc. So I don't really get why they went with silicon when everything else is supposed to look and feel premium.
Time will tell how it feels in my hand as my pair will arraive later today. The most important thing is still audio quality, comfort and ANC. So I'm eager to test them out and get a feel of how they perform.
I also find the silicon finish on the headband to be rather strange. The earcups are aluminium, the telescope adjustment is stainless steel. They are all over the place with the materials. They will most likely feel very solid and premium but I don't associate silicon with anything premium. Their silicon cases etc are nice but I always prefer leather etc. So I don't really get why they went with silicon when everything else is supposed to look and feel premium.
Time will tell how it feels in my hand as my pair will arraive later today. The most important thing is still audio quality, comfort and ANC. So I'm eager to test them out and get a feel of how they perform.
I'm the opposite. Every time I pay rent I count how many Apple products I could have bought instead of making my landlord rich.
I don't understand how people spend 630€ with this headphones. The Sony WH-1000XM4 are at half the price and moreover, the Sony's have better noise canceling, better connectivity, better protective case and better controls and again at half the price of the Apple's
When did you get your review pair? As you already know for a fact that the Sony WH-1000XM4 is better when it comes to anything from ANC, connectivity, controls and whatnot?
You’re absolutely right about the case, and the price. But on all other points, the AirPods Max should match or exceed the XM4s.
(PS: happy but realistic Sony XM3 owner here)
Not a bad idea though, the wife is forever complaining about the volume of my music. Maybe I should just rent a house for daytime use. Mind you, that’s a slippery slope
At this price, it comes up to the audio quality.
While I like using my Sony mx2 for a quiet trip, I can't stand listening music with it, they re definitely not audiophile. If the AirPods Max can challenge higher end headphones, 549$ might be a good deal and I'd be gladly replacing my Sony.
Here is a first impression comparison with Sennheiser HD6XX & Audeze LCD-2s
Promising
While I like using my Sony mx2 for a quiet trip, I can't stand listening music with it, they re definitely not audiophile. If the AirPods Max can challenge higher end headphones, 549$ might be a good deal and I'd be gladly replacing my Sony.
Here is a first impression comparison with Sennheiser HD6XX & Audeze LCD-2s
Promising
I reckon they look great. However, the price makes my eyes bleed.
To be fair we dont know that yet. Agree those and the Bose 700 are the comparable competition, both being premium brand name bluetooth ANC over ears.
Are these colours really less popular, or are they just stocking more of them?
Space Grey is the top seller according to Amazon.co.uk sales rankings.
I guess you'r just jealous you'r from before 1980 then?
No seriously, not a huge fan of the design (they'll have to grow on me (no pun intended)).
Why I didn't buy them :
- To me : Headphones must be listened to before any purchase ! (and I'm no fan of buying them and then returning them if you'r unhappy with them - not very 'green' in my view)
- when the battery dies, the music dies. That to me is a huge leap and maybe the reason I might never buy them. Too bad! You can't fool fysics so they would probably not sound any better than any old good Hifi HF so that's why they bring computational audio to the table. How fantastic that might seem I will have to be convinced listening to them. If they can bring a 'live' music experience, I might reconsider.
So untill you all keep save, take the vaccin, and as a consequence can again experience them in the flesh, I'll pass.
I'll keep reading up on them though.
If you any amazing headphones nothing beats the Sony’s. If you want reference quality then buy actual plug-in studio headphones. Most people don’t realize there’s a certain point where better cans are worse because you can hear where the digital tracks were clipped.
Just wait until the AirPods Max Pro arrive, with new improved $300 price increase.... and a few more minor improvements 🤣
I wonder how many people will be returning them in the next couple of weeks? Seems some people bought them just to ‘try’ Or little intention of keeping them.
Does nothing beat the Sony's? Are you referring to the WH-1000XM4? If you are basing your choice strictly on ANC alone this has been the case for some time. Sony did amazing work with their ANC with the WH-1000XM2 hand have been the market leader ever since when it comes to ANC.
When it comes to audio quality the XM4 is actually doing worse when compared to the XM3 and none of them are doing all that great. They have a rather V-shaped audio profile with exaggerated bass. A lot of people seem to enjoy v-shaped audio with emphasis on bass and it's nothing wrong with that. But they are far from being anything close to neutral or balanced and they lack clarity. And as with every other headphone tuned with v-shaped audio you get more focus on the bass and low-end but you loose width and clarity.
This is why I ended up with the Bose NC 700 and returned my Sony WH-1000XM3. The Sony's have slightly better ANC and neither of them are anywhere close to perfect in terms of audio quality but I prefer the more wide soundstage with better separation and better clarity on the Bose NC 700 compared to the more v-shaped "in-your-face" with more emphasis on the lower end and bass on the XM3's.
One thing is for sure, they are both compromises when it comes to audio fidelity and quality. They both offer a decent package with good ANC, decent audio, decent build quality and good comfort. But they both leave room for better options and Apple might fill this option.
I had mine on back order for March. So when I saw it was available for pickup, I immediately ordered it.
I'm putting it through its paces.
The buttons have a nice feel: a pressy/mushier button than a clicky button.
Maybe I have a big head but the clamping pressure is moderate.
I'm not a fan of how the cups can rub and clack against each other as you get them out of the 'case'.
Don't think the ANC/sound isolation is noticeably stronger than the Pros. Haven't done a compare.
Doesn't feel at all.
No comment on SQ yet.
Btw, I had mine at 12:20pm today. Earlier than that other guy's post 😉
I'm putting it through its paces.
The buttons have a nice feel: a pressy/mushier button than a clicky button.
Maybe I have a big head but the clamping pressure is moderate.
I'm not a fan of how the cups can rub and clack against each other as you get them out of the 'case'.
Don't think the ANC/sound isolation is noticeably stronger than the Pros. Haven't done a compare.
Doesn't feel at all.
No comment on SQ yet.
Btw, I had mine at 12:20pm today. Earlier than that other guy's post 😉
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I have the 3 series and I have the Bose as well. No headset can sound better than the quality of audio going into them. Bose only supports SBC and AAC codecs meanwhile Sony upped the game quite a bit. With the right eq profile I find the Sony’s to be the much better product. Apple’s headsets are still using Bluetooth and anyone using them with Spotify ir Apple Music will still be limited by the quality of the tracks and their bitrates.