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AirPods Max Begin Arriving to Customers in New Zealand and Australia
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I mean literally the most pointless review post. Just tell people what audio quality is like that’s what everyone wants to know. But cheers for the ‘not a fan of the ‘clickerty clackerty’, I’ll know where to come for my future gadget reviews.
Some enterprising feminine products marketer should launch "VagPads Max"... $99 / dozen... carrying purse included.
Yeah... even those (like Nilay @ The Verge) after 24 hours with them could only do a shallow first look... any knowledgeable audiophile with a full day could tell you how they stack up to Sony/Bose/Senn/B&O/etc in noise cancelling and various sound criteria.
I'm waiting for those knowledgable reviews prior to pulling the trigger... if they compare in the same range and favorably (e.g. slightly better) to my Sony WM-1000X3 (or whatever idiotic letters/numbers combo they are) or Bose 700s then forget it... they need to be in a league clearly above this for the price. If they're like comparably cost high end units, but with noise cancelling and eco-system pairing... yeah that's a trigger pull.
Those saying they're crap or totally awesome and worth the money pre-shipment/sans actual unit are simply bloviating.
Or £549 (US $723 !!)
Even once you account for our 20% VAT, that's way more than Americans pay. And of course, besides the VAT etc generated, Apple doesn't even pay taxes here! We are all subsidizing America!
I just received my pair.
Way too early to really tell anything but I have a few first impressions.
The build quality feels nice. They feel very solid, much more so than my Bose NC 700. The headband that looked a lot like the Apple Silicon cases don't really feel like their silicon cases which is a good thing as I was worried about it tainting the overall quality feel of the headphones. But it still feels like a awkward choice of materials for the headband. The weight and everything about them feel great so there is no denying how the headband itself is the one thing about them not feeling as premium and high quality. But as one who often use my wireless headphones while taking a walk outside this headband will most likely do much better in cold temperatures and in rain when compared to leather.
The "case" looks and feels as silly as one would imagine. Can't really wrap my head around what Apple was thinking here. I have never used the case for my Bose NC 700, not even once. I don't use it when travelling either so I don't really care about the case as it's not something I'm going to use. But this case looks and feels so silly that I'm ending up feeling somewhat offended by it even though I'm never going to use it.
One thing I have to note regarding the build quality. The earcups tends to knock into each other when you remove them from the case. If you shake the headphones even if just a little they will connect which is rather annoying and it makes for a rather loud noise when the aluminium is hitting each other. It's not like it's a huge problem or anything unless the aluminium starts scratching or getting dents but it's worth noting.
The lack of touch controls doesn't bother me at all. I feel like people complaining about the lack of touch controls are not living on the same planet as myself. I had touch controls of the Sony WH-1000XM headphones, on my B&O BeoPlay H headphones etc and they work okay but I prefer physical controls over touch controls any day. Just the simple tap to start/pause on my Bose NC 700 is not working all the time which is really annoying. Using the digital crown and the physical button for switching between transparency and noise cancellation is great. I don't find it awkward to have the controls on the top of the earcups either. Got used to it right away.
There are still two things I find silly. Why can't the transparency/noise cancellation button support double-tapping or even triple-tapping? I have to chose if the button will toggle between transparency and noise cancellation, transparency and off (no transparency or noise cancellation) or noise cancellation and off. Why can't we have all three? Sure the transparency is so good that you won't really use the off option at all in most scenarios I just find it strange to limit this button to a single option only.
Same goes for the lack of power on/off button or any other way of forcing the headphones into ultra-low-power mode. So they didn't want to add another button? That's okay but why can't you make that one button you already have in place have some long-press, double or triple press functionality? Having to put the headphones into the case for them to enter ultra-low-power mode is just silly. This might not be a problem at all, I have no clue how little power they drain when they are simply laying around outside of the case but it still feels like a rather silly design when they have the button on the headphones already. Just make it do more than only toggling between transparency and noise cancellation.
Comfort feels great. Their weight it no problem. You feel the heft when using them, it adds to the overall quality and premium feel but the weight distribution and the mesh on the headband does a great job so I don't feel any pressure or discomfort at all. I will obviously have to use them extended periods of time to verify but first impressions are good. There is ample space and room within the earpads and the fabric itself feels great and provides a good seal.
There isn't much noise in my apartment so I can't say much about the ANC as of yet. My first impression on the audio is very good. There is no doubt about the soundstage and clarify being superior to my Bose NC 700. They feel very spacious and sparkly which is something I prefer and enjoy. I did opt for the Bose NC 700 over the Sony WH-1000XM3 back in the day as I found the Bose NC 700 to have wider soundstage. Personally, I find the Sony's to feel very V-shaped. They are very "in-your-face" but as with pretty much every other headphones tuned with v-shaped sound I feel they get rather muddy with too much emphasis on the bass without any width or separation at all. The Apple AirPods Max feels like it's on the complete oposite side of the spectrum. They feel very wide and spacious with great separation. I can't really say I have heard any closed-back headphone, and certainly no closed-back ANC headphones with such a wide, spacious and sparkly sound quality.
But I will of course need much more time with them. But first impression are very good.
Way too early to really tell anything but I have a few first impressions.
The build quality feels nice. They feel very solid, much more so than my Bose NC 700. The headband that looked a lot like the Apple Silicon cases don't really feel like their silicon cases which is a good thing as I was worried about it tainting the overall quality feel of the headphones. But it still feels like a awkward choice of materials for the headband. The weight and everything about them feel great so there is no denying how the headband itself is the one thing about them not feeling as premium and high quality. But as one who often use my wireless headphones while taking a walk outside this headband will most likely do much better in cold temperatures and in rain when compared to leather.
The "case" looks and feels as silly as one would imagine. Can't really wrap my head around what Apple was thinking here. I have never used the case for my Bose NC 700, not even once. I don't use it when travelling either so I don't really care about the case as it's not something I'm going to use. But this case looks and feels so silly that I'm ending up feeling somewhat offended by it even though I'm never going to use it.
One thing I have to note regarding the build quality. The earcups tends to knock into each other when you remove them from the case. If you shake the headphones even if just a little they will connect which is rather annoying and it makes for a rather loud noise when the aluminium is hitting each other. It's not like it's a huge problem or anything unless the aluminium starts scratching or getting dents but it's worth noting.
The lack of touch controls doesn't bother me at all. I feel like people complaining about the lack of touch controls are not living on the same planet as myself. I had touch controls of the Sony WH-1000XM headphones, on my B&O BeoPlay H headphones etc and they work okay but I prefer physical controls over touch controls any day. Just the simple tap to start/pause on my Bose NC 700 is not working all the time which is really annoying. Using the digital crown and the physical button for switching between transparency and noise cancellation is great. I don't find it awkward to have the controls on the top of the earcups either. Got used to it right away.
There are still two things I find silly. Why can't the transparency/noise cancellation button support double-tapping or even triple-tapping? I have to chose if the button will toggle between transparency and noise cancellation, transparency and off (no transparency or noise cancellation) or noise cancellation and off. Why can't we have all three? Sure the transparency is so good that you won't really use the off option at all in most scenarios I just find it strange to limit this button to a single option only.
Same goes for the lack of power on/off button or any other way of forcing the headphones into ultra-low-power mode. So they didn't want to add another button? That's okay but why can't you make that one button you already have in place have some long-press, double or triple press functionality? Having to put the headphones into the case for them to enter ultra-low-power mode is just silly. This might not be a problem at all, I have no clue how little power they drain when they are simply laying around outside of the case but it still feels like a rather silly design when they have the button on the headphones already. Just make it do more than only toggling between transparency and noise cancellation.
Comfort feels great. Their weight it no problem. You feel the heft when using them, it adds to the overall quality and premium feel but the weight distribution and the mesh on the headband does a great job so I don't feel any pressure or discomfort at all. I will obviously have to use them extended periods of time to verify but first impressions are good. There is ample space and room within the earpads and the fabric itself feels great and provides a good seal.
There isn't much noise in my apartment so I can't say much about the ANC as of yet. My first impression on the audio is very good. There is no doubt about the soundstage and clarify being superior to my Bose NC 700. They feel very spacious and sparkly which is something I prefer and enjoy. I did opt for the Bose NC 700 over the Sony WH-1000XM3 back in the day as I found the Bose NC 700 to have wider soundstage. Personally, I find the Sony's to feel very V-shaped. They are very "in-your-face" but as with pretty much every other headphones tuned with v-shaped sound I feel they get rather muddy with too much emphasis on the bass without any width or separation at all. The Apple AirPods Max feels like it's on the complete oposite side of the spectrum. They feel very wide and spacious with great separation. I can't really say I have heard any closed-back headphone, and certainly no closed-back ANC headphones with such a wide, spacious and sparkly sound quality.
But I will of course need much more time with them. But first impression are very good.
I forgot to mention one of the most annoying parts about the design.. Lightning for charging. I have only iOS and iPadOS devices and we have barely any Lightning cables around. Our iPads are using USB-C, our Mac's are using USB-C, our PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X controllers are using USB-C, even our Nintendo Switch controllers are using USB-C. Our iPhone's and AirPod's are using wireless chargers. Having to fiddle with Lightning cables for charging is annoying.
Compared to what? I keep thinking about when people say ‘I don’t like the design’, but it’s something that I feel like it’s more about the functionality than it is the aesthetics. You know what I mean? Like I think all these headphones generally are somewhat ugly, but is it really about the ‘looks’ as much as it is about the sound?
Nice early review with pros and cons, appreciate this type of review.
Ah, so you have a pair then? Or maybe just a little frustrated you can't have them and want to feel better...okay by me, go for it.....
You're talking about software. It can change. Remember how Watch UI and button use changed dramatically?
I'm based on what Marques Beownlee said about that. The noise canceling feels betterwith the Sony's, the lack of jack port, the ridicolous "case" of the Airpods Max. Right, it don't was a review pair or a comparison but he said that.
Everyone is comparing these to Sony and Bose, all I want to know is how better the sound quality is compared to the regular and pro AirPods.
lol ... comparison pic (?) but where's the Sennheiser HD6XX & Audeze LCD-2s' ? Under the tires?
You’re never going to see increase in quality if you’re getting your music from a streaming service. Look at what codec they use and the nitrate.
They only support AAC which means they’re already substandard. No Sony LDAC. No Qualcomm aptX HD.
LDAC does 990kbps. AAC does 250kbps. I don’t need to review them to know there’s no possible way these headphones are of high end quality when they are limited to that bitrate. They are limited to mid-quality mp3. If using a service like Spotify that does 320kbps (ogg vorbis codec) you’re already cutting down your quality. Then because you’re streaming a different codec the processors are going to use more power converting it on the fly. Which also increases lag. It’s why you hit pause and the music keeps playing for a couple seconds.
These have a premium price tag and I’m sure some cool features and good build quality but they are not going to revolutionize anything with their basic sound output. They’ll signal process as much as they can but they’ll still not compare to true premium models. Between the Bose, Sony, and these only the Sony supports the higher bitrate qualities.
If you want a true and noticeable quality improvement then don’t use Bluetooth and don’t use apple products. You’re stuck using aac and it’s crappy bitrate caps. I have an $80 pair of gaming headsets that plug in and sound much better than anything over streamed over Bluetooth to my $350 Sonys and it’s all thanks to Apple.
You just said they’re not out of price reach but that’s FOR YOU!! Most people can’t spend $550 on some headphones. That’s a fact. They’re $150-200 more than the closest competitor. That’s also a fact.
Someone thinks they can have an opinion without understanding much how audio over bluetooth works.
In short : it's pointless to compare bitrates across various codecs, and the exact same codec at the exact same bitrate can measure very significantly differently :
The ultimate guide to Bluetooth headphones: AAC only acceptable on Apple phones
Along with default SBC and Qualcomm's aptX, AAC is a commonly supported Bluetooth codec in the wireless headphone and speaker markets.
www.soundguys.com
The ultimate guide to Bluetooth headphones: LDAC isn't Hi-res
Sony’s LDAC has risen to popularity as the audiophile-grade Bluetooth codec. Can LDAC match the quality of wired 24-bit/96kHz Hi-Res audio?
www.soundguys.com
aptX and aptX HD: Bluetooth audio codecs explained
Ever wonder how good Bluetooth audio actually is? Let's take you through a tour of aptX, aptX HD, and SBC in our ultimate guide to Bluetooth.
www.soundguys.com
Did you bother reading your own links? The iPhone uses it best but it’s still subpar and not professional grade and won’t sound better than other headsets. They literally state it’s less than cd quality.Someone thinks they can have an opinion without understanding much how audio over bluetooth works.
In short : it's pointless to compare bitrates across various codecs, and the exact same codec at the exact same bitrate can measure very significantly differently :
The ultimate guide to Bluetooth headphones: AAC only acceptable on Apple phones
Along with default SBC and Qualcomm's aptX, AAC is a commonly supported Bluetooth codec in the wireless headphone and speaker markets.www.soundguys.comThe ultimate guide to Bluetooth headphones: LDAC isn't Hi-res
Sony’s LDAC has risen to popularity as the audiophile-grade Bluetooth codec. Can LDAC match the quality of wired 24-bit/96kHz Hi-Res audio?www.soundguys.comApple's implementation of AAC is perfectible (just like any implementation of LDAC BTW), but it's largely good enough to send distortion, noise floor and other artefacts below audible levels while preserving a good enough high frequency extension. In other words it's largely good enough to send it way down the list of things we need to see improved to get better sound with headphones (chief one of which remains by large the frequency response at your eardrum. Let's just say that playing 990kbps on a pair of XM4 or even wired on a pair of HD820 is like polishing a turd).aptX and aptX HD: Bluetooth audio codecs explained
Ever wonder how good Bluetooth audio actually is? Let's take you through a tour of aptX, aptX HD, and SBC in our ultimate guide to Bluetooth.www.soundguys.com
Did you actually look at the measured values ? Something like a -90dB noise floor is basically inaudible under most circumstances. BTW that’s better than APTX and LDAC 330 and 660.
On the other hand plus or minus 2dB in terms of FR even with a narrow Q let’s say at 3000hz that you’ll definitely hear.
People moaning about Apple’s implementation of AAC are missing the forest for the trees when headphones still can’t be engineered to precisely reach FR curve targets and even less ones tailored to your own specific anatomy.
Is it perfectible ? Yes. Is it going to make or break a pair of headphones ? Absolutely not. FR curves will, on the other hand.
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