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AirPods Max is here! First impressions and photos thread
- Thread starter Boardiesboi
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Have you got the official Apple lightning to 3.5mm cable? I'm trying to use a Lightning to female 3.5mm with a lead coming off that but it's not working.
Yeah, tinnitus is no joke. Trust me. I don't go above 50% on headphones now, though I wish I could go back and tell myself this 20 years ago (and more importantly not to go to punk shows without earplugs). And the beauty of good noise-cancelling headphones is that you really don't have to turn them up.
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I bought two pairs of the silver ones yesterday and both were scratched right out of the box. So I assume they will get scratched easily when you transport them without a good protection.
I have to admit a lot of that went over my head, but if it's good enough for those hardcore sound freaks, I'm sure it'll be good enough for me. There are people over there comparing it favorably with $1500 headphone+amp setups, for crying out loud.
I haven't ordered yet because I can't decide between these two colors!
I wonder why the green and silver have a lighter headband.
‘this was great! Ty for the share. Wish I had my head phones. Long wait... March. Ug. I saved this link though!!!
Just got the blue in today directly from Apple. I have to say they have probably the best soundstage I’ve heard in a pair of headphones. The crown allows more precision volume adjustment than the buttons. Has anyone tried using them with Microsoft Teams? I was able to pair them successfully to my PC but couldn’t get audio to work during a test meeting.
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First hour with them on and playing. Despite the weight, they are comfortable. I’ve had both the Bose 700 and Sony 1000XM4’s. To me, these blow them away. Soundstage is much larger and I am hearing intricacies from music, including some live concerts I have from fan recordings, I was not able to make out with either the Sonys or Bose. I wanted to not like these, but my lord are they good. Looks like I’m selling my Xm4’s!!
PLEASE test this some more as I have personal and work Windows computers and a MacBook Pro I use regularly and I’d need the headphones to work seamlessly between the two
There’s a guy on the head-fi link someone posted that has that dacDoes anyone who owns these have a DragonFly DAC? I’d be curious to know how the two sound together.
You need the Apple 3.5mm to lightning cable for headphones because it’s bi-directional. A standard 3.5mm to lightning cable is one direction (outputs from lightning to 3.5mm only).
OK, its late but got my pair tonight and need to push this out before I forget all of this nonsense. As you guys have read online or watched reviews, people are dumping out their opinions on these and I hope something I say can benefit those wanting to hear a different approach to these. Yeah, I guess you can call me an "audiophile", I like to analyze music and sounds based on what the equipment provide. Sometimes that can demolish the enjoyment of music since you can get caught up in instrument separation, vocal performance, spacing and speed, etc. I do like to listen to speakers instead of headphones since that will give the ultimate experience but with little kids and little time, I can't do that as leisurely as I used to.
Now, as far as mobile headphones I am currently using XM4's (EQ'd to the Harman Target based on Oratory1990 settings) and AirPods Pros. Now I can included APM in that mix. These can't even compare to my Nectar or Stax or even the HD650's. Especially with my DAC setup and my amp's. Solid state or Tube so I won't compare them to those.
The Max's sound more pleasing to me than the Sony's or the Pro's. They are not more accurate than those, in fact, I find them to sound very similar to a V-shaped headphone. They have great amplification to drive these drivers, hence really not getting much distortion and different listening levels. XM4's teeter off on the high end of volume levels and I bet that is due to the power output. All the said stuff about being better at noise cancellation and premium build is accurate to say, they are a really nice pair of headphones. To my head, the XM4's are much more comfortable, these are clamping pretty tight. Not a fan of that. And heavy. That just sucks the "air" out of enjoying them over long period of time (over an hour).
Soundstage is wider but not by a foot. I would give it a buy if you like the other tangible features like Siri integration, seamless transition from one device or another, etc.
Also, I like the case. I don't have to ratchet or change my length of the headband just to fit in the case. That is genius. I like to set it and forget it. Positioning the drivers are critical on how a headphone sounds, so once I get it to how I like I don't want to change it.
UPDATE 12/19/20: They are going back. Not enough positives and can't wear them longer than an hour without getting a headache. Too heavy, too much clamping force, not enough musical talent to separate myself from my XM4's.
Now, as far as mobile headphones I am currently using XM4's (EQ'd to the Harman Target based on Oratory1990 settings) and AirPods Pros. Now I can included APM in that mix. These can't even compare to my Nectar or Stax or even the HD650's. Especially with my DAC setup and my amp's. Solid state or Tube so I won't compare them to those.
The Max's sound more pleasing to me than the Sony's or the Pro's. They are not more accurate than those, in fact, I find them to sound very similar to a V-shaped headphone. They have great amplification to drive these drivers, hence really not getting much distortion and different listening levels. XM4's teeter off on the high end of volume levels and I bet that is due to the power output. All the said stuff about being better at noise cancellation and premium build is accurate to say, they are a really nice pair of headphones. To my head, the XM4's are much more comfortable, these are clamping pretty tight. Not a fan of that. And heavy. That just sucks the "air" out of enjoying them over long period of time (over an hour).
Soundstage is wider but not by a foot. I would give it a buy if you like the other tangible features like Siri integration, seamless transition from one device or another, etc.
Also, I like the case. I don't have to ratchet or change my length of the headband just to fit in the case. That is genius. I like to set it and forget it. Positioning the drivers are critical on how a headphone sounds, so once I get it to how I like I don't want to change it.
UPDATE 12/19/20: They are going back. Not enough positives and can't wear them longer than an hour without getting a headache. Too heavy, too much clamping force, not enough musical talent to separate myself from my XM4's.
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My brain turned inside-out when you referred to the case as "genius". 🤯
you should compare comfort after you've broken in the APM, not compare them out of the box
extended wear time comfort is def APM > xm4
Thanks. Sounds like they do improve the sound quality (even if it requires a bunch of cables/adapters to get there).
Wireless - as many others posted, good...no, great soundstage. Highs have good sparkle and sonics are very clean. Mids are a bit recessed. Lows are very clean and more accurate than boomy, but still fairly bassy. There is a definite digital formula to the sound overall, but it's so well done and I am having a hard time realizing this is wireless audio. So damn well done.
Wired to a Dragonfly, Tidal MQA - More sparkle, crispier sibilance, and more separation. Dare I say even wider soundstage? Highs and lows have a tad more attack and are a bit tighter. Now here's the interesting part. The mids have come out of hiding and have joined the highs/lows, although still standing a tad behind the highs and lows. Overall, the sound signature sounds more balanced, is a little brighter and clarity steps up a couple of levels. Wired makes the wireless sound sig seem darker and smoother, while wired is more analytical with cleaner separation and mids more present.
AirPods Max
Even if it's the case, I can see how APM's could cannibalize sales of mid-fi gear. The likes of Sennheiser, IBasso, Sony and even Astell&Kern should be on the lookout.www.head-fi.org
I've used mine on my Teams meetings today all day and they have worked fine paired to a ThinkPad running W10. Switching back to an iOS device was fairly simple but not seamless.
My first impressions with these are that the sound is superb, the ANC is excellent but I would like to try them on a plane with the constant drone of engine noise, but I have no reason to doubt they would be fine.
The spatial audio is impressive but obviously of limited value until there is more content.
The crown is great for an easy way to control volume, this is one of my gripes about the newer Sony and Bose devices having to 'stroke' the can to adjust the volume.
After the short use I have given these, the two areas of concern i have .....
Firstly no 'off' switch which is fairly important for me as I use headphones on and off all day for work calls and I do like to switch them off in between meetings.
Secondly I'm a little disappointed in how the cans clash together metal on metal when you fold them flat, which I guess is one of the reasons they provide the cover (I wont call it a case
). I fear that over time the two edges will become scratched as this is almost unavoidable when they are flat before you put them in the cover.
“...ratchet or change my length of the headband just to fit in the case. That is genius.”
Wait a minute: they referred to ‘not having to alter the headphones in any particular way in order to fit into the case’ as genius, not the case itself. 🤔
Is the bass overpowering if your not a "bass-head"? Is is a "flabby" bass, which I hate? Just wondering? I'm saving up for a pair.
Correct, the case or sleeve is simple but not having to change the band to fit it in its case is genius (Bose 35 II and XM4 need to slide the band all the way down to fit in the case).
I wish apple’s case was way more protective though.