AirPods Max Portability?

[Cashmonee]

I have been looking for some ANC headphones and after tearing my hair out with the Bose NC700's and Sennheiser Momentum 3, I am considering the AirPods Max. However, I have one major concern. I need my headphones to travel to and from work with me daily. For those that own them, how is the portability/durability so far? Would putting them in a bag on a daily basis be a bad idea or do you think they would be ok?

 

[artfossil]

I've had my APM since January 23. I don't commute with them but I wouldn't hesitate to put them in any bag I own. They are built like a tank.

But, you can also take a look at protective cases in this thread. (Personally, I love the supplied case but can understand why some people would prefer a different one.)

Your best advice is to try them out for yourself and return them if you don't like them.

 

[terryw1]

I have been looking for some ANC headphones and after tearing my hair out with the Bose NC700's and Sennheiser Momentum 3, I am considering the AirPods Max. However, I have one major concern. I need my headphones to travel to and from work with me daily. For those that own them, how is the portability/durability so far? Would putting them in a bag on a daily basis be a bad idea or do you think they would be ok?

I commute with mine 2-3x a week. They are built well and should hold up. I felt better when I got a case for them. More worried about other thins scratching the cans. The cases in the above mentioned threads are good. I have the one in chocolate leather with metal pulls.

 

[nrvna76]

The only thing I‘d worry about is scratches or scuffs on them, because they are so expensive. But if you have a bag where you can put them by themselves in a pocket I wouldn’t worry. The provided case actually provides a bit of protection for the cans and is minimal so it should easily fit in a bag. I would actually hesitate to get a case, just to put the case in a bag, adds a lot of bulk for no reason.

 

[doolar]

Yea these cans are sturdy! I bring mine to work when I know I have lots of meetings. I just use the bra, put them in my backpack and go.

I ride my motorcycle to work, so they will bounce around some. Not a single scuff, which is the only thing I think could happen, apart from snagging the canopy on something.

I packed them in a side case on my bike for a longer trip the other day, I did use a generic bag besides the bra to protect them from scratches.

My take? They’re really built like a tank, with one possible weak spot, the canopy.

 

[svanstrom]

I have been looking for some ANC headphones and after tearing my hair out with the Bose NC700's and Sennheiser Momentum 3, I am considering the AirPods Max. However, I have one major concern. I need my headphones to travel to and from work with me daily. For those that own them, how is the portability/durability so far? Would putting them in a bag on a daily basis be a bad idea or do you think they would be ok?

An interesting thing to notice is that everyone has been absolutely neurotic, since before the APMs even became available, about how the APMs would scratch and break and whatnot; but we haven't seen any floods of threads with people showing any damage.

Some bruised egos by people thinking the "bra" somehow hurts their masculinity, but that's all. 😂

One thing that I love about the APMs is the great transparency mode; so you can easily just wear these all the time. No need to keep putting them in a bag.

 

[MayaTlab]

Daily commuter here in the Parisian subway and regularly walking through the city. My messenger bag is regularly filled with various electronics, laptop, files, my lunch, etc.

I find the APM quite annoying to transport and use on a daily basis. They're a lot larger than competing ANC over-ears when shoved into a bag because of various design decisions made by Apple, and I find them slow to put on and off because of the detent-less sliding arms. They also don't stay on my head quite as well as other products (ex Bose 700) despite the increased clamping force. Their mechanical design doesn't work superbly well to maintain seal for people whose head requires earcups to form a V shape when seen from the front or back when I move my head around. So I really don't like to use them as "subway and walking in the city cans". Too bad because they definitely are the BT over-ears I'd most want to use on the go because of the sound, ANC and transparency modes, and mics.

So for me I prefer to use them only at home. But in these conditions I have access to more comfortable and better sounding wireless options (basically headphones I can equalise to my own anatomy and tastes with the parametric equaliser on my Qudelix 5K), so they're starting to be a little bit unused.

 

[nrvna76]

Daily commuter here in the Parisian subway and regularly walking through the city. My messenger bag is regularly filled with various electronics, laptop, files, my lunch, etc.

I find the APM quite annoying to transport and use on a daily basis. They're a lot larger than competing ANC over-ears when shoved into a bag because of various design decisions made by Apple, and I find them slow to put on and off because of the detent-less sliding arms. They also don't stay on my head quite as well as other products (ex Bose 700) despite the increased clamping force. Their mechanical design doesn't work superbly well to maintain seal for people whose head requires earcups to form a V shape when seen from the front or back when I move my head around. So I really don't like to use them as "subway and walking in the city cans". Too bad because they definitely are the BT over-ears I'd most want to use on the go because of the sound, ANC and transparency modes, and mics.

So for me I prefer to use them only at home. But in these conditions I have access to more comfortable and better sounding wireless options (basically headphones I can equalise to my own anatomy and tastes with the parametric equaliser on my Qudelix 5K), so they're starting to be a little bit unused.

I haven’t used a lot of actual headphones that aren’t ‘buds’ but I do notice that looking down or up has a tendency to rotate the APM on my head. Other than that I don’t even notice they are there, but I can’t get them placed so that they don’t want to rotate like that. Not a big deal, and way better than feeling APP slowly back their way out of my ears.

 

[Cashmonee]

Yea these cans are sturdy! I bring mine to work when I know I have lots of meetings. I just use the bra, put them in my backpack and go.

I ride my motorcycle to work, so they will bounce around some. Not a single scuff, which is the only thing I think could happen, apart from snagging the canopy on something.

I packed them in a side case on my bike for a longer trip the other day, I did use a generic bag besides the bra to protect them from scratches.

My take? They’re really built like a tank, with one possible weak spot, the canopy.

That weak spot is really what worries me. I am not super concerned about scratches on the cups. I think they will be fine and if they aren't that's ok. I don't mind using my equipment and it showing that. I just don't want to tear or bend that headband.

An interesting thing to notice is that everyone has been absolutely neurotic, since before the APMs even became available, about how the APMs would scratch and break and whatnot; but we haven't seen any floods of threads with people showing any damage.

Some bruised egos by people thinking the "bra" somehow hurts their masculinity, but that's all. 😂

One thing that I love about the APMs is the great transparency mode; so you can easily just wear these all the time. No need to keep putting them in a bag.

This is a good point. I wonder how many people have them. I know they have been essentially sold out, but it also seems like they may not have made a ton. Still, no reports of damage is definitely a positive.

Daily commuter here in the Parisian subway and regularly walking through the city. My messenger bag is regularly filled with various electronics, laptop, files, my lunch, etc.

I find the APM quite annoying to transport and use on a daily basis. They're a lot larger than competing ANC over-ears when shoved into a bag because of various design decisions made by Apple, and I find them slow to put on and off because of the detent-less sliding arms. They also don't stay on my head quite as well as other products (ex Bose 700) despite the increased clamping force. Their mechanical design doesn't work superbly well to maintain seal for people whose head requires earcups to form a V shape when seen from the front or back when I move my head around. So I really don't like to use them as "subway and walking in the city cans". Too bad because they definitely are the BT over-ears I'd most want to use on the go because of the sound, ANC and transparency modes, and mics.

So for me I prefer to use them only at home. But in these conditions I have access to more comfortable and better sounding wireless options (basically headphones I can equalise to my own anatomy and tastes with the parametric equaliser on my Qudelix 5K), so they're starting to be a little bit unused.

I have exactly the same bag type situation. I drive to work, but once there, I would have them on at my desk and walking around. It concerns me that they really seem like a sit in a chair and listen headphone.

Honestly, if the Bose didn't have connection issues, I would probably just stick with them. They sound decent enough, have really good ANC, and are comfortable.

 

[artfossil]

That weak spot is really what worries me. I am not super concerned about scratches on the cups. I think they will be fine and if they aren't that's ok. I don't mind using my equipment and it showing that. I just don't want to tear or bend that headband.

The headband has a steel frame. The fabric is a custom polyurethane material that is dense but breathable and elastic and how it is seamlessly integrated into the frame is amazing. When you hold the APM, the weight rests on the steel frame (the same way the mesh just floats lightly on your head when you wear them).

There is no way you can bend the steel frame of the headband, and the only way I can imagine tearing the mesh fabric is if you deliberately attack it with a knife or scissors or other sharp pointed object.