AirPods Max Unboxing Videos: 'More Than Good Enough to Compete With Other High-End Headphones'

[Coconut Bean]

Why would Apple develop an also-ran product? The plain fact is Apple caters towards wireless audio. If that’s a deal breaker for someone, that’s a dealbreaker.

I just don’t understand how people get perpetually offended by not being the target audience for a product?

I think people get offended by the fact that the Apple Tax is so high on a product, like this, yet a
Apple is cheaping out on features add-ons etc. Was this $200 lower, no one would bet an eye, it would be an appealing product.

It's clear this product is not intended for cabled use and not intended for audiophiles, yet many think this is an entry to that market. Reality is it's an entry to that price segment a money-grabbing project, with no real intentions of actually producing HiFi stuff as there's just no money in it (relatively speaking) and conflicts with Apple's #1 enemy, cables and ports.

 

[Piggie]

Seems a bit odd you can't just tap the Apple Watch button to turn them off.
I mean, it's a manual control knob stuck right there, just tapping it for off would be simple enough would it not?

 

[dan98]

I think people get offended by the fact that the Apple Tax is so high on a product, like this, yet a
Apple is cheaping out on features add-ons etc. Was this $200 lower, no one would bet an eye, it would be an appealing product.

It's clear this product is not intended for cabled use and not intended for audiophiles, yet many think this is an entry to that market. Reality is it's an entry to that price segment a money-grabbing project, with no real intentions of actually producing HiFi stuff as there's just no money in it (relatively speaking) and conflicts with Apple's #1 enemy, cables and ports.

I believe there's a market to replace the Sennheiser and AKG products currently used by creative professionals on their high end Apple gear.
But it would have to be lossless or feature a proper analogue cable connection to bypass all the digital crappery and provide zero latency. As things are it's a non-starter.

I agree that for most consumers the Apple tax is just too offensive.
Like I said before I'm fine paying 2000+ for worthwhile headphones but for something as heavily compromised as this, spending more than about 200/300 is money down the drain.

 

[George Dawes]

I just use the usb c to headphone adaptor , saves a fortune plus you can use any headphone

I’ve got several pairs of sennheiser hd 206 , for 30 quid they’re a bargain and sound amazing

These apple ones look nice - shame there’s no apple logo on the sides though

 

[adrianlondon]

These apple ones look nice - shame there’s no apple logo on the sides though

Yeah, cos they're so generic looking people won't know they're an Apple product

 

[MacCurry]

Until there are amplitude vs. frequency response comparisons with other high-end headphones, all of the reviews are subjective. Sound as good or better than xyz brand is not a review. It is an opinion.

 

[Abazigal]

I just use the usb c to headphone adaptor , saves a fortune plus you can use any headphone

I’ve got several pairs of sennheiser hd 206 , for 30 quid they’re a bargain and sound amazing

These apple ones look nice - shame there’s no apple logo on the sides though

Well, I am sure there are apple stickers that can be pasted on the sides. Or Dbrand will eventually get round to releasing skins for them.

 

[Wehrwolf]

By using biggest most colourful words possible to describe your perception of sound.
By disagreeing with everyone else's perception of audio.
Tip: Being a total prick helps increase your chances of becoming a truly GREAT audiophile.

Basically audiophiles are to music what wine tasters are to drinking. And no-one invites a wine taster to a drinking session.

/jk

joking aside, you're not really wrong on either points.

 

[Absrnd]

By using biggest most colourful words possible to describe your perception of sound.
By disagreeing with everyone else's perception of audio.
Tip: Being a total prick helps increase your chances of becoming a truly GREAT audiophile.

Basically audiophiles are to music what wine tasters are to drinking. And no-one invites a wine taster to a drinking session.

/jk

This is the best comment

Not badtalking audiophiles, but the way we hear and experience music is different for everybody.
and you can quote specs all day long, if you need tight controlled specs for audio, you probably not going to buy the Max.

And we know Apple, even if the specs are perceived to be wrong, the product still tends to be better then was thought possible with those specs

Rules for Apple product reveal:

- Wow nice looking
- whoa expensive, are they crazy, nobody will buy this
- Let me explain (10 reasons) why you should no buy this.
- This " ...." is going to be decimated by the other brands
- New tests shows it doing pretty good.
- reviews show it is better then expected.
- good choice, and buy now.
- This will sell like hotcakes, and is sold out until months.
- Apple did it again

 

[BMox81]

I want a pair.

That’s it. That’s the post.

 

[artfossil]

I want a pair.

That’s it. That’s the post.

Me too. And next year, if I'm still alive, I intend to order them.

 

[dukebound85]

Here we are..... Now that all the trolls did and will continue to do their thing. Watch these come close or blow away the sound of headphones that cost the same or even many times more.

ha riiiiiight

just like the HomePod. Overblown hype

 

[Daum]

If the sound is amazing maybe. But I just don't like the design. Price is cheap for "high end" cans but the design is classic "look at me" apple. I'm good.

 

[cmaier]

Bingo. This is exactly why I don't own any expensive wireless headphones. Good cans last decades.

Nice that Apple made the ridiculously expensive ear cups easy to replace; but what about the BATTERY? What about the DAC/wireless board in 5 years when things change/improve?

The ear cups cost only a bit more than what I paid for replacements for my Master & Dynamic. Without having them in hand to compare, hard to say whether the $15 difference in price is worth it.

 

[MK500]

Any idea why on Apple's two newest headphones they decided to put USB-C on the Beats Flex and Lightning on the AirPods Max? Seems a bit backwards, doesn't it?

 

[deevey]

I believe there's a market to replace the Sennheiser and AKG products currently used by creative professionals on their high end Apple gear.
But it would have to be lossless or feature a proper analogue cable connection to bypass all the digital crappery and provide zero latency. As things are it's a non-starter.

I agree that for most consumers the Apple tax is just too offensive.
Like I said before I'm fine paying 2000+ for worthwhile headphones but for something as heavily compromised as this, spending more than about 200/300 is money down the drain.

Creative professionals and studios are generally using sub $150 headphones

 

[cmaier]

I think people get offended by the fact that the Apple Tax is so high on a product, like this, yet a
Apple is cheaping out on features add-ons etc. Was this $200 lower, no one would bet an eye, it would be an appealing product.

It's clear this product is not intended for cabled use and not intended for audiophiles, yet many think this is an entry to that market. Reality is it's an entry to that price segment a money-grabbing project, with no real intentions of actually producing HiFi stuff as there's just no money in it (relatively speaking) and conflicts with Apple's #1 enemy, cables and ports.

So when Master & Dynamic charged me $500 for MW65’s that probably don’t sound any better and which have worse Bluetooth connectivity, were they charging me the Apple Tax too?

 

[deevey]

Any idea why on Apple's two newest headphones they decided to put USB-C on the Beats Flex and Lightning on the AirPods Max? Seems a bit backwards, doesn't it?

So you can use them tethered with a Lightning to 3.5mm cable which has an inbuilt ADC/DAC like the beats studio 3.

Also anyone using them is going to need an Apple device* for best performance and all the features, so you'd most likely have a lightning cable handy anyhow.

*If they are planning on using an android or windows device dropping $550 on these cans is insanely stupid.

 

[Jmausmuc]

You are in the minority for real.

How so?

 

[Jmausmuc]

What is that nonsense? If I want over the ear headphones then I'll wear over the ear headphones, and the opinions of some opinionated guy on the internet doesn't matter one bit to me. I'm old enough to do what I like and not to follow some stupid fashion.

What?

I was just surprised that Apple would come out with these headphones now.

 

[Jmausmuc]

iJustine has reached a new level of cringe for me. Her "reviews" are nothing more than her trying to be cute for the camera and fawning over whatever product Apple has given her for free. The least she could do is act somewhat professional and not like a 12 year old girl trying to mug for the camera.

What do you mean by new level?
It’s been like that for like ten years...

Haven’t watched any of her videos for years thought, maybe it has gotten worse...

 

[dan98]

Creative professionals and studios are generally using sub $150 headphones

Umm I'm not sure what 'creative professionals' you're talking about but in my industry where upwards of 80k is spent just on Mac pro hardware and outboard.......let's just say I think we're living in alternative realities.
Just as the term 'audiophile' effectively means nothing more than someone who enjoys getting a decent sound quality, so the term 'studio' or 'creative professional' are practically meaningless these days.

Nothing wrong with sub 150 headphones in the right context (I love my Koss Porta Pros), but in the context I'm referring to it's laughable - as are these heaphones.

 

[Coconut Bean]

So when Master & Dynamic charged me $500 for MW65’s that probably don’t sound any better and which have worse Bluetooth connectivity, were they charging me the Apple Tax too?

Obviously not. And you are one of the people this product might be aimed at, and priced for, already spending that much on headphones and probably ready to get this for better integration.

But this product is likely not for the informed customer of $500-$700 headsets (relatively few, harder to impress), but for the buyers of $200-$300 ones with an iPhone that can justify spending those extra $200-$300 bucks (many more, less informed, with advantageous "reference frame"). For them at worst it will be matching sound quality to w/e they had, but likely noticably better.

Kudos for Apple, these tactics work. Just look at how everyone previously using wired earpods see the airpods as default choice nowadays. Anecdotically those same people are calling the sound quality great/best as their reference frame was the $20 headsets..

 

[somethingmissing]

Unfortunately the Apple phones have considerable downsides including a much heavier weight and a less practical size and shape for travelling.

The main and biggest problem however is their ridiculous multiple re-encoding of AAC via bluetooth - if people realised what kind of digital torture is going on with these things nobody would be using the word 'audiophile'.
To make things worse there is no jack input meaning that overall these are a wasted opportunity for anyone who has decent hearing and cares about sound quality.

If Apple genuinely wanted to innovate, they would integrate lossless wireless audio transmission from ALAC or AAC, combined with wireless charging in a lightweight, noise-cancelling, visually attractive package.
As things are, at 600 dollars they're little more than fanboy trinkets.
(And I speak as someone more than happy to pay in excess of 2000 on worthwhile headphones).

It's almost as if any company that wanted to make wireless, lossy music playback work with the highest possible fidelity would need to control the whole stack... encode its own audio files, control its own streaming infrastructure and design and manufacture its own playback devices. Microprocessor design is obviously critical here, so it would be extra useful if that company also designed its own custom silicon and it would be extra extra useful if that silicon was widely considered to be class-leading.

If only such a company existed, right? Imagine what they could do by applying software to things like audio, photography, videography... and they'd be able to keep improving things with software updates too, wouldn't that be awesome?

Plus, if that company existed, fewer people would need to spend upwards of 2000 whatevers (credits? rupees? pull tabs?) on headphones that carry lossless audio. More of us might realise that to a certain degree lossless audio is just one way of getting around the fact that very few companies can control the audio file *and* the playback device.

Sarcasm aside, though, if you're reading this thread and on the fence about these new cans, remember that there's loads of research out there to support the subjectivity of human perception and next to nothing to support most claims made by audiophiles and high-fidelity audio purveyors (Apple is not above making these claims itself). I have no doubt that some people have sensitive enough ears to justify spending 2000 bottle tops on headphones, but that absolutely does not hold true for everyone. And there are other things to factor in - design, materials, connectivity, call quality - make your decision based on what matters to you. If you're in the market for these cans and are on the fence don't let people who *haven't even held* the device sway you - doesn't matter if they're willing to spend 2000 banana peels, the science of human perception renders their views as good as meaningless. They're just intent on criticising other people's purchasing decisions for some reason, it's almost as though they lack confidence in their own choices or something ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[deevey]

I think people get offended by the fact that the Apple Tax is so high on a product, like this, yet a
Apple is cheaping out on features add-ons etc.

I don't see that apple have "cheaped out" on any of the features, if anything it appears they have excelled and surpassed the competition on most everything except price.

The worthiness of that price to be determined when some decent reviewers do some proper testing. But based on build quality, proven ANC tech and transparency mode, coupled with spacial audio and pretty seamless device integration.. probably worth the $200 difference for anyone who is typically streaming a lot of "high" quality audio from most popular apps.

I reckon Apple has already won the crown for most popular/best value over-ear wireless headphone of 2021 while still sitting on the starting block, much like they did with the Apple Watch (which also seemed to be an insane price at the time).

Honestly I don't think there is going to be any competition or trouble when it comes to selling these if you are already in the Ecosystem .. the integration is what's going to sell it and the price will be accepted by most everyone except people who don't have a pair yet.