Can’t help but think the only ones buying these are simply trying to make a statement. $550 is ludicrous for what they actually are vs what’s available on the market from Sony and others for far less.
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Apple Announces AirPods Max Over-Ear Headphones With Noise Cancellation, Priced at $549
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Congratulations on your purchase.
I'm glad I got in too before the ship dates started slipping well into January.
Everyone too busy arguing on here to notice demand is outstripping supply again, while people try to claim these are too expensive..
SO it sounds like an interesting product - until you see the price point and they DON'T state the frequency response? No one markets headphones without stating the frequency response and other sound specs. At least, not until now. No way I'd consider buying those without hearing them myself. And noise cancelling....Sony is the leader. These would have to sound SO much better than their $3/400 set of headphones with better noise cancelling to make them worth $600.
Once upon a time, Apple included earpods together with their iPhones. It also sold those very same earpods for $19.90 if customers wanted some spare ones. They were fine, but customers that did not like them could buy alternative products from other manufacturers. There were many options available, some cheaper and some more expensive, and they all fitted the headphone jack in Apple's iPhone and in any other phone.
But then, in 2016, Apple, under Tim Cook, released the iPhone 7 without the headphone jack, stating that it represented an evolution of phones and that to remove it was an act of courage. The headphone jack, according to Apple, occupied space that could be used by other components (even though space formerly occupied by the headphone jack was not used at all in iPhone 7). Apple still included earpods, now with the proprietary Lightning connector, inside the box of every iPhone 7. Using the Lightning connector means not charging the phone at the same time as using the earpods. (that's evolution for sure). And the earpods were still selling for $19.90, but products from competitors could no longer fit the iPhone, unless a $9 adapter was used. On the same date, Apple released the AirPods, a $159 elegant solution to its newly-created problem.
In 2019, Apple released the second-generation AirPods, which was a perfect excuse to release an upgraded version with wireless case for $199. A few months later, Apple released the AirPods Pro for $249, again upselling its earphones.
In 2020, the iPhone is no longer shipped with earpods. And Apple releases $549 AirPods Max.
Five years ago, the iPhone came with earpods, and anyone can buy any competing product as an alternative. Now, the iPhone no longer comes with earpods, alternative products no longer fit unless with a $9 adapter and the lightning port is used, and Apple is happy to sell a solution for a price ranging from $159-549. Look, additional features! Apple is making everyone's life better!
How could I buy into that stuff without considering myself stupid?
But then, in 2016, Apple, under Tim Cook, released the iPhone 7 without the headphone jack, stating that it represented an evolution of phones and that to remove it was an act of courage. The headphone jack, according to Apple, occupied space that could be used by other components (even though space formerly occupied by the headphone jack was not used at all in iPhone 7). Apple still included earpods, now with the proprietary Lightning connector, inside the box of every iPhone 7. Using the Lightning connector means not charging the phone at the same time as using the earpods. (that's evolution for sure). And the earpods were still selling for $19.90, but products from competitors could no longer fit the iPhone, unless a $9 adapter was used. On the same date, Apple released the AirPods, a $159 elegant solution to its newly-created problem.
In 2019, Apple released the second-generation AirPods, which was a perfect excuse to release an upgraded version with wireless case for $199. A few months later, Apple released the AirPods Pro for $249, again upselling its earphones.
In 2020, the iPhone is no longer shipped with earpods. And Apple releases $549 AirPods Max.
Five years ago, the iPhone came with earpods, and anyone can buy any competing product as an alternative. Now, the iPhone no longer comes with earpods, alternative products no longer fit unless with a $9 adapter and the lightning port is used, and Apple is happy to sell a solution for a price ranging from $159-549. Look, additional features! Apple is making everyone's life better!
How could I buy into that stuff without considering myself stupid?
Once again Mr Cook says: Why all these complaints about price, I don’t get it? We make these for the average Apple Music enthusiast.
Maybe we need to add a color Touch Bar, yes they love that on our MBP, that’s a good idea.
If you keep hearing those imaginary voices, seek help!
This price is crazy - however, if it can combine the XM4s sound, the bose 700's mic, and up it a notch, it may be a good product. The price though. On black friday, you could nearly get both the XM4, and the 700 for this price.
I have a pair of planars (not electros) at home that are driven by a desktop amplifier. The problem is, I can't take that on the road. Well, I could, I suppose, if I brought along a portable amp – no thanks – or purchased a pricey lossy digital player with a built-in amp – also no thanks – and buy new closed back cans because open-back sucks for travel for obvious reasons. Stax has its place but on a plane or a train isn't really one of them. Thus sizable market for Bose and Sony ANC headphones that Apple is trying to enter (and successfully so with the AirPod Pros, IMO).
But - those audiophile headphones tend to be corded and SOME even require a separate amplifier to gain their best sound.
Too rich for my blood. I'm not that much of an audiophile and my AirPods Pro are great. Pass for now. Maybe a few years down the road, or if they come out with a cheaper model like they did with the HomePod Mini, which I think is fine. Besides, I've already spent way too much this autumn already on iPhones and game consoles.
I honestly kinda think these might end up being the cheaper sport model a couple years down the road. They don't have many of the rumored features like sensing which ear is on which side, touch controls, replaceable headbands, etc. After some time Apple can replace these with the more premium model and knock these down in price. These are also aluminum and look more like a sport model. But I suppose they could just come out with a quality matte plastic version for the sport. Might actually be more comfortable with a lower weight too.
I honestly kinda think these might end up being the cheaper sport model a couple years down the road. They don't have many of the rumored features like sensing which ear is on which side, touch controls, replaceable headbands, etc. After some time Apple can replace these with the more premium model and knock these down in price. These are also aluminum and look more like a sport model. But I suppose they could just come out with a quality matte plastic version for the sport. Might actually be more comfortable with a lower weight too.
I'm very confident these new AirPods Max will sound spectacular. Confident enough to order already without seeing any reviews. This is a product that has been in development for a long time.
agree with those saying these are priced like homepod was at launch, & will probably sell similarly!
i got my homepods this year for £199 each, and love them. my bose qc35 are getting a little long in the tooth, but i’m happy to wait a couple of years until these will likely be going for £299 before considering them
i got my homepods this year for £199 each, and love them. my bose qc35 are getting a little long in the tooth, but i’m happy to wait a couple of years until these will likely be going for £299 before considering them
Delivery times have already slipped well into January. Looks like they are selling OK so far.
Sure, because they made 10 of them. That fact means nothing. There were people who bought the 17K Apple Watch Series 0 too.
While I'm sure they'll sound great, they are $779 in Canada, which is the same price as an iPad Air. I definitely can't justify spending that kind of money on consumer headphones!
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Because the frequency response range is an idiotic metric that tells you nothing. Knowing that a pair of headphones supposedly goes up to 44000hz instead or 32000 doesn't matter because your own ear taps out at 20000 or so if you're young and lower than that if you're past your prime (audition-wise).
Same with driver size. It's pointless.
What you want to ideally know is frequency response curve at your own eardrum - as it varies from person to person even if the headphones are outputting the same FR curve (something that's not possible to do for laymen people like you and I) and in the absence of that a set of measurements from several independent sources with published methodologies - something that Apple obviously can't put in a spec sheet.
Even better is to hear them though and form your own opinion
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