Apple Announces AirPods Max Over-Ear Headphones With Noise Cancellation, Priced at $549

[Nimoy]

This would be more like BMW pricing the new 535 at 2x the price of the E350. Nearly identical cars for not identical money. We'll see when the reviews hit, but I highly doubt these will sound twice as good as something like the Sony XM4's at nearly half the price.

I think the problem with this reasoning is that the value proposition isn't based *only* on sound quality. There's also practical value to be had in the seamless integration with Apple devices (switching and instant connect), "Hey Siri", (potentially) more comfortable fit, likely future firmware support for new features, etc. When you stack all of that together, along with Apple's track record of providing excellent products with great customer service, you start get closer to an apples-to-Apple (excuse the pun) comparison.

I think it's worth elaborating on that last point. The reason Apple can command a higher price point than seemingly comparable goods is that people have come to expect that Apple products are *reliably* awesome. That's the value of their brand. Yes, it's a status symbol and yes their marketing is slick, but fundamentally people have become accustomed to being delighted when they buy Apple products. They therefore have a rational belief that the next Apple product they buy will also delight them. This isn't mind control or duping people. It's just future expectation based on past experience. Apple can and—from a financial standpoint—should charge a premium for that goodwill.

 

[AEWest]

The iPhone wasn’t so much a better smartphone as it was a pocket computer.

The Apple Watch is a miniature wrist computer.

Even the HomePod is a computer.

What I am suspecting is that the AirPods max are really two HomePods for your ears. That’s what the critics are failing to realise. You are not buying a pair of headphones. You are buying a computer that produces sound.

It’s not even going to be close.

Since it costs almost twice as much as a homepod, I guess it makes sense that you are wearing a homepod on each ear?

 

[anthony13]

The fact that it does have lightning and not usb-c makes me think Apple is not close to removing the port from iPhones. I just find it remarkable that they are still pushing lightning, and annoying, as it means that many more cables in my everyday carry.

 

[anson42]

So for $549 without tax, do they include a lightning cable or you have to buy that separately?

Per the web site in the box is a Lightning to USB-C Cable.

 

[carestudio]

Let me do the calculation. M1 mac mini is around $650 it has an SSD, two thunderbolt ports, one HDMI, fan, a power cord, it can also connect two external monitors, one via Thunderbolt and one from builtin HDMI. AirPods Max has an H1 silicon but no SSD, no thunderbolt, no HDMI, can't connect any display and it's only 100 dollars cheaper than M1 mac mini....

Am I saying H1 will replace M1 in the future in MacBookPro 17" ?

 

[AEWest]

People are seriously complaining about $500???

$500 is like a night at a decent hotel... we saved like 40k-60k from not travelling this year due to COVID.

Um...a very different lifestyle than most on this forum.

 

[smulji]

but so far Apple has shown it doesn't really get anywhere close to a sound quality that price tag requires.

you know this without even listening to these? That's some serious super powers. That said, whether one thinks the original HomePod was successful or not, it received rave for its sound quality, even by audio publications. If that is anything to go by, I'm confident of the sound quality of the AirPods Max.

 

[smulji]

I'd have been amazed if they had a jack connector so optionally they could be wired. It's a pity that for such pricy headphones they cannot be used in professional environments with no latency.

You can buy a 3.5mm jack connector.

 

[smulji]

I’m seeing a few of these snarky posts from pro-Apple analysts. I guess Horace has forgotten about HomePod and before it the iPod HiFi. At a $550 price point I doubt these headphones will be flying off the shelves. And it’s entirely possible Apple’s expectations are more modest.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1336615029433622528

Why do you keep bringing up HomePod? If it sold that poorly, Apple would have discontinued it. There is a market for a small speaker of that caliber.

 

[clerkpalmer]

Why do you keep bringing up HomePod? If it sold that poorly, Apple would have discontinued it. There is a market for a small speaker of that caliber.

It did sell poorly until the price was cut by 40 percent. Then it survived. That's the point here. The Max may sell but it's prob going to take a significant price cut.

 

[smulji]

It did sell poorly until the price was cut by 40 percent. Then it survived. That's the point here. The Max may sell but it's prob going to take a significant price cut.

That 40% "price cut" was a Best Buy limited time sale. According to Apple's website, it technically only received a $50 price cut.

 

[clerkpalmer]

That 40% "price cut" was a Best Buy limited time sale. According to Apple's website, it technically only received a $50 price cut.

It was readily available and continues to be for 200 to 250 even if Apple never officially went that low. In any event, whether the discount is 20 percent or 40 percent the point is the same. Apple had to cut the price for it to survive. It is a nice product and the Max may very well be too but I will be very surprised if they have staying power at 550. I hope it does because that likely means it will have excellent sound quality.

 

[bluespark]

I was interested in these but just saw the case. Apple, we need a non-goofy case that we can toss in a bag. This one: (1) is goofy, and (2) would lead to immediate damage of the headband if used the way most people would like to use a headphone case.

 

[bluespark]

550. It probably has an M1 chip

H1

 

[anson42]

Price aside, and as there should be with headphones, there is a lot of talk about sound quality. Unlike a conventional headphone, a headphone of the Max's type needs to be judged on:

* How good it sounds without ANC

Without ANC is where some kind of apples to Apples comparison can be made with conventional, wired headphones. We do know from previous experience that many wireless headphones have compromised sound given the nature of Bluetooth codecs, but codecs and sources have improved over time. We know to avoid SBC now, for example. But if you want to use wireless headphones as your main headphones, you should know what you give up or gain by doing so.

Without ANC also allows comparison to other wireless headphones in this mode. If you are in an environment that does not require ANC, it really should be disabled because ANC affects sound quality and battery life. If you're at your desk at home and don't need ANC, just how good are these compared to, say, Bose 700 and Sony XM4 and others for this use case?

* How good it sounds with ANC

ANC is such an important feature for the mobile/portable use case. Just how good do these headphones sound when you are out and about? When I'm on a plane, I don't want to hear engine noise. Does my music still sound good? How does it compare to other headphones (and earphones) with ANC on?

(Personally, I use AirPods Pro with ANC on when on a plane. They sound pretty good but are IMO nowhere as good as a good wired pair of sealing in-ear earphones but wireless convenience comes with a price.)

* How good it sounds when audio computation is disabled, assuming that it can be

Assuming that not only ANC can be disabled but also the "audio computation" for stereophonic listening, how good do these headphones sound to those wireless headphones that don't have such processing? Maybe the processing is gimmicky and leads to listening fatigue, maybe it doesn't.

* How good it sounds with an Apple USB-C to Lightning cable

While charging, or just avoiding Bluetooth, the Max can be tethered to a USB-C source via the cable. With and without ANC enabled, how good do they sound? This is an all digital delivery from source to headphone. Will this method lead to better or simply equal sound as BT AAC?

* How good it sounds with an Apple AUX to Lightning cable

Similarly, how good do the headphones sound when connected to an analog audio port? With and without ANC? Assuming a high quality audio source. We know the analog signal is converted to digital by the ADC in the Lightning plug. Does this offer better sound than over Bluetooth? I hope so, but does it?

So anyways, the drivers alone don't make the sound. There's so much going on with these headphones that I would like to see reviews cover all these scenarios. Measurements for each would be great but ultimately subjective analysis from trusted headphone reviewers is what I'd like to read/hear.

 

[smulji]

Price aside, and as there should be with headphones, there is a lot of talk about sound quality. Unlike a conventional headphone, a headphone of the Max's type needs to be judged on:

* How good it sounds without ANC

Without ANC is where some kind of apples to Apples comparison can be made with conventional, wired headphones. We do know from previous experience that many wireless headphones have compromised sound given the nature of Bluetooth codecs, but codecs and sources have improved over time. We know to avoid SBC now, for example. But if you want to use wireless headphones as your main headphones, you should know what you give up or gain by doing so.

Without ANC also allows comparison to other wireless headphones in this mode. If you are in an environment that does not require ANC, it really should be disabled because ANC affects sound quality and battery life. If you're at your desk at home and don't need ANC, just how good are these compared to, say, Bose 700 and Sony XM4 and others for this use case?

* How good it sounds with ANC

ANC is such an important feature for the mobile/portable use case. Just how good do these headphones sound when you are out and about? When I'm on a plane, I don't want to hear engine noise. Does my music still sound good? How does it compare to other headphones (and earphones) with ANC on?

(Personally, I use AirPods Pro with ANC on when on a plane. They sound pretty good but are IMO nowhere as good as a good wired pair of sealing in-ear earphones but wireless convenience comes with a price.)

* How good it sounds when audio computation is disabled, assuming that it can be

Assuming that not only ANC can be disabled but also the "audio computation" for stereophonic listening, how good do these headphones sound to those wireless headphones that don't have such processing? Maybe the processing is gimmicky and leads to listening fatigue, maybe it doesn't.

* How good it sounds with an Apple USB-C to Lightning cable

While charging, or just avoiding Bluetooth, the Max can be tethered to a USB-C source via the cable. With and without ANC enabled, how good do they sound? This is an all digital delivery from source to headphone. Will this method lead to better or simply equal sound as BT AAC?

* How good it sounds with an Apple AUX to Lightning cable

Similarly, how good do the headphones sound when connected to an analog audio port? With and without ANC? Assuming a high quality audio source. We know the analog signal is converted to digital by the ADC in the Lightning plug. Does this offer better sound than over Bluetooth? I hope so, but does it?

So anyways, the drivers alone don't make the sound. There's so much going on with these headphones that I would like to see reviews cover all these scenarios. Measurements for each would be great but ultimately subjective analysis from trusted headphone reviewers is what I'd like to read/hear.

Great post. To add to your list, it should also be judged on how comfortable it is to wear for long periods of time. Sounds quality AND comfort are both important.

 

[anson42]

Great post. To add to your list, it should also be judged on how comfortable it is to wear for long periods of time. Sounds quality AND comfort are both important.

Good point. These are spec'd as quite heavy so assuming sound quality is acceptable, can you actually wear these on a long flight? Do they feel ok even sitting around your neck when not in use? I can kind of tell how much room they need in a bag but they also need to be durable when jostled and dropped. Yikes, I don't want to think about what they might look like if they are dropped at table height or above onto concrete.

 

[cardfan]

Even though I have no interest in these at present I don’t think the price is high. It’ll drop with the usual sales.

I simply like having AirPods in jacket pocket. I already have multiple noise canceling headphones around house. It’ll be a long time before I care enough to buy another pair.

That said I did buy 6 of them to resell. Blue. Easy money.

 

[booksbooks]

1. You can use your ears to listen 2. All the decent reviewers will tell you too.

It's just a terrible consumer sound signature - they do ANC well and that's about, but I don't even like ANC and turn it off on any products that have it.

If you want over-priced Bose are you folks, they sell £250 headphones that don't sound as good as £100 Sennheisers.

When you've got brands like Sennheiser, Focal, Grado, Audeze, Beyerdynamic and even Audio-Technica there's no reason to spend a penny on Bose. The NuraPhones blow anything Bose could manage out of the water with their muddy, hollow, hyped, veiled sound signature.

Now we're on an Apple forum. And this thread is about the Airpods Max. You cannot say that the Bose are worse sounding than these because you haven't listened to them with your own ears, and there haven't been any reviews out there yet either.

Second, you seem to have a bias toward Bose. Their 700 Headphones have gotten best of the best from CNET, reddot, PCMag Editors' Choice, and several over accolades from other reviewers. Their new ANC QuietComfort earbuds have also been getting excellent reviews from multiple reviewers, including the Verge naming them the best earbuds out there. And it's not just for the how good the ANC is on these models, but the sound as well.

And looks like not everyone has the same conclusions as you on sound fidelity, particularly comparing nuraphones to Bose.

"Bose 700s - To my ears, these have the 'cleanest' overall sound quality. Good music fidelity, respectable bass. Overall, I think most people would find them the most pleasant sounding."

https://www.reddit.com/r/bose/comments/c81mae

 

[Maconplasma]

Audiophiles aren't buying these.

I'm looking forward to the countless articles on MacRumors containing every possible thing you'd ever want to know and not want to know about the Airpods Max. The colors, the mixing of earpads, the cost of earpads, the shipping times, the shipping delays, the biased sound tests, the tests where they pit Airpods Max against other headphones that aren't near the same price point, and the constant bleating about how amazing Airpods Max are.

Sounds like you just wanna hear adverse things about the AirPods Max. I’m not all surprised 🙄

 

[Maconplasma]

These will look great with my Apple Pro Display XDR. Oh wait that's right, I didn't get one because it's six thousand dollars. If you like these then more power to you but to me these look awful and probably sound good, but likely not better than any number of other ~$500 headphones.

This feels like the iPod HiFi all over again: a competent product, but one that no one was really asking for and is way overpriced.

Good job analyzing something you haven’t even tried. 🙄

 

[carlsson]

This would be more like BMW pricing the new 535 at 2x the price of the E350. Nearly identical cars for not identical money. We'll see when the reviews hit, but I highly doubt these will sound twice as good as something like the Sony XM4's at nearly half the price.

So; just.don’t.buy.them.

What’s up with you people? If you think something is too expensive, nobody forces you to buy it. *Especially* before any reviews are out...! 🤦‍♂️

/IMHO

 

[Carac]

It was readily available and continues to be for 200 to 250 even if Apple never officially went that low. In any event, whether the discount is 20 percent or 40 percent the point is the same. Apple had to cut the price for it to survive. It is a nice product and the Max may very well be too but I will be very surprised if they have staying power at 550. I hope it does because that likely means it will have excellent sound quality.

I bought a launch HomePod and thought it was nice, but not $350 nice. Returned it to Best Buy a couple days later. Then Best Buy offered them for $199, which I bought in a heartbeat and have enjoyed thoroughly. I get they they're trying to recoup an apparent 4 year development for these earphones, but until they're $399 or less, they will be HomePod 2.0 a great product being sold for 40% over what it should be.

 

[cardfan]

I bought a launch HomePod and thought it was nice, but not $350 nice. Returned it to Best Buy a couple days later. Then Best Buy offered them for $199, which I bought in a heartbeat and have enjoyed thoroughly. I get they they're trying to recoup an apparent 4 year development for these earphones, but until they're $399 or less, they will be HomePod 2.0 a great product being sold for 40% over what it should be.

Which is fine. The nut jobs will buy them at this price. We will pay half the price later.

 

[Kafka]

Their 700 Headphones have gotten best of the best from CNET, reddot, PCMag Editors' Choice, and several over accolades from other reviewers. Their new ANC QuietComfort earbuds have also been getting excellent reviews from multiple reviewers, including the Verge naming them the best earbuds out there. And it's not just for the how good the ANC is on these models, but the sound as well.

And looks like not everyone has the same conclusions as you on sound fidelity, particularly comparing nuraphones to Bose.

"Bose 700s - To my ears, these have the 'cleanest' overall sound quality. Good music fidelity, respectable bass. Overall, I think most people would find them the most pleasant sounding."

https://www.reddit.com/r/bose/comments/c81mae

He’s right, the Bose 700 are terrible sound wise. They work great for cancelling sound, phone calls, and non demanding music listening.
The usual objection that people that want great sound shouldn’t buy wireless is correct, but sometimes you want to hit a good compromise. If you’re used to 150-200 euro/dollar wired headphones and sound quality is your main criteria, the compromise sucks bad here.

The sites you cited here are general tech stuff sites, not headphone sites. They have no idea what good audio is and mostly praise convenient stuff.

edit: the Sony are better. Hell, even the old Bose qc35ii were a bit better.