I think the word you were looking for was “they’re too old to hear anything audiophilic”?
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Hands-On With the AirPods Max
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Is it just me or does the title on this article look weird only being one line? Like the red bar is way too big or something?
Bose stole noise canceling tech that Apple invented
Audiophiles don’t have God Ears, they have a God complex.
Me too, by Koss!I can remember spending over $150 on wired headphones back in the 80s.
His review is spot on and not sugar coated. Plus his editing is top notch.
To whomever took that last photo in this post — nice work! This is probably the nicest photo of them I’ve seen.
Today is the official launch day for the AirPods Max, Apple's newest headphones in the AirPods family. AirPods Max are a little bit controversial because of the high price, so we picked up a pair to see what you're getting for that $549 price tag.
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AirPods Max have aluminum ear cups that are cool to the touch with mesh padded ear cushions and a mesh headband. Design wise, the headphones look and feel premium when it comes to build quality. There's a Digital Crown on the top which is a nice physical control method, along with a button for controlling Active Noise Cancellation.
The buttons work well, but we missed the inclusion of a power button as there's no way to turn the headphones off. They go into standby mode when removed or an ultra low power mode right when put in the case, but otherwise there's no power control option.
Speaking of the case, it's not great. It looks weird and it doesn't offer much protection at all because it's made from a soft material. The case doesn't cover the headband, and there are openings at the bottom too, so it's not something you're going to want to toss in a bag with your $549 headphones inside.
The case also doesn't charge the headphones (there's a USB-C to Lightning cable included for that), and it's made from a smart cover-like material that may attract dust and dirt.
When it comes to comfort, the AirPods Max didn't cause pain even though they're very heavy, but we've only used them for a short period of time so far. In the amount of time we've had them, we've been impressed with the comfort level and the way the mesh band distributes weight on the head. The telescoping arms for adjusting fit are also a nice touch, and overall, everything feels premium.
By the way, the ear cushions are magnetic and pop off, so if you want to buy a second set for $69 when Apple starts selling them, you can mix and match colors. The headband isn't removable though, so the ear cushions are the only customization option.
AirPods Max have all of the same H1 features that other AirPods do, so expect quick pairing, easy device swapping, and long Bluetooth range. They have Adaptive EQ to adjust the sound to the fit on your head, and Active Noise Cancellation. We're going to go more in-depth on Active Noise Cancellation in a future video that compares the AirPods Max to other noise cancelling headphones, but so far, the noise cancellation is excellent.
In terms of sound quality, the AirPods Max sound amazingly crisp, even at high volume levels. Combined with the Active Noise Cancellation, it's an isolating experience that completely blocks out the outside world.
We haven't been able to test battery life, but Apple says the AirPods Max will last for up to 20 hours before needing a recharge. There's also a quick charge feature that gives you over an hour of battery life after five minutes.
AirPods Max now have a 12 to 14 week wait if you're ordering online for shipping, but you may be able to get them in an Apple retail location if you check each morning now that in store pickup is available.
Have you picked up AirPods Max? Are they worth the price? Let us know in the comments.
Article Link: Hands-On With the AirPods Max
I just tried mine, then my Bose QC35’s, then back to the Max... these absolutely CRUSH the Bose, I mean REALLY crush them.
My go to reference song was: Hotel California by The Eagles, live MTV 1994. Great instruments, bass and vocals.
*I’d love to hear what other people use for their comparisons. Queen & Bowie “Under pressure” is good as well.
My go to reference song was: Hotel California by The Eagles, live MTV 1994. Great instruments, bass and vocals.
*I’d love to hear what other people use for their comparisons. Queen & Bowie “Under pressure” is good as well.
I have to be honest, the one thing I’ve taken away from the AirPods Max that is the most un-Apple design quirk - is that the Lightning port doesn’t line up straight in the (awful) cover. That is so unlike Apple I can’t even right now.
That headband is going to stain from greasy and oily hair. It’s never going to come out and it’s going to be ugly as sin. Yuck! I would avoid the white band at all costs.
Yep, the Bose are lighter, but the Sony’s are a better headphone in my opinion.
*sad story I dropped my QC35’s in my laundry and washed them. They did not survive. Bought the Sony XM4’s to replace.
No nerve struck. Only an insecure person would care what other people think. If you like Addidas and want to wear their tracksuits, then rock on. No one cares what you’re wearing or what brands you like. I’m not sure I comprehend your clothing analogy as it’s entirely predicated on “what would someone think.”
The market has spoken and the iPhone, Applewatch and AirPods lineup is very compelling. I am not sure why you seem directly offended at someone using all three. They are literally meant to work together. By your logic, I should go out of my way to “mix things up” and make things harder for myself cuz reasons? I suppose you buy four different brands of tires for your car?
I wish the tech community was intellectually honest with themselves. I noticed that there’s a weird cognitive dissonance at play with some of these “controversial” products. People actively going out of their way to hate on something even though they have never used it. Let’s be honest, these headphones are out of budget for a lot of people, or you can’t justify it in your head. That certainly doesn’t mean you have to hate on it so you sleep better at night. This whole “I don’t/can’t get this so anyone that does is an idiot and Apple is out of their mind,” attitude is juvenile.
TLDR; Apple makes a lot of amazing products, but you don’t have to buy everything Apple makes. It’s ok to sit something out and simultaneously have positive opinions about said product.
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Yeah, I’m increasingly getting the impression the B-team got the 👍🏼 to make these.
Legit concern, and I noticed it on my pair, too.
But... should we consider this is Apple, and maybe after a few months, something stretches out and they end up aligning?
The sound is incredible in these! The soundstage is very good. I can only compare them to my old wired Bose QC25, so the difference is huge. However, they are heavy and a bit tight. I can see some people returning them due to the fit. The noise cancelling/transparency/spatial audio are all great!
The case is...oh, wait! What case?! LOL I will probably get something on Amazon to protect these in my backpack.
The case is...oh, wait! What case?! LOL I will probably get something on Amazon to protect these in my backpack.
Soon : either Apple or crappy company would release separate "case". Yeas, real fully protected pouch.
Introducing AirPods Max Case, starting from $199 made from <insert typical Apple ultra fancy name material>
Introducing AirPods Max Case, starting from $199 made from <insert typical Apple ultra fancy name material>
So I tried a pair today and frankly I wasn’t impressed. You’d think the weight resting slightly more on your ears than your head would be a subtle thing, but it’s not. I have biggish ears, and I could see these starting to hurt after a half hour.
In terms of sound quality I wasn’t blown away either. They’re better than my QC35’s but only about the same as my XM4’s. I like that they’re more balanced than the Beats Studio series, which always overly favor Bass, but the highs still sound weak frankly, more so than you’d expect from something this expensive.
I fly with a pair of QC35’s because frankly they’re about the most comfortable set on the planet and noise cancellation is top notch, and I work at home with a set of XM4’s because their SQ just outdoes the QC35’s enough to justify owning both, but they aren’t as comfortable for extended periods and the 35’s to my ears just do a better job cancelling out airplane noise than the XM4’s. The AirPods Max won’t be replacing either in those two use cases for me, and seriously that slip case is ridiculous. It’s like Apple realized they forgot to design a case a couple days before the deadline.
In terms of sound quality I wasn’t blown away either. They’re better than my QC35’s but only about the same as my XM4’s. I like that they’re more balanced than the Beats Studio series, which always overly favor Bass, but the highs still sound weak frankly, more so than you’d expect from something this expensive.
I fly with a pair of QC35’s because frankly they’re about the most comfortable set on the planet and noise cancellation is top notch, and I work at home with a set of XM4’s because their SQ just outdoes the QC35’s enough to justify owning both, but they aren’t as comfortable for extended periods and the 35’s to my ears just do a better job cancelling out airplane noise than the XM4’s. The AirPods Max won’t be replacing either in those two use cases for me, and seriously that slip case is ridiculous. It’s like Apple realized they forgot to design a case a couple days before the deadline.