The MacRumors Show: Surprise AirPods Max 2 Announcement

[Arctic Moose]

I don’t think you’re missing anything, to be honest.

I primarily want the H2 for the increased connectivity, noise cancellation and transparency performance, which I felt was significantly improved when it was introduced to the AirPods Pro.

I am still amazed (and really annoyed) that they couldn’t pull off this minor update at the same time as the USB-C introduction.

 

[Happy_John]

I primarily want the H2 for the increased connectivity, noise cancellation and transparency performance, which I felt was significantly improved when it was introduced to the AirPods Pro.

I am still amazed (and really annoyed) that they couldn’t pull off this minor update at the same time as the USB-C introduction.

I’d wait for objective hands-on reviewes from reviewers not influencers) to see if the H2 chip gives any significant improvements in these areas.

The jump from app2 to 2pp3 was a huge improvements, but the H2 looked like it was specifically built to improve performance for earbud performance, with small speaker drivers.

Untilthere’s actual test data, we really don’t know if the H2 difference makes any real difference in sound quality with the far bigger speaker drivers in the APM.

Maybe it does, maybe it doesn’t. Right now we can’t know.

As for the „increase connectivity”, I’m not sure what you mean. I’ve never had connectivity issues with my APM.

No reason to feel fomo just yet.

 

[Tdevilsg]

It's not going to sound that much better than APM which already does not have good drivers, if you compare it to the competition. APM is overpriced. I personally don't use APM for the sound quality but convenience.

How do you know that? The new model hasn’t even come out yet. The drivers should sound noticeably better, they are six years newer.

 

[SDAVE]

How do you know that? The new model hasn’t even come out yet. The drivers should sound noticeably better, they are six years newer.

Apple is incremental as a company, so it won't be a huge jump

 

[realtwang]

They're average at best. No midtones and blown out highs.

I disagree. I listened to every competitor before I bought the APM. They are the flattest response and clearest of the bunch. The Beats have over-emphasized bass, the Sonys have over emphasized highs and lows (scooped mids), and the Bose QC Ultra can get close, but only if you dial the mids back one notch with their app. I also have 1000 dollar planar magnetic mixing headphones, and the Airpods Max are the only ones I've heard that even come close to being true flat response. My only hope with the new ones is that the new amp inside is a bit more powerful, so as to provide more clean headroom.

 

[realtwang]

It's not going to sound that much better than APM which already does not have good drivers, if you compare it to the competition. APM is overpriced. I personally don't use APM for the sound quality but convenience.

You have no way of knowing that.

 

[Tim Cook's Pool Boy]

Gen 1 APM are he only Apple purchase I regret. I tried really hard to like them but sweaty ears, heavy weight and having to replace them once under warranty already have turned me off of them. I just now use them for the active noise cancelation which is still excellent (mainly cutting the grass, snow blowing or wife yelling at me).

 

[RowWebby]

It’s almost like Apple ran out of H1 chips and had to start putting H2 chips in the same old AirPods Max casings.

That’s not why they upgraded with the H2.

Apple obviously didn’t run out bc they still sell other products with the H1.

 

[kcwookie]

$549+tax...for headphones.... Hard pass for this low-income earner.

Apple is not a company that caters to low income workers.

 

[SDAVE]

You have no way of knowing that.

You'll see

 

[SDAVE]

I disagree. I listened to every competitor before I bought the APM. They are the flattest response and clearest of the bunch. The Beats have over-emphasized bass, the Sonys have over emphasized highs and lows (scooped mids), and the Bose QC Ultra can get close, but only if you dial the mids back one notch with their app. I also have 1000 dollar planar magnetic mixing headphones, and the Airpods Max are the only ones I've heard that even come close to being true flat response. My only hope with the new ones is that the new amp inside is a bit more powerful, so as to provide more clean headroom.

I've had all of them and they are average.

I have a $10,000 headphone setup here, I'm not comparing ANC headphones to those. I'm comparing APM to the competitors.

 

[Mikeske]

I just can't get them. I have 25-35% hearing loss in my left ear and the AirPods Pro 2 and 3 both have the hearing aid function in them and work great with boosting the music for the left ear and I never found any over the ear headphones that will boost the sound for one side over the other. I hunted for years for headphones that would have individual volume controls for each side like an old wired headphone I had in the 1970s when I did not need it at that time.

 

[tgwaste]

The fact that these arent BT6 is absolute absurdity.

 

[Sami13496]

They do sound better, but not 2-3 times better.

But more than that, they’re not really AirPods. You wouldn’t use them to go to the gym, go running, answerphonecalls. You see lots of people weaing iPods in teams / streaming, etc, but very rearely are they wearing the APM.

They’re really overear headphones for watching mniesz and listening to music, mosty at home. One of the only times I’d take them out of the House would be if I were going on an airplane. I’d never weather in the car, but I would wear AirPods / AirPods Pro.

No, they’re definately not as practical as „proper” AirPods. Not an „essential” part of the Apple setup. IF you like them can stomach the price, get them and you’ll like them. If you don’t Think they’re for you, you won’t miss them.

They re what they are: what over-ear headphones would be if they were made by Apple, with all the Apple-ness that comes with that.

If we consider only sound quality and ignore all other comparison factors, how would you rate the AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Max on a scale of 1–10 in terms of sound quality? I’m trying to understand how much better the sound quality is in the Max.

And there’s no need to take noise cancellation into account either. I’m only thinking about how they sound. I mainly listen to EDM and watch movies, if that makes any difference.

 

[LIVEFRMNYC]

My APM is mostly used at home, and sometimes on flights. So I don't care about Adaptive audio, Transparency, or Live translation. The noise canceling is excellent for home and flight use, so I don't even care about that being improved.

I'm going to wait and see what real users say about the audio quality on the APM2. That's the only factor that'll get me to upgrade.

I do wish they upgraded the battery to at least 10 more hours.

 

[HuskerNKS]

Be careful. I have gotten warned and posts deleted for questioning the repeated nature of posting the same thing. Mods take down criticism of content but leave talk about starting world wars...🧐

You're not kidding about that, the rule police are brutal here. Watch out for the weeeeez.

And so it's on topic. This is a lame refresh. There's no 2 about it. This is 1.75 at best.

Yep, it was taken down and I was warned. Pretty sensitive.

And so it is on topic, agree with 1.75. 😉

 

[Johnstrass2]

Yep. It’s annoying that users have to come up with a fix, but it’s not difficult to so, and then they’re a lot more comfortable. The we aught is fine as long as the bars are digging into your head, and if you’re bald like me, those dents are very obvious.

The problem is that this goes completely against the ethos of Apple. Apple had always been all about quality design.

 

[Happy_John]

The problem is that this goes completely against the ethos of Apple. Apple had always been all about quality design.

Not as much, not all the time.

The 2016 Intel MacBook Pros onwards looked beautiful. Prettiest MBPs ever made in my opinion. The 12” MacBook looked beautiful. Many people think the Mac Cube looked beautiful. AirPods Max look beautiful.

Apple has failed the “quality design” standard more then once, when it comes to usability.

The mesh band on the APM is one of these. Thankfully, unlike the other examples above, it’s easily fixed with a silicone lid on top and a bit of padding in between.

So, not great, but easy enough to make them more comfortable, and it doesn’t completely ruin their usability. It might put people off buying them, and that’s understandable, but if you have already bought a pair, it doesn’t render your purchase a complete disaster.

 

[PowerMac5500]

You're not kidding about that, the rule police are brutal here. Watch out for the weeeeez.

And so it's on topic. This is a lame refresh. There's no 2 about it. This is 1.75 at best.

Yep, it was taken down and I was warned. Pretty sensitive.

And so it is on topic, agree with 1.75. 😉

I've thought about asking if anyone wanted to form a support group for Mod-smacked members**.

**Members who were obviously in the wrong and needed a fresh copy of the rules.

Working easily around structured enforcement lines always brings the hammer.

 

[realtwang]

I've had all of them and they are average.

I have a $10,000 headphone setup here, I'm not comparing ANC headphones to those. I'm comparing APM to the competitors.