Apple - AirPods Max - Space Gray

THE BEST. Simply stated. I ordered these thinking they wouldn’t match up to Bose, B&O, M&D, and all the other Magnolia products and I was blown away. The hard thing to stomach is the price, but, they performed better than the rest. I’ve tested the Bose 700 series, Sony WH-1000XM4, Sennheiser Momentum, Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H9, Bower $ Wilkins PX7, and the Master & Dynamic MW65. None of them compare in sound quality, overall look, weight, and design. The Sennheiser Momentum headphones had a great bass kick, but that was it. The interchangeability of the AirPods Max really sells me on them as well. Ear paddings are magnetic and easy to replace, clean sleek design where you can add silicone earphone covers for protection. All around great design from Apple that I was not expecting.

The sound was not what I expected,I guess because I use different types of headphones for studio recording and production.But for some strange reason they’re helping me with my mixing because I’m able to connect with my Mac Pro 2013 Model and I can get an idea how my mix will sound with stereo headphones ,based on the fact that I’m able to hear exactly what I’m hearing in my DAW (Reasons). The AirPod Max gives you a true flat response without adding too much bass frequencies so that your able to mix and add more bass if it’s needed. On certain reviews I’ve heard they have a high end sound but what I heard was more of a true flat sound. As for the design I kinda of like them but after an hour or so they can get uncomfortable. I purchased an open box so the price was ok for me .

The sound quality, comfort and syncing with Apple devices is phenomenal. I’m very happy with these headphones when I’m using them. Noise-cancelling is incredible. I’ve used them with noisy people at home and on a trans-Pacific flight. They’re better than my AirPods Pro and my Bose QC35 headphones. Amazing. Unfortunately, it’s difficult to use them when the battery phantom-drains overnight. There’s an unaddressed bug in the software that just slowly kills the battery at all times. Keeping my phone and my car batteries full are both significantly easier than baby-sitting the APM battery. At this price point, having a dead battery every morning just doesn’t fly. I would not buy these until the battery issues are adjusted.

I have owned Bose QC3, 700, Sennheiser PXC550, Sony XM3 and I am glad I gave AirpodsMax a shot. It (to my ears) are the best of the lot when it comes to wireless headphones. Back in the days, when anybody tried on BOSE QC3, they used to go "wow". After that, things have been "similar" for the most part. Sony XM3s was the next "wows". But this - takes it to a different level. The whole experience - build quality, ease of use, comfort, noise cancellation, transparency mode - is simply awesome. yes 550$ is steep. I had BBuy credits accumulated and I just used it all for this and I have no regrets. I will plan to purchase different color ear cushions once they are available for purchase. The magnetic hold for the ear Cushions are really cool as those are what get spoilt first over time. Extremely easy to remove and put back. The ear cups (not just cushions), also detach with a SIM card ejection tool if someone really wants to do that. I have had these on for many hours and no issues. It seamlessly connects to my apple devices and switches from one to another seamlessly. The Audio quality is astounding. Every single detail is crystal clear and the sound feels "wider" when compared to other headphones. No doubt these are expensive, but I'd rather purchase one exceptional then two mediocres . BestBuy also delivered this way before time. Thank you BestBuy.

The most noticeable thing (besides the price tag), is the build quality. After taking off my Sony XM4s and putting these on, the build quality is excellent. They feel premium and they are comfortable (once you find the right spot on your head). The lack of an included cable was only frustrating for me because I use a Windows desktop for work and wanted to plug them in. Easy to just buy the cable. For anyone looking for true wireless, the lack of a cable is irrelevant. Sound quality is on par with Sony’s. I’m not an audiophile, but for me there’s a noticeable difference in the mids. Sounds less “muddy.” The Digital Crown is perfect, wasn’t sure what to expect but it’s easy and convenient, don’t have to hope you’re touching invisible touch buttons. I would highly recommend.

I’m always on the look out for good headphones as I travel quite a bit. Noise canceling is a must. Wasn’t sure if these would be an upgrade from my Bose ones and they were. I’ve been most impressed with the noise canceling now that I’ve gotten back on a plane. It really cut out all the background engine and ventilation noise even better than the wired headphones they give you upfront. The only bummer is you can’t plug them into the airplane’s system (unless you get the adapter). Also I noticed if you turn on transparency mode on the plane you can’t hear most of your movie. One small downside is that I’ve noticed it’s hard to hear yourself when on video meetings (like Teams), but that odd easily remedied by turning on transparency mode (which is awesome too, it’s almost like getting amplified sound). Overall I think they are a buy, if you’re in the Apple ecosystem.

Other headphones I own when trying out these AirPods Max. 1. Sony WH1000XM3 2. Bose QC35 (first gen) 3. Beyerdynamic DT1990 Pro (wired, running on a THX AAA 789 amp) Build Quality: Top tier in the wireless ANC (active noise cancelling) class of headphones, expected for the stiff $550 price tag and it delivers. Aluminum and stainless steel throughout while the mesh headband may have questionable long life it is surprisingly nice to the touch. Earpads are comfortable, Apple labels them an "acoustic fabric" which has a unique feel. Comfort: Not as comfortable as the lightweight Bose QC35s but very good considering their weight and build. I've worn them for about 3 hours straight with no discomfort. I've got a big noggin' so clamping pressure can be an issue, but the AirPods Max have a good balance. I believe the wide mesh at the top of the headband does a good job of distributing the weight of these cans. Ease of Use: If you've got iPhone, iPad or Mac then the feature set and ease of use/setup is great. I don't really recommend these for Android or PC users as they aren't worth it when considering the features you lose out on. Pairing is easy, switching between devices, etc - as long as you're in the Apple ecosystem. Features: ANC is top tier right up there with Sony - possibly slightly better. However due to the pandemic travel has been difficult so airplane testing hasn't been done. They do a very good job overall. Transparency mode though is a step above the competition which others can sound digitized or muffled. AirPods Max doesn't sound like this at all, it mimics real world hearing as if you aren't wearing them really really well. Spatial Audio, a sort of simulated surround sound, is the best in class when content is available. It won't replace your home theater setup but for on the go movie watching it is a more immersive and fun experience. Sound: Top tier for their class of ANC/Wireless. They do not stand up to a more traditional wired setup like my Beyerdyamic DT1990 Pro but as far as sound goes in comparison to others like Bose and Sony - they are better in basically every way. Bass was surprisingly good and not too muddy or overblown like the Sony's can achieve - so if you're a bass-lover I'd go Sony but for a more balanced sound go AirPods Max. The Bose QC35 aren't really that great in the sound department in my opinion, they're a really boring headphone. AirPods Max are fun without being over the top and also don't take themselves too seriously by trying to be analytical or flat. Value: Eye of the beholder moment here. Are you in the Apple ecosystem? Do you value build quality? Are you looking for a unique feature set like Transparency mode and Spatial Audio? If you said yes to all of these then the value is there in my opinion. I'm not going to rank sound quality directly to value as everyone hears a little different so some of you out there may dislike this headphone's sound. I recommend giving it a try if you are curious, worse case scenario is you can return it within the generous return policy at Best Buy if you don't like them. I'll be keeping my pair - sort of - I want the blue color so I'll be returning the white pair to get a blue pair when they finally become available. I mean, what's up with that? Other colors shouldn't take so long.. but oh well. I gave this headphone an excellent rating based on their category against other wireless ANC headphones and assuming the person buying these is probably a Apple user who is deep in the ecosystem.

There are an abundance of reviews on the AirPods Max, so in this review I do not go through the usual attributes, but rather focus on specific items/issues. Hope this helps. When you (a prospective buyer) are here, it’s likely that you have already done your research, and that you are set to buy it but might have some reservations. Yes, the aesthetic, sound, functionality, and build quality are awesome. Phone call quality is phenomenal. Just deal with the case or buy another one from a 3rd party. Let me address certain issues that many of us might have concerns: 1) Battery drain. Yes, it was an issue. The root cause appears to be the old firmware which causes the APX not to be (or at least consistently) in sleep mode when placed in the case and likely connected via Bluetooth or constantly trying to look for connected device(s). After the firmware update, the issue was reasonably resolved — please do not expect it to not lose less than 3% over a span of 12 hours. 2) Connectivity issue. In an ideal situation, when an APX is taken out of the case and put on one’s head, there are a visual indicator and subsequently an audible indicator that the APX is connected to a mobile device (e.g., an iPhone). Indeed, the sound is output to the APX from the mobile device’s source. However, at times, the sound indicator is present, with or without the visual indicator, and the APX is not connected to the mobile device. I have to manually connect the APX. After multiple resets, this issue appears to be mitigated, and only happens once awhile. 3) Weight & moisture/heat. After wearing for an extended period of time, there’s moisture and heat built up over the ears, probably due to the mesh material. For me, neither the weight nor the built-up moister/heat is a contributing factor in causing unbearable discomfort. In deed it’s very comfortable to wear. To some, I could see that the built-up moister/heat could cause discomfort. A brief removal of the APX could likely help mitigate the moisture/heat issue. 4) Observation—automatic music resumes. With the auto head detection’s being turned on, when the APX is taken off/removed, music pauses and will resumes upon sensing that the APX is put back on your head over the ears. However, I observed that the music is paused and can be automatically resumed only if the APX is removed no longer than 15 seconds. If there are more than 15 seconds, resume functionality needs to be manually activated. In brief, it’s a great wireless headphone at its price range with a few nuisances that not only can be mitigated, but are substantially outweighed by the positive attributes.