Adam Kos Apple introduced its only over-the-head headphones in 2020, when it is the highest model in the series, which at the same time has not yet received its successor. But would it even make sense? Although these headphones are certainly very original in their appearance, the functions are actually not revolutionary anymore, and in addition, they are held back by an excessively high price.
Apple introduced the AirPods Max on December 8, 2020, and the headphones went on sale on December 15 of the same year. Each earbud contains the H1 chip, which is also found in the 2nd and 3rd generation AirPods and the AirPods Pro. Like AirPods Pro, they feature active noise cancellation or transmittance mode. Their control element, i.e. the digital crown, which is familiar to all Apple Watch users, is certainly unique. It is used for control, i.e. playing, pausing, skipping songs and can be used to activate Siri.
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The headphones also contain sensors that automatically detect their proximity to the user's head and thus start playing sound or stop playback. Then there's surround sound using built-in gyroscopes and accelerometers that track the movement of the headphone wearer relative to the sound source. Battery life is 20 hours, five minutes of charging provides 1,5 hours of listening.
AirPods Pro was launched by Apple in October 2019, so the new generation is more likely to be expected from them. But if Apple maintained a three-year gap between updates even for the Max model, we would not see the news until next year, or rather towards the end of it. The official price of AirPods Max in the Apple Online Store is CZK 16, which is really too much, however, it is not a problem to come across them at a more friendly price range, around CZK 490.
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How is the competition?
But does it even make sense for Apple to present a new generation? AirPods Max are hi-end headphones that stand out for their design, control, music performance, price and durability. However, we mean the last two points in the wrong sense of the word. Of course, it depends on the demands of each user, but 20 hours of listening to music is not exactly too much, considering the higher segment of wireless over-the-head headphones. You pay so much money for AirPods Max mainly because Apple is responsible for them.
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E.g. Sennheiser has recently introduced the Momentum 4 ANC model, which costs just $350 (approx. CZK 8 + tax) and will provide an astounding 600 hours of battery life on a single charge – and that's with ANC turned on. There is also fast charging, where you can charge the headphones for 60 hours of listening in 10 minutes. In addition, there is a brilliant dynamics of the sound, its purity and musicality, at least states manufacturer.
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Over time, the functions are slightly improved, the materials are adjusted, the interconnectedness, but the endurance and charging change a lot. And that's what holds AirPods Max back a lot and makes them obsolete. They can play great for a year or two or three, but as the battery capacity decreases, which depends on their use, you will be more and more limited with regard to their necessary charging.
Due to its price, the AirPods Max did not sell well, which is exactly the difference with the other AirPods series. This is probably also due to the fact that AirPods and AirPods Pro are small, compact, and at least the Pro model actually offers the same sound quality, only in the form of plugs. TWS headphones are fashionable, even if over-the-head ones are comfortable, so the current time favors the first mentioned design. So it's quite possible that we won't see the next generation of AirPods Max, and if we do, it might not be next year at all. Apple can sell them further, while some light design can easily come next to them.
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Just briefly about the direct competitors. Sony WH-1000XM5 cost around CZK 10 and last 38 hours on a single charge, Bose 700 usually costs up to CZK 9 and has the same battery life as AirPods Max, i.e. 20 hours.
It is so. In short, the competition (Sony, Sennheiser, Bose, etc.) offers more for less money in many respects.
I can subjectively say that the sound from my Sony WH-1000XM4 sounds better to me than the Airpods Max.
Another thing is the weight, which I can't imagine having on my head for a long time (I tried them on for an hour and in short, they overdid it with that weight).
I bought Airpods Max last week and so far satisfied. It's true that they surprised me a little with their weight, but I wear them on my head all day at the PC and it's fine. It would probably be worse for walking with them outside, but I bought them primarily for the office. I can't judge soundly, I don't have experience with another brand, but I'm very satisfied. I was switching from the Airpods Pro, which were pretty good sonically, but having the headphones stuffed in my ears for several hours in the office just bothered me.
This is not subjective, but it is a fact. I also bought them based on a personal comparison with the MAXama, and when I listened to the Sony, there was nothing wrong with it. So good choice.
It's all about price versus performance. For 16 CZK it is complete nonsense. For 000 CZK, it is already playable compared to the competition, which will never have it connected to the apple environment, which is the most important thing for me (after the sound, of course), given that I have a watch, a tablet, a mac and iphone so this is really a very important feature for me that the competition simply does not have and will never have. They play perfectly, although admittedly not much better than airpod pro, which I also have. But I bought airpods max only unpacked in a sale for 11 CZK and that is the price for which it is worth 000%. I have AirPods pro for regular listening at work and, due to compatibility, also for shorter trips. I use Airpods max when listening to music at home, movies, working in the garden and longer trips (airplane). It just makes sense to me divided like this. But as I say, I was only able to accept it for a price below 9500 CZK.
I have both AirPods Pro and AirPods Max. The sound quality cannot be compared, the Max is up to 2 classes better there. In an airplane or a steamboat in the elimination of ambient noise. They certainly need to improve, but I believe that Apple will show up. Especially the weight could be better, that surprised me too…
Calling these hi-end headphones is a very laughable statement.
I guess.
The sound presentation is such that in the final you hear something completely different from what the author intended. As written in one foreign review. When they started playing the Clash, I almost threw up... or how to turn punk into a sweet pop...