Apple AirPods Max Review – First Hand Experience

The Apple AirPods Max, released in December 2020, are Apple’s first over-ear headphones, blending high-end design with advanced technology. Made with premium materials like aluminum earcups, custom knit padding and soft memory foam cushions, they offer a comfortable and luxurious feel. The sound quality is top-notch, thanks to custom-built speakers, an adaptive EQ, and powerful noise-canceling features. These headphones work perfectly with Apple devices, providing a seamless listening experience. While they may get warm during workouts, the AirPods Max are still a top-tier option for those who want high-quality, stylish, and premium wireless headphones from Apple.

Apple AirPods Max: Design

Apple introduced Airpod Max in December of 2020, after the success of Airpods 2nd generation earbuds; a nice blend of luxury and technology, AirPods Max earcups are crafted from a single piece of anodized aluminum which gives a seamless premium appearance and memory foam ear cushions and apple product design engineers have designed a special fiber mesh that wraps around the ear cushions, providing a soft, cloud-like comfort that stands out from other over-ear headphones, and create a comfortable soft seal around the ear to minimize the sound leak.

Ear cushions are quite breathable, but when I use them during workouts, I start feeling my ears become warm. Also, they tend to absorb sweat, which can lead to discomfort and cause the ear cushions to become damp.

Additionally, the frame of the Airpod Max headband is made of durable steel wrapped in a soft-touch material. This design allows the headband to easily adjust to any head size, providing a secure yet comfortable fit. The breathable knit mesh canopy is designed to reduce on-head pressure, making it perfect for long listening sessions without causing discomfort.

The AirPod Max comes with a smart case, but this smart case does not provide charging. When you put your headphones inside the smart case, they switch to sleep mode or ultra-low power mode.

On the right earcup, there is one button and one digital dial. The digital crown, inspired by the Apple Watch, provides intuitive control over volume, playback, calls, and the voice assistant, while the noise control button switches between noise cancellation and transparency mode.

Apple AirPods Max: Sound Quality

The AirPods Max is designed to deliver top-tier audio quality, featuring a custom-built 40mm dynamic driver engineered by Apple. This driver ensures high-fidelity sound with minimal distortion across the entire audible range. Inspired by high-end floor-standing speakers, the dual-neodymium ring magnet motor within the driver minimizes total harmonic distortion, resulting in consistently clear audio, even at full volume.

To manage external noise, the AirPods Max employs a total of eight microphones. Six outward-facing microphones detect environmental noise, while two inward-facing microphones measure what you’re hearing. These microphones work together to enable industry-leading Active Noise Cancellation, which counters external sound with equal anti-noise, allowing for an immersive listening experience. Additionally, beamforming microphones isolate your voice during phone calls, ensuring clear communication even in windy conditions.

AirPods Max also feature Adaptive EQ, which tailors the sound to the unique fit and seal created by the ear cushions. Inward-facing microphones measure what you’re hearing and adjust the frequencies of your music accordingly, delivering a rich, consistent audio experience that faithfully reproduces every note.

For a more natural interaction with your surroundings, you can switch to Transparency mode by pressing the noise control button. This mode allows external sounds to come in, so you can stay aware of your environment while still enjoying your audio.

With a powerful Apple-designed H1 chip in each ear cup, the AirPods Max uses computational audio to enhance your listening experience. The chips’ 10 audio cores process audio in real-time, blocking outside noise, adapting the sound to the fit of your ear cushions, and making movie scenes feel as if they are happening all around you. Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking further enhances this experience by placing sound all around you, creating a three-dimensional listening experience. This feature works seamlessly with Apple devices like iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV, tracking the subtle motion of your head to anchor sounds to your device.

In fact, the AirPods Max combines high-fidelity audio with cutting-edge Active Noise Cancellation, providing an unparalleled listening experience. Whether you’re enjoying deep, rich bass, accurate mids, or crisp highs, you’ll hear every detail with exceptional clarity.

Noise Cancellation and Transparency Mode

Airpods Max has industry leading noise cancellation technology, using six outward-facing microphones to detect environmental noise and two inward-facing microphones to measure what you’re hearing. This setup, combined with the H1 chip’s computational audio capabilities, results in industry-leading noise cancellation that effectively blocks out unwanted sounds. The Transparency mode is equally impressive, allowing users to hear their surroundings clearly and interact naturally without removing the headphones.

Apple AirPods Max: Battery Life

The AirPods Max, equipped with a 647mAh battery, provides up to 20 hours of playtime. In a battery test conducted with 50% volume, Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), and Spatial Audio enabled, the AirPods Max maintained their 20-hour playtime. This is quite respectable, offering enough battery life for listening to music and making calls over almost three full days of office hours. Additionally, the AirPods Max supports rapid charging, delivering 1.5 hours of playtime with just a 5-minute charge, which is highly beneficial for users on the go.

The AirPods Max comes with a Smart Case, which places the headphones into an ultra-low-power state to preserve battery life when stored.

When compared to the Sony WH-1000XM4, the Sony model outperforms the AirPods Max in terms of battery life. The WH-1000XM4 offers 30 hours of playtime and supports rapid charging, providing 3 hours of playtime from just a 3-minute charge.

Overall, while the AirPods Max offers impressive features and respectable battery life, the Sony WH-1000XM4 stands out in battery performance and rapid charging capabilities.

Apple AirPods Max: Connectivity

The Apple AirPods Max utilizes Bluetooth 5.0 for wireless connectivity, offering seamless integration with Apple devices and a range of up to 100 feet, allowing you to move freely. Pairing is effortless, and switching between devices such as the iPhone, iPad, and Mac is exceptionally smooth.

Our tests confirmed stable connections and effective switching up to the 100-foot range in an open space, such as a park, without any obstructions between the mobile device and the headphones.

Additionally, the AirPods Max supports audio sharing, allowing you to easily share an audio stream between two sets of AirPods on your iPhone, iPad, or Apple TV. Simply bring the second pair of AirPods near the device you’re listening to and connect with a single tap.

The headphones also support Siri commands and spatial audio for Apple Music, enhancing your listening experience. The Digital Crown offers precise volume control and easy access to playback and call functions. These features make the AirPods Max a top choice for those seeking high-quality, versatile wireless headphones that integrate perfectly within the Apple ecosystem.

Final verdict

The AirPods Max are proof of the Apple’s dedication to combining luxury with advanced technology. These over-ear headphones excel in delivering exceptional sound quality, seamless Apple ecosystem integration, and industry-leading Active Noise Cancellation (ANC). The design is both stylish and comfortable, making them a top choice for those who prioritize premium build and immersive audio.

However, the AirPods Max isn’t without its drawbacks. Its weight may deter some users, particularly during extended use or workouts, where the ear cushions can become warm and damp. Additionally, non-Apple users may find the lack of customization options limiting.

In summary, if you’re deeply into the Apple ecosystem and desire top-tier audio with a luxurious design, the AirPods Max is an excellent choice. Despite its premium price and a few minor drawbacks, it offers a listening experience that is hard to match, making it a worthy investment for audiophiles and Apple enthusiasts alike.