STEREO GUIDE verdict
The Apple AirPods Max combine perfect design with effective noise cancelling, self-measurement, 3D soundfield and great sound.
Advantages
- very impressive sound
- edgy, precise, harmonious bass despite slight emphasis
- very good noise-cancelling
- perfectly integrated into the Apple world
Disadvantages
- for non-Apple users only a good Bluetooth headphones
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Tonal balance / transparency9.2
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Bass / Dynamics9.3
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Ease-of-use/Connectivity9.5
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Price/Performance8.5
Apple and its music playback – that was symbolized by the little white buttons in everyone’s ears for years. Even the segment of True Wireless Inears was invented by the iPod pioneers in a tiny, but just familiar form. Suddenly now the opposite: the Apple AirPods Max – these are large headphones that enclose our ears with their shells. And a maximum new staging. There are options here that we as Apple fans did not dare to dream of. However, something picks our teeth: Apple charges 612 Euros – that is upscale, we can only bear that as fans of the brand.
We reach the new shore extremely easily. Anyone who has ever owned an iPhone will be elegantly and stress-free connected to the Max. The English language knows the best word for it: smooth. As if on a fine wave, we are passed on to the sound power of the AirPods Max.
Is there an evil spell bewitching us here? No this is good craftsmanship, but with a promise of audiophile magic. In purely factual terms, a transducer with 40 millimeters is applied here. This is the classic measurement for headphones of this design. But behind it is a power plant, all made by Apple. Of course, we can control these headphones without cables via Bluetooth. But equally wired – which is honestly complicated and inelegant. In any case, the custom-fit app helps. Then three new sound experiences result.
Variety of sound: 3D sound, Adaptive EQ and Head Tracking
The first innovation in the mobile sector: head tracking. Everywhere I look is the front of the stage. This headphone was obviously created for the flanking invention of the AppleTV app. The TV box or the iPad mark the screen. Practical example: I lazily lie down on the sofa, put on the Apple AirPods Max – and my entire listening experience is focused on the screen. I turn my head to the left and to the right – always the center remains steady.
3D sound: Huh – that’s the magic we were talking about. Apple puts three microphones in the earpiece to recreate what shape ears we have. Plain and simple: how we can best get to the individual eardrum. With the right tracks, the silly old location in the middle of the head dissolves. Be embraced!
Adaptive EQ is the flanking cannon. In the past, equalizers were huge components in the towering hi-fi chain. Apple has shrunk the effort. Today, the new chip H1 is sufficient. Ten cores are set aside purely for the audio functions. For example, if I put on my bobble hat in winter and put the AirPods Max over it (stupid idea, but well…), the Apple EQ still calculates a surprisingly honest overall sound.
Apple’s H1 chip: Little Mac in the ear
The H1 chip’s computing power naturally also includes the option of active noise cancellation. Simply board the subway and the ICE, put on the Max, and the rolling vehicle disappears acoustically in its entirety. Now please do not crumble the qualities of the H1 chip into different values. It can do Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) like EQ and still 3D sound on top. This is where Apple plays out its power. Once again, the connection to the in-house software and hardware couldn’t be nicer. Therefore, the tip right away – if I am outside the Apple world, then it is just a Bluetooth headset.
But if I’m swimming in the Apple world, there is simply no better sound producer. In addition, the great finish. Five exciting color combinations are available. In addition, ideally packaged – here glimmers the most beautiful aluminum in different colors but ideal to the earpieces on. The sarcastic spirits have called the snug-fitting bag “brassiere”. In fact, Apple delivers the Max in a case that allows corresponding associations. Anyway, also a fetish.
Apple AirPods Max in practice: truth, rumors and sound
A rumor quickly established itself in the world of critical web reviewers: If you have the Max on your ears for a long time, you have to fight condensation that the earpieces accumulate through long use. Complete nonsense, a legend. We have heard entire train rides and never experienced this effect. Instead: a great pressure in the depth and a wonderfully tangible sound image. One has to critically question the three-dimensional options. This is not always successful and not always stable.
Those who dream of listening as if in front of real speakers will be disappointed. It remains a headphone with the central location in the middle of the head. In addition: For real 3D sound we need appropriately programmed sound files. The magic only succeeds with the right software in film and sound. Of course, there is an internal converter that blows up classic stereo recordings to a big 3D spectacle. But this is as critical ethically as it is in pure audiophile thought.
Still amazing: Apple has created the perfect sound partner for its system world from scratch. A few tricks, but no fake show. This headphone is sensitive in harmony and imaging, perfectly spatial to it the sound space in classic stereo. The interaction with the iComponents is always outstanding. Let’s dare the superlative: There is no better sound converter in the current Apple sound world.
Conclusion and alternatives to the Apple AirPods Max
Alternatives? What are the alternatives, die-hard Apple aficionados might ask. As said, in the Apple world they are the absolute high-flyers, perfectly meshed with the cult brand’s products. If you are willing to pay a similar amount of money, but have an affinity for Android, the Yamaha YL-700A is a great-sounding alternative that also offers head tracking, an app and ANC.
Specifications Apple AirPods Max
- Manufacturer’s suggested retail price: 612 euros
- Type: Over-Ear
- Transducer principle: dynamic
- Weight: 385 g
- Features: Noise-canceling, app control, 3D sound, automatic EQ
- More at: www.apple.com
