AirPods Max

I bought the original AirPods Max when they came out a few years ago. They hurt my ears if I wear them for more than an hour or so and the software is garbage - constantly losing one channel or just failing to connect at all - to Apple devices. Apple has not done enough to fix glitchy software problems, which continue to occur even on the latest AirPods Pro devices. I won’t touch the Max headphones until I start hearing that the software has been fixed.

The AirPods Max are the most comfortable headphones I've ever worn. [...] The battery is still healthy five years later. [...]

My AirPods Max 1 left a headband dent in my skull from how poor the quality of the headband was after more than a year of daily use. You should get checked out. No adult should have a dent put in their skull by headphones.

I've been using the AirPods Max 1s for the last five years and you should get the Sony XM-6s. The Apple AirPod Max sound great, bur are heavy and fairly uncomfortable on the head when worn for more than an hour or two. Furthermore, I experienced persistent wireless connectivity problems and eventually sent them back to Apple under warranty. [...]

I’ve been using AirPods Max since they first launched, and over the years I’ve tried several times to switch to Bose. However, the Bose headphones just haven’t worked as smoothly for me from a software and integration standpoint. I tend to run into more glitches and small issues compared to the AirPods Max. [...]

[...] They are not scratch! [...] The battery life is just wow! I am so happy that I bought them when they came out! [...]

I love how unknown they are for completely selfish reasons - I use them to (among other things) walk the dog early in the morning and late at night at our park, and no one around here recognizes them as expensive headphones, so I don’t feel like I’m pairing a target on my head by wearing them. I wouldn’t have bought them for cash but got them with credit card miles after a bunch of trips got canceled due to Covid - I didn’t think I’d love them as much as I do, one of my most used purchases of 21!

ok i bought the bose qc ultra gen 2 a few months ago telling myself i was done being an audiophile but im sorry they just do not sound good and EQ cannot fix it i should’ve just bought the airpods max or sennheiser momentums 😭

Bought a pair 4 months ago and I love them. I also got a leather case with magnets inside so you don’t have to use the apple one, love it too. It’s from a company called Waterfield

I can't believe they finally refreshed this after I just churned (after owning the v1 since launch), always happens! The old Airpods Max had an issue of these giant booms when it was going low power that just wrecked my eardrums - I feel like the apple ecosystem pull is pretty compelling, but I think torturing your users for enough time will get even the most loyal customers churn. I've been enjoying the nothing headphones, I enjoy having an off button and ability to connect via wire to the device.

I've had these before and can confirm they're great, noticeably lighter than my current Airpods Max. FYI: I believe the XM4 is still vulnerable to CVE-2025-20700/20701/20702 if that's a concern for you.

[...] It’s a macOS app that lets you scroll hands-free with your Apple headphones (AirPods Gen 3+, AirPods Pro and AirPods Max) by gently nodding your head up or down. [...]

I wore my original beloved AirPods Max for a walk one Edmonton winter day and they became a brick. I found out quickly that it’s a well known design flaw with internal moisture build up, exacerbated by fluctuations in temperature. Did they fix this known flaw that has ruined hundreds of people’s very expensive headphones? [...]

I really enjoy my AirPods Max. nice and seamless and good audio and good noise cancellation. [...] But these Apple cans work just fine and sound great. [...]

The Original Airpods Max had terrible connectivity. The bluetooth would break down for days, and all instructions on the internet would tell you needed to remove the device and re-add it. [...] So, if Apple keeps on building new features while not fixing major problems, I'm not considering buying these unreliable, expensive products at all ...

[...] I have a pair of the first generation AirPods Max. They leave dents in my scalp if I wear them for any real amount of time. [...] This is one of the most disappointing Apple products for me ever, and I really don't want to know how much $$$$$ lifetime customer value I've contributed to Apple's bottom line.

i just bought airpods max a few months ago and i wear them constantly (autism), basically only taking them off for sleeping (sometimes i do end up laying in bed with them on). i initially found them uncomfortable after several hours due to my glasses, but it went away after a week. really love these, and my only complaint really has been the lack of adaptive mode (and the ANC was also a bit weak but less of an issue) so am glad to see both of these issues solved. [...]

Yup, my Airpods Max don't hold a charge anymore. Right on time for me to buy the shiny new one!

I tested Apple, Sony and Bose and found the AirPods Max to be the most comfortable for long periods of time, for me. [...]

[...] I'm generally extremely happy with Apple products but the headphones have been a money sink. I’m someone who bought three generations of AirPods Pro, as well as an AirPods Max. [...] I was able to get it replaced under warranty, but it was a pain to deal with until the recall program came out. [...] I upgraded, and I immediately got the rattle‑gate problem again, this time right past the warranty period. [...] I try to maintain these devices extremely carefully, but I guess my use of isopropyl alcohol to disinfect and clean them damaged the ANC microphone. [...] After these Pro 3 fail, I just don't want to give them any more money for headphones. I saw the Airpods Max on sale for Black friday a while back so I gave them a try as I was getting ear issues wearing in ear devices for so long each day. While they are very comfortable, the ear caps are a pain to clean. [...]

I also have the AirPods Max and had the Bose QuietComfort Ultra, and it is hard to convey how effortless the Max are in comparison. [...]

Funny enough, the original and the new AirPods Max don't have UWB. That won't help me find my headphones in my house. [...]

I leave my AirPods Max sitting on my desk for weeks at a time outside of the case and the battery never drains. I just put mine on today after sitting on my desk for a week and they still had 99% charge.

I had the xm6 but the combination of worse sound (for me at least) and shallow earcups which hurt my ears drove me back to airpods max

I got excited there for a second — free fix for the most annoying problem with my headphones! But no, my AirPods Max have the latest firmware and still have this issue. Any time I leave them for more than a day, the battery is drained.

I'll briefly join the chorus: AirPods Max were the worst value for money I've ever spent on a tech product. [...]

Honestly Apple's Airpods Pro and Airpods Max sound pretty great though, and I own several pairs of "audiophile" IEMs and headphones.

I owned a pair of the first gen AirPods Max. [...] I had taken them to Apple Genius support in store 3 different times and 2 of those times the onsite tech agreed that there was a rattling sound. [...]

I just fall asleep in front of the TV with them on. I like to wear them in front of the TV, because I often fall asleep there and when I used to do this with regular Airpods, they would always fall off and get lost in the cushions. The Airpods Max don't have that problem.

I have had the Pro 3s for a while, and though they are impressive, I haven't reached that conclusion. They're okay. AirPods Max still infinitely better for planes.

My AirPods Max died, I don’t even remember how long ago, so I bought the new AirPods Max. [...]

My phone and my airpods max are both dying at the same time 😔 💸💸💸💵💵💵

it’s been a mid xmas ngl but at least i got the airpods max 😀 anyway happy christmas bloomfs!! 🎄

Why did no one explain to me the absolute WONDER of having true noise cancelling headphones that let you listen to music while cleaning without hearing your vacuum at all?!? I got a pair of AirPods Max after trying for years to get ear buds to stay in my tiny ears and they may be life changing.

I own a lot of useless & underwhelming Apple products. The Airpods Max are underrated af. One of my favorite items, actually.

I pretty much forget I own AirPods Max until I travel and then they're the greatest thing ever

I bought a refurbished pair. And these are the best headphones I’ve ever had.

I LOVE THE CASE!! Minimalist style and absolutely love it. 😂😂 I had the Momentum 3’s and their case are huge. So are the hard cases for the AirPod Maxs. Love it love it love it!!😂😂😂

I did take the plunge…..same color. I love them. Ya, expensive but I won’t buy another pair for years.

I finally got these $100 less than original price. Really enjoying them.

Was blown away by these when I tried them.at the Apple store when in NY at the end of November. Luckily Amazon had the silver down to £399 a couple of weeks ago so snapped them up!

I have a $3.5K electrostatic headphone audiophile setup, but I find that I spend most of my time listening to my AirPods Max. [...] And the noise cancelling and transparency mode are absolutely phenomenal.

My wife got me a pair for my birthday. I love them. I have not seen anyone wearing them in the wild.

The biggest issue for me isn't price - it's portability. They don't have a proper case and don't fold up. For those at home, there are any number of audiophile headphones that beat it for sound and price.

Got a pair about 3 weeks ago, and I love them! [...]

returned my xm4s after buyingt the and got the airpods max. Best decision i made

Had them since they first came out love them use them every day! Also have the Sonys which i don’t use only as a spare. But i’m deep in the Apple ecosystem 😅so they are perfect

[...] The single-sided 3.5mm jack is convenient and lets you plug in a 3rd party boom mic. I know these are priced way below any audiophile-grade stuff but the non-EQd frequency response rivals or is sometimes outright better than many "audiophile" specimens (looking at you, Sennheiser HD800 and your 6kHz ringing). Also exceptionally comfortable - but that's subjective, of course - and lightweight. - wireless: I have a pair of Airpods Max and these are somewhat interesting (but nothing exceptional wrt audio quality). These are lagging behind AirPods feature-wise but the transparency mode is very clear and convenient, so I find them safe enough for walking outside. The ANC is also good.

"It is quite absurd (but categorically true) that the quality of audio that folks were generally listening to in 2005 was better than what we are doing today." I'm trying very hard to understand what you mean specifically here. [...] The regular Airpods I bought my wife 3 months ago were a categorical improvement over the ones she'd lost in a move this summer, and they barely have ANC. [...] The sound from my AirPods Pro is better, and the Apple option is FAR more comfortable in my ears. [...] The level of playback a person can enjoy for, say, $500 today is wildly better than what was available for an inflation-adjusted equivalent amount of money in 2016 or 2006 or 1996. [...] As a result I've had a number of fancy wired setups over the years, sometimes requiring a headphone amp. Owing to a lot of air travel, I bought the AirPods Max soon after they were introduced. [...]

As I started this thread Nothing doesn't include a jack on their phones because they want to sell you a 300$ pair of Bluetooth headphones that I can guarantee are inferior to my 70$ Fiio headphones. Nobody is forcing you to buy their most expensive headphones. Also, the cheapest Bluetooth earbuds that Nothing offers are literally $25. [...] Airpods , which are above and beyond the most popular Bluetooth buds don't have user replaceable batteries. [...] Even the AirPods Max you can do it. [...] At a cost of $10… hardly a lot for the original price of these things.