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. [...]

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. [...]

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. [...]

[...] 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!

Wow, I cannot disagree with you enough on the travel experience, I have been using mine for 3 months now and taken over a dozen flights and they have been great! I have had no problems with seal breaking when turning my head from side to side or up and down. I also we are glasses and do not experience an issues with noise cancelling. [...] I also have not experience any discomfort during a flight, they are just as comfortable in the air as they are on the ground.

[...] I bought a pair back in March and I love them - and I actually travel with them quite a bit. I've taken probably 12-15 trips on a plane since then and the noise canceling is simply amazing. [...] I have a travel cable/charge organizer case with a variety of chargers/cables so while lightening is annoying I always have one with me. Love them - expensive but hope they last. I had two original HomePods that have recently died less than 3 years in - which is very annoying since they too were expensive.

I've had mine for about a year... [...] And the noise cancelling is really next level. [...] Conference calls/Zoom is much easier when you can hear yourself or someone popping in your office. [...]

[...] I've had mine for about 4 months and I'm very pleased with the build and quality. I think you make a good point with the battery, I have been a bit surprised at how fast it gets used up when I use them daily but it's really not a great hinderance. [...] If neither of those sound like your situation, you should definitely consider other options.

So I’ve been using mine for I believe almost a year now, I’m an almost 20 year old woman that absolutely loves music. [...] I’m the type of person to just wear them around my neck for ease of use and I can also hang them around my backpack straps nicely and safely, granted with these headphones that’s not the most comfortable option but it works fine. Now yes, these do have some incredible sounds for these headphones which is the main point in me getting them. [...] Pretty much every time I go to use these it takes about 30 minutes to get them to actually connect to my devices (i mainly use my iPad Pro with these but it happens with my iPhone as well) it’s getting to the point where I just can’t be bothered with them anymore, the constant dropping in and out then Bluetooth settings saying they’re connected when they’re actually not is what is really bothering me. [...] For the price paid and apple being one of the most popular “best” brands out there I would’ve expected the connection issues to not even be issues at all, and quite frankly the fact that I’ve had these types of connection issues with 2 different types of apple’s headphones I think says something about them. [...]

[...] 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. [...]

[...] I have found that when playing audio to a HomePod, pressing Volume Up on the phone increases the volume by 1. [...] So, with two button presses you can get the half-step increase you wanted in the first place. It's like adding "a little" to a volume change command with Siri. "Siri, turn the volume up a little" turns the volume up 0.5. "Siri, turn the volume up" turns the volume up one. "Siri, turn the volume up a lot" turns the volume up two. [...] I think the only place that Apple has done a good job with volume controls is the AirPods Max. [...]

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

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. [...]

[...] The price at which I got them was the only reason I bought them. At the retail price they are still overpriced. Audio quality on these is amazing and the comfort and feel that they produce is unmatched. [...]

I recently got the AirPods max a month ago and all I can say coming from my xm4 over ears that they both sound good. But the AirPods max are a good product even with its quirks. I got use to the case as well and its nice that I never have to push a button to turn them on. [...]

There is an awesome case on Amazon that is barely larger than the airpods max and puts them into low power mode. [...] I've purchased so many pairs of headphones in my life and I really think the APM are a reasonable price. [...]

I brought these a couple months ago, I know there are headphones out there that are a lot less expensive and perform the same if not better in some areas but I adore my AirPods Max. I’m totally intrenched in the Apple ecosystem and the Max headphones fit perfectly in that system, I wish there was an in house equalizer, I wish the battery life was comparable to other headphones but overall I’m happy with them. I don’t even have much of a problem with the case as some do, I did purchase an aftermarket case though.

I got mine for 400 euroes on black friday Id say they are worth it, they are meant to be used with apple tv. Spatial audio is awesome.

[...] However, hard to justify In Australia when priced over $700 when you can locate 2nd hand AirPod Pros for $250. [...] However, after a tough couple of years in our economy, pressures on salary increases and decreased job security, think I’ll put difference into my savings. [...]

I have the AirPods Max they don’t support lossless audio With Bluetooth it’s so disappointing what can you suggest can you let me know in the future video

[...] Re, the sound, music, why I bought them, I always thought it was awful right out of the box. [...] Sounds like they’re under a blanket. But my biggest complaint is they are the most uncomfortable over-the-ear headphones I’ve ever owned since last century, actually ever at any price. Very heavy, clamping, abrasive, yet slippery ear pads, and this mesh head band, whatever that is pressing into the top of your head. [...]

[...] The mesh on the headband stretched over time and the 2 rails of the headband would press dents into the top of my head - very uncomfortable. They finally died at 5 years and I have since just been using a pair of $20 wired ear buds. [...]

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.

Funny story… I bought a pair of Max yesterday, got them home, initially noticed crazy clear audio quality but wasn’t happy about the bass… I returned them to Best Buy today and exchanged for the XM4’s based on reviews. [...] The audio quality was definitely lacking and the bass was JUST above what the Max had. So I sat there, tweaking, finally manually putting everything on max on the XM4’s and that’s when they sounded best to me. But… I wasn’t convinced they were better than the Max because I remembered how CLEAR the Max were… So I went back into Best Buy and literally stood at the Max display for probably an hour checking out BOTH products and testing and listening. I put both headphones at 80% volume so everything came in nicely sound wise. [...] And at 80% the bass on the Max was very natural and very clean. [...] I must’ve used both headphones 5-10 times testing them out and I also found the Max were much more comfortable on my big ears. [...] They also had a great balance to them which added to the comfort. And lastly, seeing the display of the XM4’s, those things were WORN to hell. So durability became a question, too! I ended up walking out with my original Max headphones that I exchanged and even got them at $445 instead of the original $479(price match of Amazon) because they were now an “open box” item lol… I’m happy with what I got and I KNOW they’re one of the best on the market and ar

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.

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

[...] Battery life is incredible 20+ hours easily. I fly with them and always sit by the wing, the ANC blocks out the majority of what’s going on around me. I game with them on my ps5 cause the sound is so balanced crisp and immersive in games. Spatial audio with these is an experience in itself. I prefer my headphones take the same charger my phone takes so wanting a type-c charger makes 0 sense for me. [...] Lacking an on/off switch is troublesome for everyone except those that have and kept the AirPods max or just a conversation piece to bring up what they don’t have. All in all great headphones, great quality FOR ME worth is subjective. [...]

I have the airpods max 2 since my first airpods max broke and the ANC is much better in my experience, have no issues with them apart from the weight and design

[...] this headphones sound great the bass is great like in the Dolby Atmos theater.. the noise cancelling maybe isn't too good but when I playing a music everything is gone I cant hear anything.. I will stay with Sony headphones the price is cheaper, sound is great, got 3.5jack in the box, battery life is great and this headphones can be turn off, and it is lighter than apple airpods max. Even my XM3 is lighter but when i lying down my neck is sore I don't know how it feels if I using airpods max

If you live in a country without Apple Store, only APR, you can buy Airpods Max at APR, but you cannot purchase replacement ear cushions (APR confirmed they do not sell ear cushions). And they start to smell fast - Apple's recommended way of ear cushion cleaning (gently rub with soapy water solution) does not remove smell. So I had to throw them into the washing machine - and after a few cycles, you can see they start to tear.

[...] My Pro 2’s I bought to compare have a more balanced sound with more bass and a more “fun” sound. [...]

[...] I can feel the beats in the car door panels but my AirPods Max removes at least 90% of the sound. [...] Found mine discounted online, after wearing them the last 3 weeks they are worth the high cost.

fwiw I went through 3 pairs in 5 weeks before I gave up and got a refund, apple store didn't have tools to diagnose and no suggestions other than try again with a new pair. Imo it was a condensation issue that caused the mic's or other electronics to fail which resulted in glitchy and unusable behaviour, rapidly switching between modes, missing head detection, etc... I used them all the same way for 10h a day in a clean and dry office environment, which is identical to how I've used Bose QC's for years prior with no issues (and am now using again with no issues.) If they ever release a new version I'll try them again, the case and lightning port is stupid but they way they feel in your hands and on your head along with the apple ecosystem integration is chefs kiss

I like my AirPods max, I got them for 580 Canadian but I use my AirPods Pro way more. More comfortable for long sessions. Easy and pocketable, sounds nearly just as good if not better. [...] Love the look and the build, but the sound quality just isn’t enough to make me use them over the pros. [...]

Best Buy stores in the US have them for $479 but that's still not low enough to make me pull the trigger. Like you, I sill love my Sony XM4's and see no reason to go to AirPods Max at this time. [...]

THEY JUST WORK WHAT THE HELL? didn’t even have to fix it??? I bought working AirPods Max for 150 euros only because they didn’t keep it plugged in to charge while testing what the hell man 😭 I’ll do some further testing but so far, they connected just fine, sound great

[...] They are “better” in the sense of truly feeling luxurious—as if the world just drifts away. [...] Add to the fact that they are never fully “charged” because they don’t turn off, and I find myself going towards the xm6 from Sony. I have used both, for trips to London and Korea…both are great, but unique in their own ways.

Unlike you, I DO travel with my AirPods Max. [...] And I bought the exact same case that you did. Yes, it’s a bit bulky in that case, but it does slip into the paper filing area of my computer bag (who uses paper files anymore?), so it’s not inconvenient to take with me. [...] I did wait for the price to drop on Amazon, so I didn’t pay full retail for these magnificent headphones.

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.

to the point of being fairly uncomfortable after listening for any longer amount of time. [...] The audio quality of the Sonys is just as good but the comfort is a much better. I think I like the mic on the AirPods Max better but the mic on the MacBook I use in meetings works as well for meetings.

Yeah despite being heavier I find the Airpods Max more comfortable to wear than my Sonys. [...] The Airpods Max ear cups are better and the headband is wide and mesh so spreads out the weight and it breathes too. The one major downside to the Airpods Max is that they do not have an off button and the case is useless for throwing them in a duffel / backpack, as it doesn't protect the headband mesh at all. I have a 3rd party hardshell case for them but it is very unreliable in actually putting them in "ultralow power mode", so the battery drains.

Have you reset your AirPods Max by holding down the non circular button until it starts blinking white and then reconnecting? There have been times where the AirPods Max have sort of crashed, and I cannot get them to connect properly. I find that forgetting the AirPods in the phone/computer and then resetting them by holding down the button allows them to start fresh with a new state. [...]

The AirPods Max are excessively comfortable, even though they are heavy. Some (most?) lighter headphones are actually less comfortable because they do not “fit the head” so well (at least for me). Caveat: after a while the mesh at the top starts to stretch, and then you get the two metal bands going straight into the head, and that hurts. [...]