Airpods Max in 2024 -
I needed a new audio listening device for at work. I primarily use Airpod Pros (2nd gen), and they're great. I love them, but I get one annoying recurring issue after a while. Since I work 8 hour shifts, I have Airpods in my ear for most of that time. I get acne where they rest. It gets unpleasant and painful to wear them. This is why I was on the market for some over ear headphones.
I decided on Airpods Max for a few reasons. One, I am eyeballs deep in the Apple ecosystem. I use a Macbook Pro at work and have become fairly fond of the seamless device switching. Two, I like the design. I consider myself to be a Sennheiser fanboy through and through. I took some time to consider the Momentum 4 wireless, but couldn't find myself pulling the trigger on them.
Cost and Build Quality #
If you are not comfortable spending over $400 on headphones, then I would remove the Airpods Max from your options entirely. #
There was a sale for Airpods Max on Amazon for $395, so I decided to splurge. Even though I have made questionable monetary decisions with Apple in the past, I would still never buy these for full price. I got the Space Grey with lightning connector version.
The build quality is good for the price. It's mostly made of metal. They are solid and the ear pads are plush. I've heard the headband mesh stretches over time. The adjustments are made via a telescoping arm. It has smooth action, but no clicks or bumps to lock it in place.
The buttons are nice. I had to go into iOS settings and change the dial direction to turn volume up when I turn it clockwise (like most volume knobs ever invented?). Changing volume is easy with the knob. It's easy to tell when you press the knob in.
"1st gen" vs "2nd gen" #
There is no difference between the "new" Airpods Max and the "old" other than the connector. I still have lightning connector devices, so it didn't bother me to grab the lightning version. I also like the older Space Grey color more than the Midnight color.
Let me tell you. The new midnight color is NOT BLACK. It is NOT GREY. It is a dark, DARK, blue. I hate the new Apple dark color. It's even more inconsistent than before. Now I can't match my space grey Mac with my space grey iPhone and Airpods Max. Now you have a stupid grey titanium whatever iPhone and a dark blue "midnight" Macbook Pro. Whatever dude, this is just another reason the older color options for the Airpods Max were better.
If you are looking to buy them at full price, the fact nothing has really changed between the new and the old is a sign to wait for a sale. Sure, they have a fancy new coat of paint, but internally they are the same as they were when they first released four years ago!
Comfort #
I think they are very comfortable. Coming from the acne issue with my Airpods Pro, the Airpods Max are great. No more ear issues with these. Coming from another set of headphones, my Sennheiser HD650's, the Airpods Max are definitely heavier. The Airpods Max weigh 384.8 grams, while the Sennheiser HD650's weigh 260 grams.
Initially yes, the weight is noticable. After a while I will tend to forget they are there. The clamping force is a bit strong out of the box. It hasn't bothered me.
Audio Quality #
If you're just looking for some consumer-level bluetooth headphones, the audio quality of these won't let you down. It's definitely not some studio tuned set of cans, but they sound good with my jazz and they sound good with my jpop. I can't complain.
I've heard that they can sound worse on Android devices. I you do not have an iPhone, I would take these off your list. I don't see why anyone who isn't in the Apple ecosystem should look into these.
Active Noise Cancellation. #
It works great. Once you have music going and turn it up a bit, you can't hear anything outside. I work in a loud shop environment. Loud machines, loud mechanical noises, loud high pitched electrical hum, and I don't hear any of it. This is just what I was hoping for here!
The transparency mode also works decently well for what they are. I prefer to just take it off one ear when I want to talk to someone, but if you need to hear your environment, you will hear your environment!
Comparing to the Airpods Pro 2, the noise cancellation is night and day. When I switch back to my Airpods Pro, I sometimes can't tell if the noise cancellation is on anymore. Transparency is still better in the Airpods.
"Hey Siri" or "Siri"? #
This is something I haven't seen other reviewers talk about. It has bothered me a bit so I feel I should mention it here.
iOS 17 introduced the ability to say just "Siri" to activate Siri. Before this, you would have to say, "Hey Siri". Whether these headphones haven't gotten the necessary software updates, or they just are completely incompatible, you CANNOT say just "Siri" to activate Siri. I've gotten pretty used to saying "Siri", so this was a bit of a mixup for me.
This will likely be fixed if Apple releases a true Airpods Max 2. For now, I don't see it coming to the current version via software updates.
The Bra The Bag #
It sucks. I dont like it. It's cumbersome to get them in and out. It attracts dust on the outside. It doesn't protect the headband. Parts of the ear pads and outer shell are still exposed.
Microphone Quality #
I went in a call with some members of the Nekoweb community today. After asking about the quality, Cypress said, "it wasnt that bad actually. you were clear and legible relatively"
It's nothing to write home about. If you have to take a video conference, your voice will be picked up well by the microphones.
Other Dislikes #
It doesn't turn off. This is the biggest complaint I have seen, bar the bag. I think the battery could probably last around four days with constant ANC usage. You would probably get 4.5-5 if they could shut off.
There are no buttons on left side. There are only buttons to play/pause, volume, and change listening modes on the right.
When Siri reads a notification while I'm wearing these, it completely pauses my music. On my Airpods Pro 2, it would turn the music volume down and read it.
You can remove the headband? #
Yes! You can remove the headband from the cans. When you take the pads off, there is a small keyhole. You can use a sim card remover to press in this hole and it will pop the headband off. This is great for cleaning!
I'm happy with my purchase. They were expensive, but I'm not having buyers remorse. The seamless switching has worked great. The noice cancellation has been so good for me at work. I can't even hear the lathe screeching at me anymore!
If you have been considering these for a while, I'd say bite the bullet during a sale!