Description
BREATHTAKING AUDIO QUALITY — Apple-designed dynamic driver provides high-fidelity audio. Computational audio combines custom acoustic design with the Apple H1 chip and software for breakthrough listening experiences.
FOCUS ON WHAT’S PLAYING — Active Noise Cancellation blocks outside noise so you can immerse yourself in music.
HEAR THE WORLD AROUND YOU — Transparency mode lets you hear and interact with the world around you.
PERSONALIZED SPATIAL AUDIO — With sound that suits your unique ear shape along with dynamic head tracking, AirPods Max deliver an immersive listening experience that places sound all around you. You can also listen to select songs, shows, and movies in Dolby Atmos.
ACOUSTIC-FIRST DESIGN — Designed with a knit-mesh canopy and memory foam ear cushions for an exceptional over-ear fit that perfectly seals in sound.
MAGICAL EXPERIENCE — Pair AirPods Max by simply placing them near your device and tapping Connect on your screen. AirPods Max pause audio when you take them off. And Automatic Switching makes listening between your iPhone, iPad, and Mac completely effortless.
LONG BATTERY LIFE — Up to 20 hours of listening, movie watching, or talk time with Active Noise Cancellation and Personalized Spatial Audio enabled.
Camerafour (verified owner) –
I convinced myself that the max could not be worth the cash, I have been really disappointed with my Sony MX4’s they keep bleeping and reacting to my long hair touching the side sensors and they are quite plastic in feel. I was realy impressed with my sony over ear ANC next level down from the MX5 actually a better buy than the expensive model IMO. But then I got the air pod max to get it out of my system and wow they are fantastic. Comfortable, sound is outstanding connection twice the Sonys as I wonder around the house. Work really well with all my Apple gear but also every none Apple bluetooth device I own. Sony seem to have an issue with Samsung TV;s that is irritating to say the least. Its a price that is the purchase equivalent of jumping in a bath of ice but as my dear old Nan said you get what you pay for.. really pleased with mine. Just dont mention the price. One person found this helpful
Blu (verified owner) –
Edit – Just wanted to address the so called condensation issue. Many if not all headphones do the same thing. However you can’t just pop the ear pads off, like you can with the AirPod Max. I had a pair of Bowers & Wilkins P7 which did the same thing, again I only knew about it because you could pop the pads off. Had mine for nearly 1 year now, never been an issue. Rightly so Apple have done nothing, because it isn’t an issue. The rest of my review below still stands, even more so now you can pick them up for well under retail price. Had them for a month. First of all, lets start with the price – For those who know nothing about headphones, they see the price and think Apple are just ripoff people off and sound and are built the same as a cheap pair of generic brand headphones. For those who appreciate high sound and build quality then they know these AirPods Max are the real deal. Let me be 100% clear here, these are not a £20 pair of headphones dressed up to be £550. Take a look at the B&O H9 3rd gen or even the B&O H95 (which are even more expensive), many more fall into this price range. I’ve owned both and sold both for the AirPods Max and I wouldn’t want either of them back. If you are happy with your cheaper headphones, then please carry on. But do not slag these off without hearing them first. Comfort is right up there as well, with the ear cushions and headband, I can wear these for hours without getting any ear fatigue. I’m not sure how long the headband is going to last, but being careful with it when not in use will prolong the wear. Sound – Sound quality is extremely good, as mentioned previously I’ve had some high end Bluetooth headphones before and by far the AirPods Max have the best sound. The EQ is balanced, punchy at the low end with excellent mids and no sign of sibilance in the highs. I for the life of me can not get them to distort. Transparency mode is a game changer, it’s by far the most natural sounding transparency mode I have ever heard on any Bluetooth headphone, the ANC is right up there with the best as well. Other points, if you’re in the Apple ecosystem, then the easy switching is amazing, syncs to iCloud so you can connect to an unlimited about of devices. Battery life fine at 20 hours. I do have a few negatives, the case is terrible, not having a On/Off switch is ridiculous. Also not having 3.5mm headphone jack is another mistake. Overall I am extremely happy with my purchase and have not thought in anyway these are not worth the money for the level of sound, build and tech the AirPods Max have. 268 people found this helpful
Kevin Bratcher –
The Apple AirPods Max offer a premium audio experience in a stylish and sleek design. However, there are a few considerations to keep in mind. Firstly, some users have found them to be less comfortable compared to other headphones in their price range. The weight and clamping force may cause discomfort during extended use. Additionally, while the sound quality is impressive, it may not match the level of the AirPods Pro 2. Audiophiles or individuals seeking the highest level of audio fidelity may find the AirPods Max to be slightly lacking in comparison. Furthermore, the noise-cancelling feature on the AirPods Max does a good job in reducing external noise, but it may not excel in keeping the sound from leaking out. This could be a concern for those in shared or quiet environments where sound leakage is not desired. My wife could hear music even at low volume, other Top end headphones I use do NOT have the some issue. Despite these drawbacks, the AirPods Max still offer a premium and convenient wireless listening experience, with seamless integration into the Apple ecosystem. The build quality is solid, and the adaptive EQ and spatial audio features enhance the overall audio experience. The battery life is commendable as well, allowing for extended listening sessions without frequent recharging. Ultimately, if you value sleek design and seamless integration with Apple devices, along with above-average sound quality and acceptable noise-cancelling capabilities, the AirPods Max could be a suitable choice. However, if comfort and superior noise cancellation are your top priorities, considering other options might be worth exploring. The headphones ARE extremely solidly built as you’d expect from apple. Just wish they were slightly more comfortable as my ears were getting sore after just a couple of hours. MY ONE annoyance and it’s a biggie. YOU CANNOT switch the blasted things off. 43 people found this helpful
mtse (verified owner) –
I initially bought these over the Sony XM5 and was pleasantly surprised. The headphones have fantastic sound and the active noise cancellation is really good despite the technology in this headset being 3 years old. However, whilst sound is subjective (as such I won’t get into it). – The headset does lack some bass. Pros: – Premium build quality (metal) – Good noise cancellation – Audio sounds good – USB-C (finally) – Charges quickly Cons: – Premium build quality being metal means this thing is heavy on your head. – As the headphones are made of metal and are heavy they do introduce fatigue whilst wearing them and some clamping force. – Noise cancellation good but could be better (compared to more recent headphones) – The mesh headband is not a long lasting fitting. This can and will tear if in the wrong circumstances. – Also condensation in the ear muffs after prolonged use is a serious concern for £500 headphones. This should not be happening and should be engineered better. Whilst enjoyable to use for a short period of time especially if you’re part of the Apple ecosystem. I ultimately went for the Sony XM5. They’re cheaper, lighter, sound better, have no clamping force on your head and the noise cancellation is the best in the industry. 3 people found this helpful
Rebecca Harley –
These are fast drives. Mine came with the updated (3B2QJXD7) firmware already applied. Manufacturing production date was end of May 2023. This was 2 months prior to the purchase date, so these are confirmed new stock not the older drives with bad firmware. Installation was easy enough. The drive comes in a box a little wider than a phone, with a slip out plastic tray with the drive held in that. No m.2 screw or mini screwdriver is included. Make sure you’ve got the one that came with your motherboard, or order another. You’ll also need a micro screwdriver for the screw as they’re very small. Depending on your motherboard and GPU setup, you may also need to move the GPU to access the m.2 slot to install. Some motherboards (thankfully) are now starting to use clips for the drive rather than screw stand offs. After installation, the BIOS picked up the drive on power on. If you’re doing a clean install of Windows, you can continue as normal. Otherwise, Samsung do offer two tools to help move your existing Windows install to the new drive. These are Samsung Data Migration and Samsung Magician. As the name suggests Data Migration will allow you to clone your existing drive to the new one so you can boot from it. It works really well, but may take some time if you’re moving directly from a Harddisk to NVMe M.2. The Samsung Magician gives you some additional information about the drive and allows you to resize some dead (unused) space on the drive to help prolong the life span of the drive. It’s only really needed if you’re writing a large amount of data constantly to the drive with it near full. But it’s a nice feature never the less. I’ve got two of these drives and they’re on a 10Gig network and are heavily hit and not had any issues with heat, so you probably don’t need a heat sink. The price of the drive with an heat sink is a little excessive if you do want one. Check other listings on Gadget Tree for aftermarket heatsinks that clip on in the same way… but again depending on your motherboard it may already include a heatsink for the m.2 slot. Overall, a really nice purchase if you want very fast read/write speeds with a large amount of space. 48 people found this helpful
Fraz –
Like all Apple gear, these are expensive. Once you accept that, and with the expectation that the build quality and usability will be up there with the best that Apple produces, and, crucially, given that you’ve actually tried or own these, then you’re in a position to give a balanced review. So, with that out of the way, let’s look at these for what they are: impeccably built, fantastic sounding (IMO, for a wireless set), comfortable headphones that just work – brilliantly – with many devices. Switching between devices is handled with ease and they are a very comfortable wear, despite their weight on paper. The dial and button are a joy to use; every time my wife comes to talk to me I can quickly pause whatever’s playing with one push of the dial, turn on transparency mode with a push of the button, and have a clear-as-day conversation before quickly resuming. Make no mistake: these headphones are extremely well designed and built. I have many headphones; some wireless but mostly wired, including a fully balanced audiophile setup and I can say that the sound quality is extremely impressive – for Bluetooth. I state that caveat because no wireless headphones will sound as good as a properly amped and cabled, balanced, setup with may seem obvious but it’s still worth stating because there’s no part of me that feels the Airpods Max sound deficient, within reasonable expectations. I could carry on describing how much I love these but I’ll stop short of that and just say that I am extremely pleased. Summary: expensive, yes, but what Apple gear isn’t? You get what you pay for and if you’re in the Apple ecosystem and you want some over-ears, you’ll do well to at least try them. 34 people found this helpful
Jeanne Spencer (verified owner) –
TL/DR: Superb build quality, astonishingly good audio quality and best in class ANC add up to be the very best noise cancelling headphones you can buy, as long as you intend to use them with Apple hardware. Users of Android phones or windows desktops are probably better served by other options. Longer review: The first impression when these come out of the box is the sheer excellence of the build quality. The aluminium ear cups, stainless steel head band and soft memory foam ear pads all add up to a build quality that looks, feels and is light years ahead of any other offering at this or even much higher price points. By comparison competing headphones that are made of plastic, however well made, feel nastily cheap by comparison. Apple always focus on build quality and aesthetics and here they have outdone themselves. Comfort is surprisingly excellent. These headphones feel and are weighty but never feel heavy even after lengthy listening sessions. The fabric & memory foam ear pads combine with the mesh on the head band to make them surprisingly comfortable despite their relative weight. Again full marks in this department. The active noise cancelling is very impressive. When switched on the outside world really does simply disappear. Best of all, the sound signature is in no way affected by turning on ANC. No distortion, no hiss, no background noise at all. Again very impressive. Similarly transparency mode is handled equally well – turn it on and the effect is that of the headphones seeming to disappear. External sound is clear but so is whatever music you have playing. The engineers at Apple did a superb job with the transparency mode. Being headphones the £1M question is of course how do they sound? The answer is very good indeed. The sound signature is close to the Harman curve so the Airpods Max have a natural and neutral sound. Detail and separation are excellent. The sound stage is good though admittedly not as wide as other headphones I’ve tried. Bass is punchy but detailed and doesn’t sound muddy in the slightest. Treble is tight and highs are handled again with detail. Be aware though that because the sound reproduction is excellent these headphones will severely punish low quality or poorly done recordings. In terms of ease of use, I don’t think I’ve ever had a pair of bluetooth headphones that are as easy to use. Pairing with Apple devices is effortless (I use with an iPhone 12 pro max and a 2019 iPad pro) and switching between Apple devices is seamless and “just works.” Android or WIndows users will however be missing out on a number of features and are probably best served by other options. One final point – the case that these headphones come with is a horrible joke. Given how carefully designed and engineered the headphones are the case is head scratchingly awful. It feels nice and is made of decent material but it does a very poor job of covering the headphones. I would imagine that everyone who buys Airpods Max will instantly also buy a proper third party hard case to go with them. No idea what Apple were thinking there but the included case is quite literally nearly pointless as an actual case. All in all, are the Airpods Max worth the (relative to the competition) very expensive price? Value is obviously a subjective thing but in terms of build quality, ease of use, convenience and most importantly audio quality these far exceed all of the competition. For me personally they’re definitely worth the price and I genuinely find it hard to put them down. 9.5/10 for the Airpods Max, 2/10 at most for the pointless included “case.” 62 people found this helpful
Wendy Childerhouse –
I have had the Apple AirPods Max for a while now, and they have proven to be a premium addition to my audio experience. Here’s an in-depth review of their features, performance, and overall value: Design and Comfort The AirPods Max exude elegance with their sleek design and high-quality materials. The stainless steel frame, coupled with memory foam ear cups and a breathable knit mesh canopy, ensures both durability and comfort. Despite their weight, they feel surprisingly light and comfortable, even during extended listening sessions. The ear cups fit snugly around the ears, providing excellent noise isolation without causing any discomfort. Sound Quality The sound quality of the AirPods Max is exceptional. The audio is rich and detailed, with a balanced mix of deep bass, clear mids, and crisp highs. The custom-built drivers deliver an immersive listening experience, whether I’m enjoying music, listening to podcasts and watching movies. The spatial audio feature with dynamic head tracking is particularly impressive, creating a surround sound experience that enhances the overall immersion. Noise Cancellation and Transparency Mode Apple’s noise cancellation capabilities of the AirPods Max are impressive. The active noise cancellation effectively blocks out ambient noise, making it perfect for use in noisy environments like airplanes or busy streets. The transparency mode is equally remarkable, allowing me to hear and interact with my surroundings without having to remove the headphones. Switching between these modes is seamless and convenient. Controls and Connectivity The intuitive controls on the AirPods Max make them easy to use. The Digital Crown allows for precise volume adjustments, track skipping, and Siri activation, while the noise control button lets me quickly switch between noise cancellation and transparency mode. Pairing with Apple devices is effortless, thanks to the H1 chip, which also ensures a stable and reliable connection. Battery Life The battery life is more than adequate for my needs, offering up to 20 hours of high-fidelity audio, talk time, or movie playback with active noise cancellation and spatial audio enabled. The included Smart Case puts the headphones in an ultra-low-power state to preserve battery life when not in use. Fast charging is a bonus, providing around 1.5 hours of listening time with just a 5-minute charge. Price and Value The AirPods Max are undoubtedly on the pricier side, but they justify their cost with top-tier features, build quality, and performance. For audiophiles and those who prioritize premium audio experiences, they are a worthwhile investment. However, for casual listeners, the price may be a deterrent. Conclusion The Apple AirPods Max stand out as one of the best over-ear headphones on the market. They combine luxurious design, exceptional sound quality, and advanced features like active noise cancellation and spatial audio. While they come with a hefty price tag, the overall experience they offer makes them a compelling choice for those seeking high-end headphones. If you’re in the market for premium audio gear and are willing to invest, the AirPods Max will not disappoint. 12 people found this helpful