First things first: I am not an audiophile.
Most of my life, I have been listening to music out of the earbuds that came with Apple products, out of Beats earbuds/headphones and AirPods Pros, or out of Bluetooth speakers. Why should you listen to me? Well, I’m just like you in that I like the way certain things sound just because I like them, not because they’re objectively better. Anyways, let’s see what I think about the AirPods Max and why.
Price
At $550 USD, these are on the expensive end of your average consumer’s audio listening devices. While there are many other headphones that are significantly more expensive, there are also big-name headphones that have been recognized and applauded for packing a punch at a reasonable cost. The two headphones that come to mind are the Bose 700s and the Sony WH-1000XM4s.
Design
Personally, I think these are gorgeous. The colorful finishes are subtle, yet bold and they will definitely turn heads. The Smart Case that comes with each pair has a strange, purse-like look, but I’m sure third-parties will take advantage and create more attractive cases.
Aside from aesthetics, the mesh-like material on the headband is meant to distribute the weight of these relatively heavy headphones comfortably onto heads while providing breathability. The magnetic ear-cups that cost $69 a pair (yes, really) have memory foam pads, and are meant to provide comfort for long listening sessions.
Sound
Although I will not receive my Space Gray AirPods Max until between February 15th and March 1st, I am excited to see what they sound like. With Spacial Audio and sound settings like Transparency Mode and Active Noise Cancelling, these provide an immersive listening experience.
I hope these have a similar sound to the HomePod: clear, tight bass and crisp and balanced mids and highs. Individuals that have reviewed the AirPods Max so far have described their sound to be impressive, rivaling high-end open back headphones which provide wide sound stages.
Strategy
With this product, Apple’s strategy remains unclear to me. These headphones are at a price that falls between the headphones the average consumer would purchase and higher-end headphones that you may see in a recording studio.
I am looking forward to seeing reviews in the coming days. If you are looking to pick up a pair of AirPods Max, be sure to order them now as delivery dates are slipping into March 2021.