[Jazz1]

From what I've heard, the Max's sounds pretty darn good. Add that to iPhone compatibility and features I reckon that would be best. Plus, the max's are designed to run from a phone. The ones you mentioned, work best from DAC/amp modules

Agreed! But let me put up yet another alternative. I just got some Master & Dynamic MW75's that are BT, and can be wired. I haven't had them long enough to test them thoroughly out wired on my Asgard3 Schiit Amp/DAC combo. My initial "wired" impression was the sound was a bit more neutral, vs. BT, across the frequencies streaming Tidal/Apple Music. I don't consider that result bad at all. I do own the AirPods Max by the way.

Update: Im listening to John Hall "Master" sampling. Wired sound to the above Asgard3, and using the USB-C to 3.5mm input cable, is very nice indeed! No surprise, I prefer this over the BT, but of course BT is very handy when you don't want to be "fit to be tied"to a desk. IMHO the bass is tighter, and the overall resulting middle and high frequency flow better. This is not to say that the BT sound isn't very decent.

I am pleasantly surprised how nice the MW75's sound wired with to a DAC/Amp like the Asgard3. This IMHO is a very, versatile headphone! My head is currently bobbing to the music to John Hall!

 

[Death_Block]

For the price of max, I'd always choose the beyer amiron.

 

[xenoVa]

My travel (and around-the-house) system is an iPhone + Chord Mojo 2 + Dan Clark Audio Aeon 2 Noire. This sounds a lot better than the AirPods Max. But you'll notice it also requires the external DAC.

I'm thinking about a similar system. How portable it really is ? I mostly listen to headphones when walking around the city. I guess you can carry that system with a backback.

 

[nichole]

I'm thinking about a similar system. How portable it really is ? I mostly listen to headphones when walking around the city. I guess you can carry that system with a backback.

It scares me that I can see myself doing something like that but I’d want the focal Stellia headphones. Bc you know, beryllium….

 

[sgiesen]

I had to test the B&W PX8 for a week . Even when wired via USB-C - no chance. I would choose the Airpods Max here, definitely.