[MayaTlab]

I still don't get how they can offer something thats 550 and talk about amazing sound without it being able to offer lossless audio. I'm just talking about the normal Apple Lossless codec that many people can rip their CDs with. It really seems strange to have the best hardware and everything else when you're feeding it with lossy audio.

Because, as already explained in this thread, AAC 256kbps done by Apple should be the least of your worries when it comes to SQ, whether it's about encoding files or transmitting audio over bluetooth. In both cases it measures sufficiently well and in the former it's resisted blind tests numerous times.
Let's just say that it's a little pointless to listen to lossless files on headphones that measure like this : https://www.dropbox.com/s/3i9rca7wu3iayl6/Sennheiser HD820.pdf?dl=0
The thing most people should be worried about first and foremost is FR curve at their own eardrum (and not just on test rigs).
A little post from Oratory1990 on the matter :
https://www.reddit.com/r/oratory199...t?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3

 

[Monstieur]

Even though I'm an Apple fanboy to a certain extent (Mac, iPhone, iPad) but there seem to be a very steep Apple-tax on this. I mean double the price of a PX7, io6, Aonic50? Triple the price of a Sennets HDxx?

For €600+ you can get seriously good headphones.

All of those portables have terrible tuning and are worth $0 to me. The HD series have bass roll-off at 100 Hz which is a joke given their price. The AirPods Max will measure better than all of them. The PowerBeats Pro are objectively better than a HD 820.

 

[angelom]

One thing that is very unfair is the price. In the US the price is $549. In Europe is $760. Even when you adding 20% tax (average in EU countries) of $549 ($659) is still $110 more expensive in Europe.

 

[HiFiHawaii808]

After sleeping on it for a day, I think where the Airpods Max might work for me is as a home theatre headset given spatial audio. I have been in the market for surround sound headphones and I looked at the JVC personal surround sound system at last year's CES. I thought it was a cool idea. Today, my streaming services are completely separate from my audiophile listening. This product could extend and bring them together and the price point isn't bad for that use case. It would also get me interested in Apple TV when today all of my needs are fully met by Roku.

If it's just for listening to music, I'd probably consider an Ananda BT over the Airpods Max. I use my Airpod Pros for phone calls. I don't need these headphones for that use case. Noise cancellation is only interesting on an airplane and I have that use case covered in several other ways. I don't need that especially at the price point offered.

 

[WilcoRoger]

All of those portables have terrible tuning and are worth $0 to me. The HD series have bass roll-off at 100 Hz which is a joke given their price. The AirPods Max will measure better than all of them. The PowerBeats Pro are objectively better than a HD 820.

Yeah, right.

 

[HiFiHawaii808]

The PowerBeats Pro are objectively better than a HD 820.

This is the single most questionable claim I've ever seen on this board.

 

[pk4425]

They are very bulbous and cheap looking.

If a bulbous look provides more room and heat dissipation for people like me with large ears, I'm fine with it. The trend toward smaller and smaller ear cups in portable Bluetooth headphones isn't great for blockheads like me.

 

[pk4425]

Interesting... I've bought the K371 sometimes late last year just on their nice looks, was positively surprised by their good sound and eagerly awaited the BT version... preordered with delays etc. Yet it was a major disappointment to me, sounded bland and uninteresting vs. the wired model. Of course it might be a case of missing quality assurance, given your experience with even missing parts (I think I remember you posted photos in the K371 thread).

Same experience for me with K371BT. I was really stoked to try these given the reputation of the K371 wired models, which I've never tried. But the BT version were a HUGE disappointment. One, the ear cups are tiny. The cartilage of my ear slammed against the driver, creating a burning discomfort within 10 minutes. Two, the sound through the mids was bland and mushy as hell.

The K371BT easily was the biggest letdown among the eight to 10 over-ear Bluetooth headphones I've tested in the last six weeks.

 

[trellus]

If a bulbous look provides more room and heat dissipation for people like me with large ears, I'm fine with it. The trend toward smaller and smaller ear cups in portable Bluetooth headphones isn't great for blockheads like me.

I also have big ears it‘s possible to accommodate larger ears with roomier cups and pads without resorting to the ugly, though — it’s the design language, not the size, that I dislike with these.

 

[pk4425]

I also have big ears it‘s possible to accommodate larger ears with roomier cups and pads without resorting to the ugly, though — it’s the design language, not the size, that I dislike with these.

Absolutely. The two most comfortable over-ear headphones of the eight to 10 pairs I've tested in the last six weeks have the sleekest form factor -- the Bose QC35 II and Sennheiser PXC550-II. They both have long, deep cups, with narrow padding. Provides plenty of room without a ton of easy-to-overheat leather or pleather smashed against your head.

But the comfort similarity doesn't extend to the sound. The Senns blow away the Bose in terms of clear sound, imaging and wide soundstage. Not even close, in my opinion.

 

[mthaynes]

Dont think these are for me. I will stick to my HD800s / Bryston rig or my JH audio Layla or Roxy. for real listening.

I do like an over ear like this for international air travel watching movies etc so I have the Sony wh-1000. Maybe they will be better than the Sony over ear that I have but they do not appear to support any type of LINE IN! can't connect to the video on a plane without a line in. that killed it for me

 

[geardoc]

You could carry a small bluetooth transmitter and plug that into the video.

 

[cycloverid]

All of those portables have terrible tuning and are worth $0 to me. The HD series have bass roll-off at 100 Hz which is a joke given their price. The AirPods Max will measure better than all of them. The PowerBeats Pro are objectively better than a HD 820.

Any open back dynamic driver will have pretty substantial roll off, this doesn't make it a joke. I also love sub bass extension, but this is just plain ignorant. 'Audeze LCD headphones are way too heavy and are worth $0' - I could say that, but I obviously know how ridiculous that sounds.

 

[plakat]

Dont think these are for me. I will stick to my HD800s / Bryston rig or my JH audio Layla or Roxy. for real listening.

I do like an over ear like this for international air travel watching movies etc so I have the Sony wh-1000. Maybe they will be better than the Sony over ear that I have but they do not appear to support any type of LINE IN! can't connect to the video on a plane without a line in. that killed it for me

There's a 3,5mm to lightning cable available that could bridge gap

 

[geardoc]

Anybody hear if there is a low latency mode on these? The H1 chip's native latency is lower, but that 144ms spec is still far too much for unsynced video.