[NewMexiCat]

I'm interested, but at that price, certainly won't pre-order. I don't like the design, but could live with the space gray version as it looks the least "toy-like." I am a big fan of the AirPods Pro. I know there are obviously better sounding options, but they are just so darn easy to use with an iPhone that I reach for them quite often. If the Max has a similar appeal with a decent sound signature, I could be tempted. While I try to favor sound quality over convenience, sometimes simplicity and the user interface beats out tracking down the dongle, making sure the DAC/amp is charged, hunting for the rubber bands, etc., etc. Oh, the tortured life of an audiophile!

 

[oak3x]

The price can be justified depending on the purpose of use... The Airpods Pro (buds) do sound good for wireless... Probably safe to assume the Airpods Max will have a much better sound.

For me two maybe more important features are the Active Noise Cancellation and Call quality. I fly for business and am on constant conference calls. If Airpods Max excel in these two areas I will buy without hesitancy. The only other wireless headphone which would be considered competition is the Bose 700. ANC and call quality is outstanding on the Bose...sound quality for music is average.

I view the Airpods Max as a potential piece of technology which I can use for work. If sound quality is better than Bose...the decision is a no-brainer. Not worried about the price.

 

[ubs28]

Have you heard the Airpods Max? I just learned about them today. How do you know that Spatial audio is mind blowing? What is great about it?

I have restricted my plunge into the Apple universe to my iPhone, Airpod Pros, iPad and Apple Watch. I don't want to pay the premium for Apple products that are inferior. I use Roku instead of AppleTV. Tidal and Spotify vs. Apple Music. Streamers instead of Apple CCK dongles and/or Airplay. Sonus speakers instead of Homepods. Dell Laptops with Google Drive and Chrome vs Mac. Probably will purchase an Android DAP.

Considering that Apple is the best chip maker in the world, the onboard processor unit of the Airpod Max should blow away anything that the competition could possibly have. So I have my reasons to believe that this headphone is something to watch out for (in terms of computational audio)

Just as a reference, a tiny M1 Macbook Air runs circles around a thick gaming laptop in terms of CPU performance while having 20 hours of battery life and being fanless. Apple is that good at making chips.

 

[HiFiHawaii808]

Considering that Apple killed Sony their WF-1000XM3 wireless IEM’s with the AirPods Pro, I expect that these headphones are much better than the XM3 and XM4 too.

These headphones will also have superior computational power onboard as Apple is the best chip maker in the world. So I think we can expect much from the computational audio part.

You might have a strong argument if Apple actually had any high end audio products in the market today that were remotely competitive with the best in the industry. An Apple iPhone 12 is not competitive with the Sony Walkman DAPs or the high end Sony IEMs.

I am saying this as an Airpod Pro advocate. It's a fantastic product, but not for music. Maybe they will get there some day, but they haven't focused on it and aren't there yet. Maybe this product will get them closer or maybe they will stay in the space they are in which is mid-fi at best

 

[SilverEars]

Given that beatsX was quite balanced, and it was produced after Apple bought out Beats. Same can be said about AirPods Pro in terms of tuning balance. So, I don't expect boosted bass like Sony.

So it seems like Apple changed away from original Beats tuning of bass focused after buying them out.

 

[trellus]

Those people are falling for the marketing hype rather than the objective quality metrics of these products. The price of an HD6XX headphone at $220 will most likely sound far better than these Airpods Max headphones and they aren't going to go up much in price because of it. I purchased my Sony WF-1000XM3's for $99 on the refurb market to try it out. You can get the WH-1000XM3's for $179. Those prices aren't going away.

I am a sucker for new products, so we will see if I fall for the marketing hype of the Airpods Max. I doubt it. I'd rather purchase a Thieaudio Monarch or Hifiman Ananda both of which I am quite sure will sound better than the Airpods Max.

I'm with you, given my own preferences, I doubt I would find the AirPods Max $550 worth of sonic goodness, and I'm not in a rush to buy those, for sure (not a fan of the look, either!), but on the other hand, we audiophiles are a very small market compared to the masses who will buy this -- and then even some of us will buy this because of the rich features and ease of use and (hopefully!) very respectable sound quality.

Hell, no doubt I will own one someday, even after babbling on about the bubbly, cartoonish look of them. But I shore ain't paying full price....

 

[SamS]

Have you heard the Airpods Max? I just learned about them today. How do you know that Spatial audio is mind blowing? What is great about it?

Apple's Spatial Audio tech is available today via AirPods Pro, which I have, and experienced. Somehow, it "centers" the video soundstage based on the relative position of the screen you're viewing. So when you turn your head slightly, the soundstage stays locked to the screen position. It also decodes multi-channel audio over headphones in a way I've never experienced before.

 

[ubs28]

You might have a strong argument if Apple actually had any high end audio products in the market today that were remotely competitive with the best in the industry. An Apple iPhone 12 is not competitive with the Sony Walkman DAPs or the high end Sony IEMs.

I am saying this as an Airpod Pro advocate. It's a fantastic product, but not for music. Maybe they will get there some day, but they haven't focused on it and aren't there yet. Maybe this product will get them closer or maybe they will stay in the space they are in which is mid-fi at best

I also own the Sony WF-1000XM3 IEM and the Apple Airpods Pro blows it out of the water. It is:
- way more comfortable
- is water resistant
- far superior fit

I have lost count how many times the Sony WF-1000XM3 fell out of my ears while running. It is really not practical as a wireless ANC IEM.

You might think it is “high-end”. I don’t think it is. Apple really thought about how a wireless ANC IEM should be and they delivered something far superior than Sony their wireless ANC IEM. I don’t even remember the last time I have used my Sony WF-1000XM3.

 

[HiFiHawaii808]

The price can be justified depending on the purpose of use... The Airpods Pro (buds) do sound good for wireless... Probably safe to assume the Airpods Max will have a much better sound.

For me two maybe more important features are the Active Noise Cancellation and Call quality. I fly for business and am on constant conference calls. If Airpods Max excel in these two areas I will buy without hesitancy. The only other wireless headphone which would be considered competition is the Bose 700. ANC and call quality is outstanding on the Bose...sound quality for music is average.

I view the Airpods Max as a potential piece of technology which I can use for work. If sound quality is better than Bose...the decision is a no-brainer. Not worried about the price.

I think you are right with the target market for these headphones. Business travelers who want noise cancellation on the plane and to also use it for phone calls since Apple transparency mode is world class. It's 50/50 that the sound quality will be any better than the Sonys.

 

[plakat]

Considering that Apple killed Sony their WF-1000XM3 wireless IEM’s with the AirPods Pro, I expect that these headphones are much better than the XM3 and XM4 too.

These headphones will also have superior computational power onboard as Apple is the best chip maker in the world. So I think we can expect much from the computational audio part.

That is my hope as well.
Besides the pure practical aspect of connection management the implementation of computational audio is what interests me most with these. Normally I'm more on the analog/passive side for speakers and headphones, but from time to time there *are* interesting models that utilize electronics to deliver an overall better package.

 

[DeweyCH]

Apple's Spatial Audio tech is available today via AirPods Pro, which I have, and experienced. Somehow, it "centers" the video soundstage based on the relative position of the screen you're viewing. So when you turn your head slightly, the soundstage stays locked to the screen position. It also decodes multi-channel audio over headphones in a way I've never experienced before.

Huh. I have a pair of AirPods Pro and never realized that. I'll have to play with it later.

 

[HiFiHawaii808]

I also own the Sony WF-1000XM3 IEM and the Apple Airpods Pro blows it out of the water. It is:
- way more comfortable
- is water resistant
- far superior fit

I have lost count how many times the Sony WF-1000XM3 fell out of my ears while running. It is really not practical as a wireless ANC IEM.

You might think it is “high-end”. I don’t think it is. Apple really thought about how a wireless ANC IEM should be and they delivered something far superior than Sony their wireless ANC IEM. I don’t even remember the last time I have used my Sony WF-1000XM3.

I completely agree with you that the airpod pros blow away the Sonys in these dimensions
- way more comfortable
- is water resistant
- far superior fit

I don't think that Sony has Audiophile sound quality. I was speaking in relation to other noise cancellation earphones only. Sorry for the confusion on this point.

I used to carry both my Airpod Pros and my Sony XM3s with me. When I took phone calls, I used the Pros. When I listened to music, I used the Sony's. For me, the sound quality difference was that different. then, I got IEMs and I don't use the Sonys anymore at all. I agree that the Sonys are big and bulk and not comfortable. The airpod pros are nice and small, but they don't fit as well as my IEMs. Their tips aren't great and neither are the after market tips. I can not sustain a green rating on sound isolation for more than 5 minutes no mater what I do with the Pros. But, I don't use them to listen to music, so it doesn't matter.

 

[plakat]

You might have a strong argument if Apple actually had any high end audio products in the market today that were remotely competitive with the best in the industry. An Apple iPhone 12 is not competitive with the Sony Walkman DAPs or the high end Sony IEMs.

I am saying this as an Airpod Pro advocate. It's a fantastic product, but not for music. Maybe they will get there some day, but they haven't focused on it and aren't there yet. Maybe this product will get them closer or maybe they will stay in the space they are in which is mid-fi at best

To me the AirPods Pro are acceptable for music. I've never heard the Sony in-ears, only their noise cancelling over-ears (which sound really bad to me).
And yes, my 64audio N8 sounds so much better than the AirPods Pro that its not even funny anymore. On the other hand they cost quite a bit more... so yes, I expect them to perform better.

I know headphones hat may sound better than the AirPods Pro at about the same price, yet they are neither that portable nor that flexible and don't have ANC (which works quite well on the AirPods Pro, though I prefer passive isolation) or transparency mode. Overall not a bad deal I'd say.

 

[3Putter]

Of course, they bought Beats just for fun.

No idea about the Airpods, my wife has the Pros and is waiting for the Airpods 3 to come out since the Pros hurt in her ears.
I never tried them as I can't stand IEMs.

But nevertheless I am looking forward to hear peoples impressions.
But it seems like these will only work with Apple devices which is a bummer for gamers.
And the only thing I would use it with is an Apple TV.

I used CC points to get a pair of Air Pods Pro. Meh. Sounds ok and their noise cancelling is pretty solid without negatively impacting the sound. But for my money, you can't beat a wired set of IEMs from any number of sources. I wanted wireless for the gym and my Bose sound muffled but a bit louder which I prefer. Gave the Pro's to my fangirl daughter as an early Xmas gift.

 

[HiFiHawaii808]

Apple's Spatial Audio tech is available today via AirPods Pro, which I have, and experienced. Somehow, it "centers" the video soundstage based on the relative position of the screen you're viewing. So when you turn your head slightly, the soundstage stays locked to the screen position. It also decodes multi-channel audio over headphones in a way I've never experienced before.

I use my Airpod Pros every day and I never noticed this feature.