I've been lurking since the beginning of this thread and have signed up primarily to thank posters here. Thanks! Your positive remarks about the APM, comparisons with with other headphones, and even reading between the lines on negative comments have all solidified my decision to purchase them
It was nice to see this now, as I have also been lurking since the beginning of this thread, and created an account to say the same. So, thank you!
I didn't do a lot of headphone listening before the current pandemic, but working from home all the time now has changed that during the day. I'm used to hearing music and video through a Marantz PM-KI Ruby amplifier powering Focal 806V bookshelf speakers, to give an idea of the type of sound I'm coming from and enjoy. I got the Marantz as an open box item, otherwise wouldn't have been able to afford it. I'm not someone who swaps out gear frequently. I find something that sounds beautiful to my ears and makes me fall in love with my favorite recordings all over again, and stick with it for a while.
After some research, as an end of the year treat, I got the Shure Aonic 50 to try a couple of weeks ago – my first pair of over the ear headphones! – as it seemed that they would be most up my alley without breaking the bank. I don't like a lot of bass, love my treble and mids, and value detail, separation, and clarity. I mostly love the Aonics, and appreciate the wider soundstage from the AirPods Pro I've become accustomed to. They have been a pleasure for the sound I like, and comfortable for me to wear all day.
But I may be returning them and ordering the AirPods Max because for my work I
must have something that will go seamlessly between my iMac, iPad, and iPhone, and currently there is a hiccup in the audio stream on the Aonics every time a notification comes in, which is driving me batty. (I need wireless, so suggesting anything else is moot.) At the same time, it's going to be hard to let the Aonics go, but I can't justify having both sets. (The Aonics are still within their Amazon return window, but it will expire before I'll be able to get my hands on a set of APM to A/B compare at home. I can always return the Aonics and repurchase if I don't like the APM, I suppose.)
I've seen some comments from other Aonic 50 owners here who also have tried the APM, and was wondering if, after more time with both, you could expand on your impressions? Much appreciated. I don't know why none of the reviewer comparisons I've encountered mention the Aonics – they are lovely and would seem to be in the same bracket as other sets mentioned.
Spatial audio on the APM is something else. I wished it was available on more sources than iPhone/iPad.
Spatial audio is part of what interests me as well, and I'd also love to hear more from APM owners about it. It's been fun to experiment with on the APP – how big is the difference going to the Max? Apple is expected to release an updated version of their Apple TV box in 2021, and I will be shocked if it does not support spatial audio for home theater listening.
Thanks to you all for sharing your passion and knowledge with us.