[SparkOnShore]

For me is a surprise too that more people don't mentioning the comfort or the heat 'problems' of the APM.

If I'm remembering right, you having the h95 too. Do you comparing the 2 headphones?



Unfortunately for me the comfort and heat problems aren't disappearing after 14 days with the APM.

I'm giving the APM more chances than I doing with all the rest of bt/anc I don't liking before for 3 reasons: 1) The ANC is the best of all anc headphones, 2) transparency mode is really excellent, and 3) specially because with the headphone accommodation setting (with my audiogram or voice + slight) and with EQ in my MacBook Pro I can convincing me with living with this new sound even when in factory sound my h95 for me is very clearly better.

BUT the heat problem isn't disappearing (and I'm in a room with 18-20 degrees celsius!), and the comfort, even if better after I trying and trying and trying, is still a problem after 1-1,5 hours max (outside of my ears in the top part and I can never forgetting I'm using the APM). My decision is 90-95% sure that I returning the APM. I still having little problems with user experience (activating accidentally volume changes or anc/ambient), and if I selling my h95, I know I will missing the playback controls of h95 very, very much, but I think this I can accepting like a good compromise.

------------------

About the description of "soulless" sound in the video, I think I can understanding why maybe he (and maybe more people) having this opinion even if I'm not really agree with this description. I think the little recessed mids and low treble dipping isn't giving sufficient character, detail and strength for the sound of the APM. The midrange is the much more important frequency of the 3 frequencies and the APM is giving very 'safe' sound that isn't offending the ears, specially if you playing at loud volumes. I still thinking the APM sound in general is really very good comparing with the majority of the competition of bt/anc headphones.

Comfort is my problem with most over ears, all my life! Even though I enjoy their sound, as more engaging and rich in comparison to my in ears, i can never forget I have them on me. Even the lighter ones make me feel hot after a while, or giving me some kind of discomfort on the scalp. Also while walking they have some strange sounds as they move up and down, when on anc. They say that APM are cooler due to the reason that the earcups do not sport artificial leather like most others. But still they are very heavy and I guess they will give me a lot of head pressure. I hope Apple will also produce a second version of sportier and lighter ones, soon enough. Has anyone tried walking with them on? How does it feel?
Even though I prefer the sound of over ears I end up using my AirPods Pro and other in ears just because of their lightness and how portable they can feel...

 

[msq123]

Another audio reviewer out with his full take on the APM. Haven't watched yet!

AirPods MAX REVIEW
Joshua Valour​

I have been following Josh for a while. He is very level headed and accommodating of new technologies unlike most “audiophile” reviewers. I think it is a fairly decent take by him where he didn’t compare it with a wired headset like DMS but rather paid attention to the use case and built his review on that.

I think we can’t deny that wired will trump these for critical listening in most scenarios but that’s not the point of APM. These are for very different use case and once you acknowledge that, you will have a more balanced take on it.

check out the review, like to know what people on the forum thinks about his review.

 

[angelom]

Hey there Angelom - I enjoy your posts.

This is a surprise for me (in this thread). Thank you!

Are you in a humid environment? Currently, where I live, humidity is generally low. Temperature is about 22 Celsius.

No, isn't humid at all. I remember people in online articles speaking about the APM for many months (the name is apparently AirPods 'Studio' not 'Max') and some people saying the earpads are leather and I thinking "Great!!" because of my long bad experience with artificial leather earpads. When I reading the announcement of APM and I'm checking that isn't having leather earpads, I'm not happy, but I see that apparently the cloth earpads are capable for good breathing so I having new positive expectation. Unfortunately from the first day isn't only the heat, I sometimes having little sweat (not a lot) when I trying and trying wearing more long time. With my h95 the heat or the sweat is never a problem and I can wearing it for many, many hours (the max I think is about 8,5 consecutive hours).

 

[angelom]

Comfort is my problem with most over ears, all my life! Even though I enjoy their sound, as more engaging and rich in comparison to my in ears, i can never forget I have them on me. Even the lighter ones make me feel hot after a while, or giving me some kind of discomfort on the scalp. Also while walking they have some strange sounds as they move up and down, when on anc. They say that APM are cooler due to the reason that the earcups do not sport artificial leather like most others. But still they are very heavy and I guess they will give me a lot of head pressure. I hope Apple will also produce a second version of sportier and lighter ones, soon enough. Has anyone tried walking with them on? How does it feel?
Even though I prefer the sound of over ears I end up using my AirPods Pro and other in ears just because of their lightness and how portable they can feel...

Yes, even some light anc headphones are uncomfortable for me, independently of the plastic earpads problems I'm always having. The bose 700 is giving me uncomfortable feeling in the top of my head (this is a big surprise after the incredibly comfortable qc35), and even the more new sony model, xm4, isn't comfortable for me like my xm3 (when both are having almost identical design), my ears touching some part of the inside of the xm4 and feeling uncomfortable only after 10-15 minutes!

 

[Author]

This is a surprise for me (in this thread). Thank you!



No, isn't humid at all. I remember people in online articles speaking about the APM for many months (the name is apparently AirPods 'Studio' not 'Max') and some people saying the earpads are leather and I thinking "Great!!" because of my long bad experience with artificial leather earpads. When I reading the announcement of APM and I'm checking that isn't having leather earpads, I'm not happy, but I see that apparently the cloth earpads are capable for good breathing so I having new positive expectation. Unfortunately from the first day isn't only the heat, I sometimes having little sweat (not a lot) when I trying and trying wearing more long time. With my h95 the heat or the sweat is near a problem and can wearing it for many, many hours (the max I think is about 8,5 consecutive hours).

Well that was the only thing I could think of that might be causing such a different experience!

Me = while wearing APM
Angelom =

Thanks for sharing Angelom.

 

[bobeau]

[delete]

 

[Scorpio1957]

Another review.

 

[tkddans]

[delete]

Great to finally hear someone give a very head-fi breakdown of these headphones in their use-case from an audio standpoint.

People on these forums have been trading/selling/buying headphones forever to fill in a place in their audio listening experiences. It just seemed to not fill in enough of a space for you that you couldn't already occupy with your gear. Good luck to you sir and thank you for sharing your experience!

EDIT: I feel like finally we can start talking about the APM from its unique tuning and place in our audio collections.

 

[Author]

I have been following Josh for a while. He is very level headed and accommodating of new technologies unlike most “audiophile” reviewers. I think it is a fairly decent take by him where he didn’t compare it with a wired headset like DMS but rather paid attention to the use case and built his review on that.

I think we can’t deny that wired will trump these for critical listening in most scenarios but that’s not the point of APM. These are for very different use case and once you acknowledge that, you will have a more balanced take on it.

check out the review, like to know what people on the forum thinks about his review.

I enjoyed this review. Very professional. Very adult. No whining or complaining. He comes across as trustworthy. I would have enjoyed more sound analyses and comparisons, but I definitely plan to check out his other reviews. Thanks for sharing.

 

[tinyman392]

For me is a surprise too that more people don't mentioning the comfort or the heat 'problems' of the APM.

If I'm remembering right, you having the h95 too. Do you comparing the 2 headphones?



Unfortunately for me the comfort and heat problems aren't disappearing after 14 days with the APM.

I'm giving the APM more chances than I doing with all the rest of bt/anc I don't liking before for 3 reasons: 1) The ANC is the best of all anc headphones, 2) transparency mode is really excellent, and 3) specially because with the headphone accommodation setting (with my audiogram or voice + slight) and with EQ in my MacBook Pro I can convincing me with living with this new sound even when in factory sound my h95 for me is very clearly better.

BUT the heat problem isn't disappearing (and I'm in a room with 18-20 degrees celsius!), and the comfort, even if better after I trying and trying and trying, is still a problem after 1-1,5 hours max (outside of my ears in the top part and I can never forgetting I'm using the APM). My decision is 90-95% sure that I returning the APM. I still having little problems with user experience (activating accidentally volume changes or anc/ambient), and if I selling my h95, I know I will missing the playback controls of h95 very, very much, but I think this I can accepting like a good compromise.

------------------

About the description of "soulless" sound in the video, I think I can understanding why maybe he (and maybe more people) having this opinion even if I'm not really agree with this description. I think the little recessed mids and low treble dipping isn't giving sufficient character, detail and strength for the sound of the APM. The midrange is the much more important frequency of the 3 frequencies and the APM is giving very 'safe' sound that isn't offending the ears, specially if you playing at loud volumes. I still thinking the APM sound in general is really very good comparing with the majority of the competition of bt/anc headphones.

Most of the comfort issues either stem from the arms not extending out far enough in adjustability (issue for those with larger heads) or the clamping force being overbearing. Discomfort from weight was pushed but in reality, the headband does a good job distributing the weight and minimizing the maximum pressure on the head which is generally what causes discomfort/tenderness/pain on the top of the head.

I was demoing the NC700 and XM4 the other day to see how they fared in terms of comfort from this latter perspective. Both offered less clamping force, but while I found the NC700 to amply distribute weight across the top of my head, the XM4 felt like someone laid a rigid bar on the top of my head. It reminded me of some other headphones I’ve used in the past which only allowed me to listen for 1-2 hours before I got that tender spot on the top of my head. I’ll probably do a more thorough post on this later.

Edit: regarding heat issues. I really didn’t experience too much negative here. The pads actually breath very well in comparison to a lot of the leather/pleather pads I’ve used. They don’t run cool, but I wouldn’t call it hot either. Unless you’re trying to do some heavy workouts.

 

[SparkOnShore]

Another review.

He believes AirPods Pro are more detailed and resolving than AirPods max. What you both headphones’ owners would think about that?

 

[angelom]

He believes AirPods Pro are more detailed and resolving than AirPods max. What you both headphones’ owners would think about that?

I don't watching the video yet but I will watching now after your post, but from my memory of the APP, yes, the frequency response is more correct (more linear) and is possible that in general is more resolving too than APM, but the scale of the more big sound of the APM will impressing people more and is more exciting, I'm 100% sure of this. I wish I having the APP still now for comparing directly!

 

[woodcans]

Hey there Angelom - I enjoy your posts. Your comments about heat are fascinating to me. I experience no excessive ear heat or ear moisture while wearing them. Are you in a humid environment? Currently, where I live, humidity is generally low. Temperature is about 22 Celsius.

I experienced repeated heat build up indoors, low humidity, 20c.

For me is a surprise too that more people don't mentioning the comfort or the heat 'problems' of the APM.

If I'm remembering right, you having the h95 too. Do you comparing the 2 headphones?

.....

Only from memory. I sold my H95s a few weeks ago as I found an IEM that meets my needs of SQ with enough passive isolation. While I really liked the wheels on the 95, I prefer the crown of the APM for volume control. I was never able to quite master the short & quick turns the B&O require for fine adjustments. I also grew to dislike having to adjust the amount of ANC on the B&O. I need my ANC to be either on or off, but, when on, perfect. By perfect I mean satisfactory noise reduction but just as important, no unusual pops/clicks/thumps when the phones encounter noise(s) that they can't properly cancel. The APM is better in this regard but not perfect. I used both sets while walking indoors and out. The APM was better overall but neither was great at certain frequencies/wind/asymmetrical noises.

Now, this may be entirely due to the discomfort from the clamp force, but it may also be related to the ANC: I found that after 30 mins or so of wearing the APMs that I began to develop a slight feeling, hard to describe, but somewhere between (or a combination of) vertigo and nausea. Keep in mind this was mild, but still uncomfortable. Again, could have just been the clamp force. Regardless, the APM is/was the most uncomfortable headphone I have ever used.

From memory, my only complaint sound wise with the H95 was a slight dip in the lower mids/upper bass that I did not notice with the APM, however I did not keep the APM long enough to confirm that it did not have this issue, to my ears. I honestly grew weary of having to wear them, hence their return.

 

[tkddans]

He believes AirPods Pro are more detailed and resolving than AirPods max. What you both headphones’ owners would think about that?

He says the APP are closer to the Harman target and is disappointed that the APM are further away from it. Why we are so into this harman target...ehh.. I like that the APM takes a risk with its tuning. Is it my favorite tuning? Maybe in some ways, but not in others. Do audiophiles frequently have multiple headphones for different strengths of tuning/soundstage/etc.? Yes.

My take is that the APM give me that fun and relaxing, immersive vibe that I DON'T get from the APP (even if the APP are technically closer to the sought after harman target).

I like the tuning perhaps BECAUSE it has its own character.

I said as much in my AKG K361 comparison. The K361 is almost perfectly matched with the Harman target. The headphone was endorsed/sponsored in whatever way BY THE HARMAN GROUP. I mean, if that's your goal, get K361. But they aren't full of the soul, IMO, as APM.

 

[JonFo]

He believes AirPods Pro are more detailed and resolving than AirPods max. What you both headphones’ owners would think about that?

I have both, and after 3 days straight of only listening to the APM, I heard a podcast and some music on the APPs this morning. No contest for me, as great as the APPs are, the APM is a much better headphone. If I am going to sit and watch / listen to content and only had those two, I'd go to the APM every time.

For casual audio (podcasts, news, background music), or for driving, the APPs are the go-to. I can wear those all day. But the APM is supremely comfortable for an over-the-ear. The first OTE I can wear for >3hrs.

Oh, and regarding the 'soulless' comment from earlier. BS, these are a great way to enjoy all kinds of music. Being into progressive rock (with all the complexities in orchestration), modern recordings, like the StevenWilson canon, these are good cans, period. The fact that they are wireless and have amazing ANC just makes them that more special. I'll receive my 3.5mm audio cable tomorrow, so more on how they work wired to my DACs and such and compared to my electrostats.