AirPods Max

[Soundizer]

Has anyone tried alternative Ear Pads that are thicker/deeper. The issue is Airpod Max keeps slipping off because of my smaller head. The Wife says it’s because I have a smaller Brain, ha ha ha. I might divorce her if she says that again. So save my marriage some one and suggest alternative thicker pads that give a tighter fit.

 

[heathman]

Has anyone tried alternative Ear Pads that are thicker/deeper. The issue is Airpod Max keeps slipping off because of my smaller head. The Wife says it’s because I have a smaller Brain, ha ha ha. I might divorce her if she says that again. So save my marriage some one and suggest alternative thicker pads that give a tighter fit.

I've been looking for some larger pads as well, but haven't had any luck.

 

[Philimon]

Airpods Max measured via bluetooth mode:

- Airpods Max has the negative characteristics of a closed headphone, such as slightly bloomy bass and closed-in soundstage.
- Tonal signature is very good, almost ideal
- Dynamics are meh
- Low-level detail retrieval is meh
- Noise isolation with ANC is excellent. Noise isolation without ANC is mixed: excellent attenuation of external mid-high frequencies but external bass is seemingly unobstructed and becomes weirdly perceptible to the point of annoying especially for audiobooks and podcasts. ANC activated causes an unpleasant feeling of like being under water but a totally acceptable compromise if on a noisy airplane for example.
- Not very comfy: heavy, headband not very supportive, earpad material is slippery, appears like Apple traded away function for style.
- Would only use if needed ANC function. My other closed-backs are otherwise much preferable: Fostex T20RPmod, Harmonicdyne Athena.

 

[Rurouni]

DAE use these primarily in the spatial mode now that they can do personalized tuning?

I keep mine in (personalized) Spatial Stereo for music and prefer it over the stock tuning.

Same. With Apple Music APM’s are excellent.

Even with my ‘better’ cans and IEMs I still go back to the APMs regularly cus they still come close to a high end sound, and spatial audio for music is really good now.

APMs are also super forgiving with modern pop (which can be really annoying with the over loud/pitchy studio mixing).

My only gripe is the slippery headband and I would prefer leather cups over fabric.

 

[DivaFonda]

I doubt it. I have the APM, and adore the build, features, and convenience.

But the sound is nothing special. Ive had a great time with them, but if you a/b them with more accomplished headphones, even bluetooth, try the p7w, the empty mids become very apparent. Hi res wont save what is in essence a flaw in the headphone that pretty much every serious audio reviewer has noted (crinnacle, headphones.com). Theyre not impressive in the audio dept at all.

I know this post is well over 2 years, but I saw you mention this twice. I put the Headphone Accommodations on vocal and moderate; and that fixed the mids issue for me. Some songs do sound better than others. I may try the strong to see if the mids and vocals come through even better.

P.S. I'm still going through this whole thread and am only on page 266, lol!

 

[jologskyblues]

I just noticed now that as of the latest firmware for my Airpods Pro (1st Gen) and Airpods Max, there seems less of that feeling of ANC "pressurization".

 

[Metalingus]

Mine sounded nothing like they used to. Bought another green apm and dissapointed. My hearing is fine. Either updates or software ruined it. Airpods Pro 2 sounds way better compared to apm.

 

[jasonb]

Mine sounded nothing like they used to. Bought another green apm and dissapointed. My hearing is fine. Either updates or software ruined it. Airpods Pro 2 sounds way better compared to apm.

I feel that the AirPods Pro 2 got ruined by updates. When I first got them I thought they sounded pretty good, now they seem too bass heavy and have a peak somewhere in the upper mids or treble that bothers me. I think the sound has been tweaked with firmware updates and I no longer like them at all for music.

I never heard the APM that I had change any with updates. This is just one of the issues that firmware upgrade able stuff can have. The worst example of this I had dealt with was with the Cambridge Audio Melomania Touch TWS. When I first got them they sounded great, then one firmware update later I couldn’t stand them and I couldn’t figure out how to fix them with EQ, so they went back to Cambridge Audio. Apparently most people liked the new sound better, but not me.

 

[kazsud]

I got the analog cable last week and they sound better with it. Theres more information everywhere.

 

[Sp12er3]

I feel like OTA update on audio product should never be about its sound, only features. It's like handling my EQ menu to someone else and then throwing it out of the train, unable to know what's changed and how to switch it back. I buy it for the sound I hear when I first try it, not how it is months later.

For now am glad there's more competition on portable wireless audio, headphone is kinda lagging 2-3 years behind Speakers in putting more smart features, DSP and connectivity inside their product.
Now with Snapdragon S7 for wifi transmitted Lossless audio, Apple should have to reply back with similar features (way bigger range, Lossless audio) on their next Max and Pro.

 

[KaiFi]

Recent rumors have come out saying APM won't be updated significantly within the next year. It's supposed to receive only a USB-C port in late 2024 and nothing else. Very disappointing if true.

https://9to5mac.com/2023/10/29/new-airpods-max-will-still-lack-h2-chip-airpods-pro-features/

 

[fonefan]

Recent rumors have come out saying APM won't be updated significantly within the next year. It's supposed to receive only a USB-C port in late 2024 and nothing else. Very disappointing if true.

https://9to5mac.com/2023/10/29/new-airpods-max-will-still-lack-h2-chip-airpods-pro-features/

Not much they can do with the APM until they come up with their own proprietary wireless to support lossless bandwidth, which they flirted the idea of ages ago now.

In the meantime, they could of course make a 'Studio' version with larger cans and bigger batteries, but no one is going to pay 1000 bucks for those in the current climate.

 

[fonefan]

I feel that the AirPods Pro 2 got ruined by updates. When I first got them I thought they sounded pretty good, now they seem too bass heavy and have a peak somewhere in the upper mids or treble that bothers me. I think the sound has been tweaked with firmware updates and I no longer like them at all for music.

I never heard the APM that I had change any with updates. This is just one of the issues that firmware upgrade able stuff can have. The worst example of this I had dealt with was with the Cambridge Audio Melomania Touch TWS. When I first got them they sounded great, then one firmware update later I couldn’t stand them and I couldn’t figure out how to fix them with EQ, so they went back to Cambridge Audio. Apparently most people liked the new sound better, but not me.

I have actually noticed the sub bass dig a bit deeper lately, which is a welcome change for the music I listen to. I always felt it lacked in that area compared to B&O cans.

If a firmware updated caused it, then the worst change for me is horrendous battery life. It's almost halved. They are 18 months old, so I wouldn't have thought the battery needs replacement just yet. Another clue something wasn't right was it stopped doing the 10% battery warning. They would literally run down to nothing and disconnect. A factory reset fixed that, but the shoddy battery life remains. They're on firmware 6A300.

 

[Author]

I’ve been on the same pair since their initial introduction… Three years ago? It is disappointing that a major update may not be coming soon. Is it so hard to tweak the sound to be a bit better? Even without serious hardware improvements or other software improvement? I mean there’s a big difference between Sennheiser‘s true momentum, wireless one and true momentum wireless three. Even just in the sound quality department.

I love my AirPods Max. But how hard is it to improve resolution 10 or 15%? When everything else about this headphone is already so “digitized” in the first place? They should do something more with the DSP to make it a little better. Again, I love my AirPods Max. But they are a little muddy. Perhaps my problem is just that I truly prefer the Sennheiser sound.

 

[Double-A]

Just bought me a pair of the Focal Bathys

I still use the AirPods Max from time to time (I gave them to my wife), but it isn’t my daily driver.