AirPods Max: Are the noble headphones from Apple worth it?
What a luxury to simply block out all ambient noise and concentrate fully on work, an exciting book, or a phone call. Headphones that can do this are particularly valuable in the home office. This is exactly what you can do with the classy AirPods Max headphones from Apple: They have active noise suppression that uses microphones to detect unwanted noises and generate a counter-sound to suppress them before they hit your eardrum.
Apple’s Active Noise Canceling (ANC) can keep up with the best in the industry and suppress street noise just as well as fans or the noise of an extractor fan. Six outward and two inward-facing microphones are responsible for this. In addition, so-called beamforming microphones help isolate your own voice during calls so that it can be heard clearly. Of course, this quality also has its price and so the AirPods Max with 613 euros belongs to the absolute upper class of headphones.Read more about the audio performance, connectivity, and battery of Apple headphones in the following article.
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The design of the Apple AirPods Max evokes feelings of nostalgia
In contrast to the AirPods Pro or the AirPods of the 2nd generation, which are wrapped in the iconic white plastic for Apple, the AirPods Max comes in a diverse range of colors. There is a total of five different colors to choose from, ranging from sky blue to green to space gray. Due to the anodized aluminum, as it is used in high-quality travel suitcases, for example, the AirPods Max looks very elegant and high-quality.
After the in-ear hype about the AirPods and AirPods Pro, Apple is now again using over-ear headphones with a comfortable fit. Due to their design and the bright colors, retro feelings arise so quickly.
The rotating ear cups are covered with oval memory foam cushions. They ensure a tight seal around the ears and the sonorous sound. These are connected by a stainless steel frame with slender telescopic arms, which can be expanded at the top to form a net headband. This is covered with a breathable mesh fabric, which firstly ensures less pressure on the head and secondly distributes the weight evenly. According to Apple, the mesh fabric of the ear cups ensures a pillow-like feel when listening. The stainless steel frame paired with the rotatable ear cups makes it extremely comfortable to wear.
The scope of delivery includes the smart case and a Lightning to USB-C cable, but no power adapter. The AirPods Max also does without the Lightning to 3.5 mm audio cable, which you have to purchase separately if you prefer to use a non-Bluetooth-enabled listening option with your mobile phone.
Connectivity & Digital Crown
The AirPods Max carries the same H1 chips as the AirPods Pro. That means they have the same strong Bluetooth 5 connection that supports SBC and AAC audio formats. Immediate pairing is also possible, as is automatic switching between different Apple devices. With the exclamation “Hey Siri” you also have the option of accessing the voice assistant and having Siri read messages to you as soon as they arrive.
There is connectivity with non-Apple devices, but changes to settings and remote control of noise suppression only work with Apple devices, for example, an iPhone 12 mini.
On the top of the right auricle, there is a button for switching the noise cancellation modes; press and hold to put the headphones in pairing mode or keep holding to reboot. Similar to the way the crown is used for navigation on Apple’s Smartwatch, the so-called Digital Crown is used on the AirPods Max for volume control, for skipping tracks, and for playing or pausing audio. Calls can also be accepted and ended using the Digital Crown.
You won’t find a power button on the over-ear headphones; they simply don’t exist. The headphones go into a standby state when they are removed or put around the neck for a few minutes, but do not turn off until they are placed in the smart case.
The audio performance: the heart of the Apple AirPods Max
In addition to the H1 chip in each ear and a special acoustic design, Apple also uses advanced software to achieve audio performance comparable to the capabilities of the iPhone 12 in photography. A dynamic 40 mm driver or sound transducer is responsible for the sound of the AirPods Max, which sits in each earcup and ensures deep bass, clean highs, and precise mids.
Spatial Audio, which Apple works with iOS14introduced is one of the most groundbreaking hearing functions. But what does spatial audio actually mean? Simply put, Spatial Audio is surround sound for a headset. It supports 5.1, 7.1, and Dolby Atmos content and uses built-in head tracking means. With Spatial Audio, the sound comes from all sides and depending on how the head or the device is moved, the sound sources move accordingly. Example: If you are looking ahead and a bird is chirping to the right of the listener, you will hear it on the right. If you move your head in the direction of the bird, the sound will also “rotate” and come from the front (because you are then looking directly at the bird).
Apple Airpods Max Immersive sound & dynamic driver
A total of six outward and two inward-facing microphones suppress ambient noise and thus ensure perfect sound. Beaming microphones ensure that you can hear your own voice very well during phone calls and that the other person can understand it clearly – even when you go for a walk in the wind. Thanks to the dynamic driver, there is a wealth of details in every sound – regardless of whether you are more into Bruno Mars or Metallica. If you are still looking for suitable apps, the article Musik-Apps on the smartmobil.de magazine provides you with information surely the necessary inspiration.
Adaptive EQ & transparency mode
The adaptive equalizer ensures that the sound is adapted to each individual fit and seal created by the ear cushions. The two inward-facing microphones optimize the frequencies of your music.
If you switch to the sound control button, you will enter the transparency mode. In this way, you perceive all existing outside noises and can interact with your environment.
Battery life
Several tests have already proven that the AirPods Max actually keeps the battery life specified by Apple of 20 hours – no matter how much time is spent listening, speaking, listening to music, or streaming video.
Apple has thought out the coup without the power button pretty well: The energy-saving modes are so effective that you can achieve several days of battery life with the AirPods Max with normal use. Charging takes place via the Lightning connector, which immediately takes 1.5 hours of playback again with just 5 minutes of charging time.
The most important specifications at a glance
- Weight: 384.8g
- Chip: Apple H1 headphone chip (in each earpiece)
- Battery life: up to 20 hours of playback with active noise cancellation and 3D audio
- Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0
- Microphones: 9 microphones
- Colors: space gray, silver, sky blue, pink, green
- Price: around 613 euros
Conclusion on the classy headphones from Apple
The question asked at the beginning of whether the premium headphones from Apple are worth the money, of course, has to be decided for themselves, as it depends on their own wallet and the preference for Bluetooth headphones.
From a smartmobil.de point of view and after weighing the pros and cons, the question can be answered with “yes”. Apple’s active noise suppression was already convincing with the AirPods Pro and it does the same with the AirPods Max. Here Apple uses six external microphones and two inward-facing microphones. In addition, the AirPods Max is designed in such a way that the ear pads are also part of the noise cancellation. They are shaped to seal well on any size ear and use acoustic foam to shield the outside world.
The technology that Apple has built into the headphones is a world of its own: The AirPods Max has built-in Apple’s H1 chip with 10 cores, which are responsible for audio processing, and sensors for position determination. What Apple calls Computational Audio is the power behind the noise cancellation and it also adjusts the sound profile according to the fit of the headphones. In addition, the H1 chip also provides one of the most convenient set-ups and control systems you can get from a wireless set – provided you are the owner of an iPhone or Apple iPad.
With the AirPods Max, Apple wants to show that the company can deliver exceptionally good sound in addition to good smartphones and laptops. They’re the audio equivalent of the MacBook Pro, so to speak.
Also Read: IOS and iPadOS 14.4.1 update
