Apple AirPods Max Wireless Over-Ear Headphones, Active Noise Cancelling, Transparency Mode, Personalized Spatial Audio, Dolby Atmos, Bluetooth Headphones for iPhone – Space Gray

I am an Apple fanatic, so I will say that my review isn't completely objective. This is not a sponsored review. I spent my own money on these. I will be honest, I had so much hesitation prior to purchasing these headphones based on some of the reviews. The biggest concerns were all the reviews that mentioned connectivity issues and the condensation issues. I can honestly say, after using these for a solid month, that I have not experienced any of these issues whatsoever. They connect automatically once on my head, and when I am using multiple apple devices, they will switch automatically based on whatever device is playing audio (except my MacBook Pro, but I do not mind manually connecting them. I literally takes two clicks...). The audio quality is probably the best of any headphones that I have ever owned. My favorite features are the immersive seal and the noise cancellation. The design of the headphones allows for your ears to be completely enveloped in sound, and when that seal is combined with noise cancellation, it is like the world around you disappears. I love them. They are pricey, but I have ABSOLUTELY NO REGRETS purchasing them. I saved up for them, and they are, in my opinion, worth every. single. penny. I did purchase Applecare+ for an additional 60 dollars. That's a no-brainer, seeing as how expensive these things are. I also bought a thin silicon covering to protect from scratches. All in all, if you have the money, and you love apple products, and you like that premium apple feel, BUY THESE! Totally worth it. UPDATE: 2 months in, and they still work great! After a recent update on my Mac, I’ve noticed that the headphones now connect automatically. Hand-off is now seamless with my iPhone, iPad and MacBook Pro. A small update, but a good one!

UPDATE OCT 2023: Here is my original review which still holds true now that I have owned the Bose NC 700 for a couple of years. Last week, I bought the new Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra over-ear headphones. I added that review and comparison at the bottom. ———————— Original review…… For the past ten years I have enjoyed and been dependent upon noise canceling headphones. With that has come a journey into the audiophile community with others who are on a quest for high-fidelity sound. My journey led me to many headphones that sound absolutely pristine but none with noise canceling and few are wireless. Until late, the Bose Noise Canceling 700 are my compromise for great sound and noise canceling in a wireless headphone. So, when Apple announced the AirPods Max, I had to try them to know how they compare to my Bose 700. Here are my conclusions so far... STYLE The fit and finish on the AirPods Max is absolutely beautiful! Love it much more than the Bose. I just like the way they look and feel. Before I purchased the AirPods I probably watched 50 unboxing and review videos. So, I thought I had a good idea of how they looked. They are nicer in person. Sleek, premium, modern and minimalistic. COMFORT Comfort is about the same! AirPods Max are definitely heavier but do not necessarily feel much heavier on he head as the weight is balanced well. I have larger ears and the ear cups on the Bose 700 go a little deeper to make room for my ears. So, over several hours, the Bose do feel slightly more comfortable. The Bose also do not get as warm as the Apple. TRANSPARENCY MODE Transparency mode, in my opinion, is actually more natural on the Bose. The Apple headphones actually amplify the sound around you a few decibles too much. In other words, things sound louder than they actually are with the transparency mode on the AirPods Max. Also, the Bose reproduces your own voice much more naturally when in transparency mode. SOUND QUALITY Sound quality at certain volume levels is almost exactly the same. Kind of unbelievable. It is as though Apple reverse engineered the Bose 700 and copied its sound signature and noice canceling to within 5 percent. There is a definite sound quality difference though that changes with the volume level. This is all about the DSP. Of course, the digital signal processing (DSP) is called Computational Audio on the Max and Volume Optimized EQ on the Bose. This is what works differently and what accounts for sound differences dependent on the volume. Basically, the Bose sound better at 60 percent volume and below. Bose just has it dialed in so that everything sounds rich and balanced. I usually listen to music at about 55 percent volume on my iPad. So, I prefer the sound of the Bose. The sound at 60 percent and below on the AirPods Max suffers from a veiled upper midrange. An alto saxophone, for example, will sound as though it is being played behind a wooden door. Now between 60 and 70 percent volume is where both headphones sound virtually the same. It is uncanny! Both sound absolutely wonderful. Probably the best you will ever hear on wireless noise canceling headphones (yes, the Sony has an amplified and unnatural mid-bass making them sound deep but not high fidelity). At 70 percent volume and above the Bose DSP begins to lower the bass response to avoid distortion. The bass gets progressively quieter as you increase on the Bose to where there is virtually no bass at about 90 percent volume. The AirPods Max, on the other hand, handle bass very nicely from 70 all the way up to 100 percent. In fact, they sound perfectly balanced all the way from 60 to 100 percent volume with no sound quality degradation. If there is a fault it is that the bass loses a little nuance. In other words at high volumes the bass is a little over controlled. The softer vibrations like on the trail of a bass string get lost a little. So to summarize the sound comparisons. The two headphones sound equal from 60 to 70 percent volume. The Bose sound bette at 60 percent volume and below. Finally, the AirPods sound better (by quite a bit, it’s not even close) at 70 percent volume and above. CONTROLS The final comparison are the controls. Apple wins in my book. The Digital Crown has a perfect feel to it. It rotates very smoothly with a perfect amount of resistance. It presses well also. Apple has hyper dialed-in these controls. It makes me never want to have to use the touch-pad on the Bose 700 ever again. WHICH ONE IS FOR ME? Everything is comparable on these two headphones, but in the end, sound quality at my preferred listening level wins out. Since I listen to at about 50 percent volume, the Bose continue to be he choice for me. I just have a fixed routine for when I use noise canceling headphones. Now, I am sure that Apple could probably update their firmware to adjust the computational audio in order to fix the balance issues below 60 percent volume. If they did, then the fit and finish and controls might win me back over to the AirPods Max. But, the slight compromise in long-term comfort would cause me to hesitate a little. ONE LAST THING One last thing, the spatial audio is pretty Amazing. If I had to watch movies on my iPad these headphones would be a must. The surround sound effects are as good (slightly better) than my Bose home theatre system. The overall sound quality for movies is slightly less (more sterile and hollow sounding, probably because of the limited Bluetooth codec) than my Bose home theatre system. —————————- BOSE QUIET COMFORT ULTRA VS BOSE NC 700 (and AirPods Max) Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones Several years ago, I discovered Bose Quiet Comfort headphones. My first pair wore the QC15 and I have owned every iteration since then. Until now, the best of the best have been the Bose NC700 which are spectacular headphones. Now, I find myself the proud owner of the company’s newest over-ear headset, the Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra. After thorough comparison, I can confidently say that the new Ultra are an upgrade in every way. There is especially one aspect which causes the Ultra to make them an absolutely must-have for music lovers. I will get to that in a moment, but first here are my thoughts on how the NC700 and QC Ultra compare: COMFORT I am very happy to report that the Bose QC Ultra are more comfortable than the NC 700 headphones. They are lighter, there is less clamping force and the headband distributes weight better on the top of your head. I used to consider the NC 700 headphones as the second most comfortable pair of over-ear headphones second only to the QC45. Well, the Ultra now take this 2nd place spot and they are almost as comfortable as the 45. Very Great! NOISE CANCELING Yes, Bose has also improved the noise canceling. When in quiet mode the headphones put you in a place where the world simply disappears. Each iteration of Bose headphones through the years has improved upon the previous in this area. The Ultra are no different. In fact, when I was testing them out my wife was standing 3 feet from me and trying to talk to me. I never even knew she was talking. This has never happened with my older NC 700. SOUND QUALITY The QC Ultra are more of a spiritual successor to the NC700 than they are the QC45. The sound is much more similar to the NC700. What they retain is the excellent clarity and instrument separation. The mids are just as perfectly present. Also the highs have a very pleasing ring without ever sounding harsh. What was great on the 700 but even better on the Ultra is the bass. Bose says that the new Ultra are now taking samples of sound inside the ear ups and then actively adjusts the bass to sound best dependent on the shape of ears, the seal of the pads, etc. This really does make a difference. I wear glass which compromises the acoustic seal. The Ultra compensates for this and makes the bass sound deeper and have a greater punch than my NC700. So, the sound signature overall is better and gets WAY better with immersive audio. But, we are getting to that. IMMERSIVE AUDIO This is the feature! If you are a music lover then this is the feature which gives the biggest incentive to upgrade from the NC 700. Music with immersive audio just sounds better. I have several setups of actual stereo bookshelf speakers around my house. I always preferred a good pair of music monitors over headphones. Why? Because you can hear and imagine the soundstage in front of you. Good recordings place an orchestra or band members several feet from each-other as you listen. With live listening you can hear the music spread throughout the venue and this is what immersive audio on the Quiet Comfort Headphones does. It places the band a couple feet in front of you. It feels like you can point to and reach out and touch the various vocalist and instruments. It is so great! It is exactly like advertised. Immersive audio makes it sound like you are listening to a good pair of speakers in a room acoustically ideal for premium audio. Now that I have heard it, I can never go back to regular headphones. CONCLUSION There is so much more good that I could say about the Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra headphones. The buttons are well placed and are useful - even the touch-sensitive volume slider works well enough! The app also just works and all the needed settings are there to easily adjust. The carrying case looks premium and is compact. It is smaller than the NC700 case and even more compact than the QC45’s storage option. There are some things I do not like about the headphones. For example, immersive audio for movies is still not as good or immersive as Spacial Audio on Apple’s AirPods Max when watching Dolby content. Also, the placement and function of the buttons is different than what I am used to on the 700. In the end though, I am ecstatic with what Bose has done in their newest iteration of Bose over-the-ear noise canceling headphones. My NC 700 are going on eBay and I look forward to many great years with the Ultra. Well done Bose!

After I perused the specs and got over the sticker shock of the price tag, I thought, “These might be worth the investment for me.” I have high-end hearing loss, and because of that, most speakers, earbuds, and headphones don’t do much for me. I have an especially hard time hearing dialogue on our TV unless the sound is being pumped through our HomePods. That is what caused me to pause and really consider the purchase. “What if the AirPods Max is like putting HomePods on your ears?” That was worth it to me. After setup was completed, I put the headphones on my ears and heard the first sounds through the AirPods Max. It was a Christmas song that I had heard dozens of times before. The sound was so rich, deep, and clear that it was like I was hearing the song for the first time. “Ok, there is no way these sound this good.” At that moment, Robyn, my fiance, walked into the room and said, “So, are they like having HomePods attached to your ears?” All I could do was nod yes. She gave me a look and I handed them over to her. She put the headphones on her ears and scrolled through my library until she found something she wanted to play. She then said she had to have a pair. When I test headphones, I have a few go-to songs I like to try out so that I can get an idea of the listening experience of the headphones from every angle. The songs are pulled from a variety of genres including soundtracks, rock, grunge, punk, classical, and even a bit of rap. The AirPods Max does an incredibly nice job with all of them. The headphones keep a nice, deep bass sound while protecting the integrity of the rest of the track. I also found that vocals are crisp as well and I really love that as I turn up the volume, that I don’t get any distortion. That’s not been the case with other headphones I’ve used. Overall, I’ve been impressed with all the features of the AirPods Max. Here’s a brief rundown of my thoughts on the main features of the headphones. Active Noise Canceling (ANC): Until I used the AirPods Max, the ANC on the Sony headphones was the best I’ve ever used. I took the Sony headphones on a flight a few years back and never heard the airplane’s engine noise. Therefore, I’ve always regarded the ANC on the Sony MDR-1000X as the ‘best’. While I haven’t taken the AirPods Max on a plane yet, I can say that it deadens ambient noises like dogs barking, vacuums, and TVs that are left on in the background. Mesh Headband: I love the look of the headband. I think it looks very clean and it accentuates the lines of the AirPods Max. The design is right up my alley. Weight: I’ve heard some people say that the weight of the headphones is an issue for them. I have noticed that they feel a bit heavier than other headphones I’ve used, but the weight seems evenly distributed to me and so it doesn’t bother me. I’ve worn the headphones for several hours at a time and have not had any issues with headaches or soreness. Buttons: I am a big fan of the buttons. This is odd for me to say since I never thought I would be a proponent of moving to analog from digital, but Apple did a nice job of blending in the Digital Crown and the ANC button. Smart Case: This is one thing I would have reconsidered if I were designing the AirPods Max — the Smart Case. I really consider it more of a ‘sleeve’ than a case because — well, that’s what it is. The sleeve is made with a single piece of what seems to be polyurethane material and utilizes magnets for the closure. While the sleeve does protect the metal earpieces of the headphones from getting scratched up, for the most part, it doesn’t protect the headband and there is even a cut out on the bottom that leaves the headphones exposed to the elements and potential damage. I also noticed that when I take the headphones out of the sleeve that the AirPods clink together. The only way I’ve been able to stop that from happening is if I physically place my hand there. Even though there might be a few minor things I would like to see improved about the AirPods Max, I’m absolutely thrilled with them. They are far superior to any other listening experience I’ve had and think that their price tag is worth the investment. Even though the cost is prohibitive for many, if you want the ultimate listening experience, I can’t recommend the AirPods Max enough.

I took a chance and purchased the Air Pods Max because I’m a big fan of noise cancelling headphones and already own the Sony XM4 and the Bose QC35. Note: I used to own the Bose 700 but returned them because the head band was so tight it gave me headaches and I couldn’t wear it for more than 20-30 minutes. Here is my experience with each. Best Noise Cancelling: Air Pods Max Sony XM4 Bose QC35 I use all 3 headphones with televisions in the background, small children and outdoors. The Air Pods Max is very close to the XM4, I would rate it as a 10% difference – it’s almost tied. The QC35 on the other hand, I can hear faint television/small children in the background, even at high volume. Long Term Comfort: Bose QC35 Air Pods Max Sony XM4 Nothing will ever beat the QC35’s. I can wear them all day and take video and phone calls however, it does give me a slight disorientation effect and minor vertigo, similar to diving or moving to an elevated height (driving up a mountain for example). The Air Pods Max are comfortable, and the ear cups surround my large ears just like the QC35 however, there the clamp is noticeable – this may go away after some time; the clamp causes minor discomfort with glasses; I removed my glasses for the purpose of this short review and the discomfort has faded, even after 60 minutes of listening – it does clamp more than the QC35 and XM4s. Something to keep in mind is the XM4 earpads are not thick enough and my ear brushes against the speaker area; this also makes my ears get hot after 30 minutes and I eventually have to take a short break – this does not happen with the Air Pods Max – there is lots of room for my ears and the cushions are thick enough that my ears do not touch the speaker area. Microphone: Air Pods Max Bose QC35 Sony XM4 I completed several zoom video/audio calls, Facetime and regular calls. I asked my friends/family to compare my voice quality on each headset and every time, the Air Pods Max was the winner. Bose QC35 is still great in this department however – I was using them as my primary driver for calls prior to getting the Air Pods Max. The Sony XM4’s are below average; people cannot hear me clearly. In-fact, I stopped using them entirely for business calls because colleagues would make remarks about my microphone. They are ‘okay’ for personal calls, but not desirable for me at least. Synchronization: Air Pods Max Bose QC 35 Sony XM4 I place the Air Pods on my head and it immediately connects to my phone. I do not have to touch anything on either of my devices. When I place the Air Pods Max around my neck or left one ear cup, the music pauses. When I place both ear cups back on my ears, the music auto resumes. I tested this for several hours and it has never failed. As for the Bose QC35 and XM4’s, no matter if they both have multi device pairing, I am always having issues. Both headsets never switch to my other device without me having to manually disconnect 1 of 2 devices (the one I’m not using). This is frustrating and I hate doing this multiple times per day. Music Quality: Air Pods Max Sony XM4 Bose QC35 The Air Pods Max I would rate have 30% better music quality than the XM4. I tested Hip-Hop, Bossa Nova, Jazz, Classical, Deep House, D&B, Techno, Trip Hop, Dubstep and Lounge. The must is more engaging, and I can hear the instruments and vocals in more detail – an elevated musical experience. The biggest difference for me was Jazz, Classical, Bossa Nova and Salsa – I would say a 50% better listening experience for these genres. Build Quality: Air Pods Max Sony XM4 Bose QC35 Air Pods Max are easily the highest quality headphones I have handled; they look at and feel premium and are crafted exceptionally well – even the buttons are strong and durable; these are basically on another level entirely. When extending the headphones, there is a steel connector with resistance when adjusting the sizing to fit your head properly. The XM4/QC35 are hard plastic – nothing special or extravagant; the XM4 look better than the QC35 however. Spatial Audio Note: I was completely blown away when I loaded an Apple TV series on my phone to test the spatial audio feature. It felt like I had speakers surround me in a 360 fashion at the move theatres. I stood there for 5 minutes with my eyes wide opened in disbelief that headphones were capable of offering this level of experience. It is something that you have to try it to believe it. This is what sold me the most. --- Are the Air Pods Max worth the price? Based on my experience so far, I would say yes. I was actually expecting them to be close to the XM4’s, but on certain categories, they have accelerated immensely.

Eh tenido audifonos de muchas marcas, Sony, Bose, JBL, Beats, Earfun entre otros y estos son literalmente los mejores, su cancelacion de ruido, el modo ambiente, audio espacial, calidad de sonido, sinceramente son excepcionales, claro, no son nada baratos, pero si considero lo que eh gastado en los otros, estos, por su precio valieron cada centavo. Si te gusta la musica, el cine, el audio en si y buscas comodidad y calidad, estos son lo que estas buscando, no dudes en tener tus Airpods Max.

Estos fueron un regalo para mi hijo, tienen una calidad muy encima de la media, si tienes el ecosistema Apple pues seran una pasada, sino, no te los recomiendo. El precio es elevado para la calidad que manejan, hay de mejor calidad de audio a un precio menor. La cancelación de ruido si es bastante buen, compite con los Sony al respecto, pero no por calidad de construcción. Un tema a tomar en cuenta es que son sumamente pesados, literal, cansan el cuello despues de un par de horas de uso.

Excelente compra!

17 feb 2021 Como todo lo que hace Apple, estos audífonos no son la excepción. Los materiales son de muy alta calidad (al menos así se percibe desde que abres la caja). Solo la caja la podrías vender en mil pesos. He visto reseñas que por la mitad de precio podrías conseguir algo de igual o mejor calidad, puede ser, pero dudo que superen la interfaz de usuario que Apple logró con estos. Acercas los audífonos al teléfono y listo. Yo no soy audiófilo, por eso puedo decir que por mucho supera a mis anteriores audífonos (Marshall II) El modo ambiental es super pro, es como si se modulara el ruido exterior y llegara a tus oídos una onda de sonido perfectamente modulada. Actualización 26 julio 2022. Aunque al principio me parecían unos audífonos excelentes poco a poco fueron perdiendo mi respeto. Me compré un mouse MX Master 3 y MX Keys de Logitech y comenzó el suplicio. Al parecer los audífonos entran en interferencia con el blutooth de estos dispositivos, por lo que tuve que usar el conector USB Bluetooth para sincronizar mi teclado y mouse con la computadora, de otra forma la voz se escuchaba robotizada. Otra cosa que odie a los pocos meses, en la zona donde vivo es calurosa un día normal estamos a 29º y el promedio es de 30º y es que empecé a notar que los audífonos tenían mucha condensación y debajo de las esponjas se empieza a ver como se forman gotitas de sudor/agua, evidentemente hay que estar lavando las esponjitas porque si no huelen terrible. Otra cosa que pueden ver en una de las fotos es que parece que una parte de los audífonos está perdiendo la pintura, no entiendo a que se debe, pero pareciera si constantemente los frotara contra algo y la verdad es que nunca los saco y siempre están en su case cuando no los utilizo. La verdad lo pensaría dos veces antes de hacer esta compra