AirPods Max is here! First impressions and photos thread

[Paninnguaq]

On the topic of comfort, I’d like to add my experience. I’ve had mine for a week now. I did find the clamping force too hard initially, but they seem to have loosened now through just wearing them on my head for long enough. Reducing the length of telescoping also made a huge difference. Shortening them seems to transfer the weight to the headband on top rather than on the temples and ears area. I’m not good at physics, so this probably doesn’t make sense, but it is certainly my experience.

I also assume that clamping force will depend on how wide ones face is, and if one has a very wide face, then these probably will never be very comfortable.

 

[petvas]

I got my AirPods Max in space grey yesterday, after ordering them on December 27th. I am not an audiophile or any kind of audio expert. The best headphones I had were some Bose 5 years ago that costed me around 250€..
I also own the AirPods Pro.

I find the AirPods Max extremely comfortable to wear. Even after three hours of use I didn't have any issues with them. The sound quality is amazing. much better than the AirPods Pro. As far as the case concerns, I understand the negative comments, but to be honest I don't mind the case. It does protect the AirPods but yes, it does leave the metal part unprotected. I don't think though that it deserves the extreme negative comments.
Anyway, that were my first impressions. Overall I like the AirPods Max a lot and I am now just waiting for the lightning to 3,5 cable, in order to use them with my PS5 too.

 

[Robbosan]

Got mine today from Harvey Norman in Australia, 3 days. Took a punt as can't return for change of mind.
No problem with comfort great with glasses. Hardly even notice the head band on.
Transparency mode is great tried the AirPods pro but don't suit my ears.
Best headphones i have used for phone calls.
ANC way better than the beats, i did have bose 35 and 700 in past years so can't compare now.
Build quality is excellent they feel solid, makes the beats seem cheap, love the control buttons.
All good so far, havn't even looked at the man bra yet lol.

 

[n8236]

Where's my damn mute button.

 

[AppleFeller]

So Apple made HomePods for my ears, it really is that good.

 

[Robbosan]

Where's my damn mute button.

lift a ear cup out

 

[sean+mac]

So I just tried Bluetooth on my Apple TV to my AirPods max and watched a Dolby movie... WOW, WOWOWOW. https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT205302

I'm surprised they needed to be paired and didn't just show up as an audio output automatically through Apple pairing magic. (That said, on some earlier Apple TV and AirPods versions I certainly did need to manually pair on occasion. So perhaps the auto-magic just wasn't working for you.)

What I think is potentially very exciting about the APMs is that Apple could change the overall tuning of the headphones, hopefully just through software controls on iOS or MacOS. I guess it may not be much different than sound equalization, but I was thinking that Apple could have different, user-selectable sound profiles for the headphones themselves that are separate from equalization for the sound signal. Hopefully through iOS or MacOS controls, possibly combined with some firmware update. You could go for a neutral/balanced profile, or a bass-heavy or "fun" profile.

Have you tried playing with the "Headphone Accommodations" under iOS's Settings yet? Some people seem to really prefer the sound after tweaking. Personally I just set the defaults back.

I realize this isn't 100% what you're suggesting Apple provide, but is something people find useful but is buried away somewhere a bit obscure. My understanding is these setting apply only to the current device and wouldn't carry over to others like your Mac, so not tuning the headphones more generically.

Reference: https://support.apple.com/en-ca/guide/iphone/iph3e2e2cdc/ios#iphb80ab7516

 

[AppleFeller]

I'm surprised they needed to be paired and didn't just show up as an audio output automatically through Apple pairing magic. (That said, on some earlier Apple TV and AirPods versions I certainly did need to manually pair on occasion. So perhaps the auto-magic just wasn't working for you.)


Have you tried playing with the "Headphone Accommodations" under iOS's Settings yet? Some people seem to really prefer the sound after tweaking. Personally I just set the defaults back.

I realize this isn't 100% what you're suggesting Apple provide, but is something people find useful but is buried away somewhere a bit obscure. My understanding is these setting apply only to the current device and wouldn't carry over to others like your Mac, so not tuning the headphones more generically.

Reference: https://support.apple.com/en-ca/guide/iphone/iph3e2e2cdc/ios#iphb80ab7516

They do show up....although I had to reset my Apple TV for them to populate on their own as a iCloud syncing audio device. Definitely annoying probably a bug.

 

[JasonHB]

It would be nice to know if this is perhaps due to the EU laws. Perhaps they limit all APM's rather than making different versions per territory?

100db sounds rather low, how did you measure it BTW? It's like buying a Porsche and having the thing limited to 75 because you aren't supposed to go any faster.

It would be nice to know if this is perhaps due to the EU laws. Perhaps they limit all APM's rather than making different versions per territory?

100db sounds rather low, how did you measure it BTW? It's like buying a Porsche and having the thing limited to 75 because you aren't supposed to go any faster.


Sounds pretty judgemental TBH. Some music does just sound "better" louder, it sucks you in differently, puts you IN that environment, and noise cancelling doesn't make up for the lack of volume under those circumstances.

Would I advocate going full whack for hours on end?, Not at all, but for a couple of tracks at a time or peaking beyond "higher than recommended" levels, I don't see a problem, nor do I think that any device manufacturer should be liable for making a headphone that is capable of producing clean audio at higher levels.

Personally I'd rather have far more overhead than needed and turn it down rather than running at 100%. And that goes for all my audio gear.

100dB sounds rather low?

100dB can cause permanent hearing damage within 15 minutes in a normal environment. That will only be exacerbated by having it enclosed around your ears.

85dB is the critical limit of safe listening for roughly 8 hours. Increase that to 90dB and that time is cut in half.

Its just not worth the risk at all.

Anything slightly over halfway on the volume is getting loud and much more than that is uncomfortably loud.

I am staggered anyone says they are not loud enough.

Jason

 

[kirk.vino]

100dB sounds rather low?

100dB can cause permanent hearing damage within 15 minutes in a normal environment. That will only be exacerbated by having it enclosed around your ears.

85dB is the critical limit of safe listening for roughly 8 hours. Increase that to 90dB and that time is cut in half.

Its just not worth the risk at all.

Anything slightly over halfway on the volume is getting loud and much more than that is uncomfortably loud.

I am staggered anyone says they are not loud enough.

Jason

Couldn’t agree more!
Yesterday I actually decided to check what’s the max volume I usually listen to them at. I overestimated it previously thinking it was around 75-80%. It’s actually always around 60-70%. Anything louder than that is too loud. I think a couple of times I had to go up to maybe 75% on some older quieter tracks.
I find it hard to believe that you can listen to these at 90-100% feeling comfortable, unless your hearing is already significantly damaged.

 

[petvas]

I find the AirPods Max too loud. I would never think that they are not loud enough.. The sound quality is so exceptional that the last three days I have been using them extensively.

 

[AppleFeller]

Yah I think my coworkers are defective but I've had mine at 50% since getting them and they sound incredible and not quiet at all. Theirs sounded notably less vibrant at the same 50% when I tried them.

 

[Frankfurt]

In my experience loudness is a function of the input source. It varies greatly across streaming channels or music sources.

 

[JulesK]

I'm surprised they needed to be paired and didn't just show up as an audio output automatically through Apple pairing magic. (That said, on some earlier Apple TV and AirPods versions I certainly did need to manually pair on occasion. So perhaps the auto-magic just wasn't working for you.)


Have you tried playing with the "Headphone Accommodations" under iOS's Settings yet? Some people seem to really prefer the sound after tweaking. Personally I just set the defaults back.

I realize this isn't 100% what you're suggesting Apple provide, but is something people find useful but is buried away somewhere a bit obscure. My understanding is these setting apply only to the current device and wouldn't carry over to others like your Mac, so not tuning the headphones more generically.

Reference: https://support.apple.com/en-ca/guide/iphone/iph3e2e2cdc/ios#iphb80ab7516

I don't know if you originally posted about Headphone Accommodations, but if you are, thank you! I have played around with it a bit, but am fine with the default settings. I think Apple could do more given its control of the hardware and software, and ability to push out firmware updates.

 

[Harvey Zoltan]

It’s really weird for me. Sometimes I think they sound great and other times not so much. For me the volume needs to be pushed way up and I can’t see how anyone thinks these are too loud. I can hear more details in most tracks I listen to but there still seems to be something missing. It’s like the albums I’m listening too have been remixed to highlight different aspects of the tracks. New music sounds much better than older music.

 

[jab234]

It’s really weird for me. Sometimes I think they sound great and other times not so much. For me the volume needs to be pushed way up and I can’t see how anyone thinks these are too loud. I can hear more details in most tracks I listen to but there still seems to be something missing. It’s like the albums I’m listening too have been remixed to highlight different aspects of the tracks. New music sounds much better than older music.

Try turning accommodations on. Natural sound was very muffled for me. It made a big difference. Agree on the volume, I'm usually at 50% on other headphones.. with these, I need to be at 75%+

 

[Harvey Zoltan]

Try turning accommodations on. Natural sound was very muffled for me. It made a big difference. Agree on the volume, I'm usually at 50% on other headphones.. with these, I need to be at 75%+

Thanks, I have gone back and forth with accommodation. I think it probably does make a difference and I have it on now, but it doesn’t seem to help with all albums. Maybe it’s just my old ears, sound is such a subjective thing.

 

[Rubgee]

AirPods Max - best new companion 😎

 

[Allessent]

There are a lot of rational arguments here, but there is a huuuuge emotional component need to be considered as well.
Apple turning headphones market from gadget segment to style&fashion world. The same was done before for Apple Watches.

 

[LongWayHome]

View attachment 1714359
AirPods Max - best new companion ?

Cool photo.

 

[suisse]

With all respect. He should have done this review in his natal language which is not english.
I can't understand anything and my english is also not that great.

 

[Rubgee]

Cool photo.

thanks the APM really has a decorative function as well. I would never put headphones on a table or somewhere else in my home. The special case and the „lifestyle product“ makes it possible.

 

[Robbosan]

Spatial audio works with Stan here, Australia's version of Netflix.

 

[Absrnd]

Spatial audio works with Stan here, Australia's version of Netflix.

You might want to add this to the wiki page

List of Apps that work with Spatial Audio

I thought this may help those who want to use Spatial Audio. Supported Air Video HD - Yes (turn Surround on in audio settings) Apple TV - Yes Disney+ - Yes Hulu - Yes Plex - Yes (go into settings > advanced and enable old video player) then quit and relaunch the plex app. FE File Explorer -...

forums.macrumors.com

 

[zehcnassurfero]

Someone bought AirPods Max in green?