AirPods Max too tight on your BIG HEAD? Do this! - also a short audiophile take.

[Dockland]

Curious, is there a way to connect these to a 3.5mm input/output on my Mac mini M1?
Playing with my midi keyboard in Logic Pro and can't use Bluetooth du to the delay.
Would love these to compose with.

 

[venom600]

Curious, is there a way to connect these to a 3.5mm input/output on my Mac mini M1?
Playing with my midi keyboard in Logic Pro and can't use Bluetooth du to the delay.
Would love these to compose with.

You need this specific lightning to 3.5mm cable. No others will work. White or black, your choice. That will get rid of the latency, but the mic doesn't use it.

Lightning to 3.5 mm Audio Cable (1.2m) - White

This cable allows you to connect your Beats Solo Pro headphones to 3.5 mm audio ports. It can also connect your iOS or iPadOS device to 3.5 mm audio ports.

www.apple.com

 

[obamtl]

Thanks for the suggestion! Was a bit shocked by the clamping force from day one.

Have the AirPods Max for one month now and they really dig into my temples and it just starts to hurt too much. Wearing them almost the entire day.

I was afraid to ruin them by putting them over a wide object like a box or a basketball.

Because this is a first generation product I also wondered if the clamping force on mine was out of spec.

I contacted Apple Support through chat, they suggested mail in. After being sent to the local Apple Store they did not think anything was wrong with them but after a brief discussion we agreed to have them sent to the depot for inspection.

They checked hardware and software and sound quality. Everything was like it should be.

I did not expect anything from the investigation other than giving Apple a feedback signal that me and others experience pain when wearing these. (Never had similar issues with any other on-ear or over-ear headphones).

Guess I’ll have to stretch them out as well.

Will start with 1 hour at first and then increasing if it doesn’t give the results I want.

Not sure it even needed 1 hour. Stretched mine for maybe 15 minutes and they've gone from being the least comfortable headphones I've ever used to being really comfortable.

 

[Dockland]

You need this specific lightning to 3.5mm cable. No others will work. White or black, your choice. That will get rid of the latency, but the mic doesn't use it.

Lightning to 3.5 mm Audio Cable (1.2m) - White

This cable allows you to connect your Beats Solo Pro headphones to 3.5 mm audio ports. It can also connect your iOS or iPadOS device to 3.5 mm audio ports.

www.apple.com

Thank you.

 

[patrickplaggenborg]

Not sure it even needed 1 hour. Stretched mine for maybe 15 minutes and they've gone from being the least comfortable headphones I've ever used to being really comfortable.

Yeah I learned later that it’s not so much about time but more about the width of the stretching that has lasting effect.

Made a post about it on Reddit a few weeks ago:

https://www.reddit.com/r/airpods/comments/mpjwp8

 

[Bluetoot-]

Was this just an excuse to show off your scantily clad plastic ladies? 😳

I think I’m going to pull the trigger and pick up a pair today.

 

[tmarshl]

Do something like this for an hour completely loosen my AirPods Max.

View attachment 1698490


Liking how AirPods Max sound relative to much more expensive headphones with their amps.
After 3 solid days of listening, almost 95% there in sonics, for a small fraction of the money.
Of course, did not think Apple plan to make these for the 100,000 or so hard core audiophiles out there.
This is the real deal, at least for me. IMO


View attachment 1698491




View attachment 1698493


View attachment 1698494


The bass is not in the Abyss 1266 zip code, but the mids are nearly as good as my Focals using Chord DAVE.
95% is about right.

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Added the following photo with Genelec 8050B studio monitor a day later after realizing that the near field monitor sound is quite similar.

View attachment 1698837

Had the same problem. Tried stretching the headband with books in between for days. The AirPods Max still went back to their original position. Unfortunately, they became so painful, that I had to return them. Too bad, as I liked the sound, particularly for the money and integration with the Apple ecosystem.

 

[bigshot]

When you say we get 95% of the sonic qualities, is it while wired exclusively ? It’s hard to believe that Bluetooth headphones using AAC codec can sound almost as good as as those expensive audio equipments.

AAC is capable of audible transparency above 192. It doesn't matter how expensive the equipment is. Inaudible differences are inaudible.

 

[legacyb4]

From a sound science perspective, fretting over AAC compression (unless we're going beneath 256) is silly, it's almost no objective difference. Only the most trained of ears will notice a difference.

Unfortunately, the self-proclaimed audiophile fallback for this is always going to be "the highs/mids/lows are over-compressed/lacking/etc" by the streaming service/music label/producer... ?

 

[PirateP]

I have a very fat Elvis head. No amount of stretching was going to make these comfortable. Returned them today. They feel kind a vise on my bonce. Hard pass.

 

[thetowerlibrary]

I have a very big head. I bought the Airpods max today. I find them very comfortable and the sound quality is excellent. I had a pair of WH1000XM4 previously and I prefer the Airpods Max.

 

[turbineseaplane]

Unfortunately, the self-proclaimed audiophile fallback for this is always going to be "the highs/mids/lows are over-compressed/lacking/etc" by the streaming service/music label/producer... ?

No kidding

The "audiophile" world of minutiae and placebo and endless gear tweaking is such an unattractive space to engage with. (rabbit hole more like it)

If just want to "enjoy music"

 

[revs]

The very fact that audiophiles are talking about the APM and bothering to compare it at all to highly rated headphones to me is a sign of their quality.

I keep looking at HiFi headphones (Sundara/XS/Sen 1990/Other), and then the fact I'd need a DAC+Amp and a cable.... then I see the APM and that I can get sound quality that is "near enough" with no need to get a DAC+Amp and they are portable and have all the ANC benefits too? It's tempting, and a nice compromise.

I totally get why people love their HiFi equipment, but I'm not sure I care enough for the diminishing returns after a certain point.

 

[HDFan]

I keep looking at HiFi headphones (Sundara/XS/Sen 1990/Other), and then the fact I'd need a DAC+Amp and a cable.

You can get a major improvement in sound just by directly connecting your headphones to your IOS device, assuming that is supported. The DACs in IOS devices aren't that bad.

 

[revs]

You can get a major improvement in sound just by directly connecting your headphones to your IOS device, assuming that is supported. The DACs in IOS devices aren't that bad.

The DAC on the little apple dongle is great.

I'd still need an amp for those headphones though, they can't be driven just by an iOS device.

 

[HDFan]

The "audiophile" world of minutiae and placebo and endless gear tweaking is such an unattractive space to engage with. (rabbit hole more like it)

Same could be said for those who obsess about about having the best rims for their car, wearing the latest fashions, knowing wine vintages years and regions, etc. It can be unattractive to those who aren't interested in those particular things.

 

[HDFan]

I'd still need an amp for those headphones though, they can't be driven just by an iOS device.

What kind of headphones do you have? In my main headphone group I have 3 sets of phones: Audio-Technica ATH-M70x Professional Headphones, Oppo PM-1 Planar Magnetic Headphones and a Focal Stellia. All work fine on my iPhone. An external dac can improve things if you want the very best sound. For that I sometimes use an Oppo HA-1, but unless I am at my computer it's not worth the hassle of moving it. There are good portable solutions available of course.

 

[revs]

What kind of headphones do you have? In my main headphone group I have 3 sets of phones: Audio-Technica ATH-M70x Professional Headphones, Oppo PM-1 Planar Magnetic Headphones and a Focal Stellia. All work fine on my iPhone. An external dac can improve things if you want the very best sound. For that I sometimes use an Oppo HA-1, but unless I am at my computer it's not worth the hassle of moving it. There are good portable solutions available of course.

AH fair enough. I was looking at Hifiman headphones and kept reading they reply need an Amp. And they are open back, so I'd be at my desk.

I have the Apple DAC/3.5mm adapter for the phone. Its the European version, so it's 1/2 as powerful as the US one, that might make a difference.