And then there's the issue of comfort - if they are uncomfortable to wear for you, then the sound quality becomes almost irrelevant.
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AirPods Max vs. Bose 700/Sony WH-1000xM4：Which will win?
- Thread starter Daisy Smith
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And then there's the issue of comfort - if they are uncomfortable to wear for you, then the sound quality becomes almost irrelevant.
There are some really good options out there like Shure AONIC 50 (heavy but reference like), Dali IO-6 and as someone above has mentioned MD MW65. People are so stuck on Apple, Sony, Bose and to me unknown reasons on Beats and push themselves into tunnel vision.
What I can tell you right off the bat about APM is that weight fatigue is real and you will feel it especially if you go for a long walk with them. Lack of audio codecs and especially lack of wired option makes this one strictly targeted to iPhone Superfans. In terms of gimmicks it's right up there with Sony 1000X.
What I can tell you right off the bat about APM is that weight fatigue is real and you will feel it especially if you go for a long walk with them. Lack of audio codecs and especially lack of wired option makes this one strictly targeted to iPhone Superfans. In terms of gimmicks it's right up there with Sony 1000X.
Not necessarily. The most lightweight does not equal the most comfortable. I have owned really lightweight over the ears which were really uncomfortable after 30 minutes, let alone hours. Depends on the material, the tension, lots of things are in play here.
People compare these with Sony and Bose because those have the best ANC in the market, and these are usually aimed at frequent travelers. However I'm hoping Apple are aimed more towards music listening and will have better sound if not the best ANC. Or maybe both. We'll see.
Think and hope the differentiator here is computed audio. I have no doubt the AirPods Max has faster hardware onboard compared to pretty much all other headphones.
This feels like a different take on headphones. On dominated by calculations and software. We are so used to this with smartphone photography already.
Excited to try them out personally. Being a developer I love good NC headphones that are comfortable to wear with good sound quality.
This feels like a different take on headphones. On dominated by calculations and software. We are so used to this with smartphone photography already.
Excited to try them out personally. Being a developer I love good NC headphones that are comfortable to wear with good sound quality.
Not an AirPod user but I voted with my wallet a while ago: B&O's H9i.
Better sounding than the vast majority of the comparable priced headphones, decent ANC, multi-device support, easily replaceable battery and cups and the best build quality of any headphones I've seen (makes the WH-1000x series feel like chinese plastic toys). Throw in USB-C, 16+ hours of playback and the cache of the brand and they are a bit of a no-brainer.
But who are these aimed at?
Your not going to buy these to listen to the quality of files Apple Music uses.
At this price you need the technical ability to listen in full quality of the likes of Qobuz or Tidal, not compressed files of Apple Music.
At £250 they may have been worth a punt, at this price its a no, this does not make technical sense unless Apple launch a high resolution music service to match.
Your not going to buy these to listen to the quality of files Apple Music uses.
At this price you need the technical ability to listen in full quality of the likes of Qobuz or Tidal, not compressed files of Apple Music.
At £250 they may have been worth a punt, at this price its a no, this does not make technical sense unless Apple launch a high resolution music service to match.
The inability to fold the APM sucks for travel.
Plus no hardshell carry case included.
And you have to buy a 3.5 cable for in-flight entertainment.
Man are the Sony's better for travel right out of the box.
Plus no hardshell carry case included.
And you have to buy a 3.5 cable for in-flight entertainment.
Man are the Sony's better for travel right out of the box.
Indeed, but I owned PX7 for several months and used it in noisy environments like airplanes. And the ANC was quite ok. I know Sony's is better but one thing about ANC is that after prolonged use, it makes your head hurt because it's constantly feeding you reverse noise. It creates a pressure in your ears no matter how it is implemented. So having more and more ANC can be tiring as well. After 3 hours or so with the ANC, I had the urge to take off the B&W's. And those had less ANC than the Sony's.
So for me sound quality is the most important factor, and a decent amount of ANC is always welcome for short periods. But I don't really need the highest possible ANC because that's gonna get uncomfortable really quickly.
And even if a pair of headphones tests "perfectly" on paper in an objective test, they still may sound like rubbish to one person and amazing to someone else. Like you said, hearing and sound "quality" is highly subjective.
Bose 700:
Come with a case. can be had at about 60% or less of AirPods Max.
USB-C.
More Apple design imo than Apple.
the APM looks like recycled Apple Watch parts and a scrapped Jony Ive concept
cant speak to sound quality of course
Come with a case. can be had at about 60% or less of AirPods Max.
USB-C.
More Apple design imo than Apple.
the APM looks like recycled Apple Watch parts and a scrapped Jony Ive concept
cant speak to sound quality of course
Not everything that can be measured, matters.
Just as not everything which matters can be measured.
Just as not everything which matters can be measured.
Well, I made my decision. To be frank it was pretty easy. Currently, most retailers have Bose and Sony headphones on sale. I had $20 in rewards at Bestbuy and these were also on sale for $278 ($72 off). After tax and a $2 donation to ST. Judes, I paid $276ish. It also comes with a nice carrying case and the option to turn them off.
I’ll be playing around with the companion App and tweaking the settings. So far I’m impressed.
Are the AirPods Max (that name is horrible) gonna be better? Who knows. I doubt they will be twice as good. Will wait for reviews. IMO unless you’re an actual audiophile or someone who has a deeper understanding of audio in general, I can’t see the reason for buying the AirPods Max (again, CHEESY NAME).
The case and power button/toggle are a massive failure on Apples part. There is no argument or reason for not having those included.
I’ll be playing around with the companion App and tweaking the settings. So far I’m impressed.
Are the AirPods Max (that name is horrible) gonna be better? Who knows. I doubt they will be twice as good. Will wait for reviews. IMO unless you’re an actual audiophile or someone who has a deeper understanding of audio in general, I can’t see the reason for buying the AirPods Max (again, CHEESY NAME).
The case and power button/toggle are a massive failure on Apples part. There is no argument or reason for not having those included.
I have the Sony’s and I’d agree. They aren’t bad for mass market headphones, but build quality is poor and sound adequate. The B&Ws sounded far better, build quality was superior but noise cancelling not quite as good. For our purposes (autistic son) that was the most important factor. Mind you, it took 3 versions until Sony managed to offer a setting NOT to switch off when nothing is being played. I wonder if the Apples manage this?
With the casa, it would be nice to have an additional hard case but I think there are benefits to the purse case. To use AirPods Max you unhook the case and put them on. To use others, you open the case, unfold, turn the power button on. It’s easier to use with the purse but also less protective.
Yeah, having no way to turn them off (without putting them in the case) is at the same time shocking, yet totally Apple! I have the Bose 700, and I'm pretty happy with them (I know everyone craps on Bose, but I think they sound fine). My biggest complaint is when they are paired with my MBP and iPhone, the sound "stutters" every now and then. So, I've been waiting for these "AirPods Studio" headphones to come out.
The price was a bit higher than I had expected ($399-$459 or so), but honestly I'd be willing to pay the $549 if they sounded good enough. The weight is a bit of a concern... although I would mainly be using them stationary, the reviewer first look comments that you really feel the weight when you simply move your head around is concerning. But the likely deal-killer for me is that lack of a power button. I keep my headphones on a desktop stand, and I don't want to have to put them in the case every time I'm done using them.
So, I'll likely stick with the Bose (though I reserve the right to make an ill-advised impulse buy Tuesday if the Apple store happens to have them in stock, just to give them a trial).
I have the original Bose 35s and have enjoyed them for many years/. Not the best headphone, it comfortable and non-offensive.
I wanted to hit the button on the AirPod Max but didn’t. I tried the Sony XM4 instead. I’ll get flamed, but I hated them. Out of the box they are dull except for a strong bass bias. Build quality is pretty cheap and the auto off feature kept turning them off when it shouldn’t. Tons of features in the XM4, but I wish they spent more on the sound. Also didn’t like how tight the seal was on my ears.
So now I either wait 12 weeks for Apple to catch up or look at other options. Noise cancellation isn’t a huge need, just want some detailed with excellent imaging that I can connect with USB C or Lightning. Prefer wireless, but understand that costs some sound quality.
I wanted to hit the button on the AirPod Max but didn’t. I tried the Sony XM4 instead. I’ll get flamed, but I hated them. Out of the box they are dull except for a strong bass bias. Build quality is pretty cheap and the auto off feature kept turning them off when it shouldn’t. Tons of features in the XM4, but I wish they spent more on the sound. Also didn’t like how tight the seal was on my ears.
So now I either wait 12 weeks for Apple to catch up or look at other options. Noise cancellation isn’t a huge need, just want some detailed with excellent imaging that I can connect with USB C or Lightning. Prefer wireless, but understand that costs some sound quality.
Yours is the hot take of someone who clearly hasn’t used either of them. If you had, you’d know there’s an app that allows you to change the EQ. They’ll destroy the APM where it matters most - sales.
I get the EQ helps tailor the sound and you may love it. But adding more processing on top of already compressed audio removes imaging and some of what the original recording presented. EQs can be fine for pop, but when I listen to acoustic or vocals I prefer a speaker that has the better raw presentation.
The Sony and Bose are fine for what they are, but there is another huge notch of headphone out there. I’ve had some electrostatics that are amazing. But they are expensive and not very mobile friendly. I think we are all looking for the next level at a decent price. Granted that noise cancellation makes that difficult.
I have had my Bose for many years and they have been great. The Sony’s would also do fine. Just want the next notch up.