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Superman730

macrumors regular
Jun 25, 2012
132
94
You can't suggest what is not being made yet. Probably be some made and marketed in the next few weeks.
I'll be the annoying guy that brings this topic back up since I was going to create a new thread about it. I personally can't find anything, but has anyone found a workable 3rd party solution to this? Or am I stuck getting the $35 Apple one?
 

Kampy1

macrumors newbie
May 1, 2017
14
23
Los Angeles
Can anyone confirm if the 6 ft long version here will work with AirPods Max?
 

AppelGeenyus

macrumors regular
Nov 3, 2019
227
295
Can anyone confirm if the 6 ft long version here will work with AirPods Max?
No
 
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svanstrom

macrumors 6502a
Feb 8, 2002
787
1,745
??
Just buy the Apple cable and be done with it. It's not that expensive.
It always surprises me how some people (including myself) sometimes get absolutely lost in trying to find "the right solution" to something; like we'll literally spend days looking for ways to save maybe US$10.

At the same time if some magic genie showed up and offered to extend our lives for the same amount of time that we absolutely focused on trying to potentially maybe if we're lucky save that US$10, then we'd value that offer at waaaaaaay more than US$10.

With the right perspective we're all very very stupid sometimes. :)
 

hsiunghsiung

macrumors member
Dec 27, 2020
36
17
I tried the vmoda speakeasy dac lightning to 3.5mm cable which did not work so Im guessing it's not bidirectional
 

ZeChild

macrumors 6502
May 14, 2012
398
324
Glasgow, UK
It is important to know what is required of the cable and why others don't work. The Max's require a cable with an Analog to Digital Converter (ADC). Also it must convert the analog signal to AAC for the AirPods.

Cables that come with the iPhone (or 3ed party) are just the opposite and have a Digital to Analog Converter (DAC).

This built in electronics are actually a large part of the high price. Also any use use of a cable thinking they are bypassing the DAC to pass a hi res signal to the Max's is false. The only technical advantage is lower latency and less chance of dropouts than using BT.
Great explanation and hit's the nail on the head, however sounds like in order to use higher bitrate codecs with APM's Apple could only do this by updating the firmware and possibly Apple Music, while not impossible may lead to a premium Apple music subscription tier?
 
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LeonPro

macrumors 6502a
Jul 23, 2002
933
510
It is important to know what is required of the cable and why others don't work. The Max's require a cable with an Analog to Digital Converter (ADC). Also it must convert the analog signal to AAC for the AirPods.

Cables that come with the iPhone (or 3ed party) are just the opposite and have a Digital to Analog Converter (DAC).

This built in electronics are actually a large part of the high price. Also any use use of a cable thinking they are bypassing the DAC to pass a hi res signal to the Max's is false. The only technical advantage is lower latency and less chance of dropouts than using BT.
Exactly. I was conversing with a person in another thread and he/she was adamant in providing his own false narrative. Oh well.
 
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Kampy1

macrumors newbie
May 1, 2017
14
23
Los Angeles
Exactly. I was conversing with a person in another thread and he/she was adamant in providing his own false narrative. Oh well.
Thanks to Julien & LeonPro and others here on the forums for helping me understand how the AirPods Max actually work... BEFORE I actually placed my order for lightning-to-3.5mm cables and converters that would have never worked. Not only saved me the $$ but saved me the frustration of figuring it out the hard way
 

venom600

macrumors 65816
Mar 23, 2003
1,310
1,167
Los Angeles, CA
It always surprises me how some people (including myself) sometimes get absolutely lost in trying to find "the right solution" to something; like we'll literally spend days looking for ways to save maybe US$10.

At the same time if some magic genie showed up and offered to extend our lives for the same amount of time that we absolutely focused on trying to potentially maybe if we're lucky save that US$10, then we'd value that offer at waaaaaaay more than US$10.

With the right perspective we're all very very stupid sometimes. :)

The issue for me isn't the price; it's the quality and robustness. The cable feels incredibly fragile and it isn't very long. I keep hoping someone will make a nice, thick, possibly braided or flat, cable for these. I'd pay $100 for that, especially if it had a really high quality ADC in it.
 

hts126

macrumors newbie
Dec 28, 2021
1
2
Anyone know if any alternatives are available yet? I just got some AirPods Max for xmas and I'd like to be able to use them with other things!

In all honesty I don't mind paying for the Apple cable, but I need something longer than the 1.2 meter one they sell - I know I could use an extension on the 3.5mm jack end, but I'd rather have one nice cable!
 
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amartinez1660

macrumors 68000
Sep 22, 2014
1,671
1,724
It always surprises me how some people (including myself) sometimes get absolutely lost in trying to find "the right solution" to something; like we'll literally spend days looking for ways to save maybe US$10.

At the same time if some magic genie showed up and offered to extend our lives for the same amount of time that we absolutely focused on trying to potentially maybe if we're lucky save that US$10, then we'd value that offer at waaaaaaay more than US$10.

With the right perspective we're all very very stupid sometimes. :)
I wasn’t expecting to find this level of gold in a thread about an audio cable.

I have this cable and was just looking for “what makes this cable work and not others”… go figure.
Search was worth it, thanks.
 
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sportykid2332

macrumors regular
Apr 30, 2008
207
33
I don't mind the price, but the quality of the cable is DREADFUL. I just got mine and it reminds me of the cable quality of the free headphones they give out on the airplane. I'd love a nice woven design.

Also it is quite short. Have people successfully used this on a plane or do you need an adapter?
 

Gezellig

macrumors member
Apr 9, 2022
32
69
Sorry for reviving this thread…but was wondering if anyone had any luck with an alternative cable.
I love Apple as much as the next guy, but they really mess up sometimes. And that short cable is really not practical at all.
Anyone has any luck finding an alternative or we stuck with Apple’s?
 

TriApple

macrumors regular
Mar 16, 2011
214
196
Sorry for reviving this thread…but was wondering if anyone had any luck with an alternative cable.
I love Apple as much as the next guy, but they really mess up sometimes. And that short cable is really not practical at all.
Anyone has any luck finding an alternative or we stuck with Apple’s?
You can use headphone extension cords with the Apple lightning to headphone cable. That's all I've found.
 
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predawnraid

macrumors newbie
Nov 1, 2023
5
1
Hi there, has anyone tried using the AirPods Max for wired sound with a third party Lightning - 3.5mm cable?

Just wondering if I need to order the Apple one or if the ProMax one I already have will work. Hopefully it will - Apple one is currently showing 8-10 weeks shipping to New Zealand.

Many thanks for your help!
same issue here, cant find an alternative to Apples $35 chord. I purchased my off Amazon, same price (35) as buit directly from Apple Store
 

predawnraid

macrumors newbie
Nov 1, 2023
5
1
You can use headphone extension cords with the Apple lightning to headphone cable. That's all I've found.
I did the same (TriApple) w the extension. I just wish there was a thicker gauge version to the Apple lightning to Air Pod Max, original $35 line is thin and puny i feel i’ll accidentally break it sooner than later
 

sartorius

macrumors member
Feb 11, 2017
88
157
I just broke my Apple one (again), it's too damn short, and so cheaply made.

Wish they would make one as robust as some of their other cables (e.g. the braided TB cables).

My use case is avoiding having to pair/unpair my AirPods Max with Windows PC or other non-Apple devices, so I guess I am not a priority (even though fully bought into Apple ecosystem as well) 🤑
 
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