AirPods Pro (2. gen) vs. AirPods Max?

[Silly John Fatty]

So the most expensive of the small AirPods isn’t the 3rd generation but the 2nd generation Pro.

Apparently, they have the better technology.

I compared them with the AirPods Max, and the Pros seem to have the better stats here as well when it comes to sound and sound quality.

I haven’t tested either of them. Those who did, what do you think? Are the small ones better than the Max?

 

[chabig]

I have had both and prefer the AirPods Pro. It's just personal preference–small, light, and in the ear, vs on the head over the ears.

 

[JCCL]

The AirPods Max blow the Pro's out of the water regarding sound quality (they are not even in the same playing field). While the Pro has some news technologies, they cannot compete to the larger and higher quality drivers of the AirPods Max....generally larger over the ear headphones will have much better sound quality and noise cancellation than earbuds.

 

[Silly John Fatty]

The AirPods Max blow the Pro's out of the water regarding sound quality (they are not even in the same playing field). While the Pro has some news technologies, they cannot compete to the larger and higher quality drivers of the AirPods Max....generally larger over the ear headphones will have much better sound quality and noise cancellation than earbuds.

Noise cancellation aside, what about the rest such as the H1 vs H2 chips?

I have had both and prefer the AirPods Pro. It's just personal preference–small, light, and in the ear, vs on the head over the ears.

Aside from these practical aspects, what do you think of the sound quality?

 

[GMShadow]

The Pro 2's closed the gap a fair amount with the Max as far as audio quality, but the Max still will have an edge in bass and other areas - it's just natural with larger drivers involved.

That said, the Pro 2's are perfectly fine for listening.

 

[Mackilroy]

In my opinion, the Maxes have slightly better sound, slightly better noise canceling, and superior battery life. That said, the Pros are very close to the Maxes, more convenient, and of course much cheaper. If you only wanted to buy one, I'd go with the Pros.

 

[jbehrmusic]

Has anyone used either of these for gaming? How is the latency? I assume not that great, since it is only Bluetooth.

 

[Mackilroy]

I’ve used the Maxes for gaming, both multiplayer and single. There is some latency, but it hasn’t been a detriment, even when playing a fast-paced game like Battlefield 2042. That said, I’m not playing professionally.

 

[Pug72]

The gen 2 Pros are so much better than the gen 1 and not too far from the Max's. If I didn't have both I'd be more than happy with the Pro gen 2. I use the Max when sat at my desk listening to music but the gen 2 Pro for everything else such as walking the dog, gardening, chores, etc.

Had to choose just one? Definitely the Pro gen 2.

 

[Pug72]

Regarding gaming I have the propriety headsets for both the PS5 and Xbox Series X. Much better with zero lag when using anything else wireless.

 

[saintmac]

I don't have the Pro 2, only the Pro 1 and the Max.
I like the Max a lot and its sound quality and noise cancellation are better.
But the Pros are so much more versatiles as you can have them in your pocket 24/7.
They are also great for exercising (running) and even ok for sleeping.
So if you only buy one, definitely get the Pros (2).

 

[TechnoMonk]

I have pros2 and Max. I use AirPods Pro when I am on the streets, gym, or outside for longer times. Max gets most use at my desk, Flights, Hotels, and love using them with Apple TV. I enjoy watching movies with Max at nights when others don’t want Speakers going off. Depends on where,how and what you want to use for Max. Max is such a pleasure to use, Air Pods pro 2 are more practical. And AirPods Pro 2 quality isn’t any where near max, let alone be better.

 

[TracerAnalog]

The AirPods Max blow the Pro's out of the water regarding sound quality (they are not even in the same playing field). While the Pro has some news technologies, they cannot compete to the larger and higher quality drivers of the AirPods Max....generally larger over the ear headphones will have much better sound quality and noise cancellation than earbuds.

This. The AirPods Max are a different experience altogether. The AirPods Pro are for on the go easy listening, where the Maxes are for serious in your lounge chair listening. For me anyway😊

 

[TechnoMonk]

Noise cancellation aside, what about the rest such as the H1 vs H2 chips?



Aside from these practical aspects, what do you think of the sound quality?

What do you value? Where would you use them? AirPods Pro 2 quality isn’t even in the same zip code of Max. I personally didn’t see any big difference between new AirPods Pro chip compared to the old one. The only reason I upgraded from AirPods Pro 1 was I had a Microcenter replacement warranty, and AirPods pro1 had an issue with one bud. I took the gift card and bought AirPods Pro 2.

 

[Asthmatic Kitty]

I own both and the Max do have significantly better sound quality. Don't notice much of a difference in noise cancellation/transparency quality. The Pro 2s having adaptive audio (which imo is just a slightly better version of transparency) is a nice perk, though I'm not sold on conversation awareness or personalised volume.

If I were only going to own one I'd go for the Pros because of the portability factor, and their sound quality is still very good for their size (and a big step up from the first gen.). Also it was updated quite recently whereas the Max are three years old at this point. If you only care about sound quality and money is not a factor then go for the Max, though.

 

[danielclarkk]

AirPods Pro (gen 2) are more portable, great for on-the-go, with impressive sound quality for their tiny size. AirPods Max, being over-ear, offer richer sound and potentially better noise cancellation but are bulkier and pricier. It boils down to whether you prioritize convenience or sound quality :/

 

[toobravetosave]

Nothing will exceed the sound quality of a wired connection

 

[scrane]

I have both, but I seldom bother with the Max. The APP2 are really good.

 

[Silly John Fatty]

So I've tested the AirPods Pro (2. gen) and the AirPods Max and I have to say, I was very impressed by the APP2. Honestly, I couldn't even feel any superior sound quality in the Maxes. They sit differently obviously, but I almost found the sound quality on the APP2s better.

But I'd say they were equivalent. Perhaps it is because the Maxes have older hardware. In this case, if new Maxes come out, I believe they will outperform the APP2s.

I think the Maxes right now are too expensive for what they are. They should be around the same price as the APP2s, that would be fair. They're definitely overpriced right now.

Design-wise and feeling-wise (basically everything minus the sound) they are very nice though, definitely another experience than the APP2s. I guess it depends what you're looking for: The sound quality, or also the quality of looking at them, touching them, wearing them, etc. I'd say from a company perspective, this is the additional uses and benefits the Maxes offer over the APP2s.

 

[StoneJack]

I had Max but sold it later (turned out it was fake )
For desktop, I have Audio Technica M20x BT, which are very neutral and good sounding phones.
For go, AirPods Pro gen 1. I think that next gen AirPod Max might be a good choice (if they change that atrocious case). Soundwise, Max should have better sound quality, but these are two different technologies (in ear and on ear), so not directly comparable

 

[ISignedUpToAskThis]

I haven’t tested either of them. Those who did, what do you think? Are the small ones better than the Max?

There's a simple answer here: absolutely not.

Longer answer:

I've tested multiple high end wireless ANC headphones and earbuds, ranging from the AirPods Pro 2 (cheapest) to AirPods Max to the Focal Bathys (around $599-$699). Others I've tested include B&W PX8s, Sony XM4s + XM5s (both buds and headphones), Sennheiser Momentum 4, B&W PX7 S2es, Bose QuietComfort Ultra etc....

I keep coming back to the AirPods Max.

Yes they AirPods Pro 2 are very good earbuds, but they can't compete for sound with AirPods Max simply due to driver size. The APMs have a MUCH wider soundstage, more satisfying bass and crisper highs. The sound just feels bigger and more 'authentic'. The APP2s are smaller sounding, much smaller soundstage. The cope well with highs but mid and bass noticeably weaker. They're more of an 'in your head' sound, whereas the Max are much bigger in scale. The bonus you get with APMs over other over-ear headphones is Spatial Audio, and watching movies/shows (especially with Dolby Atmos or via Apple TV+ is noticeably more enjoyable on the APMs.

That's not to say the APP2s aren't very good. I'd take them over multiple other, more expensive over ear ANC headphones. The Spatial Audio compatibility helps push them up the rankings.

I think the Maxes right now are too expensive for what they are. They should be around the same price as the APP2s, that would be fair. They're definitely overpriced right now.

Massively disagree here, it's not even a debate - just look at the replies so far saying similar.

Yes the APMs are overpriced (and were when they launched), but to say they should be the same price as APP2s is laughable. The APMs are considerably better in almost every way. Yes they have slightly newer tech - but nothing that improves the sound of the APP2s to near APMs. The newer tech is stuff like the H2 chip which helps with locating them, and features to do with transparency mode.

APP2s if anything are overpriced. Should be around $150-$180.
APMs should be around $350-$399.

 

[Silly John Fatty]

There's a simple answer here: absolutely not.

Longer answer:

I've tested multiple high end wireless ANC headphones and earbuds, ranging from the AirPods Pro 2 (cheapest) to AirPods Max to the Focal Bathys (around $599-$699). Others I've tested include B&W PX8s, Sony XM4s + XM5s (both buds and headphones), Sennheiser Momentum 4, B&W PX7 S2es, Bose QuietComfort Ultra etc....

I keep coming back to the AirPods Max.

Yes they AirPods Pro 2 are very good earbuds, but they can't compete for sound with AirPods Max simply due to driver size. The APMs have a MUCH wider soundstage, more satisfying bass and crisper highs. The sound just feels bigger and more 'authentic'. The APP2s are smaller sounding, much smaller soundstage. The cope well with highs but mid and bass noticeably weaker. They're more of an 'in your head' sound, whereas the Max are much bigger in scale. The bonus you get with APMs over other over-ear headphones is Spatial Audio, and watching movies/shows (especially with Dolby Atmos or via Apple TV+ is noticeably more enjoyable on the APMs.

That's not to say the APP2s aren't very good. I'd take them over multiple other, more expensive over ear ANC headphones. The Spatial Audio compatibility helps push them up the rankings.



Massively disagree here, it's not even a debate - just look at the replies so far saying similar.

Yes the APMs are overpriced (and were when they launched), but to say they should be the same price as APP2s is laughable. The APMs are considerably better in almost every way. Yes they have slightly newer tech - but nothing that improves the sound of the APP2s to near APMs. The newer tech is stuff like the H2 chip which helps with locating them, and features to do with transparency mode.

APP2s if anything are overpriced. Should be around $150-$180.
APMs should be around $350-$399.

Let's agree that they're both overpriced, lol.

But in the meantime I have tested them and just didn't feel the superiority of the Maxes. I tested them in an Apple Store with a lot of noise, so maybe it wasn't the best environment (it was for noise cancelling though). I listened to some music, maybe it would have been different if it was a movie.

Eventually I'll test them again some day.

 

[dannyyankou]

The AirPods Max have a bigger soundstage, but audio quality is similar with both. I like the convenience of the AirPods Pro though. I'd never wear AirPods Max out in public. Some people I see wearing them over their hoodie, makes me cringe every time. But I use them at home.

 

[thelookingglass]

There's a simple answer here: absolutely not.

Longer answer:

I've tested multiple high end wireless ANC headphones and earbuds, ranging from the AirPods Pro 2 (cheapest) to AirPods Max to the Focal Bathys (around $599-$699). Others I've tested include B&W PX8s, Sony XM4s + XM5s (both buds and headphones), Sennheiser Momentum 4, B&W PX7 S2es, Bose QuietComfort Ultra etc....

I keep coming back to the AirPods Max.

Yes they AirPods Pro 2 are very good earbuds, but they can't compete for sound with AirPods Max simply due to driver size. The APMs have a MUCH wider soundstage, more satisfying bass and crisper highs. The sound just feels bigger and more 'authentic'. The APP2s are smaller sounding, much smaller soundstage. The cope well with highs but mid and bass noticeably weaker. They're more of an 'in your head' sound, whereas the Max are much bigger in scale. The bonus you get with APMs over other over-ear headphones is Spatial Audio, and watching movies/shows (especially with Dolby Atmos or via Apple TV+ is noticeably more enjoyable on the APMs.

That's not to say the APP2s aren't very good. I'd take them over multiple other, more expensive over ear ANC headphones. The Spatial Audio compatibility helps push them up the rankings.



Massively disagree here, it's not even a debate - just look at the replies so far saying similar.

Yes the APMs are overpriced (and were when they launched), but to say they should be the same price as APP2s is laughable. The APMs are considerably better in almost every way. Yes they have slightly newer tech - but nothing that improves the sound of the APP2s to near APMs. The newer tech is stuff like the H2 chip which helps with locating them, and features to do with transparency mode.

APP2s if anything are overpriced. Should be around $150-$180.
APMs should be around $350-$399.

Yeah, I don't think anyone can seriously argue that the Max don't sound better. But for me the size differential and USB-C connection (or lack thereof on the Max) seriously point me towards the APP2. If Apple would update the Max at least with USB-C, I might think differently. I hate having to carry around a Lightning cable solely for the Max at this point.

 

[Silly John Fatty]

Yeah, I don't think anyone can seriously argue that the Max don't sound better. But for me the size differential and USB-C connection (or lack thereof on the Max) seriously point me towards the APP2. If Apple would update the Max at least with USB-C, I might think differently. I hate having to carry around a Lightning cable solely for the Max at this point.

Lightning is outdated and everything will be USB-C from now on I believe. The Maxes are old, that's why they still have Lightning. The next model will most likely have USB-C.

And I'll have to retry them by the way, because I do seriously mean that I couldn't really feel a difference in sound quality between the Maxes and the Pros. I make a lot of music, so maybe I'm sensible to this, but for me the difference was limited to design and wearing experience, wearing feeling.

I think I'll therefore get the Pros. Not sure if I shouldn't wait for new ones to come out, though.