Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

ISignedUpToAskThis

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Sep 28, 2022
333
436
I've never owned standard AirPods or AirPods Pro. I had a set of AirPods Max for a short while back in 2021 and loved them.

Anyway, I'm looking to buy some AirPods - either the new AirPods Pro 2 or another set of AirPods Max.

Really looking to hear from anyone that has tried or owns both.

My main usage is watching content - movies on Netflix, AppleTV+, Prime Video, YouTube etc. I listen to music as well but probably 80% of my usage is watching shows/movies. I enjoy Spatial Audio, Dolby Atmos, virtual surround etc and with the AirPods Max they certain provided an immersive experience watching content.

Whilst I'm not expecting the AirPods Pro 2 to be as good as or better, do the AirPods Pro 2 provide a good immersive experience? How do they compare to the APMs in terms of watching movies, Dolby Atmos etc? Do they provide a good level of bass and volume?

Or are the APMs worth the extra couple of hundred?

Thanks
 

mikedis

macrumors 603
Dec 30, 2019
5,948
12,632
Oklahoma
I'm useless here as I've not owned either. (though I want to remind you AirPods Max is almost 2 years old already and G2 Pros give us an idea of just how good of an upgrade the next gen Max will be)

I just wanted to say I love your username haha.
 
  • Haha
Reactions: stiligFox

stiligFox

macrumors 68000
Apr 24, 2009
1,565
1,646
10.0.1.3
I'm useless here as I've not owned either. (though I want to remind you AirPods Max is almost 2 years old already and G2 Pros give us an idea of just how good of an upgrade the next gen Max will be)

I just wanted to say I love your username haha.
I didn't even notice the username until you said it! I love it too lol
 
  • Love
Reactions: mikedis

Dealmans

Suspended
Mar 12, 2022
1,405
1,213
I got the AirPods Pro 2 a week ago, booked a return after a day and they didn’t show up lol, so I fiddled with them got them right over the long weekend here and now really like them, so I sold my AirPods Max, i get way more use from AirPods, in bed, walking the dog, around the house. I hardly used the max as found them heavy and sweaty here in Aussie land, great sound and anc though but never travelled with them, Covid.
Today a sale came up for $50aud off for AirPods Pro 2 so bought another pair and will get onto apple to pick up the original pair.
 

ISignedUpToAskThis

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Sep 28, 2022
333
436
I got the AirPods Pro 2 a week ago, booked a return after a day and they didn’t show up lol, so I fiddled with them got them right over the long weekend here and now really like them, so I sold my AirPods Max, i get way more use from AirPods, in bed, walking the dog, around the house. I hardly used the max as found them heavy and sweaty here in Aussie land, great sound and anc though but never travelled with them, Covid.
Today a sale came up for $50aud off for AirPods Pro 2 so bought another pair and will get onto apple to pick up the original pair.
How do they compare sound-wise?

Is the bass dramatically less noticeable on the AirPods Pro 2 compared to the APMs? How does Spatial Audio compare? Do you still get the virtual surround sound effect with the AirPods Pro 2 that the APMs have?
 

Dealmans

Suspended
Mar 12, 2022
1,405
1,213
How do they compare sound-wise?

Is the bass dramatically less noticeable on the AirPods Pro 2 compared to the APMs? How does Spatial Audio compare? Do you still get the virtual surround sound effect with the AirPods Pro 2 that the APMs have?
All seems similar to me but I am no audiophile, Marcques Brown review on YouTube said they are as good as the max.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ISignedUpToAskThis

HelyCopter

macrumors member
Feb 25, 2021
44
83
I've never owned standard AirPods or AirPods Pro. I had a set of AirPods Max for a short while back in 2021 and loved them.

Anyway, I'm looking to buy some AirPods - either the new AirPods Pro 2 or another set of AirPods Max.

Really looking to hear from anyone that has tried or owns both.

My main usage is watching content - movies on Netflix, AppleTV+, Prime Video, YouTube etc. I listen to music as well but probably 80% of my usage is watching shows/movies. I enjoy Spatial Audio, Dolby Atmos, virtual surround etc and with the AirPods Max they certain provided an immersive experience watching content.

Whilst I'm not expecting the AirPods Pro 2 to be as good as or better, do the AirPods Pro 2 provide a good immersive experience? How do they compare to the APMs in terms of watching movies, Dolby Atmos etc? Do they provide a good level of bass and volume?

Or are the APMs worth the extra couple of hundred?

Thanks
Own Both, the only scenario that the pros either 1 or 2 excel compared to the Max is on portability and easy of use, but if you have the time to sit on a couch or desk, and audio fidelity and immersion are more relevant than convenience, get the MAXs , Both are great products designed for different usages, before I get blasted i'm not saying that you couldn't use the Pros for those instances is just I prefer to use the max for movies and tv when im not going to be constantly bothered or interrupted.
 

loungefly2022

macrumors newbie
Jun 22, 2022
27
52
Both sound great, obviously. But sitting at home, I much prefer OVER the ear than shoving buds IN my ear, especially if it’s going to be for an hour or two.

I use the buds in places outside of the house and they work great, but after 30 minutes or so it just gets too uncomfortable for me personally.
 

Htsi

macrumors 65816
Oct 14, 2020
1,398
1,267
Portability is the main deference. Over ears will sound better than in ears in my experience when it comes to the AirPods lineup.
 

swandy

macrumors 6502a
Oct 27, 2012
991
323
I had the original APP and tried the APM. ANC and sound quality definitely goes to the MAX whether for music listening or movies. But - and this is just me - the only time I would bother to use the MAX is the time in the evening I was watching things on my Apple TV and didn't want the sound to bother my wife when she was sitting downstairs. Otherwise I always reached for the APP, whether just lying around and reading, walking, exercising, etc. And to me the APP2 improves on the sound quality of the originals, so that is an added bonus. The ANC on the APP2 is improved, but I never got really great ANC on the originals, so wasn't really expecting great ANC on the new version.
 

Miltz

macrumors 6502a
Sep 6, 2013
887
506
I've never owned standard AirPods or AirPods Pro. I had a set of AirPods Max for a short while back in 2021 and loved them.

Anyway, I'm looking to buy some AirPods - either the new AirPods Pro 2 or another set of AirPods Max.

Really looking to hear from anyone that has tried or owns both.

My main usage is watching content - movies on Netflix, AppleTV+, Prime Video, YouTube etc. I listen to music as well but probably 80% of my usage is watching shows/movies. I enjoy Spatial Audio, Dolby Atmos, virtual surround etc and with the AirPods Max they certain provided an immersive experience watching content.

Whilst I'm not expecting the AirPods Pro 2 to be as good as or better, do the AirPods Pro 2 provide a good immersive experience? How do they compare to the APMs in terms of watching movies, Dolby Atmos etc? Do they provide a good level of bass and volume?

Or are the APMs worth the extra couple of hundred?

Thanks
The best thing to do is to do a side by side comparison with both. I haven't done that so I really can't give you exactly the best answer. What I will say is I tried the AirPods Max at the Apple store and I felt they were okay. I have the AirPods 2 and I can say I'm very impressed. The sound better than the Bose QC I earbuds and definitely better than all the previous AirPods. Bass and volume for me is great. But I like a natural music vibe. I hated the original bass heavy beats.
 

Takeo Apple

macrumors regular
Sep 3, 2020
119
109
I have both. And the first gen AirPods Pro. I use them with Apple TV when I feel like low volume but more immersive sound will do better than my surround system.
The max win: comfortable and the surround sound experience is 5x better. In fact sometimes I think I am not hearing the sound through the max but in my living room - it’s that convincing.
 

hoo-man-b-ing

Cancelled
Mar 13, 2022
116
111
I have both versions of the Pro and the Max. While the second gen Pro is very good and significantly better than the first gen, it still isn’t as good as the Max. This is particular noticeable in movies like Interstellar where the deep rumble of the rockets feel more cinematic and wide on the Max vs just “deep bass” on the Pro.
 

Dammit Cubs

macrumors 68020
Jul 31, 2007
2,122
718
I have not the MAX and the pro2 (I just got the pro2). I haven't watched them with movies yet, but from A/B comparisons - I feel like the MAX have more fuller sound when compared to pro2. If you have both, I would recommend using the APP2.
 

playtech1

macrumors 6502a
Oct 10, 2014
695
889
I own the Pro 1s, Pro 2s and Max and the Max is by far the best sounding of the three. The Max can sometimes make it feel like I'm listening to a song for the first time with its clarity and separation.

But... as much as I love my AirPods Max, they only get used every few days, whereas the Pros see daily use due to their size/weight and when using out of the house. In terms of immersion, both versions of the Pro are still pretty good, albeit not Max-like, due to the noise cancelling. They are a pleasant sounding headphone - almost Bose like, by which I mean probably not the best fidelity, but easy to listen to.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.