I just received my APM, and here are my first impressions after trying out the H95s (I've only owned for a week since theres a 30 day return period) and comparing them
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Quick cost comparison how I would go about it:
Apple:
-Airpods max ($549 without tax at bhphoto with payboo card)
-applecare for 2 years ($59, though there are extra fees like $29 if you actually replace them with warranty or something during that period). I'd definitely get this in case condensation issue has long term problems or if the battery dies fast due to so much charging
-waterfield case (99+tax) -> You can go for cheaper options too
-silicon covers (around $10 on amazon)
-apple lightning to 3.5mm audio cable ($35 + tax)
Total: roughly $761
B&O:
-H95 ($800, and no tax needed) -> Currently comes with an extra soft case that can possibly be sold to recoup some $$.
-case ($20 on amazon) if I decide not to use the expensive case that came with the H95 since it might be prone to scratches and be heavy to carry.
-already comes with usbc and 3.5mm cable, along with 3 years warranty (not sure if just limited warranty or includes some accidental)
Total: roughly $820
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Day 1 Impression from APM while connected to iMac for gaming/tidal/youtube/Vox player with flac songs:
Pros:
1) Definitely sounds more full compared to the H95s. I think it's because of the bass that it sounds more full, but at the same time, it doesn't really sound muddy. I think it is tuned to be more fun sounding in the sense that you do feel more immersed into the music (compared to the h95 which might sound thin at times in comparison).
2) I've only worn them for over an hour, but for that 1hr+ straight, it hasn't given me any discomfort (I have a small head and wear glasses), and there were no signs of condensation. I know I definitely need to wear for 2-3 hours+ to be more accurate with understanding the comfort level, but so far it's nice. I have worn it longer overall, but not straight since much of it was 10-30 min at a time.
3) I like the build quality, but the clacking of the ear cups can be a true issue. I may get silicon covers for them
4) The smart case(?) that comes with the headphones is horrible, but you can definitely get third party cases on amazon or the $99 waterfield case which ppl seem to like.
5) Transparency mode is amazing like others have said
6) Noise cancelling is much better than what I've experienced before, coming from QC15, 20, 25. It definitely exceeded my expectations.
7) Can allow for higher volume without distortion compared to the h95
8) BT distance is farther than the h95. I'm not sure by how much, but when I head to a room with the doors closed, I stay connected with APM, while the h95 have audio cut in and out which im assuming is near the threshold for them.
Cons:
1) No power off button (I like the secure feeling of knowing my device is not just draining power constantly and has juice for the next time I use it)
2) not compact, so probably going to be mainly used at home (airpods v1 and pro are way nicer for taking out of the house)
3) Placement of the digital crown and toggle for transparency/anc is not the best as the way I put on headphones usually has my fingers in those spots and accidentally pressing them
4) Possible condensation issue after some time (since my 1 hour+ did make it feel damp in the earcups)
Observation:
1) battery drains like 2-3% outside of case in like 8 hours (overnight) of no use which I don't think is that bad at the moment, but who knows.
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Week 1 Impression from H95 while connected to iMac for gaming/tidal/youtube/Vox player with flac songs:
Pros:
1) good build quality minus dial wheels(feels hollow when turning)
2) can be compact/portable when you fold them
3) instruments sound more piercing, so it sounds brighter and more sparkly which is nice at times. Does sound a little bit more electric-y though. Like if someone dialed a little bit of a high pass filter with it. Haven't had sibilance issues despite that.
4) I can wear it for at least 3 hours straight without removing it, and I’m also wearing glasses the whole time. Does feel warm, but not too uncomfortable. I have a small head and ears
5) Audio sounds very clear (might have to do with the more piercing sound signature)
Cons:
1) I might prefer a button to toggle anc and transparency instead of a dial (since its annoying to keep scrolling back and forth to get the max of either end). The dials are fly by wire too, meaning you can turn them indefinitely since they just send electrical signal. You can only tell when you hit the max end of ANC or transparency mode when you hear the audio signal it plays.
2) volume in Bluetooth is not as loud as I wish it was ( I usually go about 90% to enjoy music while I'd prefer to stay around 60-70% on other headphones usually, but I know this is a BT headphone so it's kind of understandable)
3) faint scratching/whirring noise in maxed transparency mode with no music playing. Recently found out at least one other owner experience it too
4) transparency mode allows me to hear outside, but I wish it was more transparent as it’s still hard to hear things around me when music is playing.
5) noise cancelling is decent. Nothing special
Observation:
1) occasionally it stops playing music/sound without me doing anything (not sure why this happens). Turns out theres an auto turn off within 15 min that i had to untoggle in app that might have been what's causing it.
2) I think adaptive anc is only adjustable through app (separate setting from anc and transparency levels)? Not sure if there is on the fly way to toggle it with just headphone. Also not sure if adaptive anc is working as I don’t hear any difference in noise cancelling with it on or off.
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Conclusion:
I'm still not sure which I prefer yet. I'm no audiophile, but overall I think I like the sound of the APMs more because of the fuller sound while maintaining clarity, while the H95s have great clarity, but less of the bass feeling at times. I really like the compactness of the h95, the battery life, the power button, and the dial for volume. On the other hand with the APMs, I really like the fun sound, simple look, digital crown, and transparency/anc modes.
When it comes to BT headphones, I don't think audio quality is going to be as important since wired headphones are probably much better for true audiophile experience. I just take BT headphones for convenience at home so I don't have to keep making sure I don't trip over cables or be able to walk to the kitchen or bathroom quickly without having to take off the headphones. There are definitely much cheaper options, but for the best audio experience while still being a BT headphone, these two are hard to decide between due to audio quality and functionality.
Songs on youtube that I used for testing besides for gaming, tidal songs, and the flac files played on VOX:
Piano and beats:
Before the Dawn (brian tong used it for his comparison, and the h95s had wider soundstage than the APM there)
Testing notes:
It's convenient to A/B test them since once you put the Airpods max on, my imac switches to them, and then when I take them off and put the H95s on, my imac plays from the h95s since the airpod max has that sensor that lets it know it's on the head. In that sense, I just have to take off one and put on the other headphone and hit the play button. Except for Vox which requires manually switching the input source.
UPDATE (DAY 2):
1) Wore the APM for 2-3 hours straight while playing AC:Odyssey, and even though my ears were warm after, there were no signs of condensation, and my head did not feel bad discomfort. I was surprised since I expected condensation to be there. It did start to feel warm over my ears to the point where I could prob only last one more hour, but I think that's expected for over ear headphones after wearing for so long without taking them off. I'll try this out for a few days to see if it's consistent. I was indoors at night with my house probably around 67 degrees F (not too warm), so maybe because of that, my body and the APMs didn't get as hot as other use cases that people have.
2) The weight of the APMs are still manageable over my small head with glasses on, but if I move my head too quickly or if I lie down to watch something in bed from my phone, the headphones can shift either backwards if lying down, or just with the movement of the head because of the weight. Not an issue for me since my head is usually stationary, and to shift the headphones require bigger and faster movements that I usually don't do.
3) [NEED TO TEST]: So this time I left my APMs in my focal elegia case overnight, and it drained from 62% to 56% within 7 hours. In comparison, the night before, I noticed a 2-3% drain in 8 hours or so when it was just hanging on my headphone stand. My guess for now is that maybe the sensor that checks if the headphone is on the head goes into different power states when in a case (not smart case) vs hanging on a stand. Maybe it goes to a lower power consumption mode when it's on the headphone stand since it can tell it's not on the ears? And then when it's in the case (closed), it thinks it's on the ears somehow, and stays in just a standby mode that still draws more power? Not sure, but I'll try things out for a few days
4) Cannot use APM in wired mode with just the lightning to USB A cable attached to a mac. You'll have to just be connected by bluetooth while charging only with lightning cable. H95 has dac internally I think, so you can use just the USB C cable attached to mac while bluetooth is off. When bluetooth is on, my output sources show two H95 devices (one with bluetooth icon)
5) [Stretch test] I tried Vmoda Speakeasy lightning to 3.5mm dac cable which didnt work (since they are prob meant to just go in the lightning to 3.5mm direction. I think the apple 3.5mm to lightning direction cable has adac on the 3.5mm to convert analog to digital which is why it works for APM). I guessed it wouldn't work because of the direction intended, but I was just hoping I could be wrong, and since I already had the vmoda cable, why not try it out.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Quick cost comparison how I would go about it:
Apple:
-Airpods max ($549 without tax at bhphoto with payboo card)
-applecare for 2 years ($59, though there are extra fees like $29 if you actually replace them with warranty or something during that period). I'd definitely get this in case condensation issue has long term problems or if the battery dies fast due to so much charging
-waterfield case (99+tax) -> You can go for cheaper options too
-silicon covers (around $10 on amazon)
-apple lightning to 3.5mm audio cable ($35 + tax)
Total: roughly $761
B&O:
-H95 ($800, and no tax needed) -> Currently comes with an extra soft case that can possibly be sold to recoup some $$.
-case ($20 on amazon) if I decide not to use the expensive case that came with the H95 since it might be prone to scratches and be heavy to carry.
-already comes with usbc and 3.5mm cable, along with 3 years warranty (not sure if just limited warranty or includes some accidental)
Total: roughly $820
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day 1 Impression from APM while connected to iMac for gaming/tidal/youtube/Vox player with flac songs:
Pros:
1) Definitely sounds more full compared to the H95s. I think it's because of the bass that it sounds more full, but at the same time, it doesn't really sound muddy. I think it is tuned to be more fun sounding in the sense that you do feel more immersed into the music (compared to the h95 which might sound thin at times in comparison).
2) I've only worn them for over an hour, but for that 1hr+ straight, it hasn't given me any discomfort (I have a small head and wear glasses), and there were no signs of condensation. I know I definitely need to wear for 2-3 hours+ to be more accurate with understanding the comfort level, but so far it's nice. I have worn it longer overall, but not straight since much of it was 10-30 min at a time.
3) I like the build quality, but the clacking of the ear cups can be a true issue. I may get silicon covers for them
4) The smart case(?) that comes with the headphones is horrible, but you can definitely get third party cases on amazon or the $99 waterfield case which ppl seem to like.
5) Transparency mode is amazing like others have said
6) Noise cancelling is much better than what I've experienced before, coming from QC15, 20, 25. It definitely exceeded my expectations.
7) Can allow for higher volume without distortion compared to the h95
8) BT distance is farther than the h95. I'm not sure by how much, but when I head to a room with the doors closed, I stay connected with APM, while the h95 have audio cut in and out which im assuming is near the threshold for them.
Cons:
1) No power off button (I like the secure feeling of knowing my device is not just draining power constantly and has juice for the next time I use it)
2) not compact, so probably going to be mainly used at home (airpods v1 and pro are way nicer for taking out of the house)
3) Placement of the digital crown and toggle for transparency/anc is not the best as the way I put on headphones usually has my fingers in those spots and accidentally pressing them
4) Possible condensation issue after some time (since my 1 hour+ did make it feel damp in the earcups)
Observation:
1) battery drains like 2-3% outside of case in like 8 hours (overnight) of no use which I don't think is that bad at the moment, but who knows.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Week 1 Impression from H95 while connected to iMac for gaming/tidal/youtube/Vox player with flac songs:
Pros:
1) good build quality minus dial wheels(feels hollow when turning)
2) can be compact/portable when you fold them
3) instruments sound more piercing, so it sounds brighter and more sparkly which is nice at times. Does sound a little bit more electric-y though. Like if someone dialed a little bit of a high pass filter with it. Haven't had sibilance issues despite that.
4) I can wear it for at least 3 hours straight without removing it, and I’m also wearing glasses the whole time. Does feel warm, but not too uncomfortable. I have a small head and ears
5) Audio sounds very clear (might have to do with the more piercing sound signature)
Cons:
1) I might prefer a button to toggle anc and transparency instead of a dial (since its annoying to keep scrolling back and forth to get the max of either end). The dials are fly by wire too, meaning you can turn them indefinitely since they just send electrical signal. You can only tell when you hit the max end of ANC or transparency mode when you hear the audio signal it plays.
2) volume in Bluetooth is not as loud as I wish it was ( I usually go about 90% to enjoy music while I'd prefer to stay around 60-70% on other headphones usually, but I know this is a BT headphone so it's kind of understandable)
3) faint scratching/whirring noise in maxed transparency mode with no music playing. Recently found out at least one other owner experience it too
4) transparency mode allows me to hear outside, but I wish it was more transparent as it’s still hard to hear things around me when music is playing.
5) noise cancelling is decent. Nothing special
Observation:
1) occasionally it stops playing music/sound without me doing anything (not sure why this happens). Turns out theres an auto turn off within 15 min that i had to untoggle in app that might have been what's causing it.
2) I think adaptive anc is only adjustable through app (separate setting from anc and transparency levels)? Not sure if there is on the fly way to toggle it with just headphone. Also not sure if adaptive anc is working as I don’t hear any difference in noise cancelling with it on or off.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Conclusion:
I'm still not sure which I prefer yet. I'm no audiophile, but overall I think I like the sound of the APMs more because of the fuller sound while maintaining clarity, while the H95s have great clarity, but less of the bass feeling at times. I really like the compactness of the h95, the battery life, the power button, and the dial for volume. On the other hand with the APMs, I really like the fun sound, simple look, digital crown, and transparency/anc modes.
When it comes to BT headphones, I don't think audio quality is going to be as important since wired headphones are probably much better for true audiophile experience. I just take BT headphones for convenience at home so I don't have to keep making sure I don't trip over cables or be able to walk to the kitchen or bathroom quickly without having to take off the headphones. There are definitely much cheaper options, but for the best audio experience while still being a BT headphone, these two are hard to decide between due to audio quality and functionality.
Songs on youtube that I used for testing besides for gaming, tidal songs, and the flac files played on VOX:
Piano and beats:
Testing notes:
It's convenient to A/B test them since once you put the Airpods max on, my imac switches to them, and then when I take them off and put the H95s on, my imac plays from the h95s since the airpod max has that sensor that lets it know it's on the head. In that sense, I just have to take off one and put on the other headphone and hit the play button. Except for Vox which requires manually switching the input source.
UPDATE (DAY 2):
1) Wore the APM for 2-3 hours straight while playing AC:Odyssey, and even though my ears were warm after, there were no signs of condensation, and my head did not feel bad discomfort. I was surprised since I expected condensation to be there. It did start to feel warm over my ears to the point where I could prob only last one more hour, but I think that's expected for over ear headphones after wearing for so long without taking them off. I'll try this out for a few days to see if it's consistent. I was indoors at night with my house probably around 67 degrees F (not too warm), so maybe because of that, my body and the APMs didn't get as hot as other use cases that people have.
2) The weight of the APMs are still manageable over my small head with glasses on, but if I move my head too quickly or if I lie down to watch something in bed from my phone, the headphones can shift either backwards if lying down, or just with the movement of the head because of the weight. Not an issue for me since my head is usually stationary, and to shift the headphones require bigger and faster movements that I usually don't do.
3) [NEED TO TEST]: So this time I left my APMs in my focal elegia case overnight, and it drained from 62% to 56% within 7 hours. In comparison, the night before, I noticed a 2-3% drain in 8 hours or so when it was just hanging on my headphone stand. My guess for now is that maybe the sensor that checks if the headphone is on the head goes into different power states when in a case (not smart case) vs hanging on a stand. Maybe it goes to a lower power consumption mode when it's on the headphone stand since it can tell it's not on the ears? And then when it's in the case (closed), it thinks it's on the ears somehow, and stays in just a standby mode that still draws more power? Not sure, but I'll try things out for a few days
4) Cannot use APM in wired mode with just the lightning to USB A cable attached to a mac. You'll have to just be connected by bluetooth while charging only with lightning cable. H95 has dac internally I think, so you can use just the USB C cable attached to mac while bluetooth is off. When bluetooth is on, my output sources show two H95 devices (one with bluetooth icon)
5) [Stretch test] I tried Vmoda Speakeasy lightning to 3.5mm dac cable which didnt work (since they are prob meant to just go in the lightning to 3.5mm direction. I think the apple 3.5mm to lightning direction cable has adac on the 3.5mm to convert analog to digital which is why it works for APM). I guessed it wouldn't work because of the direction intended, but I was just hoping I could be wrong, and since I already had the vmoda cable, why not try it out.
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