Returned my AirPods Max due to accuracy

[R3k]

Really wanted to like them, however, that massive frequency dip at 5khz really ruins the sound for me.

I mix and master music for a living. After testing the AirPods Max against my much cheaper Senheiser PCX 550, BeyerDynamic DT 770 and my much more expensive studio monitor system, I find the Max frequency dip to be detrimental to how the music is supposed to sound.

The overall imaging feels nice as a consumer of music, due to the upper high frequency lift and im guessing some phase trickery, but it’s not an accurate representation of how the music was mixed.

The 5k dip and the resulting phase issues that arise from drastic EQ settings is really bad. It’s not so much of an issue with electronic music but with more organic recorded music it just sounds wrong up there.

You get used to it when having the Max on for a while, but when you start rapidly comparing them to other cans and speakers the immediate realization is that something sounds wrong.

Anyways, this is not a vent, just sharing and your perceptual milage may vary.

Cheers.

P.S. Consider that that consumer 'audiophile' review opinions is often < than the opinion of a producer / mixer that is reviewing using music that they actually wrote / mixed.

 

[Sheepish-Lord]

It is a consumer headphone with a Harman curve so definitely not a studio monitor and coupled with a bluetooth connection it’s accuracy isn’t the focus.

 

[R3k]

It is a consumer headphone with a Harman curve so definitely not a studio monitor and coupled with a bluetooth connection it’s accuracy isn’t the focus.

Of course, that's to be expected and I wasn't going for a monitor grade headphone. Im not even comparing it to studio grade headphones. Harman curve...kinda, it's got a really wide and huge dip around 5k to take a bit out of that.
Im not so put out by the general accuracy overall compared to a professional monitor setup (which more often than not has its own problems in an untreated rooms)

I find it interesting that people focus on barely perceptual differences in Bluetooth stream vs wired accuracy, differences in codecs, etc when there are way larger fish to fry.

 

[perezr10]

Are you using Apple Music as your source?

 

[R3k]

Are you using Apple Music as your source?

Hey. The source platform is inconsequential in my decision.

 

[Absrnd]

Really wanted to like them, however, that massive frequency dip at 5khz really ruins the sound for me.

I mix and master music for a living. After testing the AirPods Max against my much cheaper Senheiser PCX 550, BeyerDynamic DT 770 and my much more expensive studio monitor system, I find the Max frequency dip to be detrimental to how the music is supposed to sound.

The overall imaging feels nice as a consumer of music, due to the upper high frequency lift and im guessing some phase trickery, but it’s not an accurate representation of how the music was mixed.

The 5k dip and the resulting phase issues that arise from drastic EQ settings is really bad. It’s not so much of an issue with electronic music but with more organic recorded music it just sounds wrong up there.

You get used to it when having the Max on for a while, but when you start rapidly comparing them to other cans and speakers the immediate realization is that something sounds wrong.

Anyways, this is not a vent, just sharing and your perceptual milage may vary.

Cheers.

P.S. Consider that that consumer 'audiophile' review opinions is often < than the opinion of a producer / mixer that is reviewing using music that they actually wrote / mixed.

Thanks for your short review of the Airpods max, the consumer headphones.
I only think, that when clicked the Post button, you forgot to attach the comparison charts, for all the headphones you tested, that corroborates your opinion

 

[R3k]

Thanks for your short review of the Airpods max, the consumer headphones.
I only think, that when clicked the Post button, you forgot to attach the comparison charts, for all the headphones you tested, that corroborates your opinion

It's just my opinion though 🤷‍♂️
Take from it what you may.

Edit: There is more exhaustive testing and graphics here: https://www.rtings.com/headphones/reviews/apple/airpods-max-wireless
I don't see anything that contradicts my opinion though I don't think the reviewer is sensitive to phase. EQ (unless it's linear phase) uses phase shifting to accomplish its task. Linear phase typically smears transients so I doubt Apple are using it.

 

[perezr10]

Hey. The source platform is inconsequential in my decision.

So are you or not?

 

[Realityck]

Are you using Apple Music as your source?

So are you or not?

Apple Music's Lossless and Hi-Res Mess

This morning I've been testing Apple Music's new lossless and Hi-Res offerings on both my iPhone 12 Pro running iOS 14.6 and my Mac Mini (M1) running macOS 11.4. In my tests, I'm only concerned with playing the music bit perfectly, in other words without making any changes to the audio. If Apple ...

audiophilestyle.com

The OP said he mix and music for a living, it be really weird to be using Apple Music as the reference source of the comparison tracks.

 

[R3k]

So are you or not?

So are you or not?

Spotify. Apple Music. Quicklook on 48k 24bit mixes. Direct output from Logic Pro. Logic Pro via Sonarworks Sound ID Reference. Whatever. That’s not the issue. If I was worrying about flangy high end, compressed sound, nasal vibe, smeared high freq transients, whatever, then sure, I’d be worried about the source.

 

[R3k]

Apple Music's Lossless and Hi-Res Mess

This morning I've been testing Apple Music's new lossless and Hi-Res offerings on both my iPhone 12 Pro running iOS 14.6 and my Mac Mini (M1) running macOS 11.4. In my tests, I'm only concerned with playing the music bit perfectly, in other words without making any changes to the audio. If Apple ...

audiophilestyle.com

The OP said he mix and music for a living, it be really weird to be using Apple Music as the reference source of the comparison tracks.

Thanks brother. But really, we do use Apple Music and Spotify as reference. It’s because the limitations of those platforms is not what we’re concerned about so much. Rather the focus: We are mixing for those platforms.

 

[R3k]

So are you or not?

See above.

 

[Shazamadoo]

Spotify. Apple Music. Quicklook on 48k 24bit mixes. Direct output from Logic Pro. Logic Pro via Sonarworks Sound ID Reference. Whatever. That’s not the issue. If I was worrying about flangy high end, compressed sound, nasal vibe, whatever, then sure, I’d be worried about the source.

Seems like you are the only one missing the big picture..

I have no clue what your objection is? AirPod Pod max not pro enough for the pros to act like pros on macrumors?

I got producer buddies that will tell you $500 for headphones are cheap. I also don’t know anyone in the business that would mix and master using AirPods max..

But I do know these same people reference music with AirPods max

 

[Absrnd]

It's just my opinion though 🤷‍♂️
Take from it what you may.

Edit: There is more exhaustive testing and graphics here: https://www.rtings.com/headphones/reviews/apple/airpods-max-wireless
I don't see anything that contradicts my opinion though I don't think the reviewer is sensitive to phase. EQ (unless it's linear phase) uses phase shifting to accomplish its task. Linear phase typically smears transients so I doubt Apple are using it.

Why do so called "audio professionals" make these kind of postings ?
Because you are an " audio professional" you should know that a $500 Bluetooth consumer headphones are never comparable to a pro set with a wire, hell, even cheaper wired headphones give better audio quality.

As an "audio professional" you could/should have known this would never live up to your "audio professional" standard.

Step off your " audio professional" high horse, and look at what it is, a consumer headphone

 

[BIGSHOTT]

You master music using headphones? What kind of music do you master that way? Certainly not something for professional work. Mastering is NEVER done with headphones, only with a calibrated speaker system. Are you pretending to be an audio engineer?

 

[R3k]

Seems like you are the only one missing the big picture..

I have no clue what your objection is? AirPod Pod max not pro enough for the pros to act like pros on macrumors?

Ive made my objection as clear as I can. Not worth $450+ for me, no.

I got producer buddies that will tell you $500 for headphones are cheap. I also don’t know anyone in the business that would mix and master using AirPods max..

But I do know these same people reference music with AirPods max

I got them to consume music with, not to mix and master...except for the low end, I like to check this on cans as another reference and the Max's actually excel at this.

Why do so called "audio professionals" make these kind of postings ?
Because you are an " audio professional" you should know that a $500 Bluetooth consumer headphones are never comparable to a pro set with a wire, hell, even cheaper wired headphones give better audio quality.

Im saying Im listening to the Max's for pleasure and though they are in many ways superior, that freq range that I keep on referencing is garbage compared to some PCX-500 MK1's I can get on eBay for $100.

As an "audio professional" you could/should have known this would never live up to your "audio professional" standard.

Step off your " audio professional" high horse, and look at what it is, a consumer headphone

The concept of an "Audio Professional headphone" is almost ******** in itself really, but that's another conversation.

I am quickly reviewing a very expensive consumer headphone that I want to use as a consumer. Basing that off my profession that I can't really prove unless Im quizzed and a guess an arrogant tone that is making you guys defensive. I guess.

You master music using headphones? What kind of music do you master that way? Certainly not something for professional work. Mastering is NEVER done with headphones, only with a calibrated speaker system. Are you pretending to be an audio engineer?

Not pretending, no.
Final mixing and many mastering peeps (Unless you work at Bernie Brundman's facility or something) also check their mixes on cans, car stereos, friends systems, etc. Electric music producers try to get them on club systems to be sure. Ive folded down 5.1 film mixes to listen on an iPhone before, heh. More speakers = more perspective but you have to let go at some point.

But this is all beside the point im making.