AirPods Max是AirPods系列的巅峰之作，提供的入耳式耳机体验使其与已成为 Apple 最受欢迎的一些产品的AirPods和AirPods Pro耳塞区分开来。它们还带有一个使其他产品相形见绌的价格标签，那么AirPods Max真的物有所值吗？
我们接受了Sky Blue AirPods Max交付，并用了几个星期来看看价格是否合理。
Apple AirPods Max 控件
AirPods Max没有很多可以说出来的控件，甚至没有电源按钮！您所得到的只是一个模式按钮和一个数字表冠。与其他常见的蓝牙(Bluetooth)耳机设计相比，这是彻头彻尾的简陋。然而，它在使用过程中从未出现过问题。
默认情况下，前面的按钮在透明模式和主动降噪之间切换耳机，我们将在下一节中介绍。它有一个非常令人满意的点击，我们没有任何问题立即找到它。此按钮还用于启动配对模式，您可以通过查看LED状态指示灯来确认。
数字皇冠是这里真正的明星。它类似于Apple Watch上的表冠，但更大、更有触感。转动操作非常顺畅，触觉效果让人感觉表冠有精确的“咔哒”声。
您还可以按下表冠作为附加按钮。默认情况下，按一次按钮将暂停音乐，而按两次将跳过曲目。按住表冠，您将召唤Siri。我们用三星 Galaxy S21 Ultra(Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra)进行了尝试，但遗憾的是拿着王冠并没有召唤出Google Assistant。
AirPods Max控件可能很少，但这从来都不是问题。最重要的是，您无需任何有意识的思考即可找到并操作它们。
透明模式(Mode)和降噪(Noise Cancellation)
我们认为，可以说AirPods Max价格合理的两个最佳功能是透明模式和主动降噪功能并不为过。
从透明模式开始，这个想法是允许环境声音通过耳机，由外部麦克风拾取。现在很多蓝牙(Bluetooth)耳机都有这个功能，但没有一个能接近这里的质量。
简而言之(Simply)，使用透明模式，您可以轻松忘记自己戴着耳机。这听起来很自然，如果您愿意，可以永久保留它。
当您想从您的设备听到音频但仍然可以与房间里的其他人交谈时，它非常有用。这就像拥有只有您能听到的电视或音响系统。
主动降噪(Active Noise Cancellation)( ANC )也近在咫尺。诸如空调之类的持续噪音完全消失了。然而，这里最令人印象深刻的壮举是几乎完全抑制了具有随机模式的声音，例如对话。这些可能是您可以以任何价格购买的最好的降噪耳机。与索尼 WH-1000XM4(Sony WH-1000XM4)耳机面对面站立。
结合起来，这两个功能使 AirPods Max成为一款出色的日常驾驶员生产力耳机，您可以在其中控制您允许的外部世界的多少。
连接性
Airpods Max(Airpods Max)主要用作蓝牙(Bluetooth)耳机，但您也可以使用有线连接。可悲的是，Apple认为单独购买 35 美元的Lightning 至耳机线(Lightning to headphone cable)是合适的。这有点令人讨厌，因为大多数耳罩式蓝牙(Bluetooth)耳机的包装盒中都包含一根电缆。
一个显着的区别是这些耳机没有直接的模拟连接。该适配器包含一个模数转换器，可为 AirPods 提供数字化信号。
然后耳机将其重新转换为模拟音频以在其扬声器上播放。这种模拟到数字到模拟的转换看起来有点笨拙，并且妨碍了真正的无损音频，但在实践中，它并没有太大的区别。它还具有消除可能存在的任何无线音频延迟的优点。
闪电问题
尽管Max具有可接受的连接性，但使用 Apple 专有的Lightning连接器仍然是一个痛苦的问题。我们的MacBook Air和 iPad Pro以及我们所有的非 Apple 设备都使用USB-C。只留下 iPhone、妙控键盘(Magic Keyboard)和现在的AirPods Max使用此连接器。这意味着我们总是需要打包至少一根额外的电缆。
Apple可能会通过无线或无线MagSafe充电来缓解这种情况，我们希望在未来的AirPods Max版本中添加此功能。
蓝牙性能(Performance)和兼容性(Compatibility)
AirPods Max的(AirPods Max)蓝牙(Bluetooth)性能给我们留下了深刻的印象；在两层楼的房子里走来走去，带着 iPad Air尽情享受音乐，几乎不可能导致辍学。这可能要归功于平衡质量和性能的 Apple 的AAC编解码器。(AAC)
正如您所料，将AirPods Max与Apple产品搭配使用是一种无缝体验。我们使用M1 MacBook Air、2018 iPad Pro、iPhone 11 Pro和Series 6 Apple Watch进行了测试。用户只需很少输入即可在不同设备之间进行切换。从 iPad 转到Mac时，会收到一个小通知，询问我们是否要使用AirPods。一键点击，您就可以开始了。
我们还将Max与几款非 Apple 设备一起使用，包括 Windows 11 笔记本电脑、Android Galaxy S21 Ultra和OLED Nintendo Switch。与所有这些设备配对和连接都没有问题。我们从未经历过Max拒绝来自配对设备的连接请求。
非Apple(Apple)设备上的延迟也很好。在Apple设备上，几乎不存在延迟，这要归功于双 H1 芯片中的自定义信号处理硬件，每个杯子一个。特别是在Switch(Switch)上使用它时，延迟明显低于我们也尝试在控制台上使用的Samsung Galaxy Buds +或Sennheiser BT4.5耳机。(Sennheiser BT4.5)因此，即使没有 H1 的全部优势，延迟仍然令人印象深刻。
电池寿命
苹果(Apple)声称Airpods Max的电池续航时间约为 20 小时，这似乎与我们的日常使用体验相符。佩戴耳机一天整整 8 小时后，电池续航时间还剩 50% 多一点。
除了他预期的 1-2% 之外，我们没有遇到任何电池耗尽导致耳机在一夜之间运行的情况。这是AirPods Max(AirPods Max)首次发布时的抱怨，但如果它曾经是一个问题，现在似乎已经解决了。
空间音频(Audio)：噱头(Gimmick)还是天才功能(Genius Feature)？
当与支持它的Apple设备以及正确的应用程序和内容一起使用时， (Apple)AirPods Max可提供虚拟化空间音频。
这会将虚拟音频源置于相对于您头部的固定位置，并且由于用于头部跟踪的内部加速度计，它们似乎会在您转动头部时保持在原位。这允许虚拟环绕声，听起来非常令人信服，就像您周围房间里的真实扬声器一样。
虽然虚拟环绕功能令人印象深刻（您必须启动Apple TV 才能对其进行采样或使用内置演示），但我们实际上认为该技术最酷的实现是立体声虚拟化。这适用于整个Apple设备的立体声音频，它听起来好像立体声来自设备本身。换句话说，这就像使用MacBook或 iPad 上的板载扬声器观看某些东西一样，只是音质要好得多。
为什么这是一件好事？有时您不一定想要耳机提供的那种“在我脑海中”的音频体验。相反，现在听起来音频来自图片，这很快成为我们观看流媒体的首选方式。我们怀疑这对于Apple(Apple) TV 设备会特别有效，但我们没有机会用一个测试Max。
设计和建造质量
AirPods 结构坚固。从头带到耳罩，苹果的(Apple)Max主要采用金属材质；这些是非常坚固的耳机。头带框架、用于尺寸调整的滑动机构和铰链机构激发了信心，尤其是Max的不锈钢框架。
这些肯定似乎是使用寿命长的耳机。唯一可能会磨损的组件是电池。右耳罩中有两块电池，由于iFixit(iFixit’s teardown)对Max的拆解，我们知道它们是用螺丝而不是胶水固定的。因此，理论上应该很容易更换它们。鉴于 Apple 对用户可维修性(repairability)的新承诺，花在Max上的钱可能会有很长的路要走。
也就是说，Apple 其他设备（例如新款MacBook(MacBooks)）中的电池在开始失去容量之前可以进行大约 1000 次充电循环。鉴于您每次充满电可获得 20 小时，因此播放 20,000 小时需要一段时间。如果您每天使用它们八小时，这大约是七年。
还值得注意的是，iFixit 将内部做工和材料与更便宜的索尼(Sony)和Bose耳机进行了比较，发现它们“相比之下看起来像玩具”。你花在Max上的大部分钱都用于这种过度设计。
臭名昭著的智能手机壳
对AirPods Max(AirPods Max)随附的手提箱的嘲讽已经绰绰有余，但如果不提及它，这不能算是完整的评论。是的，这款保护套不能提供太多保护，也不能让您更轻松地携带您的AirPods Max。我们也不喜欢当您取下裸金属耳罩时外壳如何导致它们相互碰撞。
尽管您可能听说过，但也没有必要将耳机放入保护壳中以将其关闭。摘下耳机后，很快就会进入低功耗模式，然后进入深度睡眠。我们在没有使用外壳的情况下使用了我们的 AirPods，并且没有任何电池消耗问题。
AirPods并没有像许多其他便携式耳机那样真正折叠起来。杯子可以旋转 90 度以形成平坦的轮廓，但这就是它的范围。
但是，如果你想带着你的 AirPods Max去旅行，购买第三方保护套可能是个好主意。
舒适
对于耳机而言，舒适度是一个非常主观的问题，尤其是因为我们的身体是如此不同。我们在自己尝试Max之前看到的主要抱怨与重量和夹紧力有关。
由于Max主要由金属制成，它的重量确实比典型的耳罩式耳机重。织物头带和毛绒耳罩可以缓解这种情况，但有些用户会比其他用户更容易受到影响。
我们在有空调的办公室工作时，每天佩戴AirPods Max长达 8 小时，没有任何舒适问题。(AirPods Max)很容易忘记你戴着耳机。我们认为AirPods Max是非常舒适的耳机，但考虑到它们的价格，值得先在头上试一试。
不得不说，耳垫记忆棉很精致。您可以轻松移除和更换这些磁性连接的杯子，这是一种天才，我们希望看到更多耳机品牌采用。
音质
这可能是AirPods Pro在价格方面最具争议的方面。如果您花 500 多美元购买一副耳机，那么自然会期待“发烧友”的聆听体验，但这个角度存在一些问题。
仅仅因为两副耳机具有相似的价格并不意味着它们的设计目的相同。AirPods Max耳机缺乏您在发烧友设备中可以找到的关键功能。它们没有直接的模拟输入，即使通过有线连接也不支持无损音频，并且是封闭式的。更不用说在高端耳机的世界里，AirPods Max的价格在中端。
考虑到所有这些，AirPod Max的音质有多好？简短的回答是，与 Apple 的其他(other) Beats 耳机(Beats headphone)品牌不同，它们听起来不错并且非常公正。虽然这些不像录音室监视器那样“平坦”（这是一件好事），但无论我们尝试什么类型的音乐，音频再现都是中性的。我们不想改变默认自适应均衡器的均衡器设置。
最重要的是，所有的音乐都比典型的 200 美元耳机表现出更多的细节和细微差别。是不是好两倍多？当然，这是一个主观问题，但差异并不微妙。除了要求最苛刻的客户之外，我们无法想象任何人都认为音频再现不可接受，而这些客户的支出很可能超出了Apple的要求。
服务测试
我们尝试通过多种音乐流媒体服务收听各种类型的音乐。这包括Apple Music、YouTube Music和Spotify，但不包括Amazon Music。
所有三项服务都设置为最高的流媒体和下载质量。我们的想法是看看AirPods在Apple Music上的表现是否比其他同类产品好得多。这很重要，因为尽管Apple Music很受欢迎，但这并不意味着每个AirPods购买者都会使用它。
好消息是，至少在我们看来，无论您收听哪种服务，流媒体质量都没有明显差异。因此，如果您担心 AirPods 只会使用 Apple 自己的服务为您提供良好的音频体验，请不要担心。
音频成像和声场
音频(Audio)再现质量是一回事，但这并不是您耳朵感知的音质的全部。耳机的声场和成像也很重要，而廉价耳机通常缺乏这一点。
如果您不熟悉这些术语，而主流耳机消费者通常不熟悉这些术语，那么让我们简要定义一下。
声场是您听到音频的虚拟空间。具有良好声场的耳机听起来不应像离您耳朵一英寸远的扬声器。相反，它应该听起来自然而宽敞。具有最佳声场的耳机通常是开放式的。这意味着它们对您或房间中的其他人的隔音效果为零。
成像是耳机在声场内放置声音（例如特定乐器）的能力。所以听起来一个音乐家在你面前，另一个在旁边。从本质上讲，您感觉自己就像在乐队中间的舞台上。
尽管开放式高保真耳机胜过它，但Max在成像和设置良好声场方面仍然非常出色。它不是太宽也不是太局促，而是丰富而舒适。
在Apple 生态系统(Apple Ecosystem)之外使用AirPods Max
在我们得出这篇评论的结论之前，有必要谈谈没有涉足Apple生态系统的用户是否应该使用AirPods Max。如上所述，我们将 AirPods 与任何蓝牙(Bluetooth)设备一起使用都没有问题。但是，如果您没有 iOS 或 macOS 设备，则您可以使用 AirPods 执行的操作将受到限制。具体来说，自定义表冠的按钮或行为需要它。您还会错过空间音频等功能。
这可能不是一个破坏交易的因素，但 AirPods 的大部分吸引力来自于它与全苹果(Apple)设置的配合程度。当我们的 iPhone 响起时，我们正在 iPad 上听音乐，我们一接电话，音频就无缝地转移到了通话中，在此过程中暂停了 iPad 上的内容。通话结束后，iPhone 将控制权交还给 iPad，音乐继续播放。如果你不在Apple(Apple)的围墙花园中，这种自动化的便利就会消失。我们真的不推荐AirPods Max，除非您至少拥有一台兼容的Apple设备来充分利用它。
说起来，通话质量非常好，开着空调，对方也听得一清二楚。
AirPods Max 物有所值吗？
在考虑以 550 美元的要价获得的东西是否值得时，很难给出一个普遍的答案。毫无疑问，构成这些耳机的部件总和是物有所值的。但是，根据您的需要， AirPods Max提供的物有所值。
如果您需要通用的日常驱动耳机，那么很难想到另一套耳机可以很好地满足所有条件。噪音消除和透明模式使其成为一款非常实用的手机。控制它们是直观的，并且音频再现无论如何都非常出色，即使不是最好的也不惜一切代价。
如果您已经在使用一台或多台 Apple 设备，尤其是使用多台设备，那么AirPods Max非常流畅和集成，以至于任何其他无线耳机使用起来都像是一件苦差事。
最重要的是，AirPods Max肯定物有所值。他们提供了足够多的证据来证明它的合理性。但是对于每个用户来说是否合理取决于该用户对它作为一个总包的重视程度。
Apple AirPods Max Review – Is It Worth the High Price Tag?
The AirPods Max is the pinnacle of the AirPods range, offering an over-ear headphone experience that sets it apart from the AirPods and AirPods Pro earbuds that have become some of Apple’s most popular products. They also come with a price tag that dwarfs those other products, so is the AirPods Max actually worth the high price tag?
We took a Sky Blue AirPods Max delivery and spent a few weeks with it to see if the price is justified.
Apple AirPods Max Controls
The AirPods Max doesn’t have many controls to speak off, not even a power button! All you get is one mode button and a digital crown. Compared to other common Bluetooth headphone designs, this is downright spartan. Yet it never poses an issue during use.
The front button, by default, switches the headphones between transparency mode and active noise cancellation, which we’ll cover in the next section. It has a very satisfying click to it, and we never had any issue finding it immediately. This button is also used to initiate pairing mode, which you can confirm by looking at the LED status indicator.
The digital crown is the real star of the show here. It’s similar to the crown found on the Apple Watch but larger and more tactile. The turning operation is incredibly smooth, and the haptic effect makes it feel like the crown has precise “clicks” to it.
You can also depress the crown as an additional button. By default, a single button press will pause the music, while a double press will skip the track. Press and hold the crown, and you’ll summon Siri. We tried this with a Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, but sadly holding the crown did not summon Google Assistant.
The AirPods Max controls may be minimal, but that was never an issue. Most importantly, you can find and operate them without any conscious thought.
Transparency Mode and Noise Cancellation
We don’t think it’s an overstatement to say that the two best features that go a long way to justifying the price tag of the AirPods Max are the transparency mode and active noise cancellation.
Starting with transparency mode, the idea is to allow ambient sounds through the headphones, picked up by microphones on the exterior. Many Bluetooth headphones have this feature now, but none are close to the quality found here.
Simply put, with transparency mode, you can easily forget you’re wearing headphones. It sounds completely natural, and it’s no issue to leave it on permanently if you like.
It’s super helpful when you want to hear the audio from your device but still be available to talk to other people in the room. It’s like having a TV or sound system that only you can hear.
The Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) is also verging on magic. Constant noises, such as an air conditioner, are entirely erased from existence. However, the most impressive feat here is how sounds with random patterns, such as conversations, are almost entirely suppressed. These are perhaps the best noise-cancelling headphones you can buy at any price. Standing toe-to-toe with the Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones.
In combination, these two features make AirPods Max a great daily-driver productivity headphone, where you can control how much of the outside world you let in.
Connectivity
The Airpods Max is primarily meant to be used as a Bluetooth headset, but you can use a wired connection as well. Sadly, Apple has seen fit to make their Lightning to headphone cable a separate $35 purchase. This is a little irksome since most over-ear Bluetooth headsets include a cable in the box.
One notable difference is that there’s no direct analog connection for these headphones. The adapter contains an analog-to-digital converter which supplies the AirPods with a digitized signal.
The headphones then re-convert it to analog audio to playback on its speakers. This analog to digital to analog conversion seems a little clumsy and prevents true lossless audio, but in practice, it doesn’t make much difference. It also has the advantage of removing whatever wireless audio lag may be present.
The Lightning Issue
Although the Max has acceptable connectivity, the use of Apple’s proprietary Lightning connector remains a painful issue. Our MacBook Air and iPad Pro, along with all our non-Apple devices, use USB-C. Leaving only the iPhone, Magic Keyboard, and now AirPods Max using this connector. This means we’ll always need to pack at least one extra cable.
Apple might have mitigated this by including wireless or wireless MagSafe charging, and we hope to see this feature added in a future revision of the AirPods Max.
Bluetooth Performance and Compatibility
We were very impressed with the Bluetooth performance of the AirPods Max; walking around a two-story home with an iPad Air beaming music to the max, it was almost impossible to cause dropout. This is probably thanks to Apple’s AAC codec, which balances quality and performance.
As you might expect, using the AirPods Max with Apple products was a seamless experience. We tested with an M1 MacBook Air, a 2018 iPad Pro, an iPhone 11 Pro, and a Series 6 Apple Watch. Switching between different devices happened with very little input from the user. Going from the iPad to the Mac elicited a small notification asking if we wanted to use the AirPods. One click, and you’re good to go.
We also used the Max with several non-Apple devices, including a Windows 11 laptop, an Android Galaxy S21 Ultra, and an OLED Nintendo Switch. Pairing and connecting with all of these devices worked with no issue. We never experienced the Max refusing a connection request from a paired device.
Latency on non-Apple devices was also good. On Apple devices, latency is almost non-existent thanks to the custom signal processing hardware at play in the dual H1 chips, one in each cup. Using it with the Switch, in particular, latency was noticeable less than the Samsung Galaxy Buds + or Sennheiser BT4.5 headphones we’ve also tried with the console. So even without the full benefit of the H1, latency was still impressive.
Battery Life
Apple claims that Airpods Max has around 20 hours of battery life, and that seems to track with our experience of daily use. After a full 8-hour day of wearing the headphones, there was still a little over 50% of battery life left.
We didn’t encounter any battery drain leaving the headphones running overnight, other than he expected 1-2%. This was a complaint when AirPods Max was first released, but if it were ever an issue, it seems that it’s now resolved.
Spatial Audio: Gimmick or Genius Feature?
When used with an Apple device that supports it and the right app and content, the AirPods Max offers virtualized spatial audio.
This puts virtual audio sources in fixed positions relative to your head, and they appear to stay in place as you turn your head thanks to internal accelerometers used for head tracking. This allows virtual surround sound, which sounds quite convincingly like real speakers situated in the room around you.
While the virtual surround feature is quite impressive (you’ll have to boot up Apple TV to sample it or use the built-in demo), we actually think that the coolest implementation of the technology is stereo virtualization. This applies to the stereo audio of the whole Apple device, and it makes it sound as if stereo sound is coming from the device itself. In other words, it’s pretty much like watching something on your MacBook or iPad using their onboard speakers, just with much better audio quality.
Why is this a good thing? Sometimes you don’t necessarily want that “in my brain” audio experience that headphones offer. Instead, it now sounds like the audio is coming from the picture, and this quickly became our preferred way to watch streaming media. We suspect this will be especially effective with an Apple TV device, but we didn’t have the opportunity to test the Max with one.
Design and Build Quality
The AirPods are solidly constructed. Apple has mainly used metal for the Max, from the headband to the earcups; these are incredibly solid headphones. The headband frame, the sliding mechanism for size adjustment, and the hinge mechanism inspire confidence, especially with the Max’s stainless steel frame.
These certainly seem to be headphones that will have a long lifespan. The only components that might be subject to wear are the batteries. There are two batteries in the right ear cup and, thanks to iFixit’s teardown of the Max, we know that screws, not glue, hold in them. So, in theory it should be easy to replace them. Given Apple’s new commitment to user repairability, the money spent on a Max could go a long way.
That said, the batteries in Apple’s other devices, such as the new MacBooks, are rated for around 1000 charge cycles before they start to lose capacity. Given that you’ll get 20 hours per full charge, it will take a while before hitting 20,000 hours of playback. This is about seven years if you use them for eight hours a day.
It’s also worth noting that iFixit compared the internal workmanship and materials to cheaper Sony and Bose headphones and found that they “look like toys by comparison.” So much of the money you spend on the Max goes into this over-engineering.
The Infamous Smart Case
There has been more than enough mockery of the included carry case for the AirPods Max, but this can’t be a complete review without some mention of it. Yes, this protective case doesn’t offer much protection or make it easier to transport your AirPods Max. We also don’t like how the case causes the bare metal ear cups to knock into each other when you remove them.
Despite what you may have heard, it’s also unnecessary to put your headphones in the case to switch them off. After taking off the headphones, they’ll go into a low power mode soon and into a deep sleep after that. We used our AirPods without using the case and didn’t have any battery drain problems.
The AirPods don’t really fold up as many other portable headsets do. The cups can swivel 90 degrees to create a flat profile, but that’s the extent of it.
However, if you want to travel with your AirPods Max, it’s probably a good idea to invest in a third-party case.
Comfort
Comfort is a very subjective matter when it comes to headphones, not least of which because our bodies are so different. The main complaints we’ve seen before trying Max for ourselves relate to weight and clamp force.
Since the Max is mainly made from metal, it does weigh more than typical over-ear headphones. The fabric headband and plush ear cups are there to mitigate this, but some users will be more susceptible than others.
We wore the AirPods Max for up to eight hours per day while working in an air-conditioned office and had no comfort issues. It was very easy to forget you were wearing headphones at all. We think the AirPods Max are very comfortable headphones, but considering how much they cost, it’s worth trying a pair on your head first.
It must be said, the ear cushion memory foam is exquisite. And the ease with which you can remove and switch out these magnetically-attached cups is a touch of genius we’d like to see more headphone brands adopt.
Sound Quality
This is perhaps the most contentious aspect of the AirPods Pro when it comes to the price. It’s natural to expect an “audiophile” listening experience if you’re putting down more than $500 for a pair of headphones, but there are some problems with that angle.
Just because two pairs of headphones have a similar price doesn’t mean that they’ve been designed for the same purpose. The AirPods Max headphones lack the key features that you’d find in audiophile gear. They have no direct analog input, don’t support lossless audio even through a wired connection, and are close-backed. Not to mention that in the world of high-end headphones, the AirPods Max is priced in the mid-range.
Taking all of this into account, how good does the AirPod Max sound? The short answer is that they sound good and are remarkably unbiased, unlike Apple’s other Beats headphone brand. While these are not “flat” like studio monitors (which is a good thing), the audio reproduction is neutral no matter what genre of music we tried. We feel like changing EQ settings from the default adaptive EQ at no point.
Most importantly, all of the music exhibited significantly more detail and nuance than, for example, the typical $200 headphones. Is it more than twice as good? That’s a subjective question, of course, but the difference isn’t subtle. We can’t imagine anyone but the most demanding customer finding the audio reproduction unacceptable, and those customers are most likely spending more than Apple is asking for.
Services Tested
We tried listening to various genres of music across multiple music streaming services. This included Apple Music, YouTube Music, and Spotify, but not Amazon Music.
All three services were set to the highest streaming and download quality. The idea was to see whether the AirPods did significantly better on Apple Music than competing choices. This is important, since although Apple Music is popular, that doesn’t mean every AirPods buyer will use it.
The good news is that, to our ears at least, there’s no appreciable difference in streaming quality regardless of which service you listen to. So if you’re worried that AirPods are only going to give you a good audio experience using Apple’s own service, put that concern to bed.
Audio Imaging and Soundstage
Audio reproduction quality is one thing, but that’s not all there is to the sound quality perceived by your ears. The soundstage and imaging of headphones also matter, and it’s something often lacking in cheaper headphones.
If you’re not familiar with these terms, which is not something mainstream headphone consumers often are, let’s define them briefly.
The soundstage is the virtual space in which you hear the audio. Headphones with a good soundstage shouldn’t sound like speakers an inch away from your ears. Instead, it should sound natural and spacious. Headphones with the best sound stages are usually open-backed. This means that they have zero sound isolation for either you or the other people in the room.
Imaging is the ability of the headphones to place sounds such as specific instruments within the soundstage. So it sounds like one musician is in front of you, and another is off to the side. Essentially you feel like you are on stage in the middle of the band.
Although open-backed audiophile headphones outdo it, the Max is nonetheless great at both imaging and setting a good soundstage. It’s not too wide or too cramped, but rich and comfortable.
Using AirPods Max Outside the Apple Ecosystem
Before we get to the conclusion of this review, it’s essential to talk about whether users who don’t have a foot in the Apple ecosystem should use AirPods Max. We had no trouble using the AirPods with any Bluetooth device as we mentioned above. However, if you don’t have an iOS or macOS device, you’ll be limited in how much you can do with your AirPods. Specifically, customizing the button or behavior of the crown requires it. You’ll also miss out on features such as spatial audio.
That’s perhaps not a dealbreaker, but much of the appeal AirPods have comes from how well it works with an all-Apple setup. We were listening to music on an iPad when our iPhone rang, and as soon as we answered, the audio seamlessly transferred to the call, pausing the content on the iPad in the process. When the call ended, the iPhone handed control back to the iPad, and the music resumed. This sort of automated convenience would be lost if you weren’t nestled in Apple’s walled garden. We really cannot recommend the AirPods Max unless you have at least one compatible Apple device to make the most of it.
Speaking of which, phone call quality is superb, and even with the air conditioning running, the other person could hear just fine.
Is the AirPods Max Worth the Money?
It’s difficult to give a universal answer when considering if what you get for the $550 asking price is worth it or not. There’s no doubt that the sum of the parts that make up these headphones is worth the money. However, what the AirPods Max offers is worth the money depending on what you need.
If you need all-purpose daily-driver headphones, then it’s hard to think of another set of headphones that tick all the boxes this well. The noise cancellation and transparency modes make this an incredibly practical set of phones. Controlling them is intuitive, and the audio reproduction is excellent by any measure, if not the best at all costs.
If you’re already using one or more Apple devices, but especially using multiple ones, the AirPods Max is so slick and integrated that any other wireless headphones feel like a chore to use.
The bottom line is that the AirPods Max are certainly worth their price; they offer more than enough to justify it. But whether it’s justified for every user depends on how much that user values it as a total package.
