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"The AirPods Max are exquisitely crafted headphones designed for Apple lovers."

• Best-in-class ANC

• Amazing transparency mode

• Excellent workmanship

• Excellent sound quality

• First class call quality

• Charges via the Lightning cable

• Heavy on the head

I'm a headphone freak and have been for almost two decades. And, without a doubt, at $ 550, the Apple AirPods Max are the most fun headphones I've tested in 10 years – but that doesn't necessarily mean you should buy them.

I've heard a lot about these headphones over the past few weeks and now that I've got hold of a pair, I have to be honest: I disagree with a lot of what I've heard. I want to dig into these headphones not just from the perspective of someone who has tested headphones over the years, but also as a studio musician, fan of high-end sound, and a person who loves making smart purchases with hard-earned money. Let's examine what's good, what's great, and what's not about the AirPods Max, and of course, make some comparisons with the Sony WH-1000XM4 and the Bose ANC 700.

Build quality

The most noticeable design element when looking at the AirPods Pro are the metal ear cups. They sit comfortably in the hand – in fact, every part of these headphones feels good. The fabric material in the headband has a cool suspension, the telescopic part of the headband has a satisfactorily smooth movement, the ear cups are squishy and covered in a lush textile, and even the oversized digital crown and the noise-canceling / transparency mode can be toggled button feel good to turn and push. It's really amazing how comfortable it is to hold them.

Riley Young / Digital Trends

But as satisfactory as they are, they aren't called cell phones – they are called headphones, and they need to feel great on your head. For some users, the AirPods Max may feel perfectly fine. Deep auricles, breathable ear pads and a balanced clamping force help a little. The problem, however, is that there is a lot of weight to compensate for. Too much weight in my opinion. These materials are beautiful. This makes the AirPods Max feel super luxurious, but in practical terms, these headphones may be too heavy for some people. Especially if, like me, you wear headphones for hours.

To be clear, Apple has done an impressive job of reducing the stress on the crown and ears through clever engineering and materialsThis is one reason why headphones like the Sony XM4, Bose ANC700, and even the Bowers and Wilkins PX7 Carbon Edition are made from high-quality plastic and composites instead of metal: because they're good for acoustics and they're lightweight and comfortable.

Connectivity

Riley Young / Digital Trends

As you'd expect, the AirPods Max work best with Apple products. Not only do you instantly connect, but you can switch from one Apple device to another in no time. Another benefit is that you can use an iOS device to turn off ANC in the headphone section of the control panel, and you can actually play with the digital signal processor (DSP) over the accessibility section – which I'll mention again later when we talk about sound quality. Unfortunately, if you're an Android user, you lose all of that. As far as I can tell, there is no turning off the ANC or adjusting the DSP without an Apple device. For connectivity, AirPods Max win for Apple users, while Sony and Bose, which both have apps for both platforms with lots of customization options, win for everyone.

The oversized digital crown is awesome.

Control elements / interface

When it comes to controls, I have to give them to the AirPods Max. The oversized digital crown is awesome. It's easy to find if you're wearing headphones, and the volume knob is oddly enough to turn satisfactorily – you even hear a tiny click when you adjust the volume. The digital crown is also extremely accurate and grainy. I had no problem hitting my volume sweet spot, while with other headphones and volume controls, I'm always a click away from the volume that's too loud or too soft.

Riley Young / Digital Trends

Plus, an almost comically large button just for toggling between ANC and transparency modes is a spring in the cap of the AirPods Max. Again, finding the button while wearing the headphones is no problem, and pressing the buttons with satisfaction is a far better one Experience than holding your hand over the right ear cup of the Sony XM4 or looking for the right button on the Bose ANC 700. I used to think the swipe control thing was cool too, but now I'm kind of over it. The AirPods Max have simple controls for which headphones I want to use. This is the kind of thing Apple is doing right now.

Where is the power switch?

On the subject of battery life, charging times, and the fact that there's no power switch – this may surprise you: I don't have any problems with it. Let me finish

Some think the fact that the AirPods Max doesn't have a power button and can't actually be turned off completely is ridiculous. I do not think so.

The AirPods Max go into a power-saving mode after a short while when you put them down. In fact, I put it on my desk around 8 p.m. and picked them up the next day at 7 a.m. and they had laid off a measly 7%. With five minutes of charging, I can get that blackout and a lot more back, which gives you 1.5 hours of listening time.

When the AirPods Max aren't used for about 72 hours, they go into a kind of ultra-low power mode and use even less power. In practice, with such a slow power failure, it is hard to imagine that a power switch is absolutely necessary. Maybe when you keep it around your neck as a fashion accessory all day long? But even then, it's not like they drain quickly and die of you that day.

Riley Young / Digital Trends

For the claimed 20 hour battery life, I've found this rating to be conservative. With ANC, I've approached 25 uninterrupted hours of play and that's enough to take advantage of a few days before you have to think about recharging. So I'm fine with the battery life, even if the rating is about half that of the Sony XM4 – in real life it's perfectly fine.

I think the valuable thing about this always on standby strategy is that whenever you get a call or a Zoom call, they are ready to go. Just put them on and click to reply. I love that – it's far better than long-pressing a power button and waiting for the headphones to boot while the phone keeps ringing.

What I don't like is the USB-C lightning cable that comes with the headphones. I think it was a mistake to choose a flash when USC-C is a much more sensible choice.

It is not a case

Riley Young / Digital Trends

One area where I agree with other reviewers and commentators is what is called the "case" that comes with the AirPods Max. Since there are many others throwing away this "non-fall" as I call it, I don't feel the need to use more vitriol. It's not a case, it's not a shelter, and if it weren't for the magnets in it which are required to activate the ultra-low-power modeI would say throw it away.

The transparency mode is amazing.

ANC and transparency mode

I want to start with transparency mode because it's amazing – perhaps the most impressive feature of the AirPods Max. It's as close to NOT wearing headphones as I've ever heard it. Everything else pales in comparison.

I'm also looking forward to checking out active noise cancellation on a flight someday, as the AirPods Max, as far as I can tell, may just rule the skies. Since I'm not getting on planes yet, to test the headphones I tried the AirPods Max, Sony XM4, and Bose ANC 700 near some loud fans and an HVAC system. The AirPods Max did very well compared to the best noise-canceling headphones I tested.

Riley Young / Digital Trends

The AirPods Max make it even better every day. They sound like hammering a mechanical keyboard, sipping coffee, and other annoying things. I wore them to a coffee shop and was surprised at how little I heard of the espresso machine and general barista noises. Is it the best noise cancellation on the planet? I can not say it yet. I really have to get on a plane to be sure, but it's damn close. Close enough that I can't call the Sony XM4 the reigning champion anymore, now that there's another big dog on the hill. However, I'll say the AirPods Max won't make anyone crave for more noise cancellation.

Call quality

The AirPods Max are great for making phone calls and taking video conferences – even better than the Bose ANC700, which are great on their own. I found that ambient noise was very well muffled while the clarity of the voice was excellent. The AirPods Max are also very adept at dealing with wind noise.

Sound quality

Before I get into fidelity, I want to mention that I ran some testing with Spatial Audio which, if you're not familiar, is a 3D sound competitor to Dolby Atmos, DTS Headphone: X, and the like. I think it's fun to watch movies, but I'm less enthusiastic about the implementation for music. It's a cool feature, but not a selling point for me.

When it comes to audio fidelity, the AirPods Max sound really good. In particular, I think the midrange has great presence and clarity – something you won't get as much of on the Sony XM4 as the midrange has a bump that tends to clutter the vocal range.

Sony's mid-bass bump is also notable because it gives the XM4 more punch. In direct comparison to the AirPods Max, the Apple cans are less effective. That doesn't mean the AirPods Max lack solid bass. They actually get very deep – deeper than the Sony XM4 or Bose ANC 700 – so everything is sound there. I just noticed that the bass guitar was less prominent on a lot of the tracks I love listening to, and the kick drum had a little less punch than the XM4 and Bose headphones. As mentioned earlier, the more balanced mid-bass enables tThe excellent midrange response from Max.

"I found that Apple Music sounded better than Spotify with the Apple AirPods Max. "

In the high altitude region, cymbals and brass instruments sparkle very well, which I liked very much – sibilance or harshness are irrelevant here. I didn't see a particularly well-executed instrument separation, however, and as far as soundstage and imaging go, I think the AirPods Max are average.

In general, I feel a little closer to the music listening to the Sony XM4 and Bose ANC700, but I feel like hearing more detail with the AirPods Max, which are sure to be the most balanced of the three headphones I compared.

One interesting note: I found that Apple Music sounded better than Spotify with the Apple AirPods Max, and I suspect Apple is using the AAC codec (the only codec supported by the AirPods Max) during the MP3-based deployment from Spotify is more lossy. Another reason to delve into the Apple ecosystem for listening to music.

Riley Young / Digital Trends

I've noticed some have said that the AirPods Max sound better with the ANC off. I didn't think so. Maybe the frequency response is flatter, but I feel like the music is losing part of its life. I've also heard that adjustments to the DSP via the Accessibility menu in iOS could improve the sound, but honestly I like the way they sound instantly with the balanced setting and slight boost setting.

From an audio point of view, I like the AirPods Max very much, and I would like to continue listening to the AirPods Max a little longer, as I suspect that my preference for punch will wane over the weeks and months, but right now I prefer the Sony XM4 -Sound signature. However, this is a deeply personal preference. I can see why someone would prefer the sound of the Max in the long run, and I'll adjust this rating as I change my tune. You sound very good. Good enough to justify the $ 550 price tag.

As for the cool factor, there's no doubt that the AirPods Max have it in their spades, and there's no doubt that they are one of the most fun headphones I've had the chance to test out in many years.

Our opinion

The AirPods Max are near perfect, with top notch noise cancellation, the most remarkable transparency mode I've ever heard, balanced and detailed sound with lots of deep and musical bass, and a very top notch feel. My main complaints are its weight, which I fear won't work for hours of use, and the lack of a proper carrying case.

Is there a better alternative?

For a higher level of convenience, I would recommend considering the Sony WH-1000xm4, which offers competitive sound quality and noise cancellation, as well as superior battery life in a lighter headphone. The Sony also come with a legitimate carrying case and are more portable. Nevertheless, the AirPods Max are wonderful premium headphones with unmatched build quality.

How long will they last?

Given the excellent build quality just mentioned, I can imagine that the AirPods Max will last as long as the battery allows. They come with Apple's standard one-year warranty against manufacturer defects.

Should you buy it?

If you don't mind a heavier headset with a premium price tag then absolutely yes.

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