There was a lot of controversy about whether the AirPods Max is worth the money. The debate has not stopped until now, because no one has found a definite answer. And the question of value turned out to be very individual. In this article we have broken down the reasons why you should think about buying full-size headphones from Apple.
Assembly and comfort of use
For people who spend quite a bit of time wearing headphones, comfort and build quality are definitely key factors in choosing a particular model.
Like all Apple products, the AirPods Max features quality materials. No flimsy plastic in the headband of the headphones, they are made of stainless steel with a rubber coating. The steel telescopic arcs are tight and hold their size well. The anodized aluminum cups have spring hinges that make the headphones fit better and don’t put as much pressure on the sides.
AirPods Max features interchangeable ear cushions with magnets that are easy to replace when they wear out. They are made of memory foam and while they may look a little bulky, the fit is exceptionally comfortable. In addition, their mesh structure provides a degree of breathability, which helps reduce sweating. There are also optical and position sensors on the ear cushions that will pause the content being played if you remove the device or move one of the cups away from your ear.
The headphones themselves weigh 385 grams and you can feel it, especially when you put them on for the first time. But the knitted dome of the headband does a great job of distributing this weight, providing maximum comfort.
H1 Processor
The advanced processors in AirPods Max are responsible for active noise cancellation, adjusting the sound depending on the position and fit of the headphones. Recall that H1 supports Bluetooth 5.0 and is responsible for Siri voice activation. In addition, it is a key component that integrates AirPods Max into the Apple ecosystem.
As with the AirPods, the processor supports standard pairing and seamless audio switching between devices connected to your iCloud account. If you’re listening to music from your iPhone, and then pick up your iPad to start watching videos, AirPods Max can automatically switch, starting to play sound from the second device. Of course, all of this functionality can be adjusted completely individually.
Apple estimates the battery life of its gadget at around 20 hours, which is considered sufficient for everyday use. Ultimately, the results will depend on the use of active noise cancellation mode and volume level.
Sound features
Apple knows how to make great sound for headphones, just the kind of sound that’s right for the mass market. Although their product is in some ways inferior to their high-end wired counterparts, through Bluetooth the sound of the AirPods Max is amazing.
The headphones use a system the company calls computational sound. Advanced software and hardware solutions compensate for the limitations imposed by physics. One such solution is Adaptive EQ. It adjusts the sound depending on the position of the head and the user’s surroundings. AirPods Max’s sound profile is well balanced, not overly aggressive with respect to high and low frequencies. Even at higher volumes, the sound is clear and distortion-free.
Noise Cancellation
One of the main reasons people use over-the-ear headphones is noise cancellation. In this aspect, Apple offers great features. In a home or office environment, even the AirPods Max’s passive noise cancelling works great, but the active mode should only be turned on at medium to high noise levels. It is good at suppressing most of the sounds, leaving only what sounds at the top of the frequency spectrum.
The headphones also work great in transparency mode. Turning it on allows the microphones to pick up sound from the outside, which is processed and amplified into your ears. This allows you to hear all the sounds around you, but in a way that is not distracting.
Spatial Sound
Like AirPods Pro, AirPods Max supports spatial audio that works with video content encoded in 5.1, 7.1 and Dolby Atmos. Spatial sound itself is a useful effect that tracks the position of the user’s head in relation to the sound source. If you turn your head to one side, the sound changes slightly, as if the sound were coming from the physical location of the speaker. It is true that there are few online platforms that support such functionality, in particular Apple TV.
Final thought
The main question of purchase is the price. It is formed from many parameters. The first of these is materials. And here there are no better headphones than the AirPods. There are many more affordable options, but there is not a single model that will offer the same set of features.
The cost of the device is acceptable if you care about rich functionality, unusual design and comfortable use of the device in the Apple ecosystem. In that case, AirPods Max will definitely not disappoint.
