Between them, these processors analyse information coming in from eight microphones dotted around and inside the headphones (there’s also a ninth microphone for picking up your voice, which comes through very clearly on calls) to not only actively block outside noise but also tailor the sound in real-time to the fit and seal around your ears. On the technology front, Apple has installed one of its H1 chips in each of the earcups. The lack of bundled accessories makes the AirPods Max look like rather poor value for their price, but Apple would presumably claim that what you’re paying for is technology, engineering and, ultimately, the quality you don’t get anywhere else. Even then, the AirPods Max won’t work in passive mode: if the battery’s dead, the headphones are useless. If you want to use the headphones in a wired capacity (with a console controller or in-flight entertainment, perhaps), the only way to do so is with the optional £35 ($35, AU$55) Lightning-to-3.5mm cable. The fact that you can get a decent amount of use out of a very short charge is particularly valuable considering Apple hasn’t found its way to including an audio cable in the box, either. But we find it hard to imagine many people discovering it to be not long enough – particularly as our testing suggests it’s a fairly conservative figure. That’s significantly less than you get from the Sony XM5 and B&W Px8 (both offer 30 hours) and particularly the Sennheiser Momentum Wireless 4, which offers 60 hours. In terms of overall battery life, Apple quotes around 20 hours of use from a full charge. If you don’t already have one, you’ll want to budget for a USB-C charger – Apple’s 20W model will set you back £19 ($19, AU$29) but will ensure you can take advantage of fast charging for the AirPods Max (a five-minute charge gets you an hour and a half of listening with noise-cancelling switched on). One could also feel aggrieved at the lack of a bundled wall charger, although this is at least fairly typical of wireless headphones these days. Thankfully, a new case design is rumoured to accompany the highly anticipated (yet not confirmed) AirPods Max 2. That that is necessary is ridiculous, particularly given the price of the headphones. ![]() The case is still useful, in that it prompts the AirPods Max to enter an ultra-low-power mode that will apparently preserve the charge for months, but anyone intending to take them out of the house even occasionally will want to seriously consider investing in a third-party case that will protect the headphones as well as support their sleep mode. Buildįinishes x5 (space grey, pink, green, silver, sky blue) Holding the crown down invokes Siri, although by default the AirPods Max are also always listening for the ‘Hey Siri’ command. Twist it to increase or decrease volume, click to play/pause, double-click to skip forwards and triple-click to skip back. That said, when using the crown intentionally, it’s a tactile joy. The latter is a particularly neat and intuitive solution, although it is a little too easy to knock when adjusting the headphones, and its low resistance means you can accidentally adjust the volume by rather large degrees. Instead, on the top of the right-hand cup are two physical controls: a simple button for switching between noise-cancelling modes and a dial inspired by the digital crown of the Apple Watch. We've been living with the AirPods Max for almost two years now and regularly embark on long, uninterrupted listening sessions, and we never feel any discomfort or fatigue.Īpple has resisted the urge to integrate touch controls into the design of the AirPods Max, but has also, thankfully, not gone entirely hands-free. But, such is the effectiveness of the weight-distributing design, they really don’t feel heavy on the head and there are no pronounced pressure points. The premium materials make the AirPods Max significantly heavier than many alternative wireless headphones you might consider – at 385g, they weigh 135g more than the Sony XM5, for example, while the B&W Px8 are a smidge lighter at 320g. ![]() Between the cups and your head are memory-foam cushions that easily surround even the largest ears, creating a seal that’s both gentle and surprisingly effective at physically blocking out sound. The Sonys look and feel almost cheap compared with the Apples, which boast pristinely machined, single-piece anodised aluminium ear cups connected by a stainless-steel headband. Hand someone a pair of them together with a pair of Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones and they will have no trouble believing there’s a significant price difference between them. While the styling may not be to everyone’s tastes, there is absolutely no denying the quality of the materials and build of the Apple AirPods Max.
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