Apple New AirPods Max - Space Gray, US version

I took a chance and purchased the Air Pods Max because I’m a big fan of noise cancelling headphones and already own the Sony XM4 and the Bose QC35. Note: I used to own the Bose 700 but returned them because the head band was so tight it gave me headaches and I couldn’t wear it for more than 20-30 minutes. Here is my experience with each. Best Noise Cancelling: Air Pods Max Sony XM4 Bose QC35 I use all 3 headphones with televisions in the background, small children and outdoors. The Air Pods Max is very close to the XM4, I would rate it as a 10% difference – it’s almost tied. The QC35 on the other hand, I can hear faint television/small children in the background, even at high volume. Long Term Comfort: Bose QC35 Air Pods Max Sony XM4 Nothing will ever beat the QC35’s. I can wear them all day and take video and phone calls however, it does give me a slight disorientation effect and minor vertigo, similar to diving or moving to an elevated height (driving up a mountain for example). The Air Pods Max are comfortable, and the ear cups surround my large ears just like the QC35 however, there the clamp is noticeable – this may go away after some time; the clamp causes minor discomfort with glasses; I removed my glasses for the purpose of this short review and the discomfort has faded, even after 60 minutes of listening – it does clamp more than the QC35 and XM4s. Something to keep in mind is the XM4 earpads are not thick enough and my ear brushes against the speaker area; this also makes my ears get hot after 30 minutes and I eventually have to take a short break – this does not happen with the Air Pods Max – there is lots of room for my ears and the cushions are thick enough that my ears do not touch the speaker area. Microphone: Air Pods Max Bose QC35 Sony XM4 I completed several zoom video/audio calls, Facetime and regular calls. I asked my friends/family to compare my voice quality on each headset and every time, the Air Pods Max was the winner. Bose QC35 is still great in this department however – I was using them as my primary driver for calls prior to getting the Air Pods Max. The Sony XM4’s are below average; people cannot hear me clearly. In-fact, I stopped using them entirely for business calls because colleagues would make remarks about my microphone. They are ‘okay’ for personal calls, but not desirable for me at least. Synchronization: Air Pods Max Bose QC 35 Sony XM4 I place the Air Pods on my head and it immediately connects to my phone. I do not have to touch anything on either of my devices. When I place the Air Pods Max around my neck or left one ear cup, the music pauses. When I place both ear cups back on my ears, the music auto resumes. I tested this for several hours and it has never failed. As for the Bose QC35 and XM4’s, no matter if they both have multi device pairing, I am always having issues. Both headsets never switch to my other device without me having to manually disconnect 1 of 2 devices (the one I’m not using). This is frustrating and I hate doing this multiple times per day. Music Quality: Air Pods Max Sony XM4 Bose QC35 The Air Pods Max I would rate have 30% better music quality than the XM4. I tested Hip-Hop, Bossa Nova, Jazz, Classical, Deep House, D&B, Techno, Trip Hop, Dubstep and Lounge. The must is more engaging, and I can hear the instruments and vocals in more detail – an elevated musical experience. The biggest difference for me was Jazz, Classical, Bossa Nova and Salsa – I would say a 50% better listening experience for these genres. Build Quality: Air Pods Max Sony XM4 Bose QC35 Air Pods Max are easily the highest quality headphones I have handled; they look at and feel premium and are crafted exceptionally well – even the buttons are strong and durable; these are basically on another level entirely. When extending the headphones, there is a steel connector with resistance when adjusting the sizing to fit your head properly. The XM4/QC35 are hard plastic – nothing special or extravagant; the XM4 look better than the QC35 however. Spatial Audio Note: I was completely blown away when I loaded an Apple TV series on my phone to test the spatial audio feature. It felt like I had speakers surround me in a 360 fashion at the move theatres. I stood there for 5 minutes with my eyes wide opened in disbelief that headphones were capable of offering this level of experience. It is something that you have to try it to believe it. This is what sold me the most. --- Are the Air Pods Max worth the price? Based on my experience so far, I would say yes. I was actually expecting them to be close to the XM4’s, but on certain categories, they have accelerated immensely.

Title says all, best headphones on the market and on planet Earth. Big jump in bass versus the AirPods Pro. Noise cancellation are the best on the market, I don’t understand why people are comparing the AirPods Max and the Sony XM5, it’s not even in the same world. XM5 doesn’t even do that much of a great job at canceling noise, it gives you a headache after a few minutes. The AirPods Max, I can wear them for hours without feeling uncomfortable. The materials are top top notch. These headphones are meant to be used at home, not when you’re on the train, working out. That’s why there is no shut off button, if you put the headphones in the case each time, the battery life is amazing. Spatial audio is a game changer, and it should be the main reason you’re getting this headphone or the AirPods Pro. It blows everything else out on the market. If you’ve been inside an Acura vehicle with the ELS sound system, you will be pleased with this headphone as they sound similar. To all you never heard of the ELS sound system, it’s rated one of the best audio systems in a vehicle on the market. 10/10. Absolutely worth the money.

So first off let me let you guys all know that i was debating between these or the XM5. It was a really hard decision between the two. One deciding factor was that its part of the apple ecosystem so youll get the full support from the headphones. I also have the airpod pros and they by far surpass what i initially thought of them. • the bass on these are fantastic (XM5 are better in terms of quality of sound) but these were better from expectations, especially after reading reviews prior to the purchase • they are actually quality made which is why its so expensive, but i would recommend to buy a case for the them (like a silcone skin or something) so they dont scratch the metal part • the noise cancellation is really good it blocks out better than expected, but i knew that already since i have the airpod pros • the only downside to this was just the pricing, if it was a bit cheaper maybe 200 dollars cheaper than im pretty sure everyone would buy these. Overall if you are looking to spend money on these then go ahead, if not then get the XM5 if you are looking to budget. I will be looking to get those in the future. These are also aesthetically pleasing. 9/10 (just because of the pricing) but hey sometimes you have to treat yourself! They are also authentic and they were brand new in the box wrapped in its original packaging. I dont know why i saw some reviews saying they got scammed of fakes. They are 100% real.

I own all apple things. Totally worth the extra money. They sound fantastic, however special audio seems a little quiet to me. Bad is decent, overall sound is great. Well balanced imo. Can you get better sounding headphones for cheaper most likely. But it pares with all my apple things and that's more important to me than the slightly better sound. At the end of the day if I'm fighting to connect my headphones I won't use them much. This just works. And they do sound great! Very comfortable, maybe slightly on the heavy side, but a few hours of coding and they don't get uncomfortable. The solid feel makes up for the weight. If you want something that sounds great, and feels premium, as in you did not just spend a bunch of money on some plastic headphones. That's will satisfy that. If you are an audio snob, and have high end headphones get these for what they are. Easy to use, great consumer sound, with a premium feel. Don't compare to the headache of audiophile equipment.

I tested the Sony XM4, Bose QC45, and the Apple Airpods Max. The APM were much better for music quality and comfort, but lack in battery life. They are also terrible with MS teams. I had to switch to my old ear buds in meetings because nobody could hear me with the APM. The noise cancellation was close to zero. Amazon insists that these are not returnable and has hung up on me when I point out to them that they do not provide this information anywhere on their site.