461–470 of 1001 posts
> AirPods Max require Apple devices running iOS 14.3 or later, iPadOS 14.3 or later, macOS Big Sur 11.1 or later, watchOS 7.2 or later, or tvOS 14.3 or later. Wait, can these only be used on Apple devices? Or is there a Bluetooth fallback. I guess to spend so much you’d be a little crazy to just want a vanilla Bluetooth experience.
$549!? That puts it in the same price category as: Sennheiser HD660S, Audeze LCD-1, Beyerdynamic DT1770/1990, Grado RS2e, among many many others. Honestly, I don't understand why you would buy these when there are a lot of established professional audio companies offering better sound at a cheaper price. At least airpods have a unique selling point in their portability and ux but I don't see how this benefits over-ea…
It's a marketing tactic. The goal is to be unaffordable, this way people create goals to buy it and show off to their friends. This has been Apple's marketing since the 2000s. The product quality is secondary to the price. Even the users don't want everyone to afford it. They want to be seen as unique.
Oh, I find it fascinating how the audio gear industry has taught the consumers on how much money you are supposed to spend to have audio experience at certain level. Pay attention on audiophile arguments, they will talk in terms of money(i.e. 150$ headphones vs 500$ headphones) when talking about audio quality. I always find the audiophile market to be borderline fraud. They sell CD demagnetisers, ceramic cable lifte…
There's an exponential curve of cost vs quality. Buying in the bend is best. The difference between a $50 and $200 pair of headphones is staggering. From $200 to $500 is still significant. From $500 to $1000 is extremely slight. From $1000 to $5000 is basically unnoticeable. Apple looks to be using plastic driver cones more at home in a $30 pair of headphones while selling something at the inflection point where head…
How is this apparent by looking at the stock photos of the assembled product?
What factors make a better cone?
I know nothing about headphones, nor do I want to invest any time learning about headphones. I’ve had a bunch of Apple products that have never disappointed me in the last 10+ years. I’ll buy these overpriced headphones because an extra $200 for a product I’ll probably use for 5 years will not break my bank account.
(paraphrased) "I know nothing about the subject..." "Not gonna learn about other options..." "Apple doesn't disappoint me..." "I'll buy the overpriced stuff because I can afford it..." This Apple-blinkers comment is telling, and refreshingly honest. I'm sure there are other brands with that sort of attachment, but none that exemplify the phenomenon more.
I'm sure there are other brands with that sort of
attachment, but none that exemplify the phenomenon more.
Do you research evvvvvvvvvvvvvverything you buy? Toothpaste? Underwear? Toothpicks?
Ever order from Amazon even though something costs slightly more because you're not sure if the other retailer is trustworthy and you don't feel like spending an hour figuring out if Bob's Wholesale Toothpick Emporium is a site you can trust?
I don't know about you, but my life is a combination of things I have obsessively researched and stuff where I just sort of relied on the brand name. When I need a pair of pants I usually just buy Levis or something because they'll be fine. I've only got so many hours in my life and I don't really feel like becoming a... pants expert.
That bikini carry case... https://www.apple.com/newsroom/images/product/airpods/standa...
But I'd never want to carry my headphones in my hand. When not in use, when I'm out (say I'm about to check-out at the grocery store and don't want to be rude), they hang on my neck. I'm not going to want to carry around an empty carrying case at the same time that I'm using my device so that I can neatly put it away when NOT in use. Maybe overnight, if there's some benefit?
I suppose if they were in a suitcase, it could prevent damage? But airports are one of the main places I love over-the-ear headphones, so they wouldn't be in my bag. Also, if in a bag, you wouldn't want the carrying strap because it just adds bulk.
What would be the usable lifetime on these? Can the batteries be replaced?
My AirPods died recently. At $159 and 2 years of aggressive usage (probably 3-4 hours every average day), I think they paid nicely for their price. That should average for around $0.06/hour. If these have the same lifespan, they should average to $0.2/hour. A bit steep for me to "just buy it" or not consider other brands. But I'll wait for the reviews, it might be a good deal. Interestingly, I can't find any informat…
They'll still end up in a landfill somewhere. The batteries aren't replaceable, which makes them purely consumable with a 2-3 years lifespan at best (tiny ass batteries + heavy usage = multiple cycle a day).
Spending $549 on a battery powered gadget which will cycle several times a week and for which you can't get a battery replacement is such a weird move to me. This is peak planned obsolescence, battery powered + non serviceable should be an instant red flag to anyone.
For comparison, my dt770 and shure se215 are going on their 6th years with no sign of ageing whatsoever.
$549!? That puts it in the same price category as: Sennheiser HD660S, Audeze LCD-1, Beyerdynamic DT1770/1990, Grado RS2e, among many many others. Honestly, I don't understand why you would buy these when there are a lot of established professional audio companies offering better sound at a cheaper price. At least airpods have a unique selling point in their portability and ux but I don't see how this benefits over-ea…
>offering better sound at a cheaper price This is what drives me nuts about stuff like this. How can you even say that? There's no way that you've tried these headphones so how can you possibly say that? Apple has gotten rave reviews with regard to audio quality in the Airpods Pro and the Homepod and Homepod Mini so why wouldn't they take that expertise and put it into these?