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AirPods Max 2

apple.com

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Re: AirPods Max 2

#31

Post by alstonite »

gottagocode wrote: post #16
alstonite wrote: post #7

My AirPods Max 1 left a headband dent in my skull from how poor the quality of the headband was after more than a year of daily use. They also are super heavy and don't travel well at all. Apple deciding that, on their 2nd refresh of these (after usb-c), they still aren't going to fix those fundamental issues is very frustrating for what feels like a very disproportionately expensive product (even by Apple standards)…

A literal dent in your skull?

Yeah. My bone grew around the two plastic pieces of the band because the mesh in the middle lost all of its springiness.

One day I felt my head and decided that I was switching as soon as a competitor refreshed.

Re: AirPods Max 2

#32

Post by gabeio »

Do they brick less? I bought a pair for my husband and after a year they were bricked, apple support basically told him to buy a new one. I will never waste my money on the max line ever again.

Re: AirPods Max 2

#34

Post by stego-tech »

No wireless lossless audio means these are a hard pass for me. I really expected Apple of all folks to figure that out since they engineer their entire stack, hardware to software, but they’re still just pushing the same bluetooth audio that my Airpods Pro 2’s consume (which are half the price and incredibly excellent). Sony’s LDAC is niche, but sounds objectively better to my ears than the AAC used on Apple’s kit when I opt to use my Walkman+XM4s.

As for wired listening? My XM4s sound okay wired in, and at home I’ve got critical-listening kit already. Adding a USB-C cable to the Max is not appealing given that 3.5mm already exists, USB-C cables are heavier than analog audio wires, and more corps block USB ports in general or mess with them in ways that corrupts the audio stack.

Give me wireless CD-quality audio and I’ll be a happy dinosaur. Until then, I have zero reason to upgrade what I currently have.

Re: AirPods Max 2

#35

Post by chaosmikey »

delduca wrote: post #9

I was about to buy the first one. Is it really worth the price? (I have AirPods Pro 2)

Depends on your use case, I need exceptional noise cancellation. These and Sony XM6's are top tier in that department. I would wait until they're $100 or more off on Amazon.

I had the Sony's but returned them after 3 days. I had this issue: https://corychu.medium.com/sony-wh-1000xm6-sound-terrible-wi... I went back to Apple.

Re: AirPods Max 2

#36

Post by valzam »

loloquwowndueo wrote: post #27
HumblyTossed wrote: post #17

I really don't understand how these are $549. As others have pointed out, some people say the head band is not great. Others say the sound is solid but not exceptional. What makes these worth that much when there are so many options?

This is Apple, my dude - the company that sells a glorified sock to carry your phone in for US $230. https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2025/11/introducing-iphone-po... That’s all you have to understand.

I think people are mainly confused because the AirPod Pros are quite competitively priced compared to other higher end offerings. The Max are so far off the market that it doesn't seem to make any sense and it seems unlikely that apple couldn't make up for lost margins with higher volume. Maybe they just literally can't/don't want to produce many of the Max and price them accordingly.

Re: AirPods Max 2

#37

Post by atonse »

loloquwowndueo wrote: post #27
HumblyTossed wrote: post #17

I really don't understand how these are $549. As others have pointed out, some people say the head band is not great. Others say the sound is solid but not exceptional. What makes these worth that much when there are so many options?

This is Apple, my dude - the company that sells a glorified sock to carry your phone in for US $230. https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2025/11/introducing-iphone-po... That’s all you have to understand.

I say this as someone who uses many Apple products, but still can't justify buying this. (I do have AirPods but have wanted headphones so I don't have to stick something into my ears)

If you try to understand this stuff outside the context of fashion, you'll go around in circles (as I did).

If you see this through the lens of "people will pay anything to signal various things to others" and "you can charge whatever the market will bear" then it all adds up.

Re: AirPods Max 2

#38

Post by secalex »

the-golden-one wrote: post #28
gottagocode wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A literal dent in your skull?

It’s not in the skull, it’s in the soft tissue on top of it. I’ve had the same dent after wearing them for a while, it comes out after a while.

Phew, that's a relief. Guess that's a reasonable compromise for a $550 product for which there are no other quality competitors.

Re: AirPods Max 2

#39

Post by mcs5280 »

HumblyTossed wrote: post #17

I really don't understand how these are $549. As others have pointed out, some people say the head band is not great. Others say the sound is solid but not exceptional. What makes these worth that much when there are so many options?

Because Apple

Re: AirPods Max 2

#40

Post by mbb70 »

HumblyTossed wrote: post #17

I really don't understand how these are $549. As others have pointed out, some people say the head band is not great. Others say the sound is solid but not exceptional. What makes these worth that much when there are so many options?

They are a luxury item, you are paying for the privilege of signaling you can afford $550 headphones. Generic black over-ear headphones could be $800, could be $80, useless for signaling. Doubly true in the context of a gift.
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