AirPods Max

Tazium

You'd want a super collection of material with the highest/truest form of high fidelity. Most streaming services give a range of audio quality options but are all based on lossy codecs right? No matter how good the headphones are they can't produce sound that isn't part of the encoding. Still, choice is good and these are likely to be built well, feel premium but also place a mugging target on anyone walking around with them.

Creamy Goodness

Tazium wrote: »

but also place a mugging target on anyone walking around with them.

Exact same was said of corded EarPods when iPods/iPhones came about, apart from some scaremongering at the initial launch by newspapers it came to nothing.

Don't know about you but me personally won't wear over-the-ear headphones out in public they remove me too much from my environment and think they're much more suited to home/office/plane use.

Tazium

Creamy Goodness wrote: »

Exact same was said of corded EarPods when iPods/iPhones came about, apart from some scaremongering at the initial launch by newspapers it came to nothing.

Hopefully same with these too. It'd be an awful experience for a wearer to have them taken by a passing nefarious cyclist.

Creamy Goodness wrote: »

Don't know about you but me personally won't wear over-the-ear headphones out in public they remove me too much from my environment and think they're much more suited to home/office/plane use.

Completely agree.

Gregor Samsa

Gregor Samsa wrote: »

That reminds me of when Homer Simpson goes to buy the really expensive car and asks "What advantages does this motor car have over say... a train. Which I could also afford."

There's not many folk going to be standing there with a pair of Sennheiser HD650s (open back, neutral reference headphones with no other functionality) in one hand and a pair of AirPod Max (closed back, noise cancelling headphones full of audio processing and other gizmos) in the other wondering which to buy. Certainly not many people who know what they're holding in their hands. Despite the fact that they're roughly the same shape and sound comes out of them, both are designed to do very different things, and neither will excel at the other's strengths.

HD650s are class-leading stereo reference open back headphones. The APMs aren’t even trying to be that. Two different markets.

But yeah, technically, you can compare any two things. Cars and bikes, cats and dogs, apples and oranges.

Spoken like Tim Cook.
I’ve seen/heard well respected YouTube unboxers compare them in comments.

Gregor Samsa

Bam Bam Mickey wrote: »

Spoken like Tim Cook.

Not sure what you mean.

On one hand we have an industry standard wired, open back, reference headphone, specifically designed for neutral audio reproduction. The kind of thing you'd wear in a recording studio, or with an amp and EQ, at home with a decent sound system. Wearing them on a bus or a plane would make little sense.

On the other we have a wireless, surround sound, noise cancelling headphone with microphones for calls. The kind of thing you'd wear out and about environments, or watching a movie with surround/Atmos audio, taking calls, etc. Mixing audio with them would make little sense.

Regardless of price or anything else, they are aimed at very different uses. I'm not promoting or knocking one or the other. They're just different things. It's not that hard to understand.

peteeeed

Lots of full reviews up
https://www.cnet.com/news/airpods-max-review-the-price-hurts-but-they-are-excellent/

peteeeed

https://twitter.com/appleinsider/status/1339194077057835008?s=20

Gregor Samsa

MKBHD review.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gvvo6vUpJRc

whippet

after reading that review - I now want a pair - don't know why .. I just do

murpho999

They're nice headphones no doubt but three things turn me off.

The price and the case, which is ridiculous and completely impractical and finally sticking with lightening when other Apple products are going to USB-C

Gregor Samsa

The case is a mess, for sure. I'd say we'll see better 3rd party cases pretty soon - if it's just a magnet that turns them off, it won't be too onerous. Adds to the price, of course, so still not ideal.

It's funny how the same company can get the likes of the AirPod charging case so right, and this so wrong. It must be deliberate.

elgriff

That mint color in video is horrible

Cirrus Incus

Sound quality is equivalent to a $100 wired headphone according to this audiophile reviewer. Even people just streaming Spotify Premium will notice the difference. I'm more inclined to believe an enthusiast like this over those big tech YouTubers getting brown envelopes from Apple.

Creamy Goodness

Which youtubers are getting brown envelopes?

peteeeed

has anyone in the boards.ie universe got a pair ? ( i know that sounds wrong)

peteeeed

ive always when it comes to audio /visual always trusted what hifi (maybe i'm wrong )

https://www.whathifi.com/reviews/apple-airpods-max

Deep Thought

Like most I am an apple fan.

Price is crazy

I travel Long haul a bit and Currently have XM3, have had all the Bose aswell

My question.. when I am on the plane, I have to plug into the entertainment system via the cable not wireless.

Has anyone seen a cable port for this to function on the AirPods Max? I can’t see one?

FourFourRED

Deep Thought wrote: »

Like most I am an apple fan.

Price is crazy

I travel Long haul a bit and Currently have XM3, have had all the Bose aswell

My question.. when I am on the plane, I have to plug into the entertainment system via the cable not wireless.

Has anyone seen a cable port for this to function on the AirPods Max? I can’t see one?

https://www.apple.com/ie/shop/product/MXK22ZM/A/lightning-to-35mm-audio-cable-12m-white

Deep Thought

FourFourFM wrote: »

https://www.apple.com/ie/shop/product/MXK22ZM/A/lightning-to-35mm-audio-cable-12m-white

Ahh.. nice one

eeloe

Anyone managed to snag a pair anywhere yet?

Keep looking but never in stock on Apple or Compub, crazy lead times all round.

djdunny

Deep Thought wrote: »

Like most I am an apple fan.

Price is crazy

I travel Long haul a bit and Currently have XM3, have had all the Bose aswell

My question.. when I am on the plane, I have to plug into the entertainment system via the cable not wireless.

Has anyone seen a cable port for this to function on the AirPods Max? I can’t see one?

I treated myself to one of these last year as I do a bit of long haul travelling.

https://www.apple.com/ie/shop/product/HNNT2ZM/A/twelve-south-airfly-pro-bluetooth-transmitter?fnode=f5f5531cf6dcfd4bed12762c1dfa829af1e939c6c9ce87765963bbd851c09bf1167a76769dd141b88fb5f701bf78c5c0b3a655c51ceebf4fd29ff25bf37359504c0a28ce5fd36646edaead43d40598705302a59ec77461b09532d2a1e82a6087315d284e79ec439f796eddff3b5fa64d5c27c6e4c5c276a9fef44213e85a7e08

eeloe

There’s a pair on adverts.

Have been up for 2 weeks, chap was asking €800 for them, sealed.

Currently trying to get them off him for retail.

Pacifico

eeloe wrote: »

There’s a pair on adverts.

Have been up for 2 weeks, chap was asking €800 for them, sealed.

Currently trying to get them off him for retail.

You got nicely caught there!

eeloe

Pacifico wrote: »

You got nicely caught there!

Excuse me?

Doodah7

Pacifico wrote: »

You got nicely caught there!

??

Ehh I think he is trying to BUY them not sell them...

Found the adverts listing. I wouldn't waste my time with the likes. Obviously bought them hoping to cash in and now that he is left holding the baby, he is going to abuse apple's returns policy.

I for one have noted this seller for the future.

He hasn’t sold anything under that name before or again. Lol

whippet

i've just ordered a pair of the Space Grey - spur of the moment decision. Hoping to see them in a few weeks but not holding out hope that stock will arrive anytime soon

whippet

And --- luck would have it ... they arrived just now !!!! no waiting for me.

Went to set them up but not a dicky bird ... then realised I need to update the phone to iOS 14.3.

So that is just installing now - seems to be taking a while for a small update.

On first impression they feel and look nice - glad I went for the Space Grey as opposed to Blue. They are noticeably heavier than my Surface Headphones .. but feel far better built. The crown and button on it feel secure. the case isn't as bad I thought it would be - its more a protective cover than a case and is the same material as the Smart Keyboard cover on my iPad Pro. The headband feels ok and the cushions feel like they won't be as sweaty as what the Surface ones are made of.

As for sound etc ... i'll head out for a walk with the dogs as soon as my phone updates !

Pacifico

Where/when did you order?

whippet

Pacifico wrote: »

Where/when did you order?

I ordered yesterday ... not from a retailer ... but through a solutions provider that we have an account with