AirPods Max Review
My one-month review of Apple's high end AirPods and some quick bytes from the past week in tech.
Hey, hi, hello! Hope you enjoyed the inaugural edition of Ben’s Bytes and thanks for subscribing to read more. It was a busy week in Apple World with embargoes lifting and reviews being published for the products announced last week. I do not have those products so I am reviewing something Apple released in 2020, plus some quick bytes from the past week in tech. Let’s go…
Quick Bytes from this week in tech:
🔴 iOS 15.4 Release
If you have a red dot in your settings app, I implore you not to skip this software update. Apart from the usual new emojis and security updates, iOS 15.4 has the ability to unlock your iPhone with Face ID while wearing a mask! Arguably, this feature is two years too late given that mask mandates are ending in most jurisdictions, but I love it. Face ID will now scan and analyze the unique features around your eyes to identify you. In my use, it works way better than Apple’s previous fix which allowed you to unlock your iPhone while wearing a mask, if you were also wearing an Apple Watch. On the Mac OS 12.3 update front, Apple has finally released its Universal Control feature that lets you use your Mac’s keyboard and mouse or trackpad to control your iPad. It is probably the coolest software feature Apple has released in years, but I’m still trying to figure out the use case in my workflow.
📸 Instagram & NFTs
In a chat at SXSW, Mark Zuckerberg let slip that Meta plans to introduce NFTs on Instagram “in the near term”. While this announcement came with very few details, I think it is a natural fit with Instagram’s content (as opposed to Twitter’s forced NFT profile picture feature). The best use case of NFTs today is in the form of digital art and I can imagine Instagram adding the ability to post NFTs and see ownership or even being able to mint your IG photo as an NFT! Plus, Meta’s overall interest in NFTs makes sense given their vision of a lucrative metaverse world with digital goods.
✔️ Apple Review Week
It was a busy week in the Apple-sphere for reviewers who got the chance to play with Apple’s latest and greatest. Linking to some of my favourite site’s reviews for each product below. While most of the new products got rave reviews, the new 27” Studio Display (specifically its webcam) got a resounding thumbs down from all reviewers I saw. Apple says a fix is coming in a pending software update, but I haven’t seen such consistent negative reviews for a new Apple product since Apple Maps…
🎧 AirPods Max Review:
Before I get into my review, I should disclose that I am not an audiophile. I probably could not tell the difference between HD versus regular streaming quality, but I love great noise cancellation and love high-quality tech products; the AirPods Max are both. I’ve had the AirPods Max for over a month and these are my thoughts on their sound, design and whether they’re worth the $779 sticker-shock price.
I was an early-adopter of AirPods, rocking the first generation after their release, and upgrading to the AirPods Pro in January 2020. For anyone who has used AirPods, they will tell you that the easiest thing about them is the initial set-up. Just open the AirPods case and hold them close to your nearest Apple device and a magical pop-up appears to pair. Within a few seconds, they are paired to all your Apple devices where you are signed into iCloud. The AirPods Max are no different and I was listening to podcasts through them in a few seconds. They also switch seamlessly between my Apple devices as I rotate usage throughout the day.
Without a doubt, these are the most comfortable pair of headphones I have ever used.
The AirPods Max are extremely well made and have a hyper-premium feel. I opted for the Space Grey colour (boring!), but they do come in a nice variety of colours that match well to some of Apple’s recent product offerings. Without a doubt, these are the most comfortable pair of headphones I have ever used. Past pairs of Beats Studios and my Xbox Stereo gaming headset start to hurt the top of my head after 30 minutes of wearing. I have been wearing these for 5+ hours at-a-time while I work-from-home for both music/podcast and video calls. This is in large part due to the soft, knit mesh canopy headband that resembles the texture of the equally expensive HermanMiller Heron Chair. You can adjust the Max’s size to your head with beautiful stainless steel retractable arms that extend from the mesh headband. These are extremely sturdy and make every other plastic headphone I’ve used feel cheap. My favourite feature is the volume knob, that resembles the Digital Crown dial on the Apple Watch - it’s very satisfying to turn the volume up and down. One nice surprise is that the foam ear pads are magnetic and removable… a repairable Apple product, that’s a true shocker!
Again, I am not an audio expert, but I know what I like, and the audio quality on these is amazing. The noise cancellation is excellent, and I first put these to use on a five-hour flight. Immediately, all the usual white noise of an airplane disappeared to beautiful silence as I binge-watched The Sopranos. The noise cancellation is so excellent that my girlfriend sometimes scares the crap out of me when she taps me on my shoulder whilst I am working throughout the day. It is easy enough to turn off the noise-cancellation mode, by clicking the other button on the right ear cup to switch to “Transparency” mode. The AirPods Max also offer Spatial Audio, a feature that simulates object-based surround sound like Dolby Atmosphere - it makes you feel like you are in a 3D space and it is so cool for media apps that support it. Further, I have never had my pair die on me - Apple claims a 20 hour battery life - and they charge with the same Lightning connector that juices your iPhone.
Now for the annoyances. First off, the case. Oh boy, I don’t know what the vaunted Apple Design team was thinking. The case is a flimsy soft fabric that only/barely covers the aluminum ear cups. While this ensures they won’t get scratched, it offers no protection for the headband which is arguably the most likely thing to get damaged. I was actually a little worried while storing them in my carry-on bag. For insult to injury, at launch, there were many memes comparing the look of the carrying case to a bra from Victoria’s Secret. Carrying on the classic Apple-disdain for power buttons, there is also no way to turn the AirPods Max “off”. You can only turn them to a “low power” mode by setting them down for five minutes or putting them in the awful case. Plus, there is no 3.5 mm headphone jack, so if you want to plug these into something, you’ll need to spend $45 for a Lightning to 3.5 mm cord.
Now, there are other excellent noise cancellation headphones in the market that will cost you ~$200 less than these bad boys and will serve you well. I routinely read rave reviews about the Sony 1000XM4s and the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700. AirPods Max are definitely not the best headphones for most people. That said, they offer top notch comfort and feel, sound wonderful and offer unique Apple features like Spatial Audio and easy device switching. If you are fully intwined in the Apple ecosystem, want the best sounding headphones for under $1,000, and want to feel a little luxurious while doing so… these might be for you!
That’s a wrap folks! Hope you all have a great weekend, feel free to share any feedback, and stay tuned for the next edition!
Interesting read - I may consider upgrading my current AirPods to the AirPods Max!