AirPods Max

W Wantek Joe Steve · reviewer

Verdict: For dedicated iPhone/Mac/iPad users who value ecosystem magic, AirPods Max are compelling. For multi-platform users, weight-conscious individuals, and call-centric professionals, the Bose 700 is a more practical choice.

A AppleInsider AppleInsider · 828K subscribers · Mar 2026

This is actually super cool. I've never noticed it until I start paying attention. Like you adjust the volume, and then after a while, it starts doing it for you. The volume ends up just being perfect. It's been automatically adjusted for you, and then you realize you never need to change anymore. Just so cool. And we have gestures.

S SoundGuys Adam Molina · reviewer

Check out our short video below to help see if the AirPods Max are worth it for you. While the video was made in 2022, many of the same concerns are still relevant in 2024.

A Andru Edwards Andru Edwards · 660K subscribers · Mar 2026

the original airpods max had very solid anc but this is definitely on a different level and it should be because it's been six years since the originals

M Medium Article

I wore them around my house like a king with his new crown, playing tracks I had heard a hundred times but swearing they sounded brand new.

H HotshotTek HotshotTek · 427K subscribers · Apr 2026

But yeah, these are the Max 2 in that new midnight color.

P Pete Matheson Pete Matheson · 319K subscribers · Dec 2023

The sound from the AirPod Max is richer. There's more clarity. And I did even try and tweak this with the Bose EQ inside the Bose app, but I couldn't get it to sound as clear as the AirPod Max's, especially in the Lincoln Park where everything's just really loud, but you can still hear separation in the instruments.

6 6 Months Later 6 Months Later · 299K subscribers · Aug 2022

In my opinion, the AirPods. Max are one of the best products to come out of Apple in several years. And after a year and a half of using them, I'm gonna tell you why I think they're brilliant, and what I think some people get wrong about them. So let's revisit the AirPods Max and the first thing I think people get wrong when looking at the AirPods Max is their smart case.

A Aaron X Loud and Wireless Aaron X Loud and Wireless · 163K subscribers · Mar 2026

It definitely sounds better for videos, movies, and games. Listen to the samples and let me know if you can hear the difference between these three products. To compare their sound quality to other headphones and earbuds, go to louderwithles.com/soundsamples.

S Super* Review Super* Review · 121K subscribers · Jan 2021

I think this is a much better sounding headphone than those. But we'll talk a little bit more about sound. Um, I'm going to warn you ahead of time. This is going to be probably a little bit of a long review. I've got quite a few different things to talk about with this headphone.

F Forbes Rebecca Isaacs · reviewer

Read on to learn why the upgrades may be worth your investment.

K Krizia Official Krizia Official · 120K subscribers · Jun 2023

Beautiful box that it comes in. Obviously has some great packaging considering the price tag that we paid for them. First, let's talk about why I decided to purchase them. I've been thinking about buying these headphones for a long time. I've actually really always wanted overear headphones. Just to say this, I am not the type of person who really spends on things like this.

T Tech Dad Tech Dad · 60.8K subscribers · May 2026

And I'm actually glad I got these because so far, they are crazy good. And they're good for lots of reasons, mind you. So, at work, I'm in meetings all day, I take Teams calls, and I'm in a cubicle environment where everyone is talking on calls. So, I really welcome that noise cancellation. I also do a lot of gaming at home, and it's really nice to have pair of headphones for that.

R RecordingNOW RecordingNOW · 26.9K subscribers · Apr 2026

Now, over time we do update scores as we do more tests, more head-to-head comparisons, and where I stand with the AirPods Max is that despite its weight, it's actually more comfortable than you would think because of this headband mesh design, which does a great job to reduce the top of head pressure to virtually nothing.

P phototristan phototristan · 18.7K subscribers · May 2025

And I do kind of think that these have a slightly better sound quality than the old AirPods Max, but it's very close. It's very similar. Certainly compared to something like the AirPods Pro, the current AirPods Pro, these are going to be better because they have a much larger driver. So, the bass is a lot more impactful.

G George Mattock George Mattock · 8.6K subscribers · Apr 2025

Firstly, the AirPods Max 2 have the best Apple ecosystem auto switching I've ever seen from any device ever. When you've got them on your head and you're using them on a phone call on your iPhone, you sit down to your Mac and you want to switch that call, instantly happens like clockwork. Nothing goes missing. It just switches automatically.

S Seif Buys Seif Buys · 6.1K subscribers · Jun 2025

I'm Safe and today I want to talk about why I still prefer using the 5-year-old AirPods Max over the brand new Sony WH100XM6. Is this to say that I prefer everything about the AirPods Max over the Sony's? No.

M Martin Krencey Martin Krencey · 2.1K subscribers · Feb 2026

But I kind of like it. I kind of do. Uh, so let's pull them out of their case. This is a nice paper cover. Can I pull it out without destroying it in case I want to need to return it in a nice way? I don't think I can. I don't think you you can actually do it in a nice way. I can try, but I don't think Oh. Oh, I did. Wow. Nice. Yeah. So, here they are. It's a bit of a pearly color.

S Samuel Philip Airey Samuel Philip Airey · 1.7K subscribers · Mar 2026

To be honest, I would argue it's one of the best sounding headphones that you could buy. You just hear every single instrument that is being played within the song. And the clarity is really good. The bass is not like very punchy, but you definitely have a bit of bass there. You can definitely jam to some really good house music with this.

N No BS Tech No BS Tech · 1.6K subscribers · May 2025

I want to make sure you get the best pair there is out there. Anyway, let's continue. All right, so the box was pretty good. The build quality was good. So, now it's time for the real test. Let's pair these. And then, of course, we'll do an audio test. There we go. Here they are. So, my iPhone actually thinks that these are real AirPod Maxes.

Apple AirPods Max Review - Buy if you are deep in Apple’s ecosystem and want a premium-feeling over-ear with excellent sound, best-in-class transparency and standout Spatial Audio; skip or consider Sony/Bose alternatives if you need longer battery life, a lighter fit, stronger Android feature parity, or full EQ and ANC level controls.

T Tech Gear Talk Tech Gear Talk · 606K subscribers · Jul 2025

And I'm always aware of the possibility of something piercing the mesh headband, and more on this later. next we got some airport chaos and these go on my head as soon as I go through security. One thing that I immediately appreciated is that I can finally charge these with the same keyboard that I use for my iPhone 16 Pro, my iPad, and my MacBook Pro. no more lightning cables in my tech pouch.

A Aaron x Loud and Wireless matthew tjen · reviewer

Somehow the Max 2 feels more like a Max 1.5 because it’s literally the same headphones brought up to speed with the current gen features, and the performance upgrades feel rather incremental instead of a big leap.

T This is Tech Today This is Tech Today · 502K subscribers · Apr 2026

I'm a little bit worried about the longevity of this. The one thing that I do love is that this version does have a USB-C cable instead of a lightning cable on there. And if you want to, you can still remove the ear cups. And in order to put it into sleep mode, you still have to put it into the the little case, the the bra as some people would call it.

C cedricchase.com Cedric Monroe · reviewer

Apple’s latest addition to the AirPods line, the AirPods Max hit all of their usual checkboxes: Top-tier build quality and questionable (at best) value for cost.

C Custom Adventurist Custom Adventurist · 431K subscribers · Sept 2025

I'm actually so impressed right now. Okay, I've got the two pairs of headphones right here in front of me and I'm going to be pairing them to my phone cuz I want to see what the pairing process is like. This is a fake and this is the real. Let's do this. Okay, first we're going to start with the original. I think you just open this and then I'm pretty sure, yep, they should pull up just like that.

I tested both the AirPod max and the Bose QC ultras, personally found the AirPods to be super heavy and fell off easily, sound was similar.

S SoundGuys SoundGuys · 323K subscribers · May 2025

The case for the XM6 will keep the headphones dry and scratch-free, whereas the AirPods Max case is simply awful. The smart case for the AirPods Max doesn't protect the headband at all and the case functions as a power onoff button which can get annoying fast. Both headphones are built to last as you can easily replace the ear pads on both of them thankfully.

C Cult of Mac D. Griffin Jones · reviewer

Pros: Excellent audio quality and ANC Same exquisite design as before Advanced software features like Adaptive Audio and Live Translation

E EL JEFE REVIEWS EL JEFE REVIEWS · 153K subscribers · Apr 2026

So, on paper, this is a massive upgrade. But, paper specs and real-world experience are two very different things. So, let me break it all down. So, let's start with design and build quality. And I'll be straight with you. If you've seen the original AirPods Max, you've seen these. Apple didn't change the physical design at all.

S SoundGuys Christian Thomas · reviewer

Though that’s not a guarantee that you’ll agree, the general consensus seems to be that both are decent headphones.

T Tom’s Guide Tom’s Guide · 151K subscribers · Mar 2026

They didn't. Not one. Same weight, same case, same battery story.

M Marques Brownlee fireflys-light · owner · Dec 2020

The mix of convenience and sound quality seems like it's unrivaled, although I wish they did fix that case issue.

T Tech Fowler Tech Fowler · 141K subscribers · Apr 2026

Here's the thing, they sound better, the noise canceling is better, the features are finally up to date, but at the same time, they feel almost exactly the same as the originals from 2020. So, the big question is, are these actually worth the price and more importantly, should you upgrade? Let's find out.

T TechGearLab Chris McNamara · reviewer

So if your goal is great, clear calls, then the Max 2 is a hands down favorite.

S Scott McKenna Scott McKenna · 72.6K subscribers · Apr 2026

After spending some time using them and a lot of experience with the original AirPods Max, I have some pretty strong thoughts. Some things Apple improved, some things they didn't change at all, and one issue that's frustrating enough that I'm probably going to return them yet again.

S Sohail Abdulla Sohail Abdulla · 8.3K subscribers · Jan 2026

Don't get me wrong, these are still really great headphones, but when you hold one in each hand, there is no question that the AirPods Max have the superior build.

L Luis Gonsalez Luis Gonsalez · 2.7K subscribers · Jul 2026

And I genuinely wasn't sure they could. That's the question I want us to sit with together through this first impression. Because here's the thing, I don't have a full answer yet. 24 hours really isn't enough to render a verdict, but it is enough to have your assumptions shaken. And mine definitely were. So, here's how the first 24 hours have gone with these headphones I never expected to own.

I ItsTechCoded ItsTechCoded · 38 subscribers · Dec 2025

I've been using the AirPods Max for about eight months now, and honestly, I don't think that they're necessarily worth the big price tag, and I'm going to break down why. So, let's talk about what's good, what's not so good, and if you should spend your money on these. First of all, the color.

S ShoAndTech ShoAndTech · 71.9K subscribers · Apr 2026

And over the next 72 hours, I'll give you guys a running review of what I think of the new AirPods Max. But first and foremost, let's unbox these. I'm not expecting anything too crazy because as far as I know, the design hasn't changed at all.