New AirPods Max 2 thoughts ?

[jjk1]

Anyone have a set yet?

My initial thoughts after a few days.

Why I think the AirPods Max 2 are the best ANC headphones for me. (An apple user)

1. Dolby Atoms mixes on Apple Music. AM is my main music source so these make a lot of sense, and they work with Dolby set to automatically play the Dolby version when available.
2. The integration with Apple TV - head tracking, Dolby, Spatial Audio. It all just works.
3. They sound good.
4. They are not seal dependent on my head and are not affected by my glasses in any detectable way.
5. They are very comfortable and can be used with a hat. My ears fit inside the large cups.
6. They just roll to whatever Apple device I have in my hand, or in the case of TV - whatever I’m sitting in front of at the time.
7. Adaptive EQ keeps my EQ tweaking OCD at bay. I choose to believe that the FR is just fine
8. Wired via usb to an iPad or iPhone with noise cancellation on, and Bluetooth turned off takes the clarity up a notch when wireless is not needed. I believe that turning the BT off on a connected idevice disables BT on the headphone.
9. The noise canceling and transparency modes are very very good.

I’m looking forward to some professional reviews -

Anyone have a set of these? I’d love to read your feedback on these or other ANC headphones that support Dolby tricks for movies on google or Apple TV platforms because I believe this is where these headphones may stand out from the competition.
JJk

 

[Tell]

Looking at measurements of them it looks like they sound quite dull and sharp at the same time. Could probably be fixed with a quick EQ, but seeing that there's no proper EQ on an iPhone your stuck with what you get, and paying ~600 EUR for something like that will never happened. Well paying for any Apple device won't ever happened for me either so those airpods where never on the map anyways

 

[ryanosaur]

I don't think they changed anything from the original, did they?

In the gen1, you need to go to Settings/Accessibility/Audio & Visual
Headphone Accommodations: ON
Vocal Range: Moderate

This lands you almost spot on to the Harman curve. Whether that is your cup'o'tea or not... *shrugs

 

[IngMishael]

I’m looking forward to some professional reviews

The Headphone Show always has the best Wireless Headphone reviews when it comes to describing what is generally to be expected. look it up

 

[jjk1]

I don't think they changed anything from the original, did they?

In the gen1, you need to go to Settings/Accessibility/Audio & Visual
Headphone Accommodations: ON
Vocal Range: Moderate

This lands you almost spot on to the JBL curve. Whether that is your cup'o'tea or not... *shrugs

I never had the old version but the Max 2 has a new processor that reportedly expands the “Adaptive EQ” functionality to the entire audible range from what was limited to lows and mids on the old version. I think that’s likely the most significant change.

 

[Jiraya369]

I don't think they changed anything from the original, did they?

In the gen1, you need to go to Settings/Accessibility/Audio & Visual
Headphone Accommodations: ON
Vocal Range: Moderate

This lands you almost spot on to the JBL curve. Whether that is your cup'o'tea or not... *shrugs

what is the jbl curve?

 

[ryanosaur]

what is the jbl curve?

Edited above. I meant the Harman target curve.

 

[ShiZo]

I don't think they changed anything from the original, did they?

In the gen1, you need to go to Settings/Accessibility/Audio & Visual
Headphone Accommodations: ON
Vocal Range: Moderate

This lands you almost spot on to the Harman curve. Whether that is your cup'o'tea or not... *shrugs

How do you know the measurements with those settings? Sounds interesting

 

[Axo1989]

Looking at measurements of them it looks like they sound quite dull and sharp at the same time. Could probably be fixed with a quick EQ, but seeing that there's no proper EQ on an iPhone your stuck with what you get, and paying ~600 EUR for something like that will never happened. Well paying for any Apple device won't ever happened for me either so those airpods where never on the map anyways

Yawn.

 

[ryanosaur]

How do you know the measurements with those settings? Sounds interesting

Saw measurements of the original response and the modified. It’s been a few years since I bought them and I’m not finding that review, now.

 

[PeterOo]

Saw measurements of the original response and the modified. It’s been a few years since I bought them and I’m not finding that review, now.

I found this on ASR.
Apparently there were FRs in the Oratory database, but I cannot find it online anymore.

 

[ryanosaur]

I found this on ASR.
Apparently there were FRs in the Oratory database, but I cannot find it online anymore.

Nice. I forgot I even started a thread on that! Yes, that was what I was referring to as the source for that comment I made above.

Regardless, I hadn’t heard or read previously whether Apple redid/improved their response curve on the newest iteration. My understanding was they did not really change anything there: I have not wanted to replace my old gen 1 version, yet. More than anything, improving the raw curve is my main criteria for upgrading.

 

[Redacted]

All headphones are a mixed bag in my experience. What sounds or measures great will vary a lot from ear to ear.
So long as a user has compared a few, and chosen whatever sounds OK to them, and (importantly for me) is comfy to wear for more than 15 minutes, then you're good.

I'm slightly resistant to Apple Tax, but in the big picture of things, who cares!

I also can't be bothered faffing with EQ, as I have 3 sets of 'phones and 4 things I might to plug them into, not all EQ-capable, so all my phones are a compromise, just to be flexible. And all are comfy for long periods.

 

[jjk1]

All headphones are a mixed bag in my experience. What sounds or measures great will vary a lot from ear to ear.
So long as a user has compared a few, and chosen whatever sounds OK to them, and (importantly for me) is comfy to wear for more than 15 minutes, then you're good.

I'm slightly resistant to Apple Tax, but in the big picture of things, who cares!

I also can't be bothered faffing with EQ, as I have 3 sets of 'phones and 4 things I might to plug them into, not all EQ-capable, so all my phones are a compromise, just to be flexible. And all are comfy for

Mixed bag for sure.

the hook for me with these AirPods is the thing they do with the Apple TV and the Dolby Atmos- I’d never had the experience of well done virtual surround on headphones before and I like it. With ANC headphones (vs wired), the feature set here is pretty cool within the ecosystem vs anything else.

And they fit.

 

[Hansie]

Owning both the max (with usb c) and the focal bathys.
Using the max for work / teams calls/ music.
Dint expect to like them so much as I do, they perform as expected from an apple product.
However… did expect more from this next gen version, all new options have no value for me.
Would like an optical upgrade, design is boring and would like real switch for off. Sometimes my meeting switches to the Apple max in the next room where I left it because it’s only off when put in the surprising good performing casing.
Build quality is great, after all year in a backpack with a laptop and other crap it’s still like new.
Do prefer my Bathys when listening to music, probably a placebo because it’s looks much better.

 

[HiFiHelp]

I don't think they changed anything from the original, did they?

In the gen1, you need to go to Settings/Accessibility/Audio & Visual
Headphone Accommodations: ON
Vocal Range: Moderate

This lands you almost spot on to the Harman curve. Whether that is your cup'o'tea or not... *shrugs

This is meant for people with hearing loss and adds compression to make quieter sounds louder.

 

[G|force]

I've read reports on macrumors and ifixit that interior moisture accumulation from environmental factors can cause corrosion, that leads to component failure on the first generation, and that the gen 2 is built identically. *shrug*

 

[Redacted]

I've read reports on macrumors and ifixit that interior moisture accumulation from environmental factors can cause corrosion, that leads to component failure on the first generation, and that the gen 2 is built identically. *shrug*

Interesting! Is there a link to an engineering analysis of this? I suspect there are other IEMs that may use 'corrodable' parts internally, but have not found that in any I've owned since these things first existed.

 

[BJL]

I've read reports on macrumors and ifixit that interior moisture accumulation from environmental factors can cause corrosion, that leads to component failure on the first generation, and that the gen 2 is built identically. *shrug*

This is certainly correct. My first gen Max stopped working after about three years, a service place was able to get them working again for a few months, but there was too much corrosion internally. The service people told me that they saw this problem with other customers. I live in a humid region and I use the airpods during physical activity frequently (sweat).

I just received the current Max 2. They are NOT identical to the first gen. Removing the ear cushions, I can see that the design is different, whether that difference addresses the problem, only time will tell.

Edit - to clarify, they appear different externally behind the cushions, of course I did not open them to examine the internals.