AirPods Max Wireless Over-Ear Headphones, Pro-Level Active Noise Cancellation, Transparency Mode, Personalised Spatial Audio, USB-C Charging, Bluetooth Headphones for iPhone, Midnight ​​​​​​​

I’ve been wearing my Apple AirPods Max every night for nearly a year, and they’re still as good as new — which really says something about their build quality. The Midnight finish looks sleek and hasn’t shown a single scratch or scuff. They feel extremely comfortable, even after hours of wear, thanks to the breathable mesh headband and plush memory foam ear cushions. The sound quality is phenomenal. Personalized spatial audio truly makes movies and music feel immersive, while the active noise cancellation is powerful enough to block out background sounds completely. I also love being able to switch quickly to transparency mode when needed — everything sounds natural and clear. Battery life easily lasts overnight and recharges fast via USB-C. Bluetooth connection with my iPhone is flawless every time. These headphones aren’t cheap, but the quality, comfort, and reliability make them worth every bit of the investment.

The AirPods Max deliver excellent audio quality, strong ANC, and a premium metal build that feels durable and comfortable. Spatial Audio adds real depth to movies and supported music, and the controls and connectivity work seamlessly across the Apple ecosystem. The main drawbacks are the weight during long sessions and the included case, which doesn’t offer much protection. Battery life is solid but depends on using the case for low-power mode. Overall, they’re worth the money if you’re already using Apple devices and want top-tier sound with smooth, effortless integration.

After reading several reviews and seeing that some people have had mixed reviews I finally decided to take the plunge and invest in the AirPod Pros and I’m so glad that I did. I have to admit I’m deep into the Apple ecosystem so the connectivity and quality of the product was very important to me and definitely didn’t disappoint. Connection to my iPhone and iPad was seemless as is switching them. The headphones are extremely well made and so comfortable to wear. I’ve worn these for several hours and have actually forgotten that I was wearing an over the head pair of headphones. The quality of sound is next level and the noise cancellation is literally perfect. Overall I know they are pricey, but honestly it’s worth the price to have a premium experience.

Music will understand the importance of picking a new set of headphones, in most cases these will be living on your head for two to three thousand plus hours over the years that you will own them. For the last year and a half I have been using Sony WH1000XM5s (XM5s) as my daily headphones and have racked up 1400 hours on them so far. Two weeks ago I switched these out for a pair of Apple AirPods Max. Here’s my honest thoughts of the two, and my recommendation for which you should buy. # Noise Cancelling When comparing the noise cancellation the AirPods Max have the clear win, with both excellent cancellation of constant noises such as the drone of an airplane and sporadic noises such as cars, passers by etc which most lower end noise cancelling headphones struggle with. The XM5s feature some seriously impressive noise cancelling, which is a very close second to the AirPods Max. The AirPods Max take the win here due to much better cancellation of wind noises. # Transparency Mode For me, transparency mode is just as, if not more important than noise cancellation. I love being able to enjoy the listening experience of a premium pair of headphones such as the AirPods Max or XM5s while being able to hear discussions around me at work and not be completely isolated. The transparency algorithms on the AirPods Max and XM5s have clearly taken different approaches here. Both have crystal clear transparency when indoors or in a quiet environment, with the AirPod Max’s having a slight edge over the XM5s - but as with noise cancellation, wind causes problems here. When the wind picks up, the XM5s take the approach of attempting to replicate the wind, which can be overwhelming but is just an amplified version of reality. The AirPods Max take the opposite approach by reducing the wind noise, and almost blocking it out entirely in most cases, which means that all other sounds passed through are muffled. This leaves a strange semi-transparent experience. I personally prefer the approach taken by the XM5 of letting it all in, but this preference will vary person to person. # Sound Quality While neither of these headphones will be replicating studio quality wired headphones due to the fact that most users will be connecting wirelessly, there is no debate here - both the AirPods Max and XM5s qualify as some of the best headphones you can buy. Out of the box the AirPods Max put the XM5s to shame, giving a much more hifi-esque and balanced sound profile. The XM5s have a much more bass leaning sound profile. The XM5s allow users to specify a custom EQ using the Sony Connect app, which is when the XM5s start to shine and get very close to the AirPods Max. I am by no means an audiophile but both headphones are phenomenal after reducing the bass then increasing the mid and higher ranges of the XM5s EQ - although the AirPods Max always seem to have a ”wider” sound. This is most likely due to their 40mm drivers compared to the XM5s 30mm drivers. It is worth noting that Apple has recently added support for true lossless audio to the Apple AirPods Max, which requires a USB C to USB C cable to be connected from the headphones to a compatible Apple device. # Build Quality There is no discussion or competition to be had here, the AirPods Max are a premium, extremely well built pair of headphones as would be expected from Apple. The XM5s feel well put together, but use a fully plastic construction that does not feel comparable to the AirPods Max’s metal build - the AirPods Max are as hefty as their price tag. The only area of build quality that Sony has won here is the carry case. The XM5 case feels premium and protects the headphones well, compressing slightly when not in use. The AirPods max case does not even cover the headband and feels out of place when compared to the quality of the headphones, leaving users disappointed and often buying a third party case. # Software If you have an Apple device - which you almost have to if you are considering the AirPods Max then you will be sufficiently impressed by how easy the AirPods Max are to set up and use. To connect these for the first time you have to take them out of the case, put them on and Apples magic will connect them to your iPhone automatically. This is taken to the next level when you also use a Mac, iPad, Apple Watch or Apple TV, with the headphones automatically and seamlessly switching depending on the device you are using. The best software feature of the AirPods Max is spatial audio, transforming stereo to a surround experience which can be further enhanced with head tracking powered by the AirPods Max’s built in accelerometers and gyroscope. This is where the tricks end for the AirPods Max, but the XM5s have a whole host of additional features. The Sony Connect app is great, and has gotten significantly better in the year and a half that I have been using these headphones. The app boasts features such as a usage tracker that logs your listening hours and a noise level monitor for hearing protection. The XM5s also support Sonys version of spatial audio but this is limited to certain music providers and I haven’t had the chance to try this out. One of the most useful features of the XM5 is their speak-to-chat feature, which automatically pauses noise cancelling, and your music whenever the headset detects you speaking, to allow you to have a conversation. The headphones will even resume playback and noise cancelling once you are done. # Controls The AirPods Max feature two controls: an extremely nice to use digital crown for playback control, as featured on the Apple Watch, and a button to toggle between transparency mode and noise cancellation. Everyone loves to complain about the lack of power button on the AirPods Max but in all honesty - I don’t care, don’t miss it and haven’t noticed any issues yet. The XM5s, once again, go in the other direction from the AirPods and feature a power button and transparency / noise cancelling toggle button on the left ear cup and a touch pad on the right ear cup. The touch pad is fairly responsive and allows for playback control. The touch pad also enables a pretty cool feature where holding your palm over the ear cup switches from noise cancellation to transparency mode and reduces the volume of your music to almost silent until you take your hand away. # Battery Life The XM5s will get about 30 hours with a mix of transparency mode and noise cancellation from personal experience. The AirPods Max will do about 20 hours in the same conditions. It is worth noting that the XM5s seem to charge much quicker than the AirPods Max. Charging from 10% to 90% on the XM5s will take about 20 minutes whereas the AirPods Max will take about 50 minutes - both using a 100W charger which is more than either of these headphones is capable of accepting. # Price The price will make this an easy choice for most buyers here. The XM5s are £299 and the AirPods Max are £499 (both RRP). To worsen this price difference the XM5s are frequently on sale for £229-£249 with the AirPods Max on sale much less often. # Conclusion Lets be honest, if you are invested in the Apple ecosystem, you are probably almost decided on the AirPods Max; but I want you to consider both headphones here carefully. The Sony XM5s and the Apple AirPods Max are really fighting it out here and are very comparable, but take two different approaches to being top tier headphones. If you want feature packed headphones that are function over form, go for the XM5s. If quality, looks and Apple magic are what you are looking for, its an easy win for the AirPods Max. I did struggle to decide myself; I am fortunate enough to be able to choose from both and I do find myself going for the AirPods Max most of the team due to the better sound quality / noise cancelling and their stylish it girl design, but still lean towards the XM5s for longer listening sessions due to their lightweight build. Either way, you’ve chosen an excellent pair of headphones.

Die Apple AirPods Max überzeugen auf ganzer Linie. Die Klangqualität ist herausragend – extrem klar, ausgewogen und mit kräftigem Bass, ohne dabei Details zu verlieren. Das aktive Noise Cancelling gehört zu den besten auf dem Markt und blendet Umgebungsgeräusche nahezu vollständig aus. Besonders beeindruckend ist auch der Transparenzmodus, der sich sehr natürlich anfühlt. Die Verarbeitung ist hochwertig, das Design edel und der Tragekomfort auch bei längerer Nutzung sehr angenehm. In Kombination mit Apple-Geräten funktioniert alles nahtlos: Koppeln, Wechsel zwischen Geräten und Bedienung sind kinderleicht. Zwar sind die AirPods Max preislich im oberen Segment angesiedelt, die Qualität und das Nutzererlebnis rechtfertigen den Preis jedoch absolut. Klare Kaufempfehlung!

Very comfortable and good sound!

Oryginalne słuchawki to moc wrażeń. Po podłączeniu ich przewodem do telefonu dźwięk jest bezstratny.

Love it

Just so good,everything Original from Apple worth getting the amazon used version all Legit!