It may be my favourite approach to one that I’ve seen on a headphone. The mesh headband and foam ear cups do their best to mitigate this, but they can’t compensate for the sheer weight. Even after adjusting the way I wear them, I can’t escape the fact that these are just plain uncomfortable for long listening sessions. It’s because they’re interested in having human beings wear these products on their heads for hours at a time.Īs one such human being with a head, I wish Apple had taken some cues from the competition on this front. The reason that other high-end headphone manufacturers lean heavily on plastic and even wood in their builds isn’t that they can’t afford metal. In the same way that the iPhone 12’s aluminum build looks less fancy but feels nicer in use than its Pro counterparts and their stainless steel, the mostly-metal build of the AirPods Max is a choice that favours fashion over comfort. Premium pairs like the Bang & Olufsen H9 (third generation) weigh 295g, and the Bowers & Wilkins PX7 just barely crest the 300g mark. The famously comfortable Bose 700 weigh 254g, a weight that’s matched by the popular Sony WH-1000XM4. I knew they would be heavy, but the experience of that weight is really something else.įor context, the Sennheiser PXC 550-my current headphone choice for travel-weigh 227g. I laughed when I pulled the AirPods Max out of their box. Having forked over just under $900 CAD for the privilege of owning a pair, I wanted to see whether Apple is aiming to establish itself as a purveyor of quality audio gear-deserving of a high price tag-or whether we’ll once again be paying for style over substance.īuilt Like a Tank (…Because They’re Made Of Metal) Today, I find myself wondering to what extent that is also true for the AirPods Max. You can get much better sound, comfort, features, and build for less money. Beats are a common entry point into the world of audio, but they’re priced the way they are because of their brand power, not because their quality justifies it. Somehow, the company that makes the HomePod-a marvel of mono speaker engineering-is also the company that continues to make and sell Beats products. It is, therefore, my sworn duty to be skeptical of consumer technology companies encroaching on the territory of high-end audio equipment built by companies with decades of experience.Īpple has had a long and fruitful relationship with music, but their track record with audio hardware is inconsistent. I’ve been writing music for games and film for over 10 years, so one would hope that I’ve learned a thing or two about audio production in that time. A friendly, reasonable one, but still- audio is my jam. In striking opposition to every other review I’ve seen so far, I get to begin mine by stating that I am an audiophile. I’m conflicted about Apple’s latest foray into audio products, the AirPods Max over-ear headphones. DecemAirPods Max: An Audiophile Review Surprising sound let down by serious comfort problems
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |