KUALA LUMPUR, May 8 — Once upon a time (or when the pandemic happened) I briefly considered podcasting.
Then I realised I don’t really like podcasters.
I tell you this story to explain why I have more headphones than the average person.
There’s a set of planar magnetic headphones (to hear more detail in my music), a neutral-pair of headphones (for mixing audio), a wireless gaming headset because my other headsets were too awkward to use with my PS5, the previous AirPods Max (a review unit) as well as wired IEMs and of course AirPods.
For a lot of people, long ago, whatever earphones you got with your phone was enough and if they had a mic, that was a bonus.
With the popularity of streaming services and the rise of Chi-fi (Chinese audio tech that offers great sound cheaper than ever before) a lot more people care about how their audio sounds but the question must be asked, who is the AirPods Max 2 for?
Same old, same old
I usually take photos of review items before I take them for a test spin, but I decided to just go around with the new AirPods Max and then take photos.
Reader, I was an idiot.
Sturdy build and design does make up for drawbacks some other headphones have. — Picture by Erna Mahyuni
There were ugly stains on the AirPods Max headband as well as the earcups thanks to that annoying thing called sweat.
That’s what I don’t get about how people were wearing these everywhere, in public. I tried walking with them to the train station, around in malls, visiting cafés and while they weren’t uncomfortable to wear, sweat did get on them.
Admittedly, the staining wasn’t something a little time with a wet wipe couldn’t fix.
While some audiophiles hated the mesh on the headband and cups, and would have preferred the leather or faux leather of more traditional headphones, at least they were easy to clean.
I can snap off the earcups (Apple calls them Ear Cushions), wipe them off, air dry them and I don’t have to worry about the peeling I’m already seeing on my other headphones.
Apple also sells replacement AirPods Max Ear Cushions though there are OEM ones being sold for cheaper.
They’re still somewhat heavy which makes them less ideal for going around in, especially in an age where retro ultra-light (and ultra-flimsy) headphones are popular again.
Design-wise there are trade-offs and some people might find these more comfortable than others, depending on head and ear size.
If you’re lefthanded all the controls being on the right side might take some getting used to. — Picture by Erna Mahyuni
Sound: A lot of fun, especially for modern music
If you listen to music mostly on Apple Music then the AirPods Max 2 is hard to beat.
Should you listen to a lot of vocal-heavy music, you might enjoy how these cans put the vocals rather forward, something I noticed (and liked) when listening to Zara Larsson’s Blue Moon remix with Kehlani and that classic neo-soul number Tell Me from Groove Theory.
Apple’s decided to tone it down a little with the bass, which I consider a good thing since these aren’t Beats headphones.
Instead you get a lot more openness, better detail and an expansiveness you can appreciate with songs like Zhou Shen’s 大鱼 that puts Zhou’s airy countertenor at the centre but you can still feel the deep rumble of percussion and the swirling, flowy string arrangement.
Put on Luther Vandross’ Superstar/Until You Come Back to Me and you can hear in crisp detail, the opening strings and flute, then the steady hum of the keys and that slight rasp, the lush, warmth of Vandross’ honeyed tone.
If there’s one song I feel the AirPods Max 2 was made for, it’s this one.
What else are you getting?
Apple has tweaked the Bluetooth wireless experience by making it super-easy to switch between full ANC, Transparency mode, Adaptive (the Goldilocks option between ANC and Transparency mode), all with the controls on the right Ear Cushion.
The AirPods Max 2 are good for easy pairing (most of the time) to Apple devices but are unlikely to take over other niche headphone uses. — Picture by Erna Mahyuni
If you’re left-handed that’s perhaps one mild annoyance but not a big one.
You also can use the Digital Crown to take photos, that I guess makes selfies easier (especially if you want to show off your AirPods Max 2).
Performance-wise, the new headphones has an updated processor in the H2, the new model also supports extra features such as Live Translation, improved Spatial Audio, Voice Isolation and nine microphones, eight for ANC and three for detecting voices (two of the three are shared with ANC and the third is an extra one).
You’re still getting the weird AirPods Max case that isn’t particularly protective but helps tell the AirPods Max 2 they’re supposed to be in Auto-sleep mode because Apple still won’t give us a power button for it.
There is no weather-resistance or water-resistance here so do not wear them to the gym or if there’s any chance for rain; for exercise or walks in the park, you’re better off with AirPods.
Take them home?
If you plan to use them with an Android phone, best not.
The AirPods Max 2 were optimised for use with Apple devices, whether iPhones, Macs or the Apple TV.
If you have the previous model, upgrade if you want the Type-C port as well as the improved Adaptive Audio experience but if you mostly use it at home and the sound still makes you happy, you can probably hold onto it till it dies.
The AirPods Max 2 are already available at official Apple retailers and online for RM2,299.
