AirPods Max: Apple’s first over-ear headphones boasts up to 20 hours of music with ANC

The AirPods Max is finally revealed and this is Apple’s big surprise ahead of the holiday season. Like the name suggests, the Max is the biggest member of the AirPods family and it’s the first to feature an over-ear design that boasts high-fidelity audio.

The AirPods Max are officially priced at RM2,399 in Malaysia but it’s not available at the moment. In first-wave markets, you can order starting today with stocks set to be available from 15th December 2020. Unlike the standard AirPods, the Max is offered in 5 colours – Space Grey, Silver, Sky Blue, Green and Pink, that matches with the current iPhone 12 series.

According to Apple, the new headphones offer the same magical AirPods experience which allows seamless pairing within Apple’s ecosystem. With the custom acoustic design, combined with the same H1 chip as the AirPods Pro along with an advanced software that uses computational audio, the Max promises to offer the ultimate personal listening experience.

In terms of design, the Max uses a breathable knit mesh canopy for the band which is designed to distribute the weight evenly and to reduce on-head pressure. The headband frame uses stainless steel and it has telescopic arms which are adjustable.

What’s interesting is that the AirPods Max has an Apple Watch-inspired digital crown for a precise volume control. You can use the crown to manage your music playback, voice calls and to activate Siri. There’s also an additional physical button which allows you to switch between active noise cancellation and transparency mode.

In terms of audio, the Max features a 40mm dynamic driver which claims to provide rich, deep bass, accurate mid-ranges, and crisps and clean high-frequency extension. It uses a dual neodymium ring magnet motor to maintain total harmonic distortion of less than 1% across the audible range.

On each cup, there are three external mics to detect environmental noise while the single internal mic monitors the sound that reaches the ear. Apple says it uses computational audio to ensure that its noise cancellation continuously adapts to the headphone fit and movement in real time. If you need to hear what’s going around you, you can turn on transparency mode with a single press of the button.

For a more immersive experience, it also features Spatial Audio that allows you to better experience 5.1, 7.1 and Dolby Atmos content with head tracking. The Max uses the built-in gyroscope and accelerometer in the AirPods Max along with your device so that it can remap the sound field based on your head movements.

The AirPods Max’s battery life is rated up to 20 hours of listening time on a single charge with either Active Noise Cancellation or Transparency mode enabled. It charges via a Lightning port that’s located on the headphones themselves. According to Apple, a quick 5-minute charge can provide about 1.5 hours of listening time. The Smart Case doesn’t seem to provide additional charge but instead, it puts the headphones into an ultra-low-power state to save on battery.

Apart from the smart case, you’ll also get a lightning to USB-C cable but take note that the power adapter is not included. Similar to the previous AirPods, it is compatible with iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch and Apple TV.

In terms of connectivity, it has Bluetooth 5.0 support but it doesn’t come with a 3.5mm cable. The Max weighs 384.8 grams while the Smart Case weighs another 134.g grams.

Editor’s Note: We’ve updated that the lightning port for charging is located at the bottom of one of the earpiece of the AirPods Max.

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