Apple’s AirPods Max 2 hasn’t fixed these key issues
Despite some hardware changes, the new AirPods Max 2 model appears to have retained some of the biggest issues with the original
It was a surprise to hear that Apple was launching a second version of the AirPods Max headphones given that two weeks ago we got almost a whole week of announcements. But then we should probably expect more products over the next couple of weeks as we approach the company’s 50th anniversary on 1 April.
Aside from a small update to provide USB-C connectivity in 2024, the AirPods Max have remained unchanged since launch in 2020.
And despite some hardware changes for better noise cancellation and higher quality audio, the new AirPods Max 2 model appears to have retained some of the biggest issues with the original pair.
For a start, they’re not capable of wireless lossless audio. Though it is rare for other headphones to support this and it’s not a huge problem in itself, we had expected Apple to have sorted this out for the second version, particularly given their hefty $549 price point. Mind you, lossless audio is available, but you need to be wired with a USB-C cable to get it to work.
The weight of the aluminium build of the original model was a big criticism of the original AirPods Max, leading to fatigue after longer periods of wear. This doesn’t seem to have changed, which is a shame. Also the same is the 20 hour battery life.
But the most sizeable issue is the case. In order to power down the original AirPods Max, you needed to place them in the rather odd case (called the AirPods Max Smart Case), which doesn’t actually offer any protection for the headband or much else. That doesn’t appear to have changed with the AirPods Max 2. It certainly isn’t mentioned in the initial info we have as having changed – and that’s a huge miss. Why can’t you turn them off? Or have a more protective case?
Despite these issues, perhaps the biggest challenge for the AirPods Max 2 is the strong competition out there – the $400 Sony WH1000-XM6 are excellent and are $150 cheaper. And then there’s Apple’s own Beats Studio Pro, which seem much better value and have much of the same technology. They may not have the finish of the AirPods Max, but they have a lot of the quality.
Other excellent rivals, such as Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2 or Bowers & Wilkins PX7 S3, are also cheaper and have been updated regularly over recent years.
We’ll let you know what we think once we review the Apple AirPods Max 2. On the positive side, I’m hoping the improved noise cancellation puts it among the best around. Watch this space.
Dan Grabham
Editor-in-Chief 
