Apple has refreshed its AirPods Max headphones with new internals for better performance, as well as a handful of features that bring it in line with current-gen over-ear models.
The first AirPods Max was lauded for its great sound with the company’s in-house 40-mm driver designed for exceptionally low harmonic distortion. It came with Apple’s H1 chip that adjusted the sound in real-time with active noise cancelation (ANC) engaged. You were also treated to spatial audio and terrific build quality.
But at US$549, it commanded a higher price than beloved alternatives from the likes of Sony and Bose. The Max 2 helps justify the price point somewhat, promising to improve what already made it great, and sprinkling on additional functionality that you see in competing products and even cheaper offerings from other brands.
The AirPods Max 2 headphones look identical to the original pair that launched in 2020, with anodized aluminum earcups, color-matched headband, and stainless steel frame. Apple is also sticking with the case that leaves the heaband exposed, which few people like.
Apple
Improving on the basics
There’s a new H2 processor inside, which contributes to more detailed audio. It’s paired with an improved amplifier for more headroom, richer bass, and precise instrument localization. Apple says you can expect greater clarity even at higher volumes. It’s also retuned the Adaptive EQ feature, which tweaks audio output based on the seal created by the earcups and the mics measuring what’s coming through the drivers.
That H2 chip also allows for 1.5 times more effective ANC than the last model, thanks to new computational audio algorithms. Transparency mode, which lets you hear what’s happening around you without taking your cans off, is said to sound more natural than before.
Apple says it’s also worked on the mic array to improve voice isolation, so you come through more clearly on calls. The company also promises you can get “studio-quality audio recording” that’s good enough for podcasts and content creation with these.
The major new features
Apple
A new one on the AirPods Max 2 is Live Translation, which translates everything a person is saying in front of you into your preferred language in real-time. This has been around for a while on iPhones, as well as the AirPods 4 and other earbuds from Apple – as well as on budget headphones from brands like Soundcore.
Next, you’ve got Adaptive Audio, which automatically adjusts the levels of ANC and transparency for a better listening experience. Loads of other devices have some version of this and I usually don’t bother with it in noisy cities, so I’m keen to hear what Apple’s implementation sounds like.
The Max 2 gets reduced wireless audio latency, which helps sync the sound up with the on-screen action in games. These are all par for the course with many headphone models. One thing I haven’t seen before is Conversation Awareness, which automatically detects when someone’s speaking to you and lowers the volume of your audio – and turns it back up when you’re done chatting.
Beyond that, you can get proper lossless audio when you plug a USB-C cable into the headphones and an audio source that supports it.
Apple says the Max 2 manages 20 hours of playback time with ANC and Spatial Audio active, which is not great for a 2026 release; I’d have liked to have seen at least double that. For reference, Nothing’s new mid-range Headphone (a) just came out and promises 75 hours with ANC on.
In any case, the Max 2 will likely appeal to folks who enjoy being in the Apple ecosystem and appreciate the way these cans are tuned.
The headphones are still $549 as before, which puts them above Sony’s WH-1000XM6 (discounted to $398 from its $460 sticker price at the time of writing), Bose’s QuietComfort Ultra 2nd-gen (currently $429, down from $449), and Sennheiser’s HDB 630 ($499.95).
Apple
You can get the AirPods Max 2 in five lovely colorways starting March 25 on Apple’s site; orders will ship early in April, and you’ll be able to find it in Apple stores then as well.
Source: Apple
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