When Apple originally introduced the AirPods Max over-ear headphones, audiophiles were taken with their excellent sound quality, easy connectivity and overall style. Now, after years without any true upgrade, Apple has graced their premium set of cans with an overhaul that adds a new powerful chip that unlocks improvements to active noise cancellation, audio quality and a host of new smart features while retaining their sleek good looks.
Packing the H2 chip, the AirPods Max 2 now boast enhancements to both ANC and sound quality, making for an even more immersive experience. According to Eric Treski, Apple’s director of Audio Product Marketing, “The sound quality is remarkably clean, rich, and acoustically detailed — and when combined with capabilities like Personalized Spatial Audio, AirPods Max 2 deliver a profoundly immersive experience.” Hands-on testing is the only way to tell if the new headphones deliver on these claims but Apple’s pedigree in the space, specifically the in-ear AirPods Pro line, have never failed to one up their predecessors.
Apple has rarely let a new product turn up without imbuing it with at least a little magic. For the AirPods Max 2, that magic is taking the form of new smart features that ratchet up the capabilities of these headphones, taking them from go-to accessory to must-have companion. This time that means Live Translation, a slew of dynamic and automatic audio adjustments based on environmental changes and personal preferences and, perhaps most interestingly, a new camera remote control mapped to the digital crown aimed at content creators that will take a photo or start/stop video recording when connected to an iPhone or iPad.
With so many changes under the hood, it’s nice to see that Apple has wisely not changed the form-factor, finish or color options in the jump to the AirPods Max 2. Priced at $549 and coming in the understated midnight, starlight, orange purple and blue, the AirPods Max 2 are available for pre-order on March 25 and will reach customers in “early April,” according to Apple.
