Hot damn, this was way more thorough than any of the other 'tech reviewers' out there. Of course, this is an audiophile channel, so makes sense, but the amount of different headphones: wired, wireless, and ANC used to compare with the Airpod Max really gave a good reference point on how they compare in the market. Solid video 👌
Most reviews for the these bad actually.. And having tried them.. I can confirm that this reviewer is either being paid or just comes his pants for apple 🍏 😂 👉.. The sound on them is terrible! They are not even the best compared to ANC headphones as he claims! The Xm4s shit on them from a hight and the Drop Pandas 🐼 decimate! Them if you don't care for ANC (though they do an excellent! Job passively).. Lesson to be learned, don't trust reviewers that review from there bedroom's.. Apple shill 👉
@@Austintatious_One no you're not even a technician. people here do not even trust you have hear both of them. the industry already agreed that airpods max has the best anc.
@@Austintatious_One I mean, it's not like this video sold me on any headphones. I daily a THX 789 with HD6XX and 1990s, it's not like I'm expecting to be blown away by the sound of the Airpod Max. I'm just appreciating the amount of effort that went into this video from DMS, including way more comparisons, even with more consumer products. I've personally never heard the Max's nor the XM4's, and from their reviews, I probably never will. For a self-proclaimed technician, you really seem to disregard the technological advantage that Apple put into these headphones, namely their high quality DSP. In a similar vein, the Pandas put R&D into the amplifier and similarly priced wired have more effort put into the drivers and housing. I agree that it likely doesn't compare well to similarly price wired, or a more audio focused bluetooth like the Pandas, but that's not the target audience for these. Like, I don't think they're worth the asking price, but it's Apple, so they priced it that way because they know their target audience. They're a business, so they just have their priorities, even though they do a bunch of bullshit on the side. But ultimately, sound is subjective. Even though Beats' build and sound to the audiophile community are considered absolutely trash, some people genuinely enjoy them and that's fine. If someone enjoys a product, that's fine. Just take their word with the understanding of what their preferred sound signature is and interpret it to what you see fit. If someone takes the words of a single reviewer, then honestly, that's on them. There's just no way for a single reviewer to cover every single idiosyncrasy of a product in a review period. And there's also just some characteristics some reviewers notice better than others, so it's just a matter of find which ones align with what you're looking for. I couldn't give a shit if you did reviews in a bathroom sink, as long as it's a fair review. Also, you seemed more biased than any reviewer I've seen coming from that tone. Not really sure who you're expecting to win over with a comment like that. Grammar is also a dumpster fire and you used way too many emotes, my guy.
I tried it but it doesn't even come close to the DT770 or DT990 in terms of sound. K245 are also nice portable headphones compared to the K361 but they're open back. Similar price, but metal build instead of plastic.
Tech reviewers are VERY bad source of review for audio products. A huge bump in ATH M50x sales was because Mkbhd hyped them up so much, but M50x's are so basic and there are so many better options for audio than M50x. Even AT's own M40x which are cheaper sound better than M50x. But hey, tech reviewer preached so it must be good amirite?
@@thecompanioncube4211 Agree with you, he almost sold me M50x but I did research it further and finally bought DT990 because of its soundstage and sound seperation, they're sharp but I turned those spikes down with equalizer apo. With sonarworks reference 4 trial, they really sounded awesome.
What are you talking about. This guy treats the main feature (noise cancellation) as just a gadget when reviewing the product. The AirPods Max are not for audiophiles, they are noise cancelling headphones. So it's ridiculous to compare it to non noise cancelling headphones.
Confirmation bias. This is the first and only AirPods Max review that is negative. Probably you’re a Apple hating troll, so you think everything else is meaningless, only the one that confirms your bias is actually meaningful. The reality is, DMS is pandering. Even though he says these are the BEST ANC headphones in terms of noise canceling and sound, which are the most important things, he paints the review in a negative tone, so that he can pander to haters. Dishonest and disappointing...
@@Gokhanaj Your level of emotion is hilarious. This is the first review that doesn't just say "they sound great! Better than XM4s", which isn't terribly useful
@@Gokhanaj it's the only review by somebody deeply embedded in the high end audio world. A review by somebody who cares more about the music and the experience than the fact that Apple made it.
@@Gokhanaj DMS explained how the driver sounded in massive detail, and compared it to a variety of different headphones. He gave a thorough dive into these headphones in a manner in which I haven't seen another reviewer do before. Many other reviewers simply compared them to the XM4's and called it a day which is not at all helpful. All that matters is the build, the feature set, and a deep explanation of the sound. Which is something DMS clearly did in this review.
This man is totally right. I spend hours like a mad man playing my AirPods max and my K361 back to back listening to some of my favorite tracks. The AirPods max have a fuller, deeper, more immersive sound, but the music details in the K361 just beat the maxes and make them sound meh. Maxes feel like a bass boost headphone vs a well rounded sound with the K361. Everyone has a different ear, but this video is super spot on. Hard to explain, you just need to hear it for yourself. But by all means I love the maxes for different reasons.
Thank you for comparing the comfort and ear cup size to the QC 35 II. For my head that is the most comfortable headphones I have worn and I always like that comparison for that reason. I can wear them for hours and hours and feel completely fine. I am still hoping bose "gets the message" and release a QC 35 III since so many people seem to find the QC series fit more comfortable than the 700
What usually hurts for you when wearing headphones? My dumb ears stick out so I’m constantly having pain after awhile using most over ears. Haven’t tried the QC35 II’s tho. Curious if you are similar to me and what other headphones you’ve tested.
Having owned the majority of the headphones mentioned in this video, the QC35’s are the most comfortable headphone I have ever owned, bar-none. I agree that the NC700 has a shallow ear cup problem, and that alone is the only reason the new QC45 exists.
I AM SO GLAD that you made a few comparisons to wired headphones. I haven't seen any other reviewers do that. A+ analysis on the treble/bass descriptions and comparisons to wired headphones, which are just as valid of an option for a consumer looking to upgrade cheap earbuds.
Gave the K361BT to a friend as a birthday gift, it is one of her favorites since them. I tested them and they are really comfortable and sound very nice. A solid recommendation!
How would you rank the K361-BT, the K371-BT and the Panda's? which would you say is the best in terms of sound quality? and which would you say are the best bluetooth headphones? (only sound quality regardless of comfort build etc.) Great Video btw.
K361-BT is the best tonally, K371-BT is that but for people who want more bass. Panda wins on detail but is more focused on mid-frequencies. Depends on tuning preferences. Thanks!
In the last 4 days I used to check 10 times a day your uploads waiting for this video!!! Amazing work like always. Could you do a video or write a comment about how do those compare to the Panda? You mentioned them in the video but I was just hoping for a more detailed/specific comparison about audio quality between the two. Thumbs up if you guys want this comparison too!!
Thanks. You are one of the few reviewers who also has a technical knowledge that I trust and can relate to (read: understand). Keep up the good work. Btw... you should rename the video to: AKG 361 BT recomendation ;)
No but really you should probably try the headphones yourself instead of listening to others. With an open mind also. Something that is apparently hard for people. Making a headphone sound good and have great noise canceling is difficult. Of course they will sound better without implementing anc
At 14:44 you don't understand how happy I am that you pointed out that the mobius does this already lol. Haven't seen anyone else even mention the headphones. Great Video, good in depth analysis. 10/ 10
It's a good thing that Apple entered the headphones market, so that hopefully Sony, Bose and other manufacturers step up their game. I do like the swappable ear cubs and height adjustment. Hopefully other brands will implement something similar. The head rest is a shame though. Conclusion: Hopefully other brands or manufacturers will implement or make their version of the great new futures that Airpods Max introduced and came with.
Now that Apple has introduced $549 headphones and has proven that many people will buy it at that price, most likely, Sony and Bose will feel comfortable raising their next headphones prices to that too. Or close to that.
@@kcguitar9307 Haha, no, not for no reason. For business purposes, profit, capitalism--all that jazz. It's kind of funny, because usually more competition means cheaper prices for the consumer, except in this situation, it's the opposite. When Apple raised their flagship iPhone price to $1k, other companies copied. I think the same for the headphones game.
I don’t understand why people need ANC headphones. When I use IEMs I can’t hear anything around me while music is playing, even at a low volume. I recently tested an audio book while on a plane and I couldn’t hear anything behind the speaker’s voice.
While IEMs are great for blocking out noise, they're just not comfortable for some people, especially for long hours. I know I'd much rather have over-ears if I'll be wearing them for a long stretch of time
see if i'm on a plane, it's usually flying from Toronto to Singapore. that's maybe 21 hrs aloft depending on (and not counting) layovers. I sleep best with silence, and I've never had a pair of IEMs with passive isolation that rivals ANC. while Sony WF-1000XM3s worked decent, let me get comfier in an economy class seat, and actually sound nicer than WH-1000XM3s (imho), They're harder to get a good seal with vs literally any other IEM or over-ear and the only time i can wear WFs for hours on end, is if I'm also on a bike, in which case, i have music to distract me and things that hurt more than my ears. SE-215s and ZS10 pros i can wear for longer without discomfort, but again, they don't isolate like WH-1000xm3s or any other quality ANC over-ear.
I have the CCA C10 IEMs and the QC35’s. While the C10 is a fantastic budget IEM, the Bose are infinitely more comfortable. They’re also wireless and pair to two of my devices and I can use them for calls. So, yea. That’s my 2 cents.
got my k361bt for $100. didn't researched about it, needed a bt headphones asap for my trip to japan and this is the cheapest that's in stock so i bought it. went home tried it and was blown away! a hundred bucks wireless headphones i wasnt expecting it to sound this good.
wow, I don't know if they were improvement made since your review who could explain how much I disagree with it, but I own hd650, ollo s4x, dt990 (very good dac and neve headphone preamp), airpods pro, and I got recently the airpods Max, and for me they blew all of them. The bass are very focused and "true", and overall the sound restitution and details is phenomenal. What I found is these airpods reveals how good some mixes are and how awfull some are. The spatial audio with apple tv is phenomenal, again it is dependant of how well produced and mixed is the sound at first, but when the production is good the sound with airpods is just mindblowing.. your review made me wait to buy them when I saw it months ago .. I am glad I finaly buyed them anyway.
Panda has more detail and a way better amp/dac internally but K361-BT is better tuned tonally. I prefer the K361-BT in most cases personally, but the panda always surprises me.
Thank you for the time and effort you put into replying to comments :) (Not to mention the videos themselves which are consistently thorough and enjoyable as it is).
It for me. 2.5 years ago, before they came out, I spent a month researching wireless ANC headphones. Ended up getting the B&W PX7s. They were very good. But despite the carbon-carbon composite headband and aluminum earcups, the build quality turned out to be crap. The wire connecting the two earcups shorted out from flexing when I put them on my head. The same thing happened to the replacement pair. So I purchased the Sony XM4s, Bose 700s, and APMs and A-B tested them for 2 weeks. The Maxs won hands down. Build quality is miles above, plus they're repairable. The sound is significantly better than the Sony (though those get better after you rein in the bass in the EQ and scan your ears so they can actually have some stereo imaging). Slightly better than the Bose too. And ANC performance (used to take public transport daily before rona so this is crucial) easily trumps Bose and trades blows with Sony. At my desk I still have wired headphones and studio monitors, but I find myself using the Maxs most of the time because they're convenient and they sound very good. Oh and I guess the bugs you mentioned got fixed because I haven't had any problems in the 4 months I've been using them daily.
Soo if i want crappy noise canceling headphones i should buy the boose qc and if i want good sound i should buy real headphones, damn who would have thought
Or you could just get a damn iem... forreal though with the right tips they'll isolate the world better than any active noise cancelling headphones hands down.
or the Anker life Q30.. nc is okay but sound is actually very decent. Look up the video by olufs gadget.. not sure how it compares to others than the mx4 tho
QC35 are very comfortable non offensive sounding headphones you can wear all day. PXC 550 II are comfortable with a much more refined sound quality. But the ANC is not that great, however block the usual low rumbles of airplane engines. XM4 is the most obnoxious sounding thing ever made with fantastic ANC ( but even your podcasts will sound different)
I really enjoyed listening to a more technical review of the airpods max. I enjoyed it so much that I decided to sub to you in hopes I get more content like that.
Awesome review !!! Even though I'm part of the general consumers' group I find this type of reviews the real deal! I found the comparisons with other ANC and BT headphones to be especially valuable; both from a price pov and from a sound quality pov.
Hey I have a rec for skin redness as a man with sensitive skin, they make skin tint with spf protection that helps reduce red “hot spots” in your complexion. I’ve started using it daily after resisting recommendations from my wife and now I can’t go back, the reduction of skin irritation and discoloration has just been so mind blowing
@@the0000alex0000 intentionally making it unrepairable so that you have to go to an Apple store or wait a minimum of 3 weeks to send your device by courier. I love my apple products but stop being the corporate defense force for this Trillion dollar corporation. Apple is a trend setter in the industry and not designing their products to be repairable is a cynical, anti-consumer trend. Anti-consumer practices are the epitome of bad customer service.
@@Necropheliac there are for sure problems with apples "right to repair" stance but someones there are clear benefits for making changes that might make the product not repairable.
Great review; would be interested to see a follow up as there have been a few firmware updates since this was made. Having owned both the APM and the AKG, I have to say that, for what this type of headset is designed, the APMs suited me quite a bit more. I f I was lying on my bed and analysing the output, then perhaps the AKGs would be superior to audiophiles, but for wearing out and about, or even doing gardening, housework, etc, the APMs sound more energetic, dynamic and fun. Add to that the extra features (ANC, to me, adds quite a bit more drama to music when used in public and actually does help to concentrate me on the sound) and it's a slam-dunk. If I was going to listen to music more analytically at home, I would use a pair of my wired headphones. I also still own the Deva Pro 2, but struggle to find a use for them as a BT headset, beyond pootling round the house and garden doing quiet jobs. I also miss some of the decent bass from the Maxs when I wear these, albeit you can EQ some back in. I find myself bopping around quite embarrassingly with the APM, which I didn't do with the AKGs or the Devas. It's definitely not audiophile, but I think they arrived at the right kind of sound signature for what they are. With regard to imaging, soundstage and spatial, the imaging has improved over the updates, the soundstage is still quite 'in your head', except for when I use them with my Apple TV with positional awareness (in which case it's excellent). I don't like spatial audio for music (and actually prefer decent stereo for movies and TV), but they are now almost at a par with the APP2 for this, despite not having the most up-to-date chip inside. I avoided getting these for years and tried seven or eight of the competitors, which is quite typical with Apple stuff for me. Picked up a 2nd hand pair last year and they just wormed their way in. Got rid of the rest (except for my Bose 700s, which are IPX rated and I live in the UK).
for apple employees of their products they need to better refine their audio format of the airpods max especially for hopefully listening to lossless/hi-res audio that no one can hear or appreciate without having to use an external dac to enhance it's sound quality. the air pods max 2 could be a make or break moment if they don't fully realize it,s audio potential without having an internal dac chip inside. an excellent analogy video. dms!
The flaws of wireless active noise cancelling headphones made me buy a pari of Custom InEars and I have not looked back since. The isolation from noise is amazing, thanks to them being custom made, I can wear them for hours without any pressure building up anywhere and since they are InEars I do not have any trouble with carrying them around :D
Great video mate, Blimey what a contrast, Hi Fi insider says it’s the best closed back headphone in the world he has every heard and thinks it worth every penny and should really cost more. He says people who are reviewing this are missing its biggest asset is the Dac in the headphone and how it changes and represents the music as the artist intended, can you comment on that side of the headphone?
'changes and represents the music as the artist intended' literally impossible claim unless they have consulted with every single producer both dead and alive on how each track is meant to sound.
The DAC isn't anything special. It's limited to 320kb/s (mp3 quality). The DSP is cool by contrast but "as the artist intended" is a huge stretch. If we're talking wired headphones, there's significantly better closed-backs from the $99 K361 to the Focal Elegia, to many of the ZMF products. That said, everyone has a right to their opinion.
Yes, he does see to be a Apple fan boy, he even has Nicki Minaj pink version, how sad is that! Plus his comments about the Artists music is just ridiculous! Also his comments about the settings in the Sony WM1Z are bizarre, those settings give the user a option. I have the Sony XM3 and when I use LDAC via Bluetooth with my Sony WM1Z it sounds great and I have no problem with my Bluetooth connection so don’t no what he is on, plus it sounds much better than my IPhone using AAC codec from Apple that’s for sure. Even Bluetooth from my Sony WM1Z to my Chord Hugo 2 sounds fantastic so not sure what he is on about. Although my £500 Noble K10 from Drop don’t have ANC and Bluetooth once I press play on any of my devices I can’t hear anything and if I want to hear anyone speak to me I just press pause but more importantly every time I listen to music it’s puts a smile on my face and I am listening to fantastic sounding music for the same price as them Apple Headphones. I would recommend people purchase a second hand Campfire Audio Cascade , Dan Clark Aeon 2 or the Focal Elegia with £300 off at present or a second hand Campfire Andromeda if they want to hear want music can really sound like.
Like many Airpods Max users, mine bricked themselves gradually over time. It began with connection problems that could not be resolved with a reset. Apple replaced one ear cup to fix this. That lasted a couple of months, then it happened again. In the end and now they won't connect to anything at all. I have a $550 brick. According to Perplexity, this has affected around 10-15% of APM users, and - worse still - it is not fixed for the 2024 "update" (the update where they took away the ability to listen through a wired connection). It's a disgrace.
been waiting for dms to review these. finally someone who actually describes the listening experience rather than just saying "wow omg they're so fckin amazing best ever apple number 1!!!"
ruclips.net/video/DmcVLW2jlIA/видео.html This guy compare these with the big ol' Sennys HD600. What depresses me more was his testing rig, they are really trying so hard to join the Apple bandwagon
Is the K361BT better than the panda? I didn't see the panda mentioned in the video so I got currious. Maybe I just missed it but I never sawa review of the 361 for you
I initially bought the AirPods Max because of exactly what you found to be the strongest aspect of them: they're a jack of all trades. Sure they're not the most well sounding wireless headphones, but better sounding wireless headphones don't have as good ANC or transparency or don't have them at all. And among noise cancelling headphones these have the better ANC and the better transparency mode by a mile. At $549 they're significantly more expensive than its competitors but they're still reachable. The AirPods Pros have all of the feature set of the Max but they can have trouble staying in my ear especially after my ears are all waxed up by them, whereas these are anchored to your head. I didn't come across or notice any of the problems you mentioned with the Spatial Audio and audio grabbing, and with Dolby Atmos or multichannel content they sound better with Spatial Audio turned on than turned off. But I do (unsurprisingly) prefer to not use the 'Spatialize Stereo' option. That said, now here's the part that makes the 'initially' at the beginning of the sentence make sense: I'm probably going to sell them and instead buy a pair of cheaper wired headphones (with an amp or DAC or whatever) as I'm mostly a desktop computer user anyway, and buy a pair of either AirPods Pro 2's or some other wireless earbuds that are suitable for working out. A couple of notes on your video though: 1. You said there are "tons of other wireless heaedphones that sound better than the AirPods Max" but only provided 3 examples, and I would definitely like to know more than that so that statement is a little bit more justified 2. You praised the sound quality of the AirPods Pro a lot, but based on the fact that AirPods Max are made by the same company and this is a company whose headsphone product portfolio only consists of 4 products (AirPods 2, AirPods 3, AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Max), I would imagine that the overall sound tuning of the AirPods Max is very similar to that of the AirPods Pro (they're using the same H1 DSP as well), so why hate so much on the AirPods Max if you like the Pros? Shouldn't the AirPods Max sound better than the Pros in every single way jut because of the sheer size of the Max's audio hardware and there are 2x as many H1 chips in the Max? If the answer to this is "no, they don't sound as good", I would've liked to see you talk about that more in this video. Other than these 2 points, it was a good video.
In terms of spatial audio I don’t think they dialed it back enough or adjusted it from the AirPods Pro where it would make sense to add more “reverb” or space to the sound to give a bigger sense of space for small earbuds with a narrower sound stage.
Trust your ears mate. Reviews are great and all, and these guys have better DACs and amps than most of us are ever gonna spend, for testing wired stuff, but sound at the end of the day is still subjective. Your ideal sound signature may not match any one reviewer's, your own hands-on experience is no less valid than anyone else's, and the privilege to have tried both, is a rare one. Or at least, it is to this Ontarian who's been locked down since november
I have both and prefer the H95’s sound signature. The Max have too much of a U sound and the sub bass on the h95 is better. You can also customize the H95’s sound more than the Max.
DUDE, you hit the comfort section right on the head. I have been feeling that temple pressure you are talking about from my AirPods Max and I have been trying to convince myself that it's just me. I honestly feel like I can't wear them for over 2 hours, I get a relief when I take them off. My Bose QC35II never gave me this pressure fatigue feeling.
Yet some reviewers say the Airpods Max are almost as good as B & O H95 at $800?? Quality is obviously in the ear of the listener... but we all hear differently.. don't we?
@@ideoidiom its for a very limited use case and I don't know what it is. Open back headphones can't be for commute and why would you want to do Ananda BT in your living room. Don't get me wrong, I have Anandas and they are one of my favourites and I am in love with that large sound but if I need something when I am out and about Ananda BT is not the answer. I considered Pandas too but lack of ANC is a deal breaker for me when I am travelling. If I want a BT headphone I am compromising sound and that's a deal we all make when we go that route, and after weighing all the options APM are the best deal for me. Can't stand boomy Sony's or characterless Bose.
@@ideoidiom imo Ananda BT is pointless (especially since it has no wired input). Better to go Wired ananda plus a BTR5 or UP4 if you want a wireless openback for home use.
Can you tell something about hiss? Most BT headphones have a clearly audible hiss. The K-371BT and the Powerbeats Pro are the only ones I listened to, that were „quiet“.
Great breakdown of the max, I really appreciate your detail and the comparisons you made with many other headphones. Taking your advice I treated myself to the Sennheiser HD 6XX and simply love them and also own the Sony XM4's. The price for both of them is still under $550.
@@panzer3279 it sounds good after you EQ it. It is very bassy out of the box, but the great feature of the XM4 is the it includes a pretty decent EQ system, so you can change the sound of your unit to your liking. It also works best on an an android phone which you are able to use the LDAC Codec which can stream Bluetooth signals up to 990 kbps. This let's you take advantage of being able to stream HIFI music from apps like Tidal or Amazon HD and get the best sound out of it. If using an IPhone your limited to AAC codec which is 256 kbp a much lower streaming bit rate. Though not as good Sony does compensate for this in there app but usind a function called AAC Extreme to better the sound quality. Though you will never get the sound quality of the HD 6xx, for a bluetooth device you get really good sound you can adjust to you liking. Most reviews don't give you all this information, they review out of box without making the adjustments to make it sound even better, that what Sony offers thats no one else does. As for ANC, pretty much the best
I own a pair of the airpods max, and the reasons I got it were: 1- my parents offered me the money to get it cuz of my bday otherwise i would never have even gotten over the ear headphones as I am deeply satisfied with my airpods pro 2-these offer very smooth transitions between my apple devices in which no other headphones offer the same quality as apple does it 3-noise cancellation is a very big necessity for me, as well as transparency mode, and they both are the best in the business on these headphones, other than transparency on the airpods pro, the transparency on the airpods pro are more connected with my ears I don’t know how to explain it exactly. 4-there is no way im gonna wear wired headphones for me everyday use, wireless is much more comfortable and convenient to use, even if it means that I have to give up a bit of quality from the sound, and considering they’re wireless, these were the best sounding noise cancelling wireless headphones I’ve ever heard. 5-I have a fairly large head, and these have the perfect clasp on my head, I don’t feel the headband on my head at all, and even tho these feel heavy when you hold em, I don’t really feel the heft of them on my head, I always know that I have them on my head obviously they’re not crazy comfortable, but still very very comfortable for my head. 6-you can clean them very very easily as the earcups and cushions are detachable, and there is a cleaning guide for these on apple’s website too. Hope this helped with your decision making. Oh and I find them much better than the xm5s in almost every way, other than their pricing differences.
Another great review. You shockingly found same issues I found and reason I returned them. Just the pressure alone on listening sessions wasn’t comfortable. I just stuck with the xm4’s which can use without even noticing wearing them. Then again use to Sony’s as used Sony’s monitors wired sets for years definitely not as good as wired set costing similar but comfortable can also lay back with them and EQ them to correct some of deficiencies, so gets job done as far as ANC Bluetooth sets, but definitely won’t consider them as reference by any means nor do I consider any of the Bluetooth headphones, not there yet unfortunately. The Sony’s keep the EQ settings in the DSP in the headphones itself and even when using wired mode, plus only have to adjust volume on source. The Apple AirPods Max on both. The Sony’s you definitely have to EQ the mids pretty high and turn down the clear bass. The Apples AirPods Max are good at details but still not reference nor are the Sony’s. The spatial audio is a gimmick at best. For $550 not even close to worth it even as a luxury product just to many flaws as the two volume control in wired mode, no wire included at price point and only as a option, no excitement in music, poor clamping, no dedicated power off button, or even in app, aluminum casing causing more condensation, clicking issues when walking, worst case design with zero protection pretty much and having to use case to put in power save mode. At best they sure have been price at $350 at launch and even then think they are overpriced and more around $250 range.
I’m surprised you didn’t talk about the H1 chip on both aluminum cups. And what those chips do. Beamforming microphones for calls in windy environments. Dual neodymium ring magnet, Computational audio, Adaptive EQ. Just shocked you didn’t mention any of those. Also we have had numerous firmware updates to AirPods Max. You have to know that Apple takes these seriously and has been sure to make sure these headphones sound good over there in California.
Thanks for being honest. I've seen some other reviewers bow to the apple hype. Some of these "honest reviewers" did not even bring up a lot of your points. Review the product as it is, a headphone for music listening frst, then active noise isolation. I much rather prefer great audio quality first, then ANC or transparency. Maybe for some people prefer the opposite. But that is their money and their choice. Making an educated purchase does go a long way, and that's when reviewers like you really really help us. Keep up the great work!
Here is the deal: If Hifiman, Sennheiser, Drop, etc made an audiophile wireless headphone with ANC id probably buy it. Imagine the Sundara, HD6XX or the Aeons but wireless, closed and with ANC. Now that is a wireless headphone id buy. Fow now IEMs are the way to go.
@DMS I appreciate your insights and the depth in which you covered each aspoect. I have to say that at the 17:40 mark, you essentially hit on what most people experience with headphones in general. I remember when the Utopia came out, most everyone said that it is the BEST headphone ever! Now, while it is still well regarded, it is no longer the God headphone. I got the APM and really am enjoying them. I personally feel tired of chasing the endless audiophile pursuit of the BEST sound. God knows thousands of dollars from my pocket have been put towards that. 😅 I just put the APM on, and just listen and just enjoy. And, I think that is what they are aiming to do, provide an enjoyable experience and provide continuty for a person that is vested in the Apple ecosystem. Also, though highly subjective the APM have a design aesthetic where IMO cannot be compared to the others that it is being compared to. For some, including me, the industrial design, feel and the intangibles are important parts of the overall listening experience. They are not aiming to be super detailed or analytical, though compared to some headphones I have heard in the 2-3K range, they do some things better, even as a BT headphone. For example, I was at a show and listened to Audeze LCD-4 plugged into the Chord DAVE and it was just incredible for lot of music that I sampled. Then, I switched to a different genre and it shockingly sounded mediocre. So, that made me realize that ultimately the source needs to be great and that makes the most impact. That said, Apple product are part of an experience and not simply, is the computer or phone customizable, underpowered, or locked down, does it sound like X or Y, is it over-priced, etc. Thanks for a great video!
Why so few people talks about the AKG N700NC? It is a great headphone, much more balanced than Bose and Sony. It can have fewer features, no HD codecs and some latency for video, bur for music is by far the best active noise canceling headphones. DMS should try it!!
Good video, as always. Would love to hear more about other wireless headphones you like (drop panda), compared to each other. Another tier list like someone suggested maybe in the future? Cheers :)
Not spending $550 for one single flight. Especially a device that can't turn off and doesn't run passively. That's a damn fashion item for people who spend $500 on Melrose for a white t-shirt.
Good that I knew these were too good to be true. The lightning port already showed it. 560s, 58x, Sony MDR M1ST, CD900st, DT770 and many more are more well rounded and cheaper. I guess NDH20 are better than too even when I dislike the fast decay of bass and lack of treble most of the time. I am like M1st + BTR5 and short cable, attach it to the headphone and boom, good bluetooth headphone
Again, you wouldn't buy these for sound quality. I have yet to see ANC headphones that could compete with 150 dollar audiophile headphones. It's just futile to even expect these to sound as good as that just because of the price tag.
Nice review! The Airpods Max sounds like a first gen product to me, but if they ever come up with a second gen or a cheaper "sports" version, maybe it'll gain more traction. Question tho, if you compare those headphones with EQ enabled and set to what you think their best setting should be, like toning down the bloated bass of the XM4, would your tier list change in any way?
Speaking of sibilance and peaky highs, did you change something with your recording in this video? Your S's and T's aren't murdering my ears in this one like they do in all your others.
It is surprising that your review differs from other audiophiles, overal consensus is that these are good sounding and comfortable headphones, and the ANC is on parr or better the current best ANC headphones. The fact that you have problems with handoff, while others show no problems, with even fast switching between devices in seconds, is weird.
When you have multiple devices that you use (Mac, iPad, iPhone) handoff is hit and miss for me too. 95% of the time it works and then it'll get stuck on one device or register the correct device but not pass the audio. It's a software bug that'll be fixed eventually. It's probably that not everyone got that bug, but it's also something that Apple will fixe in a future update. I had less issues before I connected my Mac, I assume it's because Big Sir is still new and some kinks remain. Either way I wouldn't put too much emphasis on a software bug with a company like Apple (or Sony or Bose) since they do take the time to fix those.
Maybe some of the other guys aren't using them as much? Not sure. I've been trying to use them as my daily driver (10+ hours a day between work and home) for about a week. That said, I'm glad I don't have to use them anymore.
@Piyath I thought he made it very clear & concise what they excelled @ & what they didnt. Personally, they'd b building snowmen in hell before I'd spend that much $$ on a pair of headphones that didn't meet audiophile standards! As he stated, u could hav an audiophile headphone & amp for less than th Apple phones, or u could hav a pair that cost less than half of them that did almost everything better than th Apple. For that amount of cash, u cant help but expect audiophile fit, finish & function. I'm actually shocked it's not more comfortable, b/c to compete w/Sony& Bose in th mainstream you'd better hav comfort & advanced functions to b seamless & perfect! Sounds like Apple shit th bed
It's strange... I almost sent mine back because... of the sound! A muffled sound compared to my wired headsets, not detailed enough, lacks breadth. Sure it's better than the competition but I was still very disappointed. A sound engineer gave the trick you mention in Settings > Accessibility... And there, boom! Wow... Finally some air, a wider soundstage, etc. I don't feel those annoying highs you're talking about at all. Adaptive EQ may act differently in different people, I don't know. It totally reconciled me with the AirPods Max ;)
@@bgamervideo2714 I think he's giving you props, since you blame yourself for getting mad for a pair of headphones unlike many, who blame apple for selling them.
I run a BTR5 and a custom Philips SHP9500 with custom measured EQ for it. I love it so much and I once thought of getting the Airpods Max but the price didn't justify the sound quality or really anything about the headset.
I just don't see who Apple is trying to cater to with this headphone. You could buy a 6XX with an atom or spark and a topping dac, or get a drop panda and still have $150 leftover, these certainly are NOT appealing to any audiophile. It also doesn't appeal to average consumers at that price, this looks like its for the Apple enthusiast exclusively.
@@muffinb5446 Ok buddy, you really think your average iphone owner is gonna drop 600 dollars on a pair of bluetooth headphones? There's a big difference between people with iphones and apple enthusiasts, who own everything apple. Also, your logic is flawed, the iphone might be the best selling phone, but there are far more android and other phone types out there when added as a whole is much larger than the iphone, but nice try being a smartass.
Mostly for Apple fans that are so deep in the whole Apple ecosystem and could take full advantage of the features this thing has. And Apple was scalping their customers for a long time, those who have money won't even consider other options and will go straight for these
Why would you consider 6XX for commute or Pandas in a plane without ANC? It is all about use case and this snobbery is frustrating when you start comparing audiophile gear with a wireless headphones. Surely, you know better. Personally, I hate my claustrophobic 6xx but love my Anandas but both of these live in my living room and yes that''s where I have been all this year but hopefully things will get better next year and I will be commuting again and then I think something like this would shine. And yes, mine are on pre-order and I think I know a thing or two about AQ, it is about how you are going to use a certain pair otherwise it is chalk and cheese.
@@Luminary09 You obviously dont understand the point I am trying to figure out the target audience, It's not audiophiles, hence the reference to the 6xx and the pandas, but you are obviously too interested in starting an internet flame debate to understand that. It has nothing to do with snobbery, I think its a fair comparison when Apple drops a 600 dollar price tag. DMS literally compares it in this video saying you could buy a 6XX and a Darkvoice tube amp for the price of the airpods max. It's not average consumers, your average iphone owner gets it on a carrier lease and they aren't about to dish out 600 bucks for a pair of bluetooth headphones. This is for apple enthusiasts who think everything apple makes is superior and would happily drop 600 for what is an average bluetooth headphone with good build quality. Maybe tone down the douchebaggery a bit and read more thoroughly and stop looking for a fight and you would feel better about being locked in all day hmm?
Due to the use of steel rather than titanium, these headphones are heavy and uncomfortable to wear for some people. The cheap looking netted headband that looks worse over time provides no cushioning. For the hefty price, Apple could have provided a cushioned headband. Recommend padding the headband with bubble wrap if discomfort is an issue. The looks, sound, noise cancelling, battery life, etc. of these pods are great. There are as good or slightly better sounding headphones for less. However, it depends on how you plan to use them. Apple is great for switching between modalities and to use with your other Apple devices. Would appreciate more ability to adjust within Spatial sound and to more easily switch between Stereo and Spatial. The magnetic case is cool but flimsy leaving the fragile head band exposed. So, I bought a case with enough room to store the headphones along with their case. The best headphones for listening quality are the corded studio ones that connect to speakers through Jack ports. The most discerning audiophiles, studio technicians, and musicians often prefer headphones and speakers made in Germany and Italy.
At last a realistic and unbiased review. My only comments would be that when playing my Sony XM4’s using LDAC and equalized to my taste they sounded better to me than the AirPods and I do not think you can use Bluetooth on a plane so not coming with a wire is a big disadvantage, which to remedy costs even more.
Apple want to keep the mic active just like the Amazon firestick. Amazon say to plug the firestick into the wall giving it always on and connect to the internet
DMS, an excellent review as always. How would the Max compare in normal mode? No noise canceling, no processing of any kind? Nothing. Just playing the source.
The Apple product is substantially heavier thanks to the aluminum earpieces, why are they milled billet aluminum? To give a faux impression of quality. They will also scratch and deform from the many knocks and rough handling headphones receive but Apple apparently didn't consider so that may be how that ridiculous case came about. They are now very conspicuous items that are underwhelming as headphones and very overpriced and may earn them a high douchebag factor.
I may have missed it in the review, but I noticed a lot of people were listening to the headphones with “Headphone Safety” measures turned on by default and not using any of the “Headphone Accommodations” settings. I’ve been using my pair with the Balanced Tone on Slight and it’s been really enjoyable for what it is. Have you tried those out?
For me, the most shocking thing is not the differences between this review and others audiophiles/experts, it's the difference with his own first impressions. I don't judge it, I'm only confused.
A lot can change from day 1. Trying a product is one thing. Trying to live with it is a whole different experience. Generally when I get something in to review, I try to use it as my daily driver until the review if filmed.
@@DMS3TV you made me think "do I really need ANC?" and "convinced" me to test wireless non-ANC. Any reason why you didn't add the Drop THX Panda to your recommendations list? I've watched your review on the Panda's and noticed you mentioned them in the APM review. Thanks!
sounds like you need a wireless headphone tier list
Yes, we need this.
Agreed!
Shure Aonic 50 and MW65 should be on the list.
Would really be interesting
Yes plzz
Hot damn, this was way more thorough than any of the other 'tech reviewers' out there. Of course, this is an audiophile channel, so makes sense, but the amount of different headphones: wired, wireless, and ANC used to compare with the Airpod Max really gave a good reference point on how they compare in the market. Solid video 👌
Most reviews for the these bad actually.. And having tried them.. I can confirm that this reviewer is either being paid or just comes his pants for apple 🍏 😂 👉.. The sound on them is terrible! They are not even the best compared to ANC headphones as he claims! The Xm4s shit on them from a hight and the Drop Pandas 🐼 decimate! Them if you don't care for ANC (though they do an excellent! Job passively).. Lesson to be learned, don't trust reviewers that review from there bedroom's.. Apple shill 👉
@@Austintatious_One wow, you really hate apple product huh? what a sad life, you must be missing out
@@shzammpatapon9865 Well i am a technician.. So i am qualified to say that i know better.. Pay double for less if you want 😉 👉
@@Austintatious_One no you're not even a technician. people here do not even trust you have hear both of them. the industry already agreed that airpods max has the best anc.
@@Austintatious_One I mean, it's not like this video sold me on any headphones. I daily a THX 789 with HD6XX and 1990s, it's not like I'm expecting to be blown away by the sound of the Airpod Max. I'm just appreciating the amount of effort that went into this video from DMS, including way more comparisons, even with more consumer products. I've personally never heard the Max's nor the XM4's, and from their reviews, I probably never will. For a self-proclaimed technician, you really seem to disregard the technological advantage that Apple put into these headphones, namely their high quality DSP. In a similar vein, the Pandas put R&D into the amplifier and similarly priced wired have more effort put into the drivers and housing. I agree that it likely doesn't compare well to similarly price wired, or a more audio focused bluetooth like the Pandas, but that's not the target audience for these. Like, I don't think they're worth the asking price, but it's Apple, so they priced it that way because they know their target audience. They're a business, so they just have their priorities, even though they do a bunch of bullshit on the side.
But ultimately, sound is subjective. Even though Beats' build and sound to the audiophile community are considered absolutely trash, some people genuinely enjoy them and that's fine. If someone enjoys a product, that's fine. Just take their word with the understanding of what their preferred sound signature is and interpret it to what you see fit. If someone takes the words of a single reviewer, then honestly, that's on them. There's just no way for a single reviewer to cover every single idiosyncrasy of a product in a review period. And there's also just some characteristics some reviewers notice better than others, so it's just a matter of find which ones align with what you're looking for. I couldn't give a shit if you did reviews in a bathroom sink, as long as it's a fair review.
Also, you seemed more biased than any reviewer I've seen coming from that tone. Not really sure who you're expecting to win over with a comment like that. Grammar is also a dumpster fire and you used way too many emotes, my guy.
Conclusion : You just sold me the K361.
I tried it but it doesn't even come close to the DT770 or DT990 in terms of sound. K245 are also nice portable headphones compared to the K361 but they're open back. Similar price, but metal build instead of plastic.
Why can't all the audiophiles of planet Earth just get together and decide definitively which headphones are the best. Talk about a confusing topic!
@@Drinkyoghurt I think I'll just get a bluetooth adapter for one of my IEMs lol
@@Wishwader bc sound is subjective and depending on what you like, you might want different sound signatures.
@@Wishwader I think most audiophiles will agree it's the HE-1
Tech channels usually give out bad advice. This is one of the only channels I trust for honest and thoughtful reviews. Now I gotta find those k361’s
It’s almost like kissing ass is how they think apple will send them free shit to review
@@adams5389 a majority of the reviews have said it's not really worth it 💀 especially when compared to others so idk how that is kissing ass
Tech reviewers are VERY bad source of review for audio products. A huge bump in ATH M50x sales was because Mkbhd hyped them up so much, but M50x's are so basic and there are so many better options for audio than M50x. Even AT's own M40x which are cheaper sound better than M50x. But hey, tech reviewer preached so it must be good amirite?
@@thecompanioncube4211 Agree with you, he almost sold me M50x but I did research it further and finally bought DT990 because of its soundstage and sound seperation, they're sharp but I turned those spikes down with equalizer apo. With sonarworks reference 4 trial, they really sounded awesome.
What are you talking about. This guy treats the main feature (noise cancellation) as just a gadget when reviewing the product. The AirPods Max are not for audiophiles, they are noise cancelling headphones. So it's ridiculous to compare it to non noise cancelling headphones.
This is the first actual meaningful review of these things!
Confirmation bias. This is the first and only AirPods Max review that is negative. Probably you’re a Apple hating troll, so you think everything else is meaningless, only the one that confirms your bias is actually meaningful. The reality is, DMS is pandering. Even though he says these are the BEST ANC headphones in terms of noise canceling and sound, which are the most important things, he paints the review in a negative tone, so that he can pander to haters. Dishonest and disappointing...
@@Gokhanaj Your level of emotion is hilarious. This is the first review that doesn't just say "they sound great! Better than XM4s", which isn't terribly useful
@@Gokhanaj it's the only review by somebody deeply embedded in the high end audio world. A review by somebody who cares more about the music and the experience than the fact that Apple made it.
@@Gokhanaj so DMS is `Dishonest` because he tells the truth and in detail :o
@@Gokhanaj DMS explained how the driver sounded in massive detail, and compared it to a variety of different headphones. He gave a thorough dive into these headphones in a manner in which I haven't seen another reviewer do before. Many other reviewers simply compared them to the XM4's and called it a day which is not at all helpful. All that matters is the build, the feature set, and a deep explanation of the sound. Which is something DMS clearly did in this review.
This man is totally right. I spend hours like a mad man playing my AirPods max and my K361 back to back listening to some of my favorite tracks. The AirPods max have a fuller, deeper, more immersive sound, but the music details in the K361 just beat the maxes and make them sound meh. Maxes feel like a bass boost headphone vs a well rounded sound with the K361. Everyone has a different ear, but this video is super spot on. Hard to explain, you just need to hear it for yourself. But by all means I love the maxes for different reasons.
Thank you for comparing the comfort and ear cup size to the QC 35 II. For my head that is the most comfortable headphones I have worn and I always like that comparison for that reason. I can wear them for hours and hours and feel completely fine. I am still hoping bose "gets the message" and release a QC 35 III since so many people seem to find the QC series fit more comfortable than the 700
What usually hurts for you when wearing headphones? My dumb ears stick out so I’m constantly having pain after awhile using most over ears. Haven’t tried the QC35 II’s tho.
Curious if you are similar to me and what other headphones you’ve tested.
Having owned the majority of the headphones mentioned in this video, the QC35’s are the most comfortable headphone I have ever owned, bar-none. I agree that the NC700 has a shallow ear cup problem, and that alone is the only reason the new QC45 exists.
I AM SO GLAD that you made a few comparisons to wired headphones. I haven't seen any other reviewers do that. A+ analysis on the treble/bass descriptions and comparisons to wired headphones, which are just as valid of an option for a consumer looking to upgrade cheap earbuds.
Gave the K361BT to a friend as a birthday gift, it is one of her favorites since them. I tested them and they are really comfortable and sound very nice. A solid recommendation!
comfortably wise, how's compare to Bose
the lesson with Apple, ALWAYS wait for the 2nd generation. one of those things that gets reinforced with every new product they come up with.
the lesson we learn from this video, don't buy any apple product. It's shit.
@@jessicahyde8461 tell me which apple products youve ever owned
Bro subtract 200 and you’ll see the current deals you get for the apple airpods max headphones still top of the line transparency even today
How would you rank the K361-BT, the K371-BT and the Panda's? which would you say is the best in terms of sound quality? and which would you say are the best bluetooth headphones? (only sound quality regardless of comfort build etc.) Great Video btw.
K361-BT is the best tonally, K371-BT is that but for people who want more bass. Panda wins on detail but is more focused on mid-frequencies. Depends on tuning preferences.
Thanks!
Grado GW100 please… love open back and they’re probably a lot lighter. Please review
In the last 4 days I used to check 10 times a day your uploads waiting for this video!!! Amazing work like always.
Could you do a video or write a comment about how do those compare to the Panda? You mentioned them in the video but I was just hoping for a more detailed/specific comparison about audio quality between the two.
Thumbs up if you guys want this comparison too!!
Thanks. You are one of the few reviewers who also has a technical knowledge that I trust and can relate to (read: understand). Keep up the good work.
Btw... you should rename the video to: AKG 361 BT recomendation ;)
“Audiophiles” are trolls. Try the headphones for yourself
@@buckbuckgoose92 Well are you an audiophile? Bc you certainly are a troll ;)
@@buckbuckgoose92 "trolls"?? Sounds like you
@@clickbaitpro I definitely am 🤷🏻♂️
No but really you should probably try the headphones yourself instead of listening to others. With an open mind also. Something that is apparently hard for people. Making a headphone sound good and have great noise canceling is difficult. Of course they will sound better without implementing anc
At 14:44 you don't understand how happy I am that you pointed out that the mobius does this already lol. Haven't seen anyone else even mention the headphones. Great Video, good in depth analysis. 10/ 10
I’ve seen a ton of reviews of the Max recently, this was my best hands down.
Second 👍
I personally had never heard of this guy before and I'm glad youtube recommended me this video cuz I really enjoyed it.
After watching MKBHD's video I immediately recommended DMS in the comments. His content is so severely underrated.
By far, the best and the most honest video about the AirPods Max. Getting myself AirPods Pro.
well airpod max sounds way way better
It's a good thing that Apple entered the headphones market, so that hopefully Sony, Bose and other manufacturers step up their game.
I do like the swappable ear cubs and height adjustment. Hopefully other brands will implement something similar. The head rest is a shame though.
Conclusion: Hopefully other brands or manufacturers will implement or make their version of the great new futures that Airpods Max introduced and came with.
Now that Apple has introduced $549 headphones and has proven that many people will buy it at that price, most likely, Sony and Bose will feel comfortable raising their next headphones prices to that too. Or close to that.
@@edwardandeli ye people just stupidly copy apple for no damn reason
@@kcguitar9307 Haha, no, not for no reason. For business purposes, profit, capitalism--all that jazz. It's kind of funny, because usually more competition means cheaper prices for the consumer, except in this situation, it's the opposite.
When Apple raised their flagship iPhone price to $1k, other companies copied. I think the same for the headphones game.
@@edwardandeli ya its for their profit ofcuz..what i dont like tho is that they will tease Apple for that
@@edwardandeli Didn’t Samsung set the 1K price first ?
Apple then copied Samsung selling old tech for new price eh
Sweater game is on point.
I don’t understand why people need ANC headphones. When I use IEMs I can’t hear anything around me while music is playing, even at a low volume. I recently tested an audio book while on a plane and I couldn’t hear anything behind the speaker’s voice.
While IEMs are great for blocking out noise, they're just not comfortable for some people, especially for long hours. I know I'd much rather have over-ears if I'll be wearing them for a long stretch of time
see if i'm on a plane, it's usually flying from Toronto to Singapore. that's maybe 21 hrs aloft depending on (and not counting) layovers. I sleep best with silence, and I've never had a pair of IEMs with passive isolation that rivals ANC. while Sony WF-1000XM3s worked decent, let me get comfier in an economy class seat, and actually sound nicer than WH-1000XM3s (imho), They're harder to get a good seal with vs literally any other IEM or over-ear and the only time i can wear WFs for hours on end, is if I'm also on a bike, in which case, i have music to distract me and things that hurt more than my ears. SE-215s and ZS10 pros i can wear for longer without discomfort, but again, they don't isolate like WH-1000xm3s or any other quality ANC over-ear.
I have the CCA C10 IEMs and the QC35’s. While the C10 is a fantastic budget IEM, the Bose are infinitely more comfortable. They’re also wireless and pair to two of my devices and I can use them for calls. So, yea. That’s my 2 cents.
got my k361bt for $100. didn't researched about it, needed a bt headphones asap for my trip to japan and this is the cheapest that's in stock so i bought it. went home tried it and was blown away! a hundred bucks wireless headphones i wasnt expecting it to sound this good.
wow, I don't know if they were improvement made since your review who could explain how much I disagree with it, but I own hd650, ollo s4x, dt990 (very good dac and neve headphone preamp), airpods pro, and I got recently the airpods Max, and for me they blew all of them. The bass are very focused and "true", and overall the sound restitution and details is phenomenal. What I found is these airpods reveals how good some mixes are and how awfull some are. The spatial audio with apple tv is phenomenal, again it is dependant of how well produced and mixed is the sound at first, but when the production is good the sound with airpods is just mindblowing.. your review made me wait to buy them when I saw it months ago .. I am glad I finaly buyed them anyway.
How much better (if at all) are the Pandas and is the price difference worth it over the K361?
Panda has more detail and a way better amp/dac internally but K361-BT is better tuned tonally.
I prefer the K361-BT in most cases personally, but the panda always surprises me.
Thank you for the time and effort you put into replying to comments :) (Not to mention the videos themselves which are consistently thorough and enjoyable as it is).
Thank you DMS! The review we all needed. Not that i was ever considering buying this product, but i was curious if this product was overhyped
I currently have a pair of dt990 what would be a significant better headphones than these? That are not crazy expensive
You gained a sub by the quality of your video and meaning. Great work bro
It for me.
2.5 years ago, before they came out, I spent a month researching wireless ANC headphones. Ended up getting the B&W PX7s. They were very good. But despite the carbon-carbon composite headband and aluminum earcups, the build quality turned out to be crap. The wire connecting the two earcups shorted out from flexing when I put them on my head.
The same thing happened to the replacement pair.
So I purchased the Sony XM4s, Bose 700s, and APMs and A-B tested them for 2 weeks. The Maxs won hands down. Build quality is miles above, plus they're repairable. The sound is significantly better than the Sony (though those get better after you rein in the bass in the EQ and scan your ears so they can actually have some stereo imaging). Slightly better than the Bose too. And ANC performance (used to take public transport daily before rona so this is crucial) easily trumps Bose and trades blows with Sony. At my desk I still have wired headphones and studio monitors, but I find myself using the Maxs most of the time because they're convenient and they sound very good.
Oh and I guess the bugs you mentioned got fixed because I haven't had any problems in the 4 months I've been using them daily.
Soo if i want crappy noise canceling headphones i should buy the boose qc and if i want good sound i should buy real headphones, damn who would have thought
The Bose are real comfortable and the bass isn’t inflated like the XM4s and I’d say it’s rather decent
Or you could just get a damn iem... forreal though with the right tips they'll isolate the world better than any active noise cancelling headphones hands down.
or the Anker life Q30.. nc is okay but sound is actually very decent. Look up the video by olufs gadget.. not sure how it compares to others than the mx4 tho
@@hal9xxx321 But then you have a pair of IEMs which not everyone wants or can tolerate for long periods.
QC35 are very comfortable non offensive sounding headphones you can wear all day.
PXC 550 II are comfortable with a much more refined sound quality. But the ANC is not that great, however block the usual low rumbles of airplane engines.
XM4 is the most obnoxious sounding thing ever made with fantastic ANC ( but even your podcasts will sound different)
I really enjoyed listening to a more technical review of the airpods max. I enjoyed it so much that I decided to sub to you in hopes I get more content like that.
Me too!!
Awesome review !!! Even though I'm part of the general consumers' group I find this type of reviews the real deal! I found the comparisons with other ANC and BT headphones to be especially valuable; both from a price pov and from a sound quality pov.
Hey I have a rec for skin redness as a man with sensitive skin, they make skin tint with spf protection that helps reduce red “hot spots” in your complexion. I’ve started using it daily after resisting recommendations from my wife and now I can’t go back, the reduction of skin irritation and discoloration has just been so mind blowing
"Apple has good customer support"
Me : *laughs in unrepairable airpods*
F
last time i checked apple will replace it for you if it's faulty. being unrepairable doesn't make its customer support bad
Like a board swap for a loosen backlight cable lol
@@the0000alex0000 intentionally making it unrepairable so that you have to go to an Apple store or wait a minimum of 3 weeks to send your device by courier. I love my apple products but stop being the corporate defense force for this Trillion dollar corporation. Apple is a trend setter in the industry and not designing their products to be repairable is a cynical, anti-consumer trend. Anti-consumer practices are the epitome of bad customer service.
@@Necropheliac there are for sure problems with apples "right to repair" stance but someones there are clear benefits for making changes that might make the product not repairable.
Great review; would be interested to see a follow up as there have been a few firmware updates since this was made.
Having owned both the APM and the AKG, I have to say that, for what this type of headset is designed, the APMs suited me quite a bit more. I f I was lying on my bed and analysing the output, then perhaps the AKGs would be superior to audiophiles, but for wearing out and about, or even doing gardening, housework, etc, the APMs sound more energetic, dynamic and fun. Add to that the extra features (ANC, to me, adds quite a bit more drama to music when used in public and actually does help to concentrate me on the sound) and it's a slam-dunk.
If I was going to listen to music more analytically at home, I would use a pair of my wired headphones. I also still own the Deva Pro 2, but struggle to find a use for them as a BT headset, beyond pootling round the house and garden doing quiet jobs. I also miss some of the decent bass from the Maxs when I wear these, albeit you can EQ some back in. I find myself bopping around quite embarrassingly with the APM, which I didn't do with the AKGs or the Devas. It's definitely not audiophile, but I think they arrived at the right kind of sound signature for what they are.
With regard to imaging, soundstage and spatial, the imaging has improved over the updates, the soundstage is still quite 'in your head', except for when I use them with my Apple TV with positional awareness (in which case it's excellent). I don't like spatial audio for music (and actually prefer decent stereo for movies and TV), but they are now almost at a par with the APP2 for this, despite not having the most up-to-date chip inside.
I avoided getting these for years and tried seven or eight of the competitors, which is quite typical with Apple stuff for me. Picked up a 2nd hand pair last year and they just wormed their way in. Got rid of the rest (except for my Bose 700s, which are IPX rated and I live in the UK).
I'd like to see a 6 month follow up with a couple of firmware and iOS updates essentially.
for apple employees of their products they need to better refine their audio format of the airpods max especially for hopefully listening to
lossless/hi-res audio that no one can hear or appreciate without having to use an external dac to enhance it's sound quality.
the air pods max 2 could be a make or break moment if they don't fully realize it,s audio potential without having an internal dac chip inside.
an excellent analogy video. dms!
The flaws of wireless active noise cancelling headphones made me buy a pari of Custom InEars and I have not looked back since. The isolation from noise is amazing, thanks to them being custom made, I can wear them for hours without any pressure building up anywhere and since they are InEars I do not have any trouble with carrying them around :D
Short batt life, my only gripe with this.
Is the K361 BT, really that much better? Oluv's gadgets seemed really disappointed in them compared to the non BT version
Great video mate,
Blimey what a contrast, Hi Fi insider says it’s the best closed back headphone in the world he has every heard and thinks it worth every penny and should really cost more. He says people who are reviewing this are missing its biggest asset is the Dac in the headphone and how it changes and represents the music as the artist intended, can you comment on that side of the headphone?
'changes and represents the music as the artist intended' literally impossible claim unless they have consulted with every single producer both dead and alive on how each track is meant to sound.
HIFI Insider also loves how ALL the Beats headphones sound.... Generally found him to fall for the marketing a lot.
The DAC isn't anything special. It's limited to 320kb/s (mp3 quality).
The DSP is cool by contrast but "as the artist intended" is a huge stretch.
If we're talking wired headphones, there's significantly better closed-backs from the $99 K361 to the Focal Elegia, to many of the ZMF products.
That said, everyone has a right to their opinion.
Yes, he does see to be a Apple fan boy, he even has Nicki Minaj pink version, how sad is that! Plus his comments about the Artists music is just ridiculous!
Also his comments about the settings in the Sony WM1Z are bizarre, those settings give the user a option. I have the Sony XM3 and when I use LDAC via Bluetooth with my Sony WM1Z it sounds great and I have no problem with my Bluetooth connection so don’t no what he is on, plus it sounds much better than my IPhone using AAC codec from Apple that’s for sure. Even Bluetooth from my Sony WM1Z to my Chord Hugo 2 sounds fantastic so not sure what he is on about.
Although my £500 Noble K10 from Drop don’t have ANC and Bluetooth once I press play on any of my devices I can’t hear anything and if I want to hear anyone speak to me I just press pause but more importantly every time I listen to music it’s puts a smile on my face and I am listening to fantastic sounding music for the same price as them Apple Headphones.
I would recommend people purchase a second hand Campfire Audio Cascade , Dan Clark Aeon 2 or the Focal Elegia with £300 off at present or a second hand Campfire Andromeda if they want to hear want music can really sound like.
Like many Airpods Max users, mine bricked themselves gradually over time. It began with connection problems that could not be resolved with a reset. Apple replaced one ear cup to fix this. That lasted a couple of months, then it happened again. In the end and now they won't connect to anything at all. I have a $550 brick. According to Perplexity, this has affected around 10-15% of APM users, and - worse still - it is not fixed for the 2024 "update" (the update where they took away the ability to listen through a wired connection). It's a disgrace.
No one:
DMS: actually knows what he’s talking about
Me: *starts researching the k361 again*
been waiting for dms to review these. finally someone who actually describes the listening experience rather than just saying "wow omg they're so fckin amazing best ever apple number 1!!!"
Lmao yeah finally
ruclips.net/video/DmcVLW2jlIA/видео.html
This guy compare these with the big ol' Sennys HD600. What depresses me more was his testing rig, they are really trying so hard to join the Apple bandwagon
@@NovaRay If tested correctly, the HD600 will smoke these toys every day of the week.
Is the K361BT better than the panda? I didn't see the panda mentioned in the video so I got currious. Maybe I just missed it but I never sawa review of the 361 for you
I initially bought the AirPods Max because of exactly what you found to be the strongest aspect of them: they're a jack of all trades. Sure they're not the most well sounding wireless headphones, but better sounding wireless headphones don't have as good ANC or transparency or don't have them at all. And among noise cancelling headphones these have the better ANC and the better transparency mode by a mile. At $549 they're significantly more expensive than its competitors but they're still reachable. The AirPods Pros have all of the feature set of the Max but they can have trouble staying in my ear especially after my ears are all waxed up by them, whereas these are anchored to your head. I didn't come across or notice any of the problems you mentioned with the Spatial Audio and audio grabbing, and with Dolby Atmos or multichannel content they sound better with Spatial Audio turned on than turned off. But I do (unsurprisingly) prefer to not use the 'Spatialize Stereo' option.
That said, now here's the part that makes the 'initially' at the beginning of the sentence make sense: I'm probably going to sell them and instead buy a pair of cheaper wired headphones (with an amp or DAC or whatever) as I'm mostly a desktop computer user anyway, and buy a pair of either AirPods Pro 2's or some other wireless earbuds that are suitable for working out.
A couple of notes on your video though:
1. You said there are "tons of other wireless heaedphones that sound better than the AirPods Max" but only provided 3 examples, and I would definitely like to know more than that so that statement is a little bit more justified
2. You praised the sound quality of the AirPods Pro a lot, but based on the fact that AirPods Max are made by the same company and this is a company whose headsphone product portfolio only consists of 4 products (AirPods 2, AirPods 3, AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Max), I would imagine that the overall sound tuning of the AirPods Max is very similar to that of the AirPods Pro (they're using the same H1 DSP as well), so why hate so much on the AirPods Max if you like the Pros? Shouldn't the AirPods Max sound better than the Pros in every single way jut because of the sheer size of the Max's audio hardware and there are 2x as many H1 chips in the Max? If the answer to this is "no, they don't sound as good", I would've liked to see you talk about that more in this video.
Other than these 2 points, it was a good video.
While they’re made by the same company the tuning is drastically different from the AirPods Pro.
AirPods Max severely lack on the ear-gain region.
on the pads, if it's installed upside down, the L and R would be upside down as well so it's easy to identify and resolve.
In terms of spatial audio I don’t think they dialed it back enough or adjusted it from the AirPods Pro where it would make sense to add more “reverb” or space to the sound to give a bigger sense of space for small earbuds with a narrower sound stage.
So these sound better than the H95? I listened to them both and found the H95 to be better, but I’m a noob. How do they compare for your ears?
Trust your ears mate. Reviews are great and all, and these guys have better DACs and amps than most of us are ever gonna spend, for testing wired stuff, but sound at the end of the day is still subjective. Your ideal sound signature may not match any one reviewer's, your own hands-on experience is no less valid than anyone else's, and the privilege to have tried both, is a rare one. Or at least, it is to this Ontarian who's been locked down since november
I have both and prefer the H95’s sound signature. The Max have too much of a U sound and the sub bass on the h95 is better. You can also customize the H95’s sound more than the Max.
DUDE, you hit the comfort section right on the head. I have been feeling that temple pressure you are talking about from my AirPods Max and I have been trying to convince myself that it's just me. I honestly feel like I can't wear them for over 2 hours, I get a relief when I take them off. My Bose QC35II never gave me this pressure fatigue feeling.
There are a ton of videos touting the sound quality of Airpods Max tho. I guess a lot of people haven't heard sub-bass from headphones before.
to the general populous "more bass=quality" lol
Most people will like a song more if you put a compressor and crank it up to 8:1 leaving the compensatory gain switch to auto !! Crazy!!!
Yet some reviewers say the Airpods Max are almost as good as B & O H95 at $800?? Quality is obviously in the ear of the listener... but we all hear differently.. don't we?
Panda over the Max, & the Panda the best BT headphone.... period?
Only it doesn't have ANC. But apart from that it's superior in every way
Ananda BT is prob better
@@ideoidiom its for a very limited use case and I don't know what it is. Open back headphones can't be for commute and why would you want to do Ananda BT in your living room. Don't get me wrong, I have Anandas and they are one of my favourites and I am in love with that large sound but if I need something when I am out and about Ananda BT is not the answer. I considered Pandas too but lack of ANC is a deal breaker for me when I am travelling. If I want a BT headphone I am compromising sound and that's a deal we all make when we go that route, and after weighing all the options APM are the best deal for me. Can't stand boomy Sony's or characterless Bose.
@@ideoidiom imo Ananda BT is pointless (especially since it has no wired input). Better to go Wired ananda plus a BTR5 or UP4 if you want a wireless openback for home use.
Can you tell something about hiss? Most BT headphones have a clearly audible hiss. The K-371BT and the Powerbeats Pro are the only ones I listened to, that were „quiet“.
Great breakdown of the max, I really appreciate your detail and the comparisons you made with many other headphones. Taking your advice I treated myself to the Sennheiser HD 6XX and simply love them and also own the Sony XM4's. The price for both of them is still under $550.
How the XM4 feel compared to the HD 6xx? I have the HD 6xx and was considering buying an ANC headphone.
@@panzer3279 it sounds good after you EQ it. It is very bassy out of the box, but the great feature of the XM4 is the it includes a pretty decent EQ system, so you can change the sound of your unit to your liking. It also works best on an an android phone which you are able to use the LDAC Codec which can stream Bluetooth signals up to 990 kbps. This let's you take advantage of being able to stream HIFI music from apps like Tidal or Amazon HD and get the best sound out of it. If using an IPhone your limited to AAC codec which is 256 kbp a much lower streaming bit rate. Though not as good Sony does compensate for this in there app but usind a function called AAC Extreme to better the sound quality. Though you will never get the sound quality of the HD 6xx, for a bluetooth device you get really good sound you can adjust to you liking. Most reviews don't give you all this information, they review out of box without making the adjustments to make it sound even better, that what Sony offers thats no one else does.
As for ANC, pretty much the best
@@panzer3279 lol... Misread the first time, they are pretty comfortable
@@RayCabrera1 Thanks! I might just get the XM4, save $250, and buy a better amp for the 6xx.
@@panzer3279 I use the IFI ZEN CAN Amp with ZEN DAC stack. It works well for me.
I own a pair of the airpods max, and the reasons I got it were:
1- my parents offered me the money to get it cuz of my bday otherwise i would never have even gotten over the ear headphones as I am deeply satisfied with my airpods pro
2-these offer very smooth transitions between my apple devices in which no other headphones offer the same quality as apple does it
3-noise cancellation is a very big necessity for me, as well as transparency mode, and they both are the best in the business on these headphones, other than transparency on the airpods pro, the transparency on the airpods pro are more connected with my ears I don’t know how to explain it exactly.
4-there is no way im gonna wear wired headphones for me everyday use, wireless is much more comfortable and convenient to use, even if it means that I have to give up a bit of quality from the sound, and considering they’re wireless, these were the best sounding noise cancelling wireless headphones I’ve ever heard.
5-I have a fairly large head, and these have the perfect clasp on my head, I don’t feel the headband on my head at all, and even tho these feel heavy when you hold em, I don’t really feel the heft of them on my head, I always know that I have them on my head obviously they’re not crazy comfortable, but still very very comfortable for my head.
6-you can clean them very very easily as the earcups and cushions are detachable, and there is a cleaning guide for these on apple’s website too.
Hope this helped with your decision making.
Oh and I find them much better than the xm5s in almost every way, other than their pricing differences.
Damn wish I hadn’t ordered one. It arrives at some point next week. I might sell it and get some AirPod pros and a dark voice amp for my hd650
You can cancel the order and demand a refund.
Another great review. You shockingly found same issues I found and reason I returned them. Just the pressure alone on listening sessions wasn’t comfortable. I just stuck with the xm4’s which can use without even noticing wearing them. Then again use to Sony’s as used Sony’s monitors wired sets for years definitely not as good as wired set costing similar but comfortable can also lay back with them and EQ them to correct some of deficiencies, so gets job done as far as ANC Bluetooth sets, but definitely won’t consider them as reference by any means nor do I consider any of the Bluetooth headphones, not there yet unfortunately.
The Sony’s keep the EQ settings in the DSP in the headphones itself and even when using wired mode, plus only have to adjust volume on source. The Apple AirPods Max on both. The Sony’s you definitely have to EQ the mids pretty high and turn down the clear bass. The Apples AirPods Max are good at details but still not reference nor are the Sony’s.
The spatial audio is a gimmick at best.
For $550 not even close to worth it even as a luxury product just to many flaws as the two volume control in wired mode, no wire included at price point and only as a option, no excitement in music, poor clamping, no dedicated power off button, or even in app, aluminum casing causing more condensation, clicking issues when walking, worst case design with zero protection pretty much and having to use case to put in power save mode. At best they sure have been price at $350 at launch and even then think they are overpriced and more around $250 range.
Looking forward to K361BT video!
I’m surprised you didn’t talk about the H1 chip on both aluminum cups. And what those chips do. Beamforming microphones for calls in windy environments. Dual neodymium ring magnet, Computational audio, Adaptive EQ. Just shocked you didn’t mention any of those.
Also we have had numerous firmware updates to AirPods Max. You have to know that Apple takes these seriously and has been sure to make sure these headphones sound good over there in California.
Love the title.
10/10 would title again
I remember seeing you in that LTT video, also this review is so detailed. You are definitely getting my subscribe.
Conclusion: Puppy!
Thanks for being honest. I've seen some other reviewers bow to the apple hype. Some of these "honest reviewers" did not even bring up a lot of your points. Review the product as it is, a headphone for music listening frst, then active noise isolation. I much rather prefer great audio quality first, then ANC or transparency. Maybe for some people prefer the opposite. But that is their money and their choice. Making an educated purchase does go a long way, and that's when reviewers like you really really help us. Keep up the great work!
and i guess panda wins by far as sound quality after that?!
Where is the k631 in the description? You kept mentioning those numbers, and I don't see them.
Perfect review. Made me realise that a normal airpods pro with a decent wired (or bluetooth) headphone is better for me.
Here is the deal:
If Hifiman, Sennheiser, Drop, etc made an audiophile wireless headphone with ANC id probably buy it. Imagine the Sundara, HD6XX or the Aeons but wireless, closed and with ANC.
Now that is a wireless headphone id buy.
Fow now IEMs are the way to go.
@DMS I appreciate your insights and the depth in which you covered each aspoect. I have to say that at the 17:40 mark, you essentially hit on what most people experience with headphones in general. I remember when the Utopia came out, most everyone said that it is the BEST headphone ever! Now, while it is still well regarded, it is no longer the God headphone. I got the APM and really am enjoying them. I personally feel tired of chasing the endless audiophile pursuit of the BEST sound. God knows thousands of dollars from my pocket have been put towards that. 😅 I just put the APM on, and just listen and just enjoy.
And, I think that is what they are aiming to do, provide an enjoyable experience and provide continuty for a person that is vested in the Apple ecosystem. Also, though highly subjective the APM have a design aesthetic where IMO cannot be compared to the others that it is being compared to. For some, including me, the industrial design, feel and the intangibles are important parts of the overall listening experience.
They are not aiming to be super detailed or analytical, though compared to some headphones I have heard in the 2-3K range, they do some things better, even as a BT headphone. For example, I was at a show and listened to Audeze LCD-4 plugged into the Chord DAVE and it was just incredible for lot of music that I sampled. Then, I switched to a different genre and it shockingly sounded mediocre. So, that made me realize that ultimately the source needs to be great and that makes the most impact.
That said, Apple product are part of an experience and not simply, is the computer or phone customizable, underpowered, or locked down, does it sound like X or Y, is it over-priced, etc.
Thanks for a great video!
Why so few people talks about the AKG N700NC? It is a great headphone, much more balanced than Bose and Sony. It can have fewer features, no HD codecs and some latency for video, bur for music is by far the best active noise canceling headphones. DMS should try it!!
Good video, as always. Would love to hear more about other wireless headphones you like (drop panda), compared to each other. Another tier list like someone suggested maybe in the future? Cheers :)
Not spending $550 for one single flight. Especially a device that can't turn off and doesn't run passively.
That's a damn fashion item for people who spend $500 on Melrose for a white t-shirt.
Great review! Glad to hear that it does not sound good enough to be priced 500$
I don’t think that apple priced these solely on sound quality.
I don’t think you watched the whole review lol
How do the k361-BT compare to the Drop Panda (besides price?)
Brilliant honest review. Glad we are seeing more and honest reviews these days.
Excellent breakdown of the features and audio quality.
Good that I knew these were too good to be true. The lightning port already showed it. 560s, 58x, Sony MDR M1ST, CD900st, DT770 and many more are more well rounded and cheaper. I guess NDH20 are better than too even when I dislike the fast decay of bass and lack of treble most of the time. I am like M1st + BTR5 and short cable, attach it to the headphone and boom, good bluetooth headphone
Again, you wouldn't buy these for sound quality. I have yet to see ANC headphones that could compete with 150 dollar audiophile headphones. It's just futile to even expect these to sound as good as that just because of the price tag.
The lightning cable on a $550 headphone is criminal.
Just buy three pairs of airpods pros if you need the batterylife. Still smaller than the max and the same price (in germany)
But what if you want better audio and isolation/transparency?
@@andesvirgo sure. Go for it then. If you think the only better thing is batterylife it though the max doesn't look good imo
Nice review! The Airpods Max sounds like a first gen product to me, but if they ever come up with a second gen or a cheaper "sports" version, maybe it'll gain more traction.
Question tho, if you compare those headphones with EQ enabled and set to what you think their best setting should be, like toning down the bloated bass of the XM4, would your tier list change in any way?
Speaking of sibilance and peaky highs, did you change something with your recording in this video? Your S's and T's aren't murdering my ears in this one like they do in all your others.
It is surprising that your review differs from other audiophiles, overal consensus is that these are good sounding and comfortable headphones, and the ANC is on parr or better the current best ANC headphones.
The fact that you have problems with handoff, while others show no problems, with even fast switching between devices in seconds, is weird.
Maybe hes jus being a little more honest than th others or has higher standards
When you have multiple devices that you use (Mac, iPad, iPhone) handoff is hit and miss for me too. 95% of the time it works and then it'll get stuck on one device or register the correct device but not pass the audio. It's a software bug that'll be fixed eventually. It's probably that not everyone got that bug, but it's also something that Apple will fixe in a future update.
I had less issues before I connected my Mac, I assume it's because Big Sir is still new and some kinks remain. Either way I wouldn't put too much emphasis on a software bug with a company like Apple (or Sony or Bose) since they do take the time to fix those.
Maybe some of the other guys aren't using them as much? Not sure.
I've been trying to use them as my daily driver (10+ hours a day between work and home) for about a week.
That said, I'm glad I don't have to use them anymore.
@Piyath I thought he made it very clear & concise what they excelled @ & what they didnt. Personally, they'd b building snowmen in hell before I'd spend that much $$ on a pair of headphones that didn't meet audiophile standards! As he stated, u could hav an audiophile headphone & amp for less than th Apple phones, or u could hav a pair that cost less than half of them that did almost everything better than th Apple. For that amount of cash, u cant help but expect audiophile fit, finish & function. I'm actually shocked it's not more comfortable, b/c to compete w/Sony& Bose in th mainstream you'd better hav comfort & advanced functions to b seamless & perfect! Sounds like Apple shit th bed
@Piyath I buy headphones for sound, not to be vain in how I look with them.
It's strange... I almost sent mine back because... of the sound! A muffled sound compared to my wired headsets, not detailed enough, lacks breadth. Sure it's better than the competition but I was still very disappointed. A sound engineer gave the trick you mention in Settings > Accessibility... And there, boom! Wow... Finally some air, a wider soundstage, etc. I don't feel those annoying highs you're talking about at all. Adaptive EQ may act differently in different people, I don't know. It totally reconciled me with the AirPods Max ;)
Why do a pair of headphones make me mad? I think somethings wrong with me
Most people arent as humble as you
@@htetnaing9597 what did i say? Are you being sarcastic?
@@bgamervideo2714 I think he's giving you props, since you blame yourself for getting mad for a pair of headphones unlike many, who blame apple for selling them.
Because you just woke, knowing these companies package crap and market it to us.
@@leonkastilyo7463 exactly
I run a BTR5 and a custom Philips SHP9500 with custom measured EQ for it. I love it so much and I once thought of getting the Airpods Max but the price didn't justify the sound quality or really anything about the headset.
Good thorough review. Did anyone else notice the dog appearing from nowhere on the bed LoL
My granddog!
What are the best sounding headphones if you don't have an amp?
I just don't see who Apple is trying to cater to with this headphone. You could buy a 6XX with an atom or spark and a topping dac, or get a drop panda and still have $150 leftover, these certainly are NOT appealing to any audiophile. It also doesn't appeal to average consumers at that price, this looks like its for the Apple enthusiast exclusively.
Apple users are the average consumer. Did you miss that the iPhone ist the best selling phone?
@@muffinb5446 Ok buddy, you really think your average iphone owner is gonna drop 600 dollars on a pair of bluetooth headphones? There's a big difference between people with iphones and apple enthusiasts, who own everything apple. Also, your logic is flawed, the iphone might be the best selling phone, but there are far more android and other phone types out there when added as a whole is much larger than the iphone, but nice try being a smartass.
Mostly for Apple fans that are so deep in the whole Apple ecosystem and could take full advantage of the features this thing has. And Apple was scalping their customers for a long time, those who have money won't even consider other options and will go straight for these
Why would you consider 6XX for commute or Pandas in a plane without ANC? It is all about use case and this snobbery is frustrating when you start comparing audiophile gear with a wireless headphones. Surely, you know better. Personally, I hate my claustrophobic 6xx but love my Anandas but both of these live in my living room and yes that''s where I have been all this year but hopefully things will get better next year and I will be commuting again and then I think something like this would shine. And yes, mine are on pre-order and I think I know a thing or two about AQ, it is about how you are going to use a certain pair otherwise it is chalk and cheese.
@@Luminary09 You obviously dont understand the point I am trying to figure out the target audience, It's not audiophiles, hence the reference to the 6xx and the pandas, but you are obviously too interested in starting an internet flame debate to understand that. It has nothing to do with snobbery, I think its a fair comparison when Apple drops a 600 dollar price tag. DMS literally compares it in this video saying you could buy a 6XX and a Darkvoice tube amp for the price of the airpods max.
It's not average consumers, your average iphone owner gets it on a carrier lease and they aren't about to dish out 600 bucks for a pair of bluetooth headphones. This is for apple enthusiasts who think everything apple makes is superior and would happily drop 600 for what is an average bluetooth headphone with good build quality. Maybe tone down the douchebaggery a bit and read more thoroughly and stop looking for a fight and you would feel better about being locked in all day hmm?
Is it safe to say the K361 BT are your overall favorite wireless headphone? Trying to buy someone a pair of wireless headphones for Christmas.
Brilliant detailed review, thanks again DMS!
Due to the use of steel rather than titanium, these headphones are heavy and uncomfortable to wear for some people. The cheap looking netted headband that looks worse over time provides no cushioning. For the hefty price, Apple could have provided a cushioned headband. Recommend padding the headband with bubble wrap if discomfort is an issue. The looks, sound, noise cancelling, battery life, etc. of these pods are great. There are as good or slightly better sounding headphones for less. However, it depends on how you plan to use them. Apple is great for switching between modalities and to use with your other Apple devices. Would appreciate more ability to adjust within Spatial sound and to more easily switch between Stereo and Spatial. The magnetic case is cool but flimsy leaving the fragile head band exposed. So, I bought a case with enough room to store the headphones along with their case. The best headphones for listening quality are the corded studio ones that connect to speakers through Jack ports. The most discerning audiophiles, studio technicians, and musicians often prefer headphones and speakers made in Germany and Italy.
Queue the loud rabble of AirPod Max owners who take it personally when you criticize their new headphones. They’re lurking in all of these reviews.
At last a realistic and unbiased review. My only comments would be that when playing my Sony XM4’s using LDAC and equalized to my taste they sounded better to me than the AirPods and I do not think you can use Bluetooth on a plane so not coming with a wire is a big disadvantage, which to remedy costs even more.
Airpods Max, AKA just get an Audeze Mobius.
If you have a proper setup (dac/amp or player)... Sure. The Max is an all in one system, so all you need is a phone. Both are not comparable.
yeah i want to see you carrying an audeze, amp and dac and a computer commuting to work. “but it sounds nicer! apple sheeps are missing out”
@@ritzk79 You should look up the Audeze Mobius
@@darthmandude Mobius
@@albertxion513 i did. point still stands.
The sony xm4 and the hd58x (or a beyer 770) can be had for less. Anc for on the go and good sound for whenever at home.
“It’s like getting in the sports car and being allowed to do only 25mph” Lmao that kinda is Apple thing to do.
Apple want to keep the mic active just like the Amazon firestick. Amazon say to plug the firestick into the wall giving it always on and connect to the internet
I want you to review the Bang & Olufsen Beoplay h95: with a B&O tuning and with a B&O price.
And I want you to review the Ergo 2 helmetphones.
DMS, an excellent review as always. How would the Max compare in normal mode? No noise canceling, no processing of any kind? Nothing. Just playing the source.
Father of all audio reviewers these days! 🔥🔥🔥
Is there some limitation that prevents ANC headphones (even with it turned off) from having the same or better sound quality as Bluetooth headphones?
Lazy manufacturers who lack ambition.
Sony and Bose need to step up
why? xm4 still better. $270 vs $550 hello?!!! it's not like the max is heaps better overall.
The Apple product is substantially heavier thanks to the aluminum earpieces, why are they milled billet aluminum? To give a faux impression of quality. They will also scratch and deform from the many knocks and rough handling headphones receive but Apple apparently didn't consider so that may be how that ridiculous case came about. They are now very conspicuous items that are underwhelming as headphones and very overpriced and may earn them a high douchebag factor.
I may have missed it in the review, but I noticed a lot of people were listening to the headphones with “Headphone Safety” measures turned on by default and not using any of the “Headphone Accommodations” settings. I’ve been using my pair with the Balanced Tone on Slight and it’s been really enjoyable for what it is. Have you tried those out?
It is a very good headphone
For me, the most shocking thing is not the differences between this review and others audiophiles/experts, it's the difference with his own first impressions. I don't judge it, I'm only confused.
He explains it from 17:30
A lot can change from day 1. Trying a product is one thing. Trying to live with it is a whole different experience.
Generally when I get something in to review, I try to use it as my daily driver until the review if filmed.
@@DMS3TV you made me think "do I really need ANC?" and "convinced" me to test wireless non-ANC. Any reason why you didn't add the Drop THX Panda to your recommendations list? I've watched your review on the Panda's and noticed you mentioned them in the APM review. Thanks!
so if we just talk about sound quality regardless of the nature of the headphone, do you think it sounds better than the hifiman HE400i 2020?