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@lively_ridge_45 · Owner-reported
Owned 6–12 months · Still using it: yes, daily · Posted
Serious build quality, is not lightweight plastic.
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Three answers, four quick reads, one sentence nobody tells you before buying · Sign-in needed to publish · Photo optional
At 9, its noise cancelling beats 98% of over-ear headphones we've measured.
Measured on 64 of the 243 we've cataloged.
A 4.3 puts its audio quality in the top half of over-ear headphones we've measured.
Measured on 49 of the 243 we've cataloged.
Would buy it again and still uses it daily.
Owned 6–12 months.
below average for over-ear headphones — based on 160 of 243 we've cataloged.
Usb-c is the most common — on 89% of the 139 over-ear headphones we've cataloged (of 243).
5.3 appears on 25% of the 153 over-ear headphones we've cataloged (of 243).
Bluetooth appears on 44% of the 252 over-ear headphones we've cataloged (of 243).
Objective measurements from the SoundGuys test lab — overlay other models to see how this one compares.
Apple AirPods Max (2nd gen) Frequency Response (measured on a B&K 5128)
Click a line or a legend entry to highlight it. Click again to clear.Tap a legend entry to highlight its line. Tap again to clear.
Measured frequency response (dB relative) against the SoundGuys Headphone Preference Curve. When the measurement goes above the dashed line, that frequency is louder than our preference curve, and when it goes below: it's quieter. Use the curve for comparison purposes only, as your taste may vary.
| Frequency (Hz) | Response (dB) |
|---|---|
| 20 | 7.3 |
| 25 | 6.9 |
| 32 | 6.0 |
| 40 | 5.0 |
| 50 | 4.7 |
| 63 | 4.0 |
| 80 | 3.2 |
| 100 | 1.6 |
| 125 | 0.9 |
| 160 | 0.2 |
| 200 | 0.3 |
| 250 | -0.3 |
| 315 | -0.8 |
| 400 | -1.1 |
| 500 | -0.9 |
| 630 | 0.1 |
| 800 | 0.7 |
| 1000 | 0.7 |
| 1250 | 1.3 |
| 1600 | 2.5 |
| 2000 | 5.1 |
| 2500 | 6.3 |
| 3150 | 6.9 |
| 4000 | 2.1 |
| 5000 | -1.3 |
| 6300 | 5.7 |
| 8000 | 8.9 |
| 10000 | 6.3 |
| 12500 | 3.8 |
| 16000 | -6.1 |
| 20000 | -15.2 |
Apple AirPods Max (2nd gen) Attenuation (measured on a B&K 5128)
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Solid lines: passive isolation (dB) with ANC off — how much ambient noise the fit blocks on its own. Dashed lines: total attenuation (dB) with ANC on — passive isolation plus active noise cancelling. Higher on the chart means more attenuation.
| Frequency (Hz) | Attenuation (dB) |
|---|---|
| 21 | 0.5 |
| 26 | -0.8 |
| 33 | 0.5 |
| 41 | -1.3 |
| 52 | -2.5 |
| 65 | 2.9 |
| 82 | -5.2 |
| 103 | -3.8 |
| 130 | 0.9 |
| 163 | 5.2 |
| 205 | 9.2 |
| 259 | 12.5 |
| 325 | 15.0 |
| 410 | 14.9 |
| 516 | 15.6 |
| 613 | 16.3 |
| 772 | 18.5 |
| 972 | 20.8 |
| 1220 | 19.8 |
| 1540 | 20.6 |
| 1940 | 26.3 |
| 2440 | 28.1 |
| 3070 | 29.6 |
| 3870 | 30.2 |
| 4870 | 42.3 |
| 6130 | 40.1 |
| 7720 | 35.7 |
| 9720 | 35.7 |
| 12200 | 35.3 |
| 15400 | 36.4 |
| 19400 | 38.4 |
| Frequency (Hz) | Total attenuation (dB) |
|---|---|
| 21 | 13.8 |
| 26 | 18.3 |
| 33 | 20.9 |
| 41 | 21.7 |
| 52 | 28.4 |
| 65 | 27.3 |
| 82 | 32.1 |
| 103 | 38.6 |
| 130 | 38.0 |
| 163 | 38.9 |
| 205 | 39.2 |
| 259 | 35.0 |
| 325 | 35.5 |
| 410 | 37.0 |
| 516 | 34.0 |
| 613 | 33.4 |
| 772 | 35.9 |
| 972 | 35.7 |
| 1220 | 30.7 |
| 1540 | 27.1 |
| 1940 | 30.5 |
| 2440 | 29.6 |
| 3070 | 28.3 |
| 3870 | 28.7 |
| 4870 | 41.3 |
| 6130 | 42.4 |
| 7720 | 34.0 |
| 9720 | 35.6 |
| 12200 | 37.0 |
| 15400 | 37.0 |
| 19400 | 41.7 |
Apple AirPods Max (2nd gen) MDAQS
Multi-Dimensional Audio Quality Scores, Scale 1 - 5
Virtual mean opinion scores (MOS) on a 1–5 scale, modeled from the measured response by HEAD acoustics’ MDAQS (Multi-Dimensional Audio Quality Score) model. Higher is better across timbre, distortion, and immersiveness — add other models to see where this one lands.
The verdict
The Apple AirPods Max 2 inherits the best and worst of the original, but packs a new H2 chip to improve noise cancellation and unlock new software features. An iterative update for existing AirPods Max customers, but a compelling option for Apple device owners willing to pay a premium.
✓Liked: Excellent noise cancellation, Great sound quality, Good microphone quality, USB-C audio
✕Could be better: Feels heavy, Subpar battery life, Apple-exclusive features, Expensive
What a reader who owns the Apple AirPods Max (2nd gen) reports after living with it. Owner-reported, checked before publishing; ordered photo-verified first, then newest.
Owner reviews are not paid for, not solicited from specific owners, and not rewritten by us: at most we proofread typos, which is shown on the review’s own page and which the author can undo. The commission SoundGuys may earn on this page comes from retail links, never from owner reviews.
1 owner review
LREvery author writes under a generated pseudonym; a member can choose to show their name and photo beside it. A signed-in author’s email is never shown. Read more · The reader says they own it. We have not seen proof, and we say so — no label here is proof of a purchase. Read more · Owned 6–12 months · Still using it: yes, daily · Posted
Would buy againSerious build quality, is not lightweight plastic.
Sign-in needed to publish.
What readers ask about the Apple AirPods Max (2nd gen), answered by the people who own it.
Nobody has asked the owners yet.
Ask the first question →See how the Apple AirPods Max (2nd gen) stacks up against the competition.
Apple AirPods Max (2nd gen)
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Sony WH-1000XM6VSVersusApple AirPods Max (2nd gen) vs Sony WH-1000XM6There's a $100 gap between these two flagships. Here's whether it's worth it — and which direction it cuts.Read comparison ›Video reviews and comparisons for this product.
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Adam BirneyManaging EditorI fixed my AirPods Max headband for pennies after Apple quoted me hundredsI can't believe Apple shipped over-ears with a flawed headband... twice. 
Brady SnyderContributor3 headphones I would buy instead of the AirPods Max 2These premium headphones deliver class-leading ANC, longer battery life, and more flexibility for less money.
Dave CarrVideo Producer/WriterI built my own Dolby Atmos speaker system, but I still prefer headphones for musicInvesting in Dolby Atmos wasn't a waste, but listening through headphones is more than a gimmick.Brady SnyderContributorSummer heat is exposing the AirPods Max’s biggest design flawCondensation is causing concerns for AirPods Max owners.Adam BirneyManaging EditorThe Apple AirPods Max 2 will soon be obsolete without this featureWithout Auracast, the AirPods Max 2 could miss the biggest shift in Bluetooth audio we've ever seen.
Tom TriggsContributorSorry Apple fanboys: 70% of you chose the Sony XM6 over the AirPods Max 2Sony keeps the crown.Adam BirneyManaging EditorApple made the AirPods Max 2 impossible to show offI spent $550 on new headphones, but nobody can tell.Adam BirneyManaging EditorSorry Apple, most of you aren't buying the AirPods Max 2Over 2,000 people voted on the AirPods Max 2. Apple isn't going to like what they said.Adam BirneyManaging EditorThe AirPods Max 2 exposes what a rip-off the 2024 refresh wasApple finally updated the AirPods Max. The bad news? It's basically the upgrade we should have got with the USB-C refresh.Adam BirneyManaging EditorApple's new HomePod mini 2 isn't very smart (yet)Easy to use and great-sounding for its size, but the "smart" part of this smart speaker hasn't shown up yet.Adam BirneyManaging EditorI’ve worn AirPods since 2017, and I’m skipping the AirPods 5I'm a longtime AirPods user, and I think you should skip the AirPods 5.Brady SnyderContributor
3 of 5 would buy again
5 owners · owners report ~40 h per charge vs 40 h claimed
Comfort beat their expectations
Expected more from the fit and build
The battery beat their expectations
1 of 1 would buy again
1 owner
Nothing surprising about comfort
0 of 1 would buy again
1 owner
The noise cancelling beat their expectations
0 of 1 would buy again
1 owner · 1 photo-verified
Expected more from comfort
0 of 1 would buy again
1 owner
Comfort beat their expectations
1 of 1 would buy again
1 owner · owners report ~55 h per charge vs 53.77 h claimed
The battery beat their expectations