Well, the day finally came. After months of speculation, rumours and mutterings on the grapevine, the Apple AirPods Max 2 wireless over-ears have officially landed, and they've got quite the shoes to fill.
The AirPods Max 2 headphones are one of the most anticipated sequels of recent memory – with the original launching in 2020, six years is more than a lifetime in this fast-moving market.
Article continues belowExcited: potentially better sound
This is, of course, the most important question to ask of the AirPods Max 2: how will they sound?
Not only do the Max 2 have to sound superior to their five-star predecessors, they also need to head off competition from the premium over-ears which have raised the sonic bar in the years since the original AirPods Max launched in 2020.
At this premium level, that includes the slightly cheaper Sony WH-1000XM6 (currently £329 / $400 / AU$699), the Dali IO-8 (currently £499 / $500 / AU$1000), and the benchmark-setting Sennheiser HDB 630 (£400 / $500 / AU$1000).
This means that the AirPods Max 2 seriously have their work cut out for them, and while the advanced H2 chip, the custom 40mm drivers and new high dynamic amplifier are promising a step-up in sound quality, it may not be enough.
Much as we like the clear, pristine and natural sound of the original over-ears, Apple must raise its game significantly if it's going to keep up with the competition that has moved on a lot in the last six years.
Don't believe us? Just take the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) as a case in point. The second-gen over-ears are better than their predecessors in every sonic sense, yet they missed out on a fifth star for sound for failing to keep up with flagship rivals from the likes of Sony, Dali and Sennheiser.
Apple has the resources and know-how to keep up, but it can't let complacency win the day. The much-anticipated Max 2 now house a new high dynamic range amplifier in pursuit of clearer, cleaner audio, while updated DSP and Adaptive EQ aims to improve sound quality even further.
We're testing the Max 2 very soon, so let's hope we hear significant improvement here.
Disappointed: same battery life as before
This feels like a bit of a shame. Apple's second-gen over-ears promise up to 20 hours of listening time from a single charge with noise cancelling on, which is identical to the figures boasted by the older model.
That's not a terrible number, but the original AirPods Max's battery life was never truly outstanding, and it's certainly an area we'd love to have seen improved – especially when rivals such as the Sony WH-1000XM6 (30 hours) and Sennheiser HDB 630 (60 hours) offer more hours.
While the more advanced H2 chip is more power-hungry, it still feels like a wasted opportunity that Apple decided to forego any bump in battery life.
Excited: improved noise cancelling
This could be a real ace up the Max 2's sleeve.
Active noise-cancellation has reportedly been given a significant boost thanks to the implementation of the H2 chip and revised audio algorithms, with Apple teasing ANC performance that’s "up to 1.5x more effective than the previous generation".
Transparency mode, too, is claimed to sound more natural thanks to a newly optimised digital signal processing algorithm. Considering how good the transparency mode of the original Max was, it will be interesting to see how Apple plans to top that benchmark this time around.
There are also new Apple features on the menu to make noise cancelling the best it's ever been. Adaptive Audio, for instance, automatically adjusts levels of noise cancelling in response to environmental noise, something we've seen used to great effect on the Apple AirPods Pro 3 wireless earbuds.
The ANC of the outgoing AirPods Max was excellent, offering a natural yet highly effective experience in shutting out the outside world. Refining this performance and taking it to new heights could see the Max 2 take the fight to their noise-cancelling rivals from Sony and Bose.
Disappointed: that ridiculous case is back
Oh, that darned case. They just couldn't help themselves, could they?
We might be wrong, but we can't imagine that there was a huge clamour among even the most dedicated of Apple acolytes to see the return of the headphones' frankly ridiculous 'holster-style' carry case.
To quote from our original review: "Not only does it look daft, it doesn’t perform even the most basic function of a typical case, which is protecting the product contained within from knocks, scratches and dirt. The case doesn’t cover the headband or the tops or bottoms of the cups, so is only vaguely more protective than simply shoving them naked into your bag." That just about sums up our misgivings.
Apple has not heeded those warnings, and so the holster returns for the sequel, so we'd advise getting a third-party case if you want to keep your new headphones safe and sound. Just be aware that the official carry case does put your AirPods Max into a handy ultra-low-power mode that will preserve that battery life, something which you won't get from third-party providers.
It's also sad to note that the AirPods Max 2 don't fold away, either. Even Sony bowed to this customer demand and made its WH-1000XM6 foldable, which makes them more convenient for portable use, commutes and simply carrying them in your bag. Considering the AirPods Max 2 are fairly heavy premium designs, this would've been a nice update. But alas, no dice.
Excited: new and improved H2 features
The implementation of the H2 chip (an update from the original model's dated H1 chip) unlocks Apple's most up-to-date raft of features, many of which we've already experienced in the brand's recent AirPods Pro 2, AirPods 4 with ANC and Pro 3 earbuds.
These include Adaptive Audio, which automatically adjusts levels of noise cancelling in response to surrounding noise, and Apple's 'Live Translation' feature, which will transcribe conversations in real time for iOS users. We've already seen these features in the five-star AirPods Pro 3 earbuds, and are big fans of how adaptive audio adjusts our ANC experience effectively on the fly.
Other useful features have also transferred across from the newer generations of AirPods, including 'Conversation Mode', which automatically pauses your music when you start speaking or take your headphones off.
Voice calls should be better, too, as the new voice isolation tech promises to emphasise human speech while more effectively blocking out ambient noise during phone or video calls.
Apple also promises that Spatial Audio content will sound better than ever, with "improved localisation of instruments, more accurate bass response, and more natural-sounding mids and highs".
We found the spatial audio capacities of the outgoing AirPods Max cans to be superb in creating a virtual surround experience from 5.1, 7.1 and even Dolby Atmos content, so the idea of this already-excellent feature getting a boost has us desperate to give it a go. Movie night, anyone?
While we have a few misgivings, it's hard not to be excited about the arrival of the AirPods Max 2.
In the last few years, Apple has done a fine job in meeting expectations as overall standards of performance continue to rise, especially across its wireless earbuds.
Can the brand repeat that success in the over-ear category? The performance of premium rivals has improved significantly since the original AirPods Max were released, so the AirPods Max 2 certainly have their work cut out.
Still, the integration of that H2 chip, the updated acoustics and a premium design all point to a potentially impressive upgrade for the AirPods Max 2. Stay tuned for our full review next week to find out how they fare.
MORE:
Read our original Apple AirPods Max review
AirPods Max 2 vs AirPods Max: what are the differences?
AirPods Pro 3 vs AirPods 4 with ANC: which of Apple's noise-cancelling earbuds will suit you best?
How do active noise-cancelling headphones work? Are they worth it?
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