Heavy, pricey and not worth it. Anybody else surprised?
I haven't herd of AirPod Max until now, so I'm not in the same context as you.
Not that anybody's asking, but I really think people would be better served with a quality set of wired cans or IEMs (Sennheiser, Audio Technica, Shure, etc) attached to a FIIO BTR3.
Has a parametric equalizer built-in, balanced input, great app, Bluetooth range is significantly better and better sound quality.
They also don’t use standard bluetooth codecs, they use a different “HiFi” codec (I don’t know the details; but it’s significantly higher quality audio), and the range is pretty good - across the house or further for me.
That being said people are probably better off spending hundreds of dollars less for something like a Sony WH-1000X or Bose QC than the AirPoxMax.
Being fair, ANR technology is fatiguing to my ear; it makes them hurt as if I’ve been listening to loud noises for too long. I’ve heard this from a few others as well, but it definitely drives me towards passive attenuation.
IEMs are notoriously unforgiving. You would need to try quite a number of them as well as tips in order to find one that is comfortable for long-term use. Variety of people's ears are that diverse.
And in most cases the only way you get good isolation is by having a strong seal which in turns means a strong vacuum which for most people becomes uncomfortable.
It's one of the reasons why on/over-ear are so popular because they work well with pretty much everyone.
2) Comply comfort tips, in an appropriate size, have worked for everyone I’ve ever chatted with about IEMs. Those who don’t like IEMs never tried to change the tips (and honestly, most people don’t realize you can; defaults and all that).
3) A strong seal does not imply a vacuum. IEMs are not hermetically sealed; air is allowed past.
4) IEMs are used by musicians of all shapes and sizes, which kinda puts lie tot he statement on how they’re unforgiving.
5) Based on some impromptu research (walking down the streets of NY), the most popular headphones are actually earbuds. IEMs are a lot closer to earbuds than cans are. In fact, if we’re looking at, say, AirPods pro, an IEM is barely different (though you get more choices in tips).
You can get some IEMs that will isolate enough to give you a similar effect but almost all of those are not comfortable enough to wear for 8+ hours a day.
On ear/over-ear etc headphones aren't noise cancelling and often have poorer leakage making them inappropriate for home/work.
And with good tips, IEMs are indeed all day comfortable.
On a more anecdotal note, I (and others who have spoken up on HN) get fatigued by ANR, similar to as if I’m listening to too-loud music. That, and the frequency issues with ANR, have pushed me more towards IEMs.