Apple AirPods Max 2 Wireless Over-Ear Headphones, Active Noise Cancellation, Adaptive Audio, Personalized Spatial Audio, Live Translation, Bluetooth Headphones for iPhone – Midnight

SK United States

VERY happy w/sound signature, coming from Audio Technica ATH-M50x & ATH-M50xBT2, & AirPods Pro 3

I bought these hoping the sound signature would be similar to the AirPods Pro 3, and to replace my fantastic Audio Technica ATH-M50x and wireless ATH-M50xBT2 as my main over-ear closed-back headphones. TL;DR: The AirPods Max 2 have met or exceeded all my hopes and will likely be my go-to headphones of any kind. They might be the new GOAT for over-ear closed-back headphones for me. They are the first over-ear pair that could unseat the ATH-M50x (my GOAT for over-ear closed-back), rival my beloved Koss Porta Pro (GOAT for on-ear), and compete with the AirPods Pro 3 (GOAT for in-ear)*. *Judged purely by sound signature and my very picky tastes. Your mileage may vary. But if you love any of those as GOATs, you’ll probably love the Max 2. I cover: 1 Why I chose these three (four, counting M50x vs BT2 for the parametric EQ) for comparison. 2 Noise cancelling (the main reason I risked buying them). 3 Sound signature (most important to me). 4 Spatial Audio and what it’s actually for. 5 Dolby Atmos in movies/TV and music. 6 Battery. 7 Other features (they’re all great as expected from Apple, I won’t dive deep). 8 Conclusion. Full Review: I compare everything to the ATH-M50x (best sound signature I’ve ever found for closed-back over-ear) and Koss Porta Pro (perfect sound signature but on-ear and zero isolation). For in-ear, the AirPods Pro 3 are the first I’ve tried that compete favorably with the M50x series. I’ve tested many others over the years; most lacked good noise cancelling. The Pro 2 were decent but nowhere near the Pro 3. The Pro 3’s noise cancelling spoiled me, so I waited for the Max 2 to see if they could deliver a sound signature as good or better than the Pro 3 while getting close to the M50x in a proper over-ear closed-back design. Noise Cancelling The Max 2 completely satisfied me here. They’re so good they might take the overall GOAT crown for me (still letting them “cook” a bit longer to confirm). Excellent noise cancelling, though the Pro 3 is slightly better overall, the Max 2 let in a bit more high-frequency noise (noticeable with loud fans or portable AC). The difference is minor and not worth quibbling over. They’re outstanding. Even with ANC off, the Max 2 isolate external noise better than the M50x. This was the key reason I tried them, otherwise I had no reason to move on from the M50x. The Pro 3 spoiled me, and I’ve been neglecting my ATH-M50xBT2 as daily drivers. I never prefer in-ear over over-ear long-term, so I wanted over-ear closed-backs with strong ANC and a signature close to the Pro 3 / M50x. The original Max lacked the H2 chip and predated the Pro 2, so I waited for the Max 2. Sound Signature Differences between my three personal GOATs are noticeable but all stay in the same excellent ballpark. They’re all great out of the box, unlike most headphones that stray far from my tastes. After extensive A/B comparing, the Max 2 is close to the sound from the M50x! This is a VERY good thing!! Except the Max 2 actually sounds much better to me! The Max 2 are louder at the same volume levels, so I had to match the volumes. Luckily the Apple Music app remembers the separate sound volumes when switching, so once I dialed that in, it was super easy to A/B. Bass is the biggest difference. Bass is wonderful, clean, controlled, and perfectly present. It sounds fuller to me. Deeper. More visceral. I actually physically feel it more in my ears too, even at moderate volumes, which I don't with the M50x. All without being overpowering or boomy. It is amazing to hear, honestly. Mids and highs are actually very similar. Soundstage, instrument separation, and imaging are superb, better than the M50x! One of the best I’ve ever heard. The Max 2 have more of a dynamic sound. I can hear that the amp is definitely the high dynamic amp they claim. Honestly this is the biggest difference compared to the M50x, which lacks that dynamic sound! It is really noticeable in the bass, but it is apparent everywhere. I am honestly amazed, as I didn't expect this difference. I tried Headphone Accommodations, Balanced Tone (“Slight” setting) and liked it a lot for most music, but the default out-of-the-box sound is already fantastic and really doesn’t need it, though. Overall, the Max 2 sound better than the M50x. I’m honestly surprised, and thrilled! My dream of modern noise-cancelling wireless over-ear closed-backs with a great signature has arrived! That said, the ATH-M50xBT2 still edges it out for me because of the excellent parametric EQ in the Audio Technica app. I can dial in any tweaks I might want. But out of the box, there is no comparison. Max 2 are phenomenal sounding! Apple really needs a proper parametric EQ at the iOS level (10+ bands, etc.) plus lossless wireless to make the platform unbeatable. The lack of EQ isn’t a deal-breaker though, the default tuning is so good for my tastes. If you love the Koss Porta Pro, ATH-M50x series, or AirPods Pro 3 sound signatures, you’ll very likely love the Max 2. They also go painfully loud, louder than any of the others I’m comparing. No wireless lossless is disappointing at this price, but not a deal-breaker for me (most headphones with it don’t sound as good anyway). Apple should have included it. Spatial Audio It’s fantastic on the Max 2, even better than on the Pro 2/3. Understand what it does: Spatial Audio simulates true stereo (as producers intend for speakers) on headphones. Headphones can’t replicate real speaker stereo because you never hear the left channel in the right ear and vice versa. Spatial Audio fixes that, giving a more punchy, defined, front-centered sound with a faithful stereo soundstage. If you want the sound closest to what the producers intended for most music, use Spatial Audio (95% of the time that’s the case). With it on (especially head tracking), the Max 2 get closer than anything else I’ve heard to my Klipsch Chorus II speakers, you feel like you’re in front of a proper hi-fi system. I usually keep it on “Fixed” for music (I often listen with eyes closed), but switch to head tracking when I want the illusion of my actual speakers. Some prefer plain “headphone stereo” for the ultra-wide all-around stage; I love both and switch depending on mood. Dolby Atmos Even better on the Max 2 than on the Pro 2/3. For movies on Apple TV, nothing else at the headphone level compares. Apple has nailed it. With Spatial Audio and head tracking on, it feels like you’re in the theater as the mixers intended, sounds sync to the screen location. The deeper sub bass and wider soundstage on the Max 2 make it noticeably better than the Pro 3 (you feel it a bit in your ears). Only missing the chest rumble of a real sub. For music, Dolby Atmos shines on concert/live recordings where you want to feel “there.” For studio tracks, it often lacks the punch and flair of good stereo mixes, so I prefer regular stereo or Spatial Audio for most music. Producers should keep the energy/hype when doing Atmos versions. Comfort Pleasantly surprised! Despite being heavier than the M50x (by ~100g), I don’t notice it much and actually find the Max 2 more comfortable overall, less pressure on top of my head. I can extend them further while keeping a perfect seal thanks to the spring-loaded cups. The M50x cups aren’t spring-loaded, so extending them loses the seal easily. The mesh headband and overall build also help stability. I’m glad Apple didn’t change the design much, folding or other common requests would likely hurt the comfort and consistent seal. These feel built like tanks for longevity: replaceable headband (pop off the cups, no crossing wires), magnetic ear pads (easiest to swap ever). They should last forever. Only real long-term concern from teardowns is potential moisture buildup inside the cans if heavily sweated in (not my use case, I’d use Pro 3 for gym). I’ve worn them continuously for 5+ hours with no comfort issues. Battery My biggest disappointment: only 20 hours. At this weight I expected much better (ideally 50 hours with ANC). The ATH-M50xBT2 gets 50 hours without ANC. Under 30 hours feels weak these days. Other features Everything else is excellent as expected from Apple, seamless integration, H2 chip features, premium build. They’re all talked about plenty elsewhere. Conclusion When considering the whole package — superb ANC, sound signature I love, excellent Spatial Audio/Dolby Atmos (especially for movies), comfort, build quality, and Apple ecosystem integration — the AirPods Max 2 are my new overall GOAT headphones (over-ear closed-back, on-ear, or in-ear). I rate them 9.0/10. Main deductions (in no particular order): No proper parametric EQ at the OS level (Apple could crush this). No wireless lossless (24-bit/96kHz would’ve been great). 20-hour battery life. Weight (non-issue for me personally, but could be lighter with titanium headband). Still an outstanding pair. Highly recommended if you like the sound signatures I mentioned.

The Pink Receipt United States

Apple Girl Approved: These Headphones Made Me Break Up With Every Other Pair

I’m not going to lie, I am very much an Apple product girl. Ever since I got my first iPhone, I never really looked back. So when I tried the Apple AirPods Max 2 in Starlight, I already had high hopes, but these headphones still managed to impress me. First of all, the look? Clean, expensive, and very “I have my life together even if my tabs are chaotic.” The Starlight color is soft, pretty, and classy without doing too much. They also come in other colors, but Starlight has that luxury neutral vibe that matches almost everything. The wear is one of my favorite parts. These are over-ear headphones with soft memory foam ear cushions and a knit-mesh canopy, so they feel premium the second you put them on. They do have a little weight to them, but in a quality way, not a cheap bulky way. The telescoping arms make the fit feel customized instead of awkward, and they sit comfortably without feeling like they are squeezing my head for rent. Now let’s talk about the sound because that is where these really earn their spot. The quality is beautiful. Music sounds full, clear, and rich, and the noise cancellation is one of those features you do not realize you need until you use it and suddenly the world is muted like a toxic group chat. The Adaptive Audio and Personalized Spatial Audio make everything feel more immersive, whether I’m listening to music, watching videos, taking calls, or just trying to lock in and ignore everything around me. The connectivity is smooth, especially with Apple devices. If you already use an iPhone, iPad, or Mac, these fit right into the Apple ecosystem like they were always supposed to be there. Bluetooth pairing is easy, and I love that they now have a USB-C port. The lossless audio through USB-C is a major plus if you care about sound quality and want that extra crisp experience. Battery life is solid too. You get up to 20 hours of listening time, which is perfect for long work days, travel, cleaning days, content editing, or those moments when you put headphones on just so nobody talks to you. They are rechargeable, easy to use, and the controls feel natural once you get used to them. I also love having the microphone, voice control, touch control, and Conversation Awareness because it makes them feel smart without being complicated. One thing to know: they are not water resistant, so I would not treat these like workout headphones or wear them in the rain. These are more luxury everyday headphones, not “let me sweat through my whole gym session” headphones. I have used other headphone brands before, so this is not me just blindly choosing Apple because it is Apple. But honestly? These are by far my favorite headphones. From the comfort, to the sound, to the design, to how smoothly they connect with my devices, they just feel like a premium experience all around. If you are already an Apple person, these are going to feel like a natural upgrade. If you are picky about sound, comfort, and style, they are worth looking at. And if you want headphones that look good in photos while also actually performing well, the AirPods Max 2 understood the assignment.

Ryan J Miller United States

The ultimate over ear listening experience? You got that right!

This is actually my third AirPods Max. I first got the lightning one, but I quickly realized that I would be getting a USB-C iPhone, and I wanted to be ready for that. Then I got the first USB-C version of the AirPods Max, but even though had their shortcomings. But now with this new model that came out in March? It's a big leap forward, considering that the last model was criticized for not having the H2 chip. These deliver, and they definitely live up to Apple's marketing hype. I just watched three movies using the AirPods Max, and watching Armageddon immediately conjured up memories of when my mother took me and my sister to the theater to watch it when it was in theaters back in 98. That's how good these things sound. I especially enjoy listening to them and wired mode, because let's face it. With Bluetooth there's always some compression, but why settle for that when you've got a very short cord, and you can enjoy maximum sound quality and wired mode? Oh, and let's not forget that these things are built like tanks, right on the level with the old beats Pro headphones. They just don't make them like that anymore, with the exception of these, of course. I know these are pricey, but if you're like me, and you have a tendency to break anything less, I would say go for these. And, if you're accustomed to listening to them and wired mode, definitely get the USB-C to 3 1/2 mill cable. That way you can listen to them no matter what device you're using. Finally, I want to touch on the noise, cancellation and adaptive audio. It really is handy to finally have something that will lower the volume of what you're listening to when it detects people talking to you. That's some sophisticated tech right there. And the noise canceling? Definitely better than previous generations. I know they're pricey, and I know they don't look like a significant improvement on the outside, but the inside has everything where it counts, and I must be honest here. I really do like the way they look. In fact, they almost look like something Cinna from the hunger games would design. If I were him, I would've designed headphones that looked like this. Because he could do more than design clothing. He actually incorporated sophisticated technology into Katniss Everdeen suits.

Porfie United States

Absolutely worth the upgrade from the original first generation!

I couldn’t be happier with the 2026 AirPods Max 2—they are hands down a phenomenal upgrade and easily deserve a 5-star review. The biggest standout is the new H2 chip. The improvement in Active Noise Cancellation is immediately noticeable—it blocks out distractions better than ever, making music and podcasts feel more immersive. The new Adaptive Audio feature is also a game changer, automatically adjusting between noise cancellation and transparency depending on your surroundings. It just works seamlessly without you having to think about it. Conversation Awareness is another feature I didn’t know I needed. As soon as I start talking, the volume lowers and voices become clearer, which makes quick interactions so much easier without removing the headphones. Sound quality remains top-tier—rich, balanced, and incredibly detailed. Apple didn’t mess with what was already great, and that was the right call. Calls are also much clearer now thanks to improved microphones and better voice isolation, even in noisy environments. The switch to USB-C is a welcome and overdue upgrade, making charging more convenient across devices. Plus, the new color options (especially Midnight) look sleek and modern. Even though the design, battery life (around 20 hours), and the Smart Case remain the same, none of that takes away from how refined and polished these feel overall. If you’re on the fence—don’t be. These deliver premium sound, smarter features, and a noticeably better listening experience. Highly recommended!