The AirPods Max 2 are good, but did Apple seriously take 5 years to come up with them?
11/5/2026
Translation: Katherine Martin
Pictures: Florian Bodoky
It’s taken Apple five years to release a successor to the AirPods Max. While the new headphones sound great, they’re underwhelming – especially for an Apple product.
Five years. That’s how long it’s taken Apple to release a successor to the AirPods Max. Listeners of our podcast Take a Byte (in Swiss German) will know how long I’ve spent trying to manifest this very event. Then, one day, an e-mail came flooding in. Almost two weeks after all the buzz surrounding the MacBook Neo. There was no keynote, no «one more thing». I couldn’t help thinking of the phrase «red-headed stepchild treatment». But would the AirPods Max 2 at least be worth the wait?
The new AirPods Max… 2?
If you were hoping for new materials, foldable ear cups, 40 hours of battery life or anything else with the «wow» factor, you’re in for a disappointment. At first glance, the AirPods Max 2 look exactly like their predecessor: wide aluminium ear cups, a narrow metal headband and a mesh canopy that rests on your head. However, just because they look the same, it doesn’t mean that they are the same. Apple has made a few minor tweaks and, ultimately, has delivered a product that works particularly well within the Apple ecosystem. The improvements are low-key, but they’re there.
Apple has steered clear of synthetic leather, making the ear pads summer-ready
The first generation of AirPods Max were at the premium end of the over-ear headphone market – and it’s the same story with the AirPods Max 2. Like with their predecessor, you get aluminium ear cups, neatly finished seams, a stainless steel headband and that trusty mesh canopy protecting your head. And like the first-gen version, the AirPods Max 2 are also fairly hefty, tipping the scales at 386 grammes. So if you’re planning a marathon music-listening session, you’ll probably feel it. Still, despite their weight, the headphones are comfortable to wear. The mesh fabric on the headband distributes pressure evenly, and the ear cushions are a snug, soft fit. This is particularly noticeable – in a good way – when you wear the headphones for long periods. The ear cushions are breathable enough, and don’t get as uncomfortably warm as the synthetic versions offered by competitors such as Sony or Bose.
True to form, Apple has included a Smart Case with the AirPods Max 2. Not only does this prevent the ear cups from getting scratched, but it also puts the headphones into power-saving mode as soon as you place them inside. This is definitely convenient, as it ensures the AirPods Max 2’s battery isn’t drained unnecessarily. On the flipside, the case still has a pretty unorthodox design. Since the headband and parts of the headphones are still exposed, you don’t get all-around protection. If you’re carrying the case in a backpack, it looks more like a stylish accessory. As was the case with the previous generation of AirPods, the Max 2 aren’t foldable. Again, Apple hasn’t gone down the route of IP certification, so it’s tricky to say exactly how water-resistant the AirPods Max 2 are.
Controls: the crowning glory
Apple has swerved touch controls once again, opting instead for the Digital Crown and a separate button for the noise cancelling and translation functions. The Crown – the button that looks like a watch dial – is precise, consistent and isn’t as prone to accidental input as gesture-based controls. If you’re used to touch controls, however, it’ll be a bit of an adjustment for you. Regulating the volume, skipping songs or activating Siri is intuitive and doesn’t require any fiddling. Mind you, if you’re new to the AirPods Max, you’ll have to feel around for the buttons, which is kind of annoying. Still, Apple’s decision to skip touch controls makes sense when you consider how easily the brushed aluminium can pick up fingerprints. Via Settings, you can choose which direction to turn the Crown to increase or decrease the volume. What’s more, the buttons now double as an iPhone camera button. This might come in handy on a day-to-day basis, say, when setting up your phone to take a group shot from a distance. As long as you don’t mind the fact that you’ll be holding or wearing the headphones in the photo, that is.
You can use the second button to turn Active Noise Cancelling on and off – it’s quick and straightforward. There are also several new software features powered by the H2 chip, some of which you might already have come across in the AirPods Pro 2 and 3. These include adaptive audio modes, improved voice isolation during phone calls, personalised volume adjustment and head gestures for Siri. I really like the translation function, as well as the subtle audio feedback you get when you reject a call by shaking your head. We’ve seen a lot of this already in the newer AirPods Pro. Take it from me: even if you find the sound notifications handy at first, you really won’t want to hear Siri blabbing in your ear every time you get a Teams or WhatsApp message. If you allow the notifications when setting up the AirPods Max 2, you’ll then have to disable them individually for each app.
Apple headphones are usually best placed to show off their strengths when they’re used with other Apple devices. With the AirPods Max 2, pairing happens almost automatically, switching between your iPhone, iPad and Mac is pretty much always seamless and features like spatial audio, audio sharing and Find My are smoothly integrated. Outside the Apple ecosystem, the AirPods Max 2 lose a lot of their appeal. You don’t get automatic device switching, multipoint connectivity or personalised audio features, and some of the smart settings are unavailable too.
As sub-par as this is, it’s not surprising. After all, Apple continues to snub both aptX and LDAC. If you’re connected via Bluetooth, you’ll have to make do with AAC or SBC. Apple hasn’t managed to make the leap to Bluetooth 5.4 or even Bluetooth 6 there either. That said, if you use the USB cable to connect the AirPods to your device, you’ll get 24-bit, 48 kHz lossless audio.
Carefully fine-tuned sound
Like the first generation of AirPods, the Max 2’s greatest strength is their sound quality. Apple has built on their predecessor’s already impressive audio quality, delivering cleaner, more precise sound. The headphones clearly distinguish between traditional stereo and Apple’s spatial audio. Stereo sounds more immediate and natural, while spatial audio places much greater emphasis on surround sound. This creates almost cinematic audio, especially for films or specially mixed music. Although not every song benefits from the effect automatically.
Trebles: clear, clean and beautifully airy
In the high-frequency range, the AirPods Max 2 produce really detailed sound. Cymbals, vocals and instrumental nuances are clearly defined without sounding harsh. Acoustic music, jazz and pop with a high production value benefit massively from this. Trebles sound better spaced out than with the previous AirPods Max. Instruments are more clearly distinguishable from each other, giving the sound an airier feel to it. It’s not a huge difference, but if you compare the headphones directly, you can definitely notice the fine-tuning Apple hasn’t gone overboard on artificial clarity. Instead, the AirPods Max 2 maintain their predecessor’s nice, easy sound quality. You can listen for hours without exhausting your ears.
Mids: vocals take centre stage
The mids are one of the AirPods Max 2’s obvious strong points. Voices sound present, natural and well integrated into the overall piece, which is great for podcasts, films and songs dominated by vocals. Instead of blurring into one another, instruments stay clearly distinct. The soundscape feels wide and pleasantly roomy, with spatial audio proving especially impressive in this respect. With the right content, it gives you an omnidirectional soundstage that goes beyond standard stereo. Of course, this heavily depends on what you’re listening to. Not every Atmos mix is automatically good, but generally speaking, the feature’s decent.
Bass: powerful but controlled
Instead of going for over-the-top party bass, Apple has focused on control and depth. The bass goes deep and delivers plenty of punch, while remaining clear and well-defined. The sub-bass is clearly present, without smothering everything else. This rich, deep sound is especially good when you’re listening to electronic music and hip-hop. At the same time, the AirPods Max 2 retain enough clarity to stop bass drums and bass lines from sounding muffled. On the whole, bass sounds slightly more defined and dynamic on the Max 2 than with their predecessor. However, the differences amount more to fine-tuning than a complete overhaul. In other words, Apple probably could’ve achieved the same effect with a firmware update.
Sound modes: all hail Transparency mode
The AirPods Max already had a stellar ANC mode, but the second-gen headphones have taken it up a notch. The AirPods Max 2 are extremely effective at filtering out low-frequency noises such as the rumble of car engines, the swoosh of a moving train or the hum of an air conditioner. They also do an impressive job of blocking out noise in offices or cafés, though the Sony XM6 is still top dog on that front. Apple’s dubious claim that the Max 2’s ANC is «1.5 times better» than their predecessor’s is tough to verify. What Apple really trounces its rivals on is its Transparency mode. Now personally, I’m not big on transparency modes in general. Regardless of the situation. It’s the background noise, the unnatural emphasis, the sudden changes in volume that put me off. With the AirPods Max 2, however, it’s a different story. Apple’s Transparency mode feels natural, the sounds of my surroundings reaching my ears with virtually no latency or excess noise. I’d feel confident enough to ride a bike while wearing the headphones, although I stop short of actually doing so. The headphones are also good for phone calls. In addition to the excellent sound quality, I can hear my own voice, which stops me from speaking too loudly.
Battery: you’ve got to be kidding me
That brings us to my biggest point of criticism: battery life. According to Apple’s product specs, the headphones’ battery lasts about 20 hours with ANC enabled. A figure that would’ve been fine five years ago, but today feels somewhere between below-average and disappointing. Headphones made by pretty much any competitor give you significantly longer battery life. The particularly odd thing about the AirPods Max 2 is that they don’t have a real power button. Instead, the headphones go into low-power mode when you put them in the Smart Case. On the bright side, they do allow for fast charging; a five-minute charge gives you about an hour and a half of listening time.
In a nutshell
Stellar headphones that fall short on the finer details
The AirPods Max 2 are excellent premium headphones. The sound quality, finish, noise cancelling, Transparency mode and integration with the Apple ecosystem are still first-class. But here’s the rub: you barely notice the evolution between these headphones and their predecessor. After five years of development, I’d expected more. Longer battery life, a weight reduction, a better case and support for more up-to-date codecs would’ve been genuine improvements. Instead, most of what Apple has delivered here counts as fine-tuning. High-quality fine-tuning, sure. But certainly nothing revolutionary. If you already have the first-generation AirPods Max, you don’t need to bother upgrading them. If you’re already deep in the Apple ecosystem but yet to step into the brand’s over-ear headphone world, you’ll get a great overall package with the AirPods Max 2 – albeit a fairly pricey one.
Pro
- Balanced, well-blended sound
- Excellent Transparency mode
- Strong addition to an Apple ecosystem
Contra
- Disappointing battery life
- Heavy
- Don’t support the latest codecs
Header image: Michelle Brändle
I've been tinkering with digital networks ever since I found out how to activate both telephone channels on the ISDN card for greater bandwidth. As for the analogue variety, I've been doing that since I learned to talk. Though Winterthur is my adoptive home city, my heart still bleeds red and blue.
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