The AirPods Max is one of the best headphones on the market. Yet it can all be just a little bit better and this time we’re not talking about the price. OMT editor Jeroen tells you which upgrades we would like to see in the next model.
The AirPods Max is Apple’s flagship audio device. For the headphones you have to pay a lot of money. In the Apple Store, the gadget will cost you 269 euros, but fortunately there are stores that offer it cheaper. You can score it for 489 euros in several stores. Well, still a lot of money, but at least something more manageable.
Renewal of the AirPods Max
When you spend that much money on headphones you really want the best of the best. In his review, colleague Mark already told you what you can expect from the AirPods Max. Time doesn’t stand still, so things can be just a little bit better. We list the improvements we would like to see in a new version.
The AirPods Max. (Image: Mark Hofman / OMT)
#1 Lossless audio
As mentioned, you pay a lot for your AirPods Max. For that price, lossless audio should actually be possible. Especially since Apple Music itself supports it. Often audio files are made smaller, so it doesn’t take up too much memory. In the process, original source files are often lost, so that some of the quality is lost. This is not the case with lossless audio. If the new Max supports this, you will have slightly better sound quality.
#2 Ear detection
It probably happens regularly that you put your AirPods Max on wrong. You should then also look carefully on the inside to see if there is an L or R. Yet it can be much easier, because the software should simply recognize this, so that the sound is automatically adjusted. So if you use music or a movie that supports Spatial Audio, it should no longer matter how you put on the headphones. Especially since the earpads are exactly the same.
The Max (Image: Mark Hofman / OMT)
#3 AirPods Max with USB-C
This one is of course very obvious. The European Union wants USB-C to be the standard, so the iPhone will have to go with it in the future. So stop using Lightning and switch to USB-C immediately. So let this also be the case for AirPods Max 2. Otherwise this will soon be the only device for which you still need a Lightning cable.
#4 An extra cable
Apple assumes you’ll be using your AirPods Max wirelessly, because there’s no Lightning to 3.5mm cable in the box. For a pair of headphones that cost that much money, that’s pretty meager. You now have to pay 35 euros for a cable, because a normal 3.5mm jack is obviously not there. That could certainly be more customer friendly.
The Smart Case (Image: Apple)
#5 The storage case
Yes, storing your AirPods Max looks pretty gnarly. It’s like walking around with a small handbag. The look is still up to there. The most unfortunate thing is that the headband is not protected. This means it can still be damaged. Other brands come with a decent case for premium models. It would be nice if Apple does this with the AirPods Max 2.
