After the Airpods Pro 3, Apple is upgrading its AirPods Max 2 wireless headphones, both in terms of audio and sound insulation. This is enriched with a new chip, more qualitative sound and improved noise reduction. All at the same price and in an unchanged design.
We might as well say it right away, you are not going to see any difference between the Airpods Max, the Airpods Max with USB-C and the Airpods Max 2, except the charging port between the first and its successors. Apple’s wireless headset retains its initial premium design which made it famous and its visual signature.
With a well-distributed weight of 386 g, it is always pleasant to wear, even for long hours, with its mesh headband which does not exert pressure on the skull, perfectly supporting the two wide earpieces which rest on the ears and even encompass them without discomfort. This does not prevent excellent insulation from surrounding noise.
The Airpods Max 2 are enriched with new colors. In addition to midnight black, it is available in starlight (light beige which replaces the old silver model), orange, mauve and sky blue.
It is finally under the chassis that we must find the new features of these Airpods Max 2, six years after the launch of the first Lightning model and its USB-C version in 2024. Additions that we would have rather expected, let’s admit it, two years ago. But better late than never.
The device for real upscaling
Apple has chosen to equip all its high-end headphones with its H2 chip which brings with it its share of new functions and audio processing. It is found here in each earpiece, accompanied by nine microphones dedicated to noise reduction and voice detection.
Above all, this results in significantly improved active noise reduction. Higher-pitched sounds such as children’s cries, sirens or any other sudden/punctual noise are better attenuated, where old models excelled at continuous noise (engine, construction, humming of appliances…).
Unlike the Airpods Pro 3, the ANC of the headphones does not seem to completely cut off the environment, but puts you in a pleasant sound bubble, which allows you to concentrate on your music or podcast without fear of not hearing a car arriving or someone talking to you. Adaptive noise reduction mode is particularly effective with conversation recognition and automatically brings you back to the real world. Transparency mode is also available.
The management of surrounding noise is also convincing during calls. Your interlocutor hears your voice, not the hubbub around you. Another addition which was until now the prerogative of the Airpods Pro 3, the possibility of taking or declining a call, of listening to a notification, by nodding (yes) or shaking the head (no).
Audio quality that catches up with Airpods Pro
On the audio side, the Airpods Max 2 are finally getting closer to the Airpods Pro 3 in terms of overall quality, with more detailed sound from treble to bass and greater precision of voices. Already among the best performers on the market, Apple’s headset further improves its offering by adding compatibility with lossless audio (24-bit/48 kHz). Please note, this is not wireless hi-fi audio. You must use a wired connection via USB-C/USB-C cable. We regret that the supplied cable is white rather than matching the color of the headphones for more elegance, but it does its job perfectly to enjoy pieces of music without loss of quality.
Compared to the Airpods Pro 3, until now Apple’s most advanced sound reference, the soundstage appears wider and more immersive. The circum-aural format and the size of the onboard speakers also allow deeper bass without being omnipresent or too pronounced. Airpods Max 2 take full advantage of spatial audio and it always sounds more natural with headphones than in-ear headphones.
On its fundamentals (design, comfort, audio quality, noise reduction), the Airpods Max 2 tick all the high-end boxes. It is also possible to take advantage of their strengths in video games, with extremely low audio latency and optimized immersion. And Apple certainly doesn’t forget content creators with a promise: the headset can record voices in studio quality.
Choosing Airpods Max 2 or Airpods Pro 3: a question of use
In Apple’s high-end audio family, the difference is now mainly based on the use you intend to make of it. The Airpods Max 2 still have the drawback of bulkiness. They don’t really fold up and their case, apparently improved, is still not as protective as one might hope.
In-ear headphones have the advantage of compactness, stored warm in their charging case, which adds autonomy in the process (8 hours of listening per earphone, up to 24 hours with the case). For continuous listening without thinking about frequent recharging, the advantage however goes to the headphones which benefit from at least 20 hours.
For sports, the lighter weight of the Airpods Pro 3 is an asset. In addition to the strength of their support, they feature the new heart rate and activity monitoring function, and are also resistant to short immersion and dust (IP57), unlike the Airpods Max 2, whose weight can be a disadvantage in these cases. situations. On the other hand, for long work or transport sessions, its comfort makes the difference, especially on a plane with the pressure exerted in the headphones after a while.
The two products also have something in common that is not yet at the peak of its use: both can benefit from real-time translation with the help of Apple Intelligence. A function still in beta, promising if you are surrounded by people speaking another language (as long as it is supported: German, Spanish, Korean, English, French, etc.). We tested it on Airpods Pro 3 and it was quite functional, with still some issues with the speed of execution and the translation into French. We tried to speak German into French with the headset. If the understanding is rather effective, it still requires a little tweaking, both in the voice transcription and in the general stability of the app.
Verdict
Airpods Pro 3 are the ultimate in music listening and noise reduction in a compact size. The Airpods Max 2 offer the same quality and ANC, with the advantages of the comfort of a headset. Your budget will undoubtedly be the deciding factor: at 579 euros, the headset is one of the most expensive on the market, it nevertheless offers spatial audio and high resolution on streaming services (Apple Music, Qobuz, Tidal, etc.), which few do and which the Airpods Pro 3 do not allow. But they are half as expensive.
Almost equal audio quality if you are a wireless fan, everything will therefore be a question of comfort and small functions that can make the difference according to your daily needs.
