Apple, last Tuesday, launched its top-tier headphones called the AirPods Max for a whopping price of Rs59,990. The shipping of the headphones is expected to start by 15th December. Being the company’s first-ever headphone set, AirPods max offers a good amount of features. The design of the device has been kept quite minimalistic to match the overall aesthetic of the other Apple devices. With the AirPods Max, Apple is looking to revive the segment of luxury headphones that was previously being driven by companies like Bose and Sony. However, Apple’s headphones differentiate themselves from other premium headphones as they offer a more overall luxurious experience rather than a sound quality-driven experience. The audiophiles might not like this product and my find other headphones from Sony and Bose better but the purpose of Apple remains clear. The seamless integration with other Apple devices and the smooth experience of AirPods Max will enhance the company’s overall ecosystem. Although, not everything went seamlessly for Apple after unveiling these headphones after fans criticised the price compared to the offering. Let's take a look at the headphones and see if they justify the stunning price point.
Starting at a staggering price of Rs59990, AirPods Max offers an all-around experience, better suited for a conventional Apple user. They come in five different colours, white, grey, red, blue and green. They all come with a dual-tone colour finish and the earcups are separately available as well to create a mix-match as per the customer want.
The AirPods Max come in this 'Smartcase' as said by Apple. When the headphones are put into this case, they go on an ultra-low-power mode to preserve battery. There is no physical switch button to toggle the power of these headphones but they automatically go on the ultra-low-power mode if left unused for a long time, even without the cover.
Right off the cover, these Apple headphones look and feel premium. The knit-mesh band at the top is said to provide comfort and good weight distribution to the entire headphones. The outer-cup is made up of anodized aluminium for durability and has no design whatsoever. It is supposed to have 20-hour battery life on a full charge and can give a 1.5-hour battery back-up when charged for 5 minutes via Apple's 18W charger brick.
The premium features of these headphones include High-fidelity audio and Active Noise Cancellation along with transparency mode. The adjustment for better fit is done by the sidebands which are made out of aluminium and are covered in a soft-touch material. Instead of the conventional clicking adjustment, the band moves smoothly and gives a much more premium feel.
Apple has used top-quality materials which provide a premium experience to these headphones. The AirPods Max box contains paperwork including the user manual and a USB C-type to lightning cable to charge the headphones.
