AirPods Max 2 review: ranked against 30 headphones

THE SCORECARD

AirPods Max 2

• Build quality

  9.5/10

  Same premium build as Gen 1; mesh headband still a potential long‑term weak point.

• Fit

  8.5/10

  Well‑balanced clamp and spacious pads, but 385 g makes long sessions fatiguing for me.

• Battery life

  6/10

  About 20 hours and no true power‑off; standby drain still a thing.

• Controls

  9.5/10

  Crown + button remain; adds conversation awareness, adaptive audio, head gestures; still no FF/RW.

• Connectivity

  8.5/10

  No true multipoint; auto device switching on iOS; BT 5.3 with SBC/AAC; USB‑C digital works.

• Call quality

  8.5/10

  Clear in quiet rooms; crowd and wind tests degrade mic performance noticeably.

• App customization and extra features

  7.5/10

  iOS‑only suite; new three‑band EQ (beta) and live translation, plus spatial audio tuning.

• Noise canceling

  9.75/10

  Subtle improvement over Gen 1 in mids/highs; on par with Sony, Bose still ahead overall.

• Transparency mode

  10/10

  More natural than Gen 1 and incredibly clear; still the class leader.

• Sound quality

  9.5/10

  Clean, energetic tuning with crisp treble; three‑band EQ helps but affects adjacent bands.

The Pros and Cons

How does the AirPods Max 2 build feel?

I scored build quality 9.5/10. Materials and finish are still excellent and basically unchanged from Gen 1. The mesh headband remains my only real concern — long‑time Gen 1 users have seen it loosen over time. My Gen 1 is only ~7 months old and already a bit looser than Max 2. The case is the same as before.

Is the fit comfortable for long sessions?

Fit lands at 8.5/10. Clamp is well balanced and the pads are roomy, but that 385 g weight makes me want to take them off after around two hours. The weight also creates a bit of contact inside the pads on my ears. Versus Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2 (my 10/10 for comfort) or Sony’s 1000X line (also excellent), the Max 2 feel noticeably heavier on head.

How long does the battery last and can you turn them off?

Battery is a 6/10. You get about 20 hours with ANC on, not much different with ANC off. There’s still no power‑off: they drop into ultra‑low‑power after 5 minutes (or instantly in the case). In my Gen 1 use, I saw ~18% drop over two days sitting idle in that mode. Fast charge is unchanged: 5 minutes gives roughly 1.5 hours of play, and you can listen while charging.

What are the controls and hands‑free features like?

Controls score 9.5/10. The crown and button are familiar; wear detection still needs the cup pulled a fair way to pause. Additions are where it gets interesting: conversation awareness drops volume and flips to transparency when you speak; personalized volume learns your habits; adaptive audio blends ANC into transparency when the environment gets loud; and head gestures let you nod or shake to accept/reject calls. It’s a smooth suite of extras on iOS. Still no on‑ear fast‑forward/rewind.

Do the AirPods Max 2 have multipoint and which codecs do they support?

Connectivity is 8.5/10. There’s no true multipoint — you get quick auto switching across Apple devices. Bluetooth is 5.3 with SBC and AAC; Apple Vision Pro gets lossless. Wired listening: USB‑C to USB‑C works digitally; USB‑C to 3.5 mm works, but only if the headphones have power. If they’re dead, analog won’t pass audio.

How is call quality in quiet, crowds and wind?

I scored calls 8.5/10. In a quiet room they’re snappier than Gen 1. In crowd noise and my windy city test they step back — I wouldn’t really call those results usable. Versus Sony’s 1000X (and XM6), the Max 2 trail badly in wind.

What’s new in the app and extras?

App/Extras move to 7.5/10. iOS‑only, but there’s finally a three‑band EQ (I tested firmware 9A314B beta). It adjusts broad ranges: lows affect sub and mid‑bass; highs also touch upper mids, so cuts there can reduce bite on guitars. Still, it’s better than nothing. There’s also live language translation, camera remote, digital crown rotation options, wear‑detect toggle, personalized spatial audio, control press‑speed tweaks, and audio‑visual accessibility including a hearing test. Apple says on‑device EQ saving comes to Max 2, not Gen 1.

How good is the noise canceling?

ANC is 9.75/10. Apple touts a 50% improvement; what I hear is a subtle step in mids/highs. Plane engine hiss is reduced more than before, and inconsistent sounds (gym, crowds) are handled a bit better. I’d put them on par with Sony overall; Bose still cancels slightly more in the mids/highs. Wind pickup remains low and there’s barely any tonal shift switching modes. Adaptive audio (transparency that blends in ANC) is new and works nicely.

Is transparency still the best?

Yes — 10/10. Transparency is more natural than Gen 1, which sounded a touch too bright. With Max 2 it often feels like I’m not wearing headphones. Wind can creep in, but the algorithm dials sensitivity down quickly. This is Apple’s crown jewel.

How do they sound?

Sound quality is 9.5/10. On my max‑volume check I measured 101.4 dB (no seal); practically, I didn’t want to push past ~70%. The tuning is energetic: punchy bass with depth, clear mids, and crisp, forward treble that stops short of sibilant for me. Versus Gen 1, changes are tiny — in a blind swap I doubt I’d reliably pick them apart. Sony’s 1000X still give me a slightly more separated, smoother listen, and my top‑ranked HDB 630 set offers excellent customization with an immersive yet relaxed presentation. The new three‑band EQ helps shape things, but each band bleeds into neighbors, so a five‑band (at least) would be better.

Scores, ranking and whether to upgrade from Gen 1

Before customization, AirPods Max 2 finished 6th on my sheet. After I apply my category weightings, they jump to 3rd of 30 at 89.5/100. Should you upgrade from Gen 1? If yours are fine, I wouldn’t. The adaptive audio mode is a standout for me, and the new EQ landing on Max 2 only might sway some, but most improvements are subtle.

AirPods Max 2 vs Sony 1000X (and others)

Are they better than Sony’s 1000X? No. I’d still buy the 1000X: lighter and more comfortable, far longer battery life, full control options and EQ across iOS/Android, true multipoint, much better wind handling on calls, a 10‑band EQ, smoother and more detailed sound — and you can actually turn them off. The WH‑1000XM6 are ranked second and cost less. Bose QC Ultra 2 remain my picks for comfort and top‑tier ANC. Max 2 keep the transparency crown and have slick iOS tricks, but Sony remains the easier headphone to live with.

Questions I keep getting