AirPods Max 1 year on | Long-term review | Mark Ellis Reviews

I’ve had the AirPods Max for a year now, and if you’re thinking about treating yourself to a pair but still need some convincing, this could be the video for you. I’ll reveal how they’ve worn over the last twelve months, what I think about the sound, and whether they’re convenient to live with. Oh, and there’s a bit about the case, too.

CHAPTERS
00:00 - Intro
01:03 - Pricing
01:47 - How I use them
02:26 - Wear and tear
03:51 - The stupid case
05:57 - The sound
07:24 - Convenience
09:31 - Would I buy them again?

MY FREE ONLINE COURSES

JOIN THE COMMUNITY!

SOME OF MY FAVOURITE THINGS

LISTEN TO THE EIGHT OR SIXTEEN PODCAST

JOIN THE GANG:

FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA

READ ME

HIRE ME!

WHAT IS THIS CHANNEL ALL ABOUT?
I have zero interest in deep spec dives or long-winded comparisons. I review laptops, smartphones, tablets, headphones and the latest tech based on real experience. I'll tell you how it'll make you feel, whether or not it's worth your time (and money) and help you find the tech you need to get stuff done.

WHO AM I?
I'm a UK-based freelance marketer and broke free of a regular job many years ago. Watch my videos to find the tech you need, without the jargon.

GET IN TOUCH

Oh, and some of the links in this description are affiliate links from which I earn a small commission!

[MarkEllisReviews]

I'm really interested in this one... are you tempted by the AirPods Max now that prices are slowly dropping? If not... why not?

[vincent]

I have a $3.5K electrostatic headphone audiophile setup, but I find that I spend most of my time listening to my AirPods Max. As Mark said, the convenience in using these headphones is great. I can walk around the house without having to take them off or worry about snagging a cable that costs hundreds to replace. And the noise cancelling and transparency mode are absolutely phenomenal.

[crum]

Absolutely love my pair nearly a year in. I wear them an average of 6 hours a day and they’ve been a joy since day one. Took them on one flight this past summer, exceptional noise cancelling and comfort. The sound is fabulous. I don’t even care that the case is dumb, I use it everyday and it’s not an issue. I’ve seen a couple pairs in the wild and a few people through windows working with them on. Got the dinky cable and use them to practice playing bass guitar. They’re fantastic for content consumption and calls. Honestly, for me, 10/10 would buy again in a heart beat. Loved my Bose QC 35II’s but they are not on the same level as these puppies.

[shawng]

Funny story…

I bought a pair of Max yesterday, got them home, initially noticed crazy clear audio quality but wasn’t happy about the bass…

I returned them to Best Buy today and exchanged for the XM4’s based on reviews. I went back into the parking lot and sat in my car for a good hour listening to various tracks and tweaking settings in the app. I did this because as soon as I put on the XM4’s I was astoundingly disappointed and surprised they got such good reviews. The audio quality was definitely lacking and the bass was JUST above what the Max had.

So I sat there, tweaking, finally manually putting everything on max on the XM4’s and that’s when they sounded best to me. But… I wasn’t convinced they were better than the Max because I remembered how CLEAR the Max were…

So I went back into Best Buy and literally stood at the Max display for probably an hour checking out BOTH products and testing and listening. I put both headphones at 80% volume so everything came in nicely sound wise.

What I found in that time was that at higher volume, the XM4’s have distortion issues whereas the Max do NOT. The Max are CRYSTAL clear even at 90% volume! The XM4’s became muddy at that volume. And at 80% the bass on the Max was very natural and very clean. A REALLY enjoyable listening experience!

I must’ve used both headphones 5-10 times testing them out and I also found the Max were much more comfortable on my big ears. The Sony’s put pressure on them. The Max were also nice and chill to the touch every time I put on. Very pleasant! They also had a great balance to them which added to the comfort. And lastly, seeing the display of the XM4’s, those things were WORN to hell. So durability became a question, too!

I ended up walking out with my original Max headphones that I exchanged and even got them at $445 instead of the original $479(price match of Amazon) because they were now an “open box” item lol…

I’m happy with what I got and I KNOW they’re one of the best on the market and are better than the XM4’s after testing. They’re expensive but clearly built to last and the audio quality is phenomenal! It seriously sounds like you’re in the studio with some tracks!

[simianinc]

The biggest issue for me isn't price - it's portability. They don't have a proper case and don't fold up. For those at home, there are any number of audiophile headphones that beat it for sound and price.

[yashancientbeast]

man you have an exceptionally good voice. the ones they have in luxury ads.

[nurglerider]

I struggled on whether to buy them because of the price but finally I decided based on reviews that they would be worth it. I wasn't wrong. No they aren't perfect, of course not. But I do feel they were worth it. They are, hands down, the best headphones I've ever had by a huge margin. I do not regret the purchase at all. In fact my wife used them once and immediately ordered her own pair 🤣

The one thing that I think most reviewers don't seem to give enough credit on is the build quality. Many reviewers, yourself included, like to point out cheaper headhones that sound "just as good", usually Sony's product. But I look at those headphones and they are all plastic and I know they will not last like the Max' will.

[tkusterb]

Best Buy stores in the US have them for $479 but that's still not low enough to make me pull the trigger. Like you, I sill love my Sony XM4's and see no reason to go to AirPods Max at this time. Love your reviews by the way. Something soothing and engaging about your voice/accent...

[mejlgaardbliddal]

I bought mine at roughly 30% off in the same colours as yours because I feared killing the batteries on my AirPod Pros from extensiv Use after realising how much I used them watching movies in surround on my AppleTV. I now use the Max instead and really like the soundscape when watching movies and the peace of mind the bigger batteries gives with regards to the longevity of the batteries.

[Naessey]

These are incredible…no doubt. However, hard to justify In Australia when priced over $700 when you can locate 2nd hand AirPod Pros for $250. I’ve used both and love the MAX. They are incredible. However, after a tough couple of years in our economy, pressures on salary increases and decreased job security, think I’ll put difference into my savings. I think this is a story of amazing earphones being in the right place at the wrong time.

[breezy_]

Got a pair about 3 weeks ago, and I love them! Great review, as always!

[mrsseasea]

I did take the plunge…..same color. I love them. Ya, expensive but I won’t buy another pair for years.

[shanghaichica]

I got some for £433 from Amazon and I think that’s a fair price I do love the clarity of the sound and the build quality is excellent. They are very comfortable as well.

[wheels]

Thanks for the update. Still saving up to buy a pair 😂 Glad to see you have the best breed of dog in the world

[yourmnukbb]

Was blown away by these when I tried them.at the Apple store when in NY at the end of November. Luckily Amazon had the silver down to £399 a couple of weeks ago so snapped them up!

[troyspring]

Nice review Mark. I bought a pair back in March and I love them - and I actually travel with them quite a bit. I've taken probably 12-15 trips on a plane since then and the noise canceling is simply amazing. And to your point, I have only seen one other pair being used by a passenger on all those trips. I love being able to quickly turn on transparency mode to hear announcements etc. I too bought a nice case (that also puts them in a low power mode) but it's bulky so I find that I am using the Apple diaper case takes up less room and it actually does a nice job - and my headphones look brand new. I have a travel cable/charge organizer case with a variety of chargers/cables so while lightening is annoying I always have one with me. Love them - expensive but hope they last. I had two original HomePods that have recently died less than 3 years in - which is very annoying since they too were expensive.

[kaleidojess]

What’s so cool about this is when you press the button on the left, you can hear your surroundings but in perfect detail. It’s beautiful. If I can find headphones that do this as good as apple I’ll get those.

[phuonglm]

It took 1 year to give the best feeling about the Airpod Max. So fantastic !!

[kaister]

Enjoy your commetary..that British sense of humor.. .love it, you made me chuckle

[darrene.mathews]

Howdy, Mark--as we say down in MN. I have had my Air Pods Max about half a year, and I love them. They work great and are super comfortable.