I tried AirPods Max 2, and they're an upgrade worth waiting five years for its the smarter, more immersive listening experience that stands out

Date:
Tue, 31 Mar 2026 13:00:00 +0000

Description:
After a few days with AirPods Max 2, Apples new over-ear headphones feel familiar, but they're noticeably smarter and more adaptive in everyday use.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Tech Radar Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Become a Member in Seconds Unlock instant access to exclusive member
features. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting
your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. You are now subscribed Your newsletter sign-up was successful Join the club Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards. Explore An account already exists for this email address, please log in. Subscribe to our newsletter Its been a long five years of waiting, but Apple has finally unveiled the AirPods Max 2. In a similar surprise drop to the original AirPods Max , there was no event for the second version just a press release announcing the AirPods Max 2 , with shipping beginning in "early April".

Ahead of their launch, Ive spent a few days putting AirPods Max 2 through their paces while the images above and below might have you thinking I'm wearing the AirPods Max (or the USB-C refresh), these are, indeed, the new model. The AirPods Max 2 retain the look that's become a modern icon (just look at how many knock-offs are around for evidence), but under the hood they use Apple's most up-to-date H2 chip to power their features, plus a new high dynamic range amplifier modeled on the one in AirPods Pro 3 . That's paired with 40mm drivers in each earcup. Article continues below You may like 'Only limited by the physics': inside Apples AirPods Max 2 and the H2 chip upgrade Apple finally launches AirPods Max 2, with improved sound and features Huawei FreeBuds Pro 5: easily some of Huawei's best buds yet The biggest upgrades come in the form of the new features enabled by the H2 chip, with Adaptive Audio, Personalized Volume, and improved Voice Isolation making the move from Apple's earbuds over to its headphones. Today's best Apple AirPods Max 2
deals 493.97 View 499 View 499 Preorder Show more We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices Familiar looks with a new chip under the hood (Image credit: Future/Jacob Krol) Maybe most importantly, Apple is sticking with the $549 price in the US, the same as the original. In the UK, the price has actually been reduced to 499 from the original's 599. In Australia, the price has risen, though, to AU$999 instead of AU$899 for the original.

The premium design is the same aluminum earcups, stainless steel frame, and that satisfying heft and still feels thoughtfully engineered. The
telescoping arms glide smoothly, making it easy to find a comfortable fit.

The headband or canopy as Apple calls it still uses a breathable mesh that distributes weight well without creating pressure points. The memory foam ear cushions remain plush, and I appreciate that theyre magnetically attached for easy swapping. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me
with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

Plenty of folks wear their AirPods Max for walks or even workouts, but its worth noting theres still no official sweat resistance here.

The controls are unchanged, and thats mostly a good thing. You get a supersized Digital Crown for volume and playback control, alongside the 'Listening Mode button' to toggle between Active Noise Cancellation, Transparency, and Adaptive Audio. (Image credit: Apple) One slight letdown is that there are no new colors. Apple is sticking with the same five introduced with the USB-C refresh Blue, Orange, Purple, Midnight, and Starlight. My
test sample is Blue, which feels a bit more muted than the equivalent color original AirPods Max came, in but still looks sharp. What to read next
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The Smart Case is also unchanged. It still doesnt look especially protective, but in my experience with the first-generation it does protect the premium headphones well. It also triggers the low-power sleep mode when the
headphones are inside. A USB-C to USB-C cable comes in the box.

So visually, not much has changed but the differences become clear once you start listening. Bold sound with a wider soundstage, and Spatial Audio still impresses (Image credit: Future/Jacob Krol) Just like the previous
generation, the AirPods Max 2 sound excellent across pretty much any genre, and Spatial Audio only raises the bar here. The soundstage feels wider, and each element comes through with impressive clarity and separation.

Creedence Clearwater Revivals Down On the Corner is a great example maracas sit distinctly to one side, cymbals and drums to the other, with John
Fogertys vocals locked-in center stage. Even as the track fills out, it never feels crowded its a personal favorite of mine for testing Spatial Audio.

Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen absolutely springs to life. The AirPods Max 2 deliver that signature wave of sound with real energy, but crucially
without losing detail. You can still pick out the drums, piano, and guitar as they build, and even the final crescendo in which the elements can blur together on lesser headphones stays defined and driving.

For a pop track, Miley Cyrus Younger You is a strong test for
higher-frequency vocals. The AirPods Max 2 present a detailed, slightly brighter profile, with vocals sitting cleanly front and center before the instrumentation builds around them.

Pretty much any genre sounds great here and more importantly, everything sounds consistent. Noise cancellation is improved as well Apple claims it's up to 1.5x better and I could hear a difference over the (still impressive) original model. Loud sounds are reduced even further, whether its city noise, a crowded cafe, or the hum of an air conditioning system.

Its not dramatically different at first, but over time you notice just how much quieter your environment becomes. I even tried simulating airplane noise on my speakers at home, and AirPods Max 2 brought it down to a low,
manageable hum.

The AirPods Max 2's Transparency mode remains among the best, and now sounds slightly more natural. You don't get the artificial hiss you sometimes hear
on other headphones, and it does a convincing job of letting the outside
world in. Adaptive Audio is the real game-changer here (Image credit: Future/Jacob Krol) That sets the stage for Adaptive Audio, which blends
active noise cancellation and Transparency modes into one smarter option, and it's really the standout addition here. Instead of manually switching modes, Adaptive Audio dynamically balances noise cancellation and audio pass-through in real time.

I wore the AirPods Max 2 out to grab coffee, and they blocked out most background noise while letting in nearby voices just enough to let me stay aware. It feels less like you're toggling settings, and more like the headphones are actively adjusting to your environment. In my testing,
Adaptive Audio performs just as well here as it does on the AirPods Pro.

After a quick setup I just had to hold the AirPods Max 2 near my iPhone
they quickly paired with my Apple Account. From there, it was seamless
hopping between devices: iPhone for music and calls, MacBook Pro for
meetings, iPad for streaming, then over to Apple TV 4K for late-night watching.

That fast switching feels faster than the old model nearly instant at times likely thanks to the H2 chip. Its a small but meaningful upgrade that makes the whole experience feel more fluid.

Call quality also gets a noticeable boost. Voice Isolation, powered by the H2 chip and working across your connected devices like an iPhone or Mac does a better job of keeping your voice clear while reducing background noise. In testing, it made a clear difference, especially in busier environments.

Battery life is unchanged on paper at up to 20 hour. I was able to get
through a full workday of meetings, calls, and music or podcast playback,
then keep the AirPods Max 2 on for a few TV episodes at night or while walking the dog before needing to recharge. Of course, well need to put the Max 2 through more long-term testing. (Image credit: Future/Jacob Krol) The AirPods Max 2 might look nearly identical to their predecessor, but after spending a few days with them its clear this is the update they needed. The
H2 chip unlocks meaningful improvements across sound, noise control, and everyday usability, while Adaptive Audio helps them feel noticeably smarter.

And given Apples track record of adding features to AirPods with newer chips, theres a good chance the Max 2 will continue to evolve over time just as
weve seen with Adaptive Audio and other software-driven upgrades like Hearing Health on the AirPods Pro .

If youve held onto your original AirPods Max since the launch in 2020, I
think the new model makes a strong case for upgrading especially if youve been waiting for better noise control and smarter features. And if youre jumping in fresh, these are some of the best over-ear headphones I've heard, now with a feature set that better matches the high price. 493.97 at Laptops Direct 499 at very.co.uk 499 at Amazon 499 at Amazon (Orange) Follow
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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/audio/earbuds-airpods/apple-airpods-max-2-hands-on


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