I have a feeling a lot of people aren’t going to agree with me on this one.
I’m used to this. If there’s one subject which raises merry hell on the internet whenever you offer an opinion (it needn’t be a controversial opinion, either) it’s audio products.
I’ve never quite worked out why. It’s not a life or death topic, and audio, sound, and one’s enjoyment of those things are about as subjective as it comes.
Regardless, I’ve had many run-ins with audio people on these pages and within the comments sections of my YouTube channel. AirPods Max are a fantastic catalyst for this, and in a recent video, I suggested that Apple needed to turn down the premium dial for the next version.
A lot of people didn’t like that suggestion.
Today, I’ll explain why I think it’s essential if we’re ever to see AirPods Max again.
Toning it down
I’m all for the existence of high-quality, premium products. Apple is a master at creating them; its devices and accessories are unashamedly aspirational, and most of us can’t afford – or, at least, justify – the exact one we want.
AirPods Max are possibly the most visceral example of this. At £549, they’re considerably more expensive than the direct competition by a good £200. The earcups are made from aluminium, they feature a woven ‘canopy’ for the headrest, and a luxurious size adjustment is provided by the stainless steel telescoping arms.
No one needs any of this stuff, but it looks cool and plays very well in marketing material.
As I’ve said on numerous occasions, you have to really want AirPods Max to fork out all of that cash. If you’re not an ultra Apple fan person, these headphones just don’t make any sense. The audio quality isn’t good enough to justify the premium, and the second-generation AirPods Pro provide all of the ecosystem – and even noise cancelling – goodness for less than half the price if that’s what you’re looking for.
That leaves the premium materials and build quality as the main differentiator and excuse for such a high price. But we live in a very different world to the one in which AirPods Max was launched (which will be three years ago this December). I’m pretty sure the market for Apple’s over-ear headphones in their current guise has all but evaporated.
This probably explains why we haven’t seen an update yet.
But there is a solution!
Bose shows how it’s done
On the surface, comparing the Bose QC45against AirPods Max seems like a ludicrous task.
Bose’s venerable air travel favourites are over £200 cheaper than AirPods Max. They’re made from plastic, come in a range of entirely uninspiring colour options, and have none of the spatial audio or Dolby Atmos support touted by Apple for its over-ear headphones.
However, I have access to a lot of headphones. Some of them are incredible (I’m looking at you, Focal Bathys and Bowers & Wilkins Px8) and one pair remains my favourite over-ear headphones of all time (hello, Sony WH-1000XM4) but it’s the QC45 that I cannot stop using.
I’ve thought about this a lot. Why am I so addicted to this seemingly boring, unremarkable pair of noise-cancelling headphones?
The answer is, as always, pretty simple.
I get a lot of stick for the fuss I make about headphone cases; I often refer to them as being one of the most important elements of the ownership experience. I stand firmly by this because unless you only use your headphones at home, the case is a real make-it-or-break-it feature. Too big, and your headphones become a burden throughout the day. Too flimsy, and they fail to protect your expensive purchase.
The Bose QC45 case is perfect. Because the headphones fold correctly (something no new headphones do) the case is as small as it should be, and although it’s not quite as tough as the WH-1000XM4 case, it is sturdy enough to chuck around without fear.
The noise cancelling is top-notch, as you’d expect from Bose’s QC range. The sound, while not exactly boombastic or ‘signature’ is great. The plastic is as unapologetic as Jony Ive promised during the launch of the iPhone 5c. They’re super light and comfortable, too, and the multi-device Bluetooth connection is rock solid.
What more do you want from a pair of headphones? And why doesn’t Apple make a pair of over-ears like the QC45s? It would serve a much bigger audience and they could even use a fancier Apple-branded form of plastic to justify a slight premium over the Bose.
Will Apple do this?
No.
There have been rumours about a lower-end pair of AirPods Max for some time now, but they’ve never been what you’d call ‘solid’. I think it has always been more a case of people simply wanting Apple to make the AirPods Max brand attainable for a much wider audience.
I’m not convinced that Apple has an appetite for this. I think AirPods Max was an interesting experiment, but with the Beats brand still in tow, there’s little sense in Apple investing too much development or marketing resource in widening its headphone product range. AirPods (both regular and Pro) are clearly the focus for Apple-branded personal audio.
At least we have the Bose QC series to fall back on, eh? I can’t see that going anywhere anytime soon. At least, I hope it doesn’t!
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