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Jacqueline Tsang

You heard it right – Apple is rushing out a new product just in time for Christmas. Audiophiles who keep losing their earbuds will be glad to know that the tech giant has now launched AirPods Max, the brand’s first over-the-ear headphones.

“With AirPods Max, we are bringing that magical AirPods experience to a stunning over-ear design with high-fidelity audio,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice-president of worldwide marketing. “The custom acoustic design, combined with powerful H1 chips and advanced software enable AirPods Max to use computational audio to wirelessly deliver the ultimate personal listening experience.”
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The headphones are an Instagrammer’s dream with colour options that include pink, green and sky blue – the latter of which matches beautifully with the light blue iPad and navy iPhone, by the way – as well as silver and space grey.

Visually appealing they may be, but the most significant functions of the headphones come down to their superior user-friendly technology, most notably the Adaptive EQ and Spatial Audio.
The Adaptive EQ tech makes for a more personalised experience by adjusting the audio to the fit and seal of the ear cushions. The headphones measure the sound signal delivered and adjust the mid and low frequencies of the audio in real time for a tailor-made experience. If there is any frequency loss due to fit, the Adaptive EQ will make up for it.

The Spatial Audio technology is the real game-changer. With the help of a gyroscope and accelerometer, the headphones track both your head movement and the connected device, and the complex algorithm compares the motion data and remaps the sound field. This means that the headphones stay anchored to the device despite head movement, and if you move the device around, the sound will track with it, providing an immersive experience for audio recorded in 5.1, 7.1 and Dolby Atmos.
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Other functions include Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency Mode. Each ear cup includes four microphones – three outward-facing ones to detect environmental audio and one inward-facing to monitor the sound for the user. The transparency function, which allows the user to hear the surrounding environment as well as chosen audio, is a given for modern headphones and users on the go can toggle between noise cancellation and transparency easily through a single press of the noise control button.
In keeping with the user-friendly ethos, expected but no less welcome functions include automatic switching – which lets you move sound between your iPhone, iPad and Mac – as well as audio sharing, which means you and your best friend can share an audio stream on an iPhone, iPad, iPod touch or Apple TV between two sets of AirPods.

As with the AirPods, you can auto-pair with all devices signed in to your iCloud, including iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, Apple Watch and Apple TV. Of course, you can talk to Siri too. Automatic detection means that the headphones will play audio once in place on your head and will pause when removed or if you lift up an ear cup.
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As for the sound quality itself, the AirPods Max features a dual neodymium ring magnet motor, which is usually used only in standing hi-fi speakers, and is responsible for the superior audio in the headphones. It allows the headphones to maintain less than 1 per cent of total harmonic distortion across the audible range, even when sound is on maximum volume. Each ear cup is equipped with a custom-designed H1 chip, which contains 10 audio cores capable of performing 9 billion operations per second for top-quality sound. The headphones’ dynamic driver also offers the user rich bass, accurate mid-range sound, and crisp high-frequency extension.
When it comes to battery life, the fully charged headphones will allow for 20 hours of listening time. But rather more impressively, if you’ve neglected to charge it and desperately need your headphones for a long commute, a mere five minutes of charging your battery-depleted headphones will provide you with 90 minutes of audio life.

The soft Smart Case that comes with the headphones puts them in an ultralow power state, which preserves battery charge when you’re not using the product.
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There’s something to be said for user comfort as well. The headband is made of a breathable knit mesh canopy, which evenly distributes weight and reduces the pressure on your head. The ear cups can pivot independently and rotate to fit your head’s contours, and the cushions use memory foam for effective seal.

Apple Watch wearers will recognise a familiar function here – the Digital Crown is featured on top of the ear cup and allows you to adjust for everything from volume control and audio control (play, pause and skip) to phone call response and Siri activation.
The AirPods Max retail at HK$4,599 (US$590). They can be ordered starting today and will be available from December 15 onwards.
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Are Apple’s AirPods Max worth US$590? Adaptive EQ and Spatial Audio technology sure sound fancy – but how exactly do they work?

The new Apple AirPods Max are available from December 15. Photo: Apple

AirPods Max feature a breathable knit mesh canopy, distributing weight to reduce on-head pressure. AirPods Max come in silver, space gray, sky blue, pink, and green.Photo: Apple

The Digital Crown provides precise volume control and the ability to play or pause audio, skip tracks, answer or end phone calls, and activate Siri. The noise control button easily switches between Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency mode.Photo: Apple

AirPods Max feature the magical one-tap setup experience that customers love with AirPods.Photo: Apple

AirPods Max custom acoustic design features a 40-mm dynamic driver and a unique dual neodymium ring magnet motor.Photo: Apple

AirPods Max combine a custom acoustic design, Apple H1 chips, and advanced software to power computational audio for the ultimate personal listening experience.Photo: Apple

When stored in the soft, slim Smart Case, AirPods Max enter an ultralow power state that preserves charge.Photo: Apple

AirPods Max bring the magic of AirPods to an all-new wireless over-ear design with high-fidelity audio, Active Noise Cancellation, spatial audio, and more. Photo: Apple

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Are Apple’s AirPods Max the ultimate over-ear headphones? Brand first launches just in time for Christmas and might boast the most personalised sound yet


Launching just in time for Christmas, the tech brand’s first over-the-ear headphones tailor the listening experience to the user, offer a range of Instagram-worthy colourways and even allow you to stream the same audio with a friend


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Are Apple’s AirPods Max worth US$590? Adaptive EQ and Spatial Audio technology sure sound fancy – but how exactly do they work?

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Are Apple’s AirPods Max the ultimate over-ear headphones? Brand first launches just in time for Christmas and might boast the most personalised sound yet

Are Apple’s AirPods Max the ultimate over-ear headphones? Brand first launches just in time for Christmas and might boast the most personalised sound yet