Apple Selling Ear Cushions in New Colors for the Original AirPods Max

AirPods Max received a disappointingly minor update this week, to the point that many customers who already own the headphones might not see the value in spending another $549 just for a USB-C charging port and new color options.

AirPods Max Space Gray and Purple Feature
If you want to change up your AirPods Max at a lower cost, however, ear cushion sets in the new Blue, Orange, Purple, Midnight, and Starlight color options are available to purchase on a standalone basis for $69 on Apple's online store. Apple says the ear cushions are compatible with both the Lightning and USB-C versions of the AirPods Max.

This will inevitably lead to some quirky color combinations, such as AirPods Max with a red headband and purple ear cushions. Have fun!

Related Roundup: AirPods Max
Buyer's Guide: AirPods Max (Buy Now)
Related Forum: AirPods

Popular Stories

maxresdefault

Apple Releases iOS 18.4 With Priority Notifications, Ambient Music, New Emoji and More

Monday March 31, 2025 10:03 am PDT by
Apple today released iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4, the fourth major updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating system updates that came out last year. iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 come two months after Apple released iOS 18.3 and iPadOS 18.3. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to...
iOS 19 Mock WWDC25 Feature

iOS 19 Expected to Run on These iPhones

Monday March 31, 2025 5:28 pm PDT by
iOS 19 will not be available on the iPhone XR, iPhone XS, or the iPhone XS Max, according a private account on social media site X that has accurately provided information on device compatibility in the past. The iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max all have an A12 Bionic chip, so it looks like iOS 19 will discontinue support for that chip. All other iPhones that run iOS 18 are expected...
iPhone 17 Pro 34ths Perspective

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 10 New Features

Sunday March 23, 2025 10:00 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of March 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
AirPods Pro Firmware Feature

Apple Releases New Firmware for AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4

Monday March 31, 2025 11:27 am PDT by
Apple today released new firmware updates for all AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2 models. The new firmware is version 7E93, up from the 7B21 firmware that was installed on the AirPods Pro 2 and the 7B20 firmware available on the AirPods 4 and AirPods 4 with ANC. It is not immediately clear what new features or changes are included in the new firmware, but we'll update this article should we find ...
top stories 2025 03 29

Top Stories: WWDC 2025 Announced, iPhone 17 Pro and iOS 19 Rumors, and More

Saturday March 29, 2025 6:00 am PDT by
Apple's big developer event is a little over two months away, and rumors about what we can expect to see in Apple's next major operating system updates are becoming increasingly frequent. A public release of iOS 18.4 is also imminent with a number of updates and improvements, although we won't be getting the major Apple Intelligence Siri upgrades that had reportedly been planned for this...
iOS 19 visionOS UI Elements

Apple Codename Provides Clue About iOS 19's Rumored New Design

Sunday March 30, 2025 6:40 am PDT by
Multiple sources have claimed that iOS 19 will introduce a new design with more translucent buttons, menus, notification banners, and more, and there is now another clue that points towards this glass-like appearance. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today said the new design project is codenamed "Solarium" internally. A solarium is a room with glass walls that allow in plenty of sunlight, so this...
macOS Sequoia Feature

Apple Releases macOS Sequoia 15.4 With Mail Categorization and More

Monday March 31, 2025 10:04 am PDT by
Apple today released macOS Sequoia 15.4, the fourth major update to the macOS Sequoia operating system that launched in September. macOS Sequoia 15.4 comes two months after the launch of macOS Sequoia 15.3. Mac users can download the ‌‌macOS Sequoia‌‌ update through the Software Update section of System Settings. It is available for free on all Macs able to run macOS 15. With...
Magic Mouse Green

What to Expect From the Magic Mouse 3

Saturday March 29, 2025 10:15 am PDT by
Apple is reportedly working on a new Magic Mouse. Below, we recap what to expect. The two key rumors for the Magic Mouse 3 so far include a relocated charging port, along with a more ergonomic design. It was briefly rumored that the Magic Mouse 3 would also feature voice control, but that was misinterpreted information. Relocated Charging Port While the Magic Mouse switched from...

Top Rated Comments

conshok26 Avatar
7 months ago
Can they just sell a new right side headphone with USB C?
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
deadspider187 Avatar
7 months ago
AirPods Max is a joke product, like the mouse that needs to be flipped over to be charged, it doesn't make any sense.


They are supposed to be portable, but they are very heavy, don't fold, and their "case" is not even a half-sleeve. They have no power button. Noise cancelation is good, but not particularly better than the AirPods Pro 2. The battery life on the Max is competing with bottom-tiered ANC headphones with only 20 hours of battery life. Even the updated ones announced yesterday have only Bluetooth 5.0. There is no cable for listening to stereo audio on a plane. They also have the old H1 chip in the updated model for some inexplicable reason, and there is no AirTag-like support for Find My.


The headband mesh is not like Herman Miller quality mesh, it stretches, gets very loose, and doesn't return to it's original strength, leading to two metal bars resting directly on the top of the wearer's head. I have a lot of dandruff, and the headband mesh is the exact density to collect dandruff while making it nearly impossible to clean out of the headband. Likewise, the ear pads, while comfortable, absorb oil and sweat, and while they can be cleaned relatively easily, they never quite feel the same as brand new. The Max’s are heavy. Very heavy. When I first bought mine, about two weeks in I started getting nerve pain in my neck and arms. It took me a few days to figure out it was the headphones. Once I went back to my old headphones, which are significantly lighter, the nerve pain went away.


The audio quality is ok, but nothing special, and certainly not worth $550. If you don’t need the portability, you can purchase a cheap DAC/Amp stack and a pair of Sennheiser, AKG, Sony, or other headphones and they will sound much better. If you really need portability, the AirPods Pro 2’s are half the price. If you want portable over the ear headphones, try the Sony XM3’s, XM4’s, or the Bose QC headphones. They sound similar enough, while being cheaper, having more battery life, and generally being better all around than the Max’s. If you care about sound quality while still being portable, try Audeze’s wireless headphones.


I have found exactly one purpose for these headphones. Mowing the lawn. If you have to spend an hour or two mowing your lawn, and can use hearing protection, but still want to listen to music and listen for notifications/calls, these are it. These are the headphones for you.


If you are still interested in them, buy a completely beat-up pair for under $200. They are maybe worth $250 at best brand new. They don't function well as your only pair of headphones.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sw1tcher Avatar
7 months ago
$69 for ear cushions? Tell me that's a typo.

That's the equivalent of $699 Mac Pro wheels
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
HJM.NL Avatar
7 months ago
Apple has become the company of beads and mirrors. It’s becoming a little bit pathetic.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
gimmesomemo Avatar
7 months ago

customers who already own the headphones might not see the value in spending another $549 just for a USB-C charging port and new color options.
This is satire right? Right?
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
HJM.NL Avatar
7 months ago

Is there no way to replace the head strap? The fabric on mine is stretched out and looks bad.
Yes there is and it’s available at the Apple Store. You can also chose a different color if you like. And all that coming for just $ 549,-

?
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)