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

Can they just sell a new right side headphone with USB C?

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.

$69 for ear cushions? Tell me that's a typo.

That's the equivalent of $699 Mac Pro wheels

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?

Apple has become the company of beads and mirrors. It’s becoming a little bit pathetic.

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,-

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