H2 chip and stronger noise cancellation at the same price

Apple unveiled the AirPods Max 2 on Monday through a quiet press release and updated product pages, with no media event or advance briefing, an unusually low-key rollout even by the company’s recent standards. The new over-ear headphones are priced at $549, the same as their predecessor, and are powered by Apple’s H2 audio chip, the same processor found in the AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4. The H2 drives most of the major feature additions in the new model. Apple says active noise cancellation on the Max 2 is up to 1.5 times more effective than on the original AirPods Max, which launched in December 2020. The updated Adaptive Audio feature automatically adjusts noise cancellation and Transparency mode levels based on what is happening around the listener, switching between the two without requiring manual input. Apple also says Transparency mode has been improved through a new digital signal-processing algorithm built specifically for the H2 chip, making the passthrough of ambient sound feel more natural. The headphones look externally identical to the previous model, a design choice that has drawn some early commentary from observers who had expected a physical refresh after six years.

New features target creators; preorders open March 25

Apple is positioning the AirPods Max 2 as a tool for content creators, not only consumers. The headphones include a new high-dynamic-range amplifier designed for cleaner audio reproduction, and Apple says Spatial Audio has been improved with better instrument localization, more accurate bass, and more natural mids and highs. A new Live Translation feature, available across the AirPods line, allows real-time language interpretation through the headphones. The Camera Remote function lets users press the Digital Crown on the headphones to trigger the shutter or start and stop video recording on a connected iPhone or iPad, useful for solo shooting. Apple also claims the built-in microphone allows podcasters, musicians, and interviewers to record with higher-quality audio and more natural vocal texture, and says the AirPods Max 2 are the only headphones that allow musicians to both create and mix in Personalized Spatial Audio with head tracking via USB-C, integrated with Logic Pro. A Loud Sound Reduction feature is designed to shield users from harmful environmental noise without altering their listening experience. The headphones will be available for preorder starting March 25 in midnight, starlight, orange, purple, and blue colors, and shipping begins in early April in more than 30 countries. Competitors including Sony’s WH-1000XM6, priced $150 lower, will likely sharpen the conversation around whether the $549 price point is justified, particularly for buyers who have already invested in the Apple ecosystem versus those considering it for the first time.