After the resounding success of AirPods Pro in the * true wireless * market, Apple is embarking on a new quest: to redefine our vision of the Bluetooth headset with its AirPods Max, which promises to be the very best Bluetooth headset with active noise reduction. .
Without being the much-promised revolution, the AirPods Max has risen to the level of the best Bluetooth headsets on the market by scoring as many points as possible on the essential criteria. In absolute terms, this is an excellent headphone, which stands out above all for its acoustic prowess, which allows it to clinch the ultimate star. That being said, the record is not dazzling enough to eclipse the issue of its very high price placement compared to direct competition. Some references do at least as well, sometimes even a little better than the AirPods Max in some areas, and at a much lower price. It would take too many conditions and “ifs” to wholeheartedly prefer this helmet to its rivals.
Strong points
- Balanced, very extensive and well detailed sound reproduction.
- Impeccable reproduction of the soundstage and dynamics.
- Good respect for timbres, excellent management of distortion.
- Very effective active noise reduction / Transparent mode with natural rendering.
- Very intuitive handling and use with Apple devices.
- The “digital crown”, the good idea.
Weak points
- Too little versatile use.
- Very slight deficit of definition in the treble and punchy in the bass.
- Lightning / mini-jack cable sold separately (and at the disproportionate price of 39 €!).
- A helmet that is difficult to forget on your head, despite good comfort.
- The Smart Case, the wrong idea.
As an alternative
The 99 Neo is inspired by the very good performance of the 99 Classics by adding some welcome sound corrections and with a milder price. If you don’t mind a more discreet design and low noise isolation, these headphones stand out as a better investment than the 99 Classics.