More than five years after the first AirPods Max was introduced, Apple has finally revealed the successor to the aptly named AirPods Max 2.
While we haven’t reviewed the AirPods Max 2 yet, we’d love to see how its specs measure up to the Sony WH-1000XM6, which holds the top spot on our list of best headphones.
With this in mind, we’ve compared the AirPods Max 2 specs with the Sony WH-1000XM6, and highlighted the key differences between the headphones here. Read on to see what sets the over-ears apart and decide which one might suit you best.
If not, be sure to visit our AirPods Max 2 vs AirPods Max comparison to see what’s new with Apple’s flagship headphones.
Price and Availability
At the time of writing, AirPods Max 2 are available for pre-order and will launch “early next month”. As we approach the end of March, this means that hopefully we should see headphones being launched in the coming weeks. With an RRP of £499/$549, the headphones are one of the more expensive options on the market.
In comparison, although the Sony WH-1000XM6 has an official RRP of £399/$399.99, it’s impossible to find decently priced headphones. For example, at the time of writing the WH-1000XM6 can be had for just £329 on Amazon.
Both are affiliated with the ANC
Both AirPods Max 2 and Sony WH-1000XM6 are equipped with active noise cancellation (ANC). Apple explains that, thanks to its H2 chip that powers AirPods Max 2, the headphones achieve 1.5x better ANC than the original. The headphones also play adaptive sound that automatically adjusts the level of noise cancellation depending on your location.
Of course, we will have to wait until we review the AirPods Max 2 before confirming how well they work, but considering that we concluded that the AirPods Max call themselves “excellent ANC”, we have high hopes for their successor.
AirPods Max 2 is equipped with a total of nine microphones, eight of which are for noise cancellation (although two of those are assigned to voice pickup as well). In comparison, the WH-1000XM6 is equipped with a total of 12 microphones.
Otherwise, we found the Sony WH-1000XM6 to do a good overall job at canceling noise – although not better than its rival. That’s not a bad thing though, as it can go toe to toe with the likes of the Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones which are one of the best noise canceling headphones we’ve tested.
That said, we were very impressed with the WH-1000XM6’s ability to sound natural, even with noise cancellation. Also, its Ambient mode allows it to be heard with detail and clarity as well, which many noise cancelers can fault.
The Sony WH-1000XM6 promises long battery life
Although not really an improvement over its predecessor, the Sony WH-1000XM6 promises up to 30 hours of battery life with ANC enabled or up to 40 hours with ANC off. Sure, it’s not the 60 hours seen on the Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless but it’s still a solid effort.
In comparison, AirPods Max 2 claims up to 20 hours with ANC enabled. Apple has not revealed how many hours we have to wait if ANC is also turned off.
Offensively, the AirPods Max 2 comes equipped with a “Smart Case”, which was introduced with the original AirPods Max. Essentially, the Smart Case keeps the AirPods Max in low power mode to help save battery, since the AirPods don’t have an on/off button.
The Sony WH-1000XM6 is very simple
Weighing only 254g, the Sony WH-1000XM6 is much lighter than the AirPods Max 2 which weighs 386g. However, it’s worth noting that the AirPods Max 2 benefit from the same mesh headband seen with the AirPods Max. This should help distribute the weight of the headphones evenly across your head, keeping them comfortable to wear even after long periods of time.
That’s not to say the WH-1000XM6 isn’t comfortable either. The headband is wide and conforms well to the head for a good fit and the earcups can support glasses or long hair easily too.
AirPods Max 2 has a Digital Crown
If you own an old AirPods Max or Apple Watch you will be familiar with the Digital Crown. Basically, the Digital Crown is a way to control your AirPods without needing to use your phone. Pressing it once can play or pause audio, answer the phone or even activate the camera’s remote control. Then, pressing the Crown twice ends the call or skips a song while three times lets you skip back. Alternatively, you can twist the Crown to adjust the volume or press and hold it for Siri.
The WH-1000XM6, on the other hand, can be controlled via your paired smartphone, app or by tapping the earcup. In fact, you can set your favorite shortcuts through the smartphone app as well.
AirPods Max 2 supports live translation
While both headphones can be paired with an iOS or Android device, to get the most out of AirPods Max 2 you’ll really want one of the best iPhones — especially one that supports Apple Intelligence.
By pairing your AirPods Max 2 with an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone, you’ll benefit from live translation for seamless communication in different languages. And, surprisingly, there’s Siri on board too.
The WH-1000XM6 instead has Google Assistant as its built-in voice control, however there are also Sony voice controls if you prefer.
Preliminary Decision
It’s hard to decide which headphones are “better” without reviewing the AirPods Max 2, so we’ll stop giving a complete review for now.
That said, if you’re an Apple fan and well-entrenched in its ecosystem, then the AirPods Max 2 are an attractive option. On the other hand, for around £100/$100 less, the Sony WH-1000XM6 offers brilliant ANC, long battery life and a very light design.
We’ll be sure to review this comparison once we get our hands on the AirPods Max 2.