AirPods Max for cinematographers editors and photographers?
We are makers, creators, and sometimes we need a good pair of headphones to edit our productions with, but is wireless a good idea for editing high quality stuff?
Designed by Apple in 2020, they are maybe the only over-ear headphones you can recognize from afar while they’re worn.
BUT is not only a question of design and trendy look, right?
We do need to know if they worth it, in terms of audio quality, comfortness, build quality, usability on Apple ecosystem, latency, and some minor features they have.
First of all, if you are an android user or anything else than apple ecosystem adopter you can stop reading this piece, Airpods Max are not for you.
You can answer yourself to the question “is it worth entering in apple ecosystem only to have these big headphones?” (no.)
If you are a happy Apple user, so let’s go on, but if you’re reading these lines there is a high chance that you are an editor, a cinematographer, a freelance filmmaker, or a content creator in any kind of way.
ARE THEY HIGH FIDELITY HEADPHONES?
So, straight to the point, Airpods Max are insanely good WIRELESS headphones in terms of audio quality. I wrote wireless on caps because that’s the point of quality in this audio stuff, wireless technology is not advanced enough to compete with wired technology.
Hi-Fidelity is always referred to a wired world, because we’re talking about analogue signals for the best audio performance, so it is useless talking about Hi-Fi with Airpods Max.
THE APPLE CABLE
There is however a middle step between, and it is properly a cable that turns a jack 3.5 into lightning in this case.
It is non cheap at all, it’s around 39,00€ but it is almost mandatory for editing and listening higher quality sound, here in a moment.
You can buy this cable here https://amzn.to/3wkuBxC (and I will get a minimum fee if you buy from this link, a sort of exchange for the time I’ve spent to write this review).
Two colors are available, black and white, and I’m going to explain why you should buy it with your Airpods Max.
The quality with this cable is enhanced enough to be heard by everybody, even if you are not an audiophile and you don’t have a trained ear.
Furthermore, if you edit with headphones you know that, if you need to cut to the frame or in a precise way, you have to forget wireless headphones.
Even with Airpods 3 and Airpods Pro, you wouldn’t be able to be very precise, due to the latency of the wireless technology.
As a matter of fact the chance to be wired to a jack is very useful both for having a higher quality and being more precise in editing.
Coming to everyday use.
QUALITY
Sound is astonishing, full stop. I’m also a classical musician, if you have read my bio, and I’ve used a couple of high quality headphones, I own a pair of Airpods 2, a couple of good Sony Wireless over-ear headphones and I can assure you will not regret the purchase in terms of audio quality.
COMFORT AND USABILITY
Digital Crown makes everything easy and handy, no touch controls means no wrong and unwanted gestures that change volumes or track.
The other button changes listening mode between noise canceling, normal and Transparency (that is quite important while walking because it opens the headphones to the ambience and enhances those sounds that come from the upfront like a person who’s talking in our direction).
All modes are perfectly set and we can feel all the Apple’s precision and ability of making no-brainer products.
The overall quality is great and I don’t feel the the weight of the aluminium headphones even after hours of listening.
NOISE REDUCTION
Even the noise reduction is the best I’ve ever heard between the headphones in this price range, there is nothing above the Airpods Max.
Nothing more to say.
Airplane travels will be silent and sweet, and with the cable you can easily plug in to the multimedia station at your seat, great deal.
USABILITY IN APPLE ECOSYSTEM
Apple ecosystem is really a paradise for the owners of these headphones, the Airpods Max will pair with iPhone, iPad, MacBook, Apple Watch (I’ve linked all products I’ve tried the headphones with) and seamlessly switch between them to the nearest, or the one that is streaming audio at the moment.
You don’t need to do anything, all is quite and smooth, this is a full point to Airpods Max.
ARE THEY WORTH IT?
The price is the lowest ever seen right now, for some colors, you can check out which one here (https://amzn.to/3a2k2Yr), and for this price they really worth it.
The quality would be right for the price in any case, even if you have to buy full priced (around 600€), but this is a personal opinion.
With the amazon discount the purchase turns into a no-brainer one.
They passed with full marks.
Be sure to buy the cable jack to lightening (here https://amzn.to/3ldeCvU) if you have to edit with them or to travel by plane.
All the links in this article will take me a little fee if you will buy something, consider it a little reward for the time I’ve spent on writing this sort-of-review
My website: https://francescofagioli.com
