I have gone through a myriad of personal audio setups over the years. I used to have studio monitors (Previously Audioengine A5s and Rokit RP5G2s) for my desktop alongside larger circumaural headphones (Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro and Sennheiser HD 650).
I began to prefer having a simpler setup and cleaner desk. While I definitely play music over the Sonos system, I opted to simplify my desk setup when I got my Pro Display XDR. Initially I began looking for speakers that matched the XDR aesthetic but couldn't find any I liked. They were all huge and unsightly. Eventually I figured, why not only use the AirPods Max? So that's what I did and I love them.
The AirPods Max easily replaced my older Sony WH-1000XM3 headset. I love the look, comfort and features. For one, it has both a stellar transparency mode, which is a requirement for me as I use that extensively when on calls/Zooms, and a great noise-cancelling mode. The battery life is also much better than the AirPods Pro, which I use to rely on for attending video calls all day.
I've now had them for almost 4 years and only have a few minor issues:
- I wish it was USB-C
- I wish it supported the Adaptive Audio feature (it doesn't have the necessary H2 chip) like the latest AirPods Pro
- I wish it was possible to replace the headband. The fabric on mine is beginning to show its wear and not be as springy as it used to be.
