I Wore The Best Headphones From Sony, Bose, Apple, And Sonos: Here's How The Airpods Max Wins

Jada Jones/ZDNET

In nan past fewer years, Bose, Sony, Sonos, and Beats person released premium headphones to compete pinch each different and Apple's AirPods Max. 

I've worn each of nan AirPods Max's apical competitors, and they each excel successful different categories. But for an older canine successful this fight, nan AirPods Max are still kicking. Since their 2020 merchandise (and 2024 re-release), nan Max haven't received galore important package aliases hardware updates, speech from caller colors, a USB-C port, and support for lossless audio via USB-C.

Also: The 12 champion headphones of 2025

So, 5 years later, group connected nan backdrop of a imaginable successor this fall, are nan AirPods Max still worthy buying? After testing nan champion headphones connected nan market, here's my buying advice.

The good: design, instrumentality interoperability, and awesome sound

Jada Jones/ZDNET

One point is indisputable: nan AirPods Max are a beautiful brace of headphones. They are simple, sleek, and often imitated -- yet ne'er replicated. The stainless alloy accents springiness it an elevated look, nary logos aliases branding make them look sophisticated, and nan Digital Crown successfully replaces aggregate buttons that tin beryllium confused pinch 1 another.

Also: Here's really a free package upgrade made nan Sonos Ace worthy their value tag

In nan creation category, nan Sonos Ace are nan Max's closest rival. They're besides defined by cleanable lines, a elemental design, metallic accents, and removable magnetic receptor pads, but person thinner earcups and a lighter build. The Ace characteristic their ain return connected nan Digital Crown pinch a likewise functioning Content Key, but placed successful an easier-to-reach spot connected nan receptor cup.

The Sonos Ace Content Key (left) and nan AirPods Max's Digital Crown (right).

Jada Jones/ZDNET

Bose's QuietComfort Ultra athletics aluminum yokes for enhanced durability, but astir of nan headphone is made of plastic. Similarly, Sony's XM6 is built pinch mostly integrative -- albeit pinch materials that are highly sustainable. 

For Apple users, nan AirPods Max are nan definitive over-ear headphones option, acknowledgment to their automatic pairing pinch your iPhone, iPad, Mac, aliases Apple TV. Jason Hiner, ZDNET's editor-in-chief, is an avid Apple user, and nan AirPods Max are his premium headphones of choice. Aside from automatic instrumentality switching, Hiner's favourite point astir nan Max is their sound cancellation and audio value chops.

"For [noise cancellation and audio quality], nan AirPods Max are successful nan aforesaid convention arsenic nan champion headphones connected nan market, including nan ones from Sony, Bose, and Sennheiser. I tin perceive specifications successful euphony and movies utilizing nan AirPods Max that I simply can't perceive pinch AirPods Pro aliases different earbuds," he says.

Even arsenic they adjacent their 5th birthday, nan AirPods Max still sound unthinkable by today's standards. Apple's Personalized Spatial Audio useful beautifully, creating a wider soundstage that doesn't sound excessively computerized. In nan spatial audio department, nan Sonos Ace and Beats Studio Pro are fierce competitors, providing a akin spatial listening experience. 

Also: Why these headphones are still nan champion from Bose - moreover though they're a twelvemonth old

The AirPods Max person awesome noise-canceling abilities, owing to their capacity pinch 8 microphones for progressive sound cancellation (ANC). The Sonos Ace execute conscionable arsenic good arsenic nan Max successful canceling biology noise, but Bose's QuietComfort Ultra and Sony's WH-1000XM6 are nan kings of ANC. 

The Sony WH-1000XM6 (left) and Bose QuietComfort Ultra (right).

Jada Jones/ZDNET

However, moreover 5 years later, nan AirPods Max still person a limb up connected each of their competitors' Transparency Modes. Apple's Transparency Mode is nan clearest, astir transparent, and astir natural-sounding. 

The mesh receptor pads of nan Apple headphones, while different from those of different brands, person besides held up well. They're patient without being hard, providing a tight yet comfortable seal astir your ears for immersion. The deficiency of polyurethane leather connected nan receptor pads simultaneously adds to their disbursal and personification experience.

Also: I replaced my Bose UltraComfort headphones for nan Sony XM6 - here's really it went

My colleague, Kerry Wan, ZDNET's managing editor, says nan Max's mesh receptor pads are 1 of nan champion things astir them. "I've recovered nan AirPods Max's mesh-style receptor cushions to relieve unit and sweat build-up amended than nan waxy, silicone-based covers recovered connected competing headphones," he says.

And I person to agree; nan mesh pads consciousness amended against my tegument and negociate power buildup better. But pinch awesome powerfulness comes awesome responsibility. The mesh pads sorb sweat, oils, and odors alternatively of keeping them connected nan aboveground for illustration nan competitors' receptor pads. Thus, you tin either propulsion them successful nan lavation each erstwhile successful a while aliases walk nan money to switch them.

The bad: Software, each things artillery life, and an ode to comfort

Jada Jones/ZDNET

I still respect Apple's H1 audio processor, but it's clear that it can't support up pinch nan industry's much precocious package features. That's why AirPods Max users look longingly retired nan model erstwhile AirPods Pro 2 users get each of nan cool package updates each September.

ZDNET's Jason Hiner loves galore things astir nan AirPods Max, but he acknowledges their steep value tag and antiquated H1 audio spot are awesome pitfalls. Apple's H2 chip, recovered successful nan AirPods Pro 2, is nan company's astir precocious audio spot and offers users amended audio quality, much unchangeable connections, and stronger sound cancellation. The H2 chip's omission successful nan AirPods Max, moreover successful nan 2024 rereleased model, is simply a symptom constituent for Hiner.

Also: Sony WH-1000XM6 vs. Bose QuietComfort Ultra: How to take nan champion noise-canceling headphone

"For Apple to not put its latest audio exertion into its highest-end headphones -- particularly astatine specified a premium value -- is disappointing," he says.

These days, adaptive sound cancellation is each nan rage. Headphone processors are intelligent capable to perceive to your environment's sound levels and employment nan due magnitude of sound cancellation. This characteristic tin sphere artillery life, thief pinch situational awareness, and mostly beryllium much convenient than manually switching ANC modes.

I often rag connected nan Bose QuietComfort Ultra's short 24-hour artillery life, but Apple's is shorter astatine 20 hours. The AirPods Max person mediocre endurance compared to their competitors, pinch nan Sonos Ace and Sony XM6 testing for astir 30 hours pinch ANC on. 

The AirPods Max participate low-power mode erstwhile placed successful nan Smart Case.

Jada Jones/ZDNET

My proposal is that you shouldn't bargain nan AirPods Max if you don't person astatine slightest 1 Apple product, and I often property that to paying for features you can't use, for illustration Find My and Personalized Spatial Audio.

Additionally, without a companion app, package updates are wrapped into iOS updates, making it intolerable to update your AirPods without an iPhone, iPad, aliases Mac. ZDNET's Kerry Wan is chiefly an Android user, though he shamelessly admits to keeping an iPhone astir to update nan headphones and test nan latest features. That's evidently not nan lawsuit for astir users.

Also: Five iOS 26 features I already can't unrecorded without - and really to entree them

Another unsurprising caveat is that nan AirPods Max are a hefty brace of headphones. They're heavier than each of their challengers, and their bladed mesh headband doesn't enactment arsenic capable of a counterweight for nan dense earcups erstwhile I deterioration them for agelong periods. The Sonos Ace and Bose QuietComfort Ultra person plushy earcups and sturdier headbands, and they're amended suited for semipermanent deterioration erstwhile I recreation aliases activity astatine my desk.

ZDNET's buying advice

As nan AirPods Max hole to observe their 5th anniversary, it's awesome that they're still successful nan premium headphone conversation; that's a testament to their capacity and early proofing. I person much bully than bad things to opportunity astir them, but I don't deliberation they're for everyone, not moreover for each Apple fan.

If you ne'er stray from nan iOS ecosystem and prioritize design, awesome sound, and bully sound cancellation, nan AirPods Max will service you well. Just beryllium judge to bargain them connected sale; it happens often.

If you worth an AirPods Max-inspired design, comfort, sound, and afloat compatibility pinch iOS and Android, see nan Sonos Ace. If comfortableness and sound cancellation are astatine nan apical of your list, effort nan Bose QC Ultra. If impeccable sound, industry-leading sound cancellation are your must-haves, spell pinch nan Sony XM6. 

And if you want headphones pinch a simple, cleanable creation that offers aspects of Apple's personification interface and supports autochthonal Android features, nan Beats Studio Pro are for you.