It's better... 🤔 AirPods Max 2 review vs Sony WH-1000XM6, Bose QC Ultra Gen 2 Headphones
Today we’re going to compare the AirPods Max 2 to the Sony WH-1000XM6 and Bose QC Ultra Gen 2 in terms of mic pickup, noise canceling, transparency, and of course, sound quality. After that, we’re going to compare them individually. So buckle up!
Microphone Quality
The AirPods Max 2 performs very well versus the others. On Apple devices with voice isolation, it’s capturing at a much higher fidelity so my voice sounds crisper and clearer than the Sony, and especially the Bose because it’s not amplifying my voice as much.
On Android devices, both the Sony and Bose reduce background noise more, and in that sense they are better, but compared to the Max 2, the Sony’s voice pickup sounds a bit more muffled, while on the Bose, my voice sounded very soft and recessed.
Active Noise Cancelling
For noise canceling, the AirPods Max 2 is very effective against low and lower-mid frequency noises, so even in situations like taking the public transport, shopping at the mall or in a noisy cafe, it’s going to bring all that background rumble down and you do get a deep silence. It’s definitely better than what the previous gen AirPods Max offered, something that I covered in this video.
But higher frequency noises do get through a tiny bit more than the Sony or Bose, which means you’ll hear a little bit more of the fan, the air conditioning, and human voices. Nonetheless, the AirPods Max 2’s noise canceling is impressive overall.
Transparency Mode
As for transparency mode, the AirPods Max 2 is no doubt, the best in this comparison. Wearing them with transparency feels like not wearing them at all, from the passthrough of my own voice, to ambient sounds around me, it all felt very natural.
The Sonys are almost like that, but how they’re different is that they’re a bit darker in the ambience, and voices are a bit more amplified including my own, a bit better for face to face conversations, but not exactly transparent the way the Max 2s are. The Gen 2 QC Ultra’s transparency is good, and great for general awareness and face to face conversations, but they’re noticeably more occluded in the ambience, so it doesn’t feel as transparent as the Sony or AirPods Max 2.
Buy AirPods Max 2 or Sony WH-1000XM6?
Compared to the AirPods Max 2, the WH-1000XM6 has a heavier sound with more body and bass, more presence and impact which some people may prefer. The AirPods Max on the other hand sounds cleaner separated and has more emphasis on crispness, clarity and airiness which, when compared side by side, can make the XM6 seem dark and dull. Its transparency mode is also cleaner than the XM6.
👉🏻 Have a listen to the sound quality samples
And if you’re on Apple’s ecosystem the Max 2 works like a dream because you can seamlessly switch between devices without going through any pairing process, share audio with other AirPods users, and even if it doesn’t support hi-res wireless streaming like the Sony, it does support wired 24-bit 48khz audio over USB-C cable. You also get Head Gesture controls on iOS, Conversation Awareness, and Adaptive Audio, which reacts to ambient noise levels by canceling noise automatically.
On the other hand, what I like about the Sony is that it’s fully supported on iOS and Android so it doesn’t matter which ecosystem you’re on, you can have full access to its settings and features including multipoint pairing, which lets you connect up to 2 devices at the same time. It’s also much more customizable with a 10-band EQ, which I have used to make it sound way better than stock, here’s my custom setting for the XM6 in case you’re interested.
The XM6 is also lighter and more comfortable for long periods of wearing, and in terms of portability, it’s also easier to pack this away in your bag because it folds into a smaller package and has a fully enclosed case. All things considered, the XM6 seems like better value to me in terms of features and performance, but the AirPods Max 2 has its own special appeal and usefulness, especially to Apple fans.
âś… Check latest prices:
AirPods Max 2 - https://amzn.to/3O6r9n5
Sony WH-1000XM6 - https://amzn.to/4n6OcuL
Buy AirPods Max 2 or Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones 2nd Gen?
Comparing the Gen 2 QC Ultra to the AirPods Max 2, the AirPods sound better in the sense that track separation is cleaner, vocals sound heavier, its bass extension is tighter, and compared to the Bose, it sounds a bit more vibrant. However the Bose has more character. There’s more emphasis on bass reproduction, which makes it sound a bit more thumpy and groovy, its soundstaging sounds a bit airier, vocals sound more forward, and it resolves background details more than the Max 2.
👉🏻 Have a listen to the sound quality samples
The reason you should consider buying the Bose is slightly better noise canceling against higher frequency noise, better comfort, since these are not as heavy, better portability since they fold inwards so they don’t take up as much space in the bag, and you do get more flexibility with the Bose, not only because of multipoint pairing which lets you connect up to 2 devices at the same time, be it iOS, Android, PC or Mac, but because whether you’re on iOS or Android, you can access all of their settings and firmware updates and features, whereas with the AirPods Max 2, you only get those with Apple devices.
The reason I prefer the AirPods Max is its noise canceling being better at low frequency reduction, its transparency mode is clearer, and if you’re in Apple's ecosystem you do get more perks since the AirPods Max 2 allows you to seamlessly switch between devices without going through any pairing process, share audio with other AirPods users, and like the Bose, it also supports USB-C audio, but up to 24-Bit 48kHz instead of the Bose’s 16-Bit 48kHz, something that audiophiles might pay attention to. So the AirPods Max 2 does have its own special appeal especially among Apple users like me.
âś… Check latest prices:
AirPods Max 2 - https://amzn.to/3O6r9n5
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones 2nd Gen - https://amzn.to/4gH7X9d
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