No wireless lossless audio means these are a hard pass for me. I really expected Apple of all folks to figure that out since they engineer their entire stack, hardware to software, but they’re still just pushing the same bluetooth audio that my Airpods Pro 2’s consume (which are half the price and incredibly excellent). Sony’s LDAC is niche, but sounds objectively better to my ears than the AAC used on Apple’s kit when I opt to use my Walkman+XM4s.

As for wired listening? My XM4s sound okay wired in, and at home I’ve got critical-listening kit already. Adding a USB-C cable to the Max is not appealing given that 3.5mm already exists, USB-C cables are heavier than analog audio wires, and more corps block USB ports in general or mess with them in ways that corrupts the audio stack.

Give me wireless CD-quality audio and I’ll be a happy dinosaur. Until then, I have zero reason to upgrade what I currently have.

▲

steve1977 3 hours ago | parent | next [-]

So you're one of the few people who actually can consistently tell MP3 and lossless apart?

https://abx.digitalfeed.net/

▲

F7F7F7 7 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

The H2 enables lossless audio over wireless. So this reads like a temporary limitation that software might solve down the road. But knowing Apple's track record for enabling features in partially dormant hardware ... I wouldn't buy these expecting that.

	▲	46493168 an hour ago \| parent \| next [-]
		Could you point to where Apple claims that H2 enables lossless audio over wireless for the AirPods Max 2? I don’t see that claim on the spec sheet. What I see is this note: “Ultra-low latency audio and Lossless Audio listening requires a wired USB‑C connection and compatible content from supported apps and services.” So it doesn’t appear that lossless wireless is supported at all, even with Vision Pro.
	▲	stego-tech 4 hours ago \| parent \| prev \| next [-]
		Given Apple's very recent track record on promising things and then watching them vanish into the ether - not to mention a lifetime being burned buying into future promises that never materialize ("MCE is the future of the entertainment experience!" (RIP in Win7), "CableCARD will free you from the tyranny of locked down hardware!" (RIP from the get-go), "Unfolded Circle 3 will finally support serial from the dock!") - means I don't buy on what it could do tomorrow, but what's on offer out of the box from day one. Tired of accumulating scar tissue and burn marks in the name of shareholder value.
	▲	steve1977 2 hours ago \| parent \| prev [-]
		> The H2 enables lossless audio over wireless But that's only with the Vision Pro, no? I.e. very short and more or less consistent distance between transmitter and receiver.