Consumers who want over-ear headphones with premium features but not the $549 price of Apple's AirPods Max can save hundreds by accepting a few trade-offs, according to a review of affordable alternatives. The biggest sacrifice is deep integration with iOS and Apple devices, along with the AirPods Max's polished design. Buyers willing to give those up can still get solid performance for far less.
The AirPods Max offers Personalized Spatial Audio, Adaptive EQ, Live Translation, Adaptive Audio, Conversation Awareness and lossless audio over USB-C. At $200, Anker's Soundcore Space 2 Pro costs less than half as much. It is Anker's first Soundcore headphone with the Thus AI chip, which handles active noise cancellation, voice quality and HearID customized sound. Its ANC setup uses eight sensors and performs decently against voices and constant noise, while a six-microphone array supports clear voice quality, though blocking background noise slightly degrades it. The Space 2 Pro is light and comfortable thanks to its plastic build, offers physical controls, multipoint Bluetooth and 30 hours of battery life with ANC on.
At $359, the second-generation Bose QuietComfort Headphones cost nearly $200 less than the AirPods Max 2 and deliver Bose's noise-blocking strength, plus Cinema Mode and Immersive Audio. Apple's Beats 360, meanwhile, is the company's first fitness-focused set with IPX4 sweat resistance, since the AirPods Max 2 ear pads use a breathable mesh textile unsuited to sweaty workouts. Because Beats is owned by Apple, the Beats 360 supports one-touch pairing, automatic switching across iCloud devices, Audio Sharing, Find My and hands-free Siri. It lasts up to 12 hours longer than the AirPods Max 2 with ANC on, has swappable ear and headband cushions, and offers bass that is strong without being overbearing.
For under $100, Audio-Technica's M20xBT skips ANC but keeps warm sound, 60-hour battery life, multipoint Bluetooth, optional wired use and a lightweight, comfortable fit. At $299, the Fender Mix from Fender Audio, a collaboration between the Fender Corporation and Riffsound, includes a stored lossless Bluetooth dongle, a replaceable battery, five-way joystick controls and 52 hours of battery life with ANC on. Its noise cancellation handles mild to moderate distractions, though it trails Bose.
Several models were excluded for price or performance. Sony's WH-1000XM6 saves only $99, while the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones at $449, the Sennheiser HDB 630 at $500 and the Sennheiser Momentum 5 at $400 do not count as affordable alternatives. The Sonos Ace, now $350, is not compelling without a Sonos soundbar. The Skullcandy Crusher 1080, JBL Live 780NC and Sony WH-1000XM4C also fell short on design, sound or value.
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