Apple AirPods Max: First Look Comparison With Bose 700 & Sony XM4
The AirPods Max may be positioned as a luxury product when its price point is compared to that of Sony and Bose.
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Entering an all-new wearable segment, Apple on Tuesday, 8 December, unveiled its first wireless over-ear AirPods Max with high-fidelity sound, Adaptive EQ, Active Noise Cancellation and spatial audio for Rs 59,900 in India.
Available to order from apple.com and Apple Authorised Resellers. AirPods Max will begin shipping on 15 December in the US and more than 25 other countries and regions, including India.
The price point of the new Apple AirPod Max’s will certainly pinch many wallets. However, the Apple may be positioning the Apple AirPods Max as a luxury product, like the Apple Watch Limiter Edition 24 carrot gold.
The hardware and software features of the AirPods Max will only be brought to justice with an existing Apple iPhone or Mac or iPad user.
Apple has certainly taken a big leap when it comes to the price point of AirPods Max at Rs 59,900 when compared with its competitors – the Sony WH-1000XM4 and the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 – both of which are nearly half the price in India.
It is important to note that other headphones also host the same features. What Apple is offering with the AirPods Max is the ease of pairing for its large consumer base and offering a luxury alternative to listening to music.
Here are the features and price point of the Sony WH-1000XM4 and Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700.
Sony WH-1000XM4
The Sony WH-1000XM4 are currently the best in the premium over-ear headphones segment. Looking almost identical to its processor, the Mark III, the Sony WH-1000XM4 has been receiving constant software updates and are improving over time.
The active noise cancellation in Sony WH-1000XM4 is a lot better when it comes to pure isolation. The M4’s also has a better microphone pattern design featuring 5 mics. The new mic design help cancel out surrounding sounds better while on calls, which is a key requirement while working from home amid the pandemic.
A new proximity sensor inside the headphone cups offers better wear detection, which will pause music when you take the headphones. The sensor also activates when you place your hand on the headphone cup, signalling it to reduce the sound volume of music and amplify the voices around you.
The Sony WH-1000XM4’s are currently retailing for Rs 29,990 on sale on Amazon, nearly half the price of the Apple AirPods Max.
Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700
Bose became the industry standard when it came to noise cancelling headphones. The iconic Bose Quiet Comfort lineup has been stubbornly the same for many years, and the 700’s are direct response to more competition in the over-ear headphone segment.
The Bose 700’s have been redesigned, giving it minimal look and no visible hinges. The 700’s has a USB-C and supports multi-device support. The cups also feature a touch pad on the side of the right headphone for media control. Like the Sony M4’s, the Bose 700’s also have a dedicated Assistant button for Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Siri or Bixby.
As a complete package, the Bose 700’s are great headphones to grab when it comes to active noise cancellation. However, the sound signatures of Bose headphones are usually flat. If you usually listen to thumping and base heavy audio, the Sony M4’s and even its predecessors the M3 are the one for you.
The Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 currently sell for Rs 31,050 on sale on Amazon. If you are looking just for noise cancellation, The Bose QC 35 II, the predecessor to 700’s, is priced at Rs 24,959.
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