Apple’s AirPods Max debuted in 2020 as the company’s premium over-ear headphones, with a metal-and-mesh design that set them apart from the rest of the AirPods family. AirPods Max 2 launched in March 2026 with the same H2 chip used in AirPods Pro 2, bringing Active Noise Cancellation 1.5x more effective than the original AirPods Max. Apple Intelligence features such as Adaptive Audio, Conversation Awareness, Voice Isolation, and Live Translation come to the over-ear lineup for the first time. Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity also lowers wireless latency on the new model.
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Comfortable, luxurious headphones with Apple-quality sound
The H2 chip drives nearly all of the audio improvements in AirPods Max 2. Apple’s previous AirPods Max used the older H1 chip, so the move to H2 brings the over-ear headphones in line with the audio processing capabilities of the AirPods Pro 2. A new high dynamic range amplifier produces cleaner audio with improved bass response, working alongside the H2’s computational audio algorithms for the new ANC capabilities. Spatial Audio has also been retuned for better instrument localization and more natural mids and highs. Lossless 24-bit, 48kHz audio is supported through the included USB-C cable for the highest-quality wired playback.
