I like nice headphones too, but... $550

[JayMysteri0]

AirPods Max

AirPods Max combine high-fidelity audio with industry-leading Active Noise Cancellation, Adaptive EQ, spatial audio, and free engraving.

www.apple.com

$550 for headphones you would rock on a plane?

$200 over Bose & Sony?

These things have to produce noise cancelling that earns the name "Fortress of Solitude".

How do you sell that, without a physical presentation?

My bad. The free engraving is still present. So...

 

[Eric]

$550 for headphones you would rock on a plane?

$200 over Bose & Sony?

These things have to produce noise cancelling that earns the name "Fortress of Solitude".

How do you sell that, without a physical presentation?

My bad. The free engraving is still present. So...

I love the AirPods Pro 2, especially with their noise cancellation but this price is waaaay too steep, I would never pay that for headphones like this. Definitely a specialty item for those who can afford it.

 

[leekohler2]

Yeah, I saw them on Apple's homepage and just went...NO.

 

[iMi]

And here is why an industrial design being a male-dominated field is a problem. At least they offer good support, right ladies?

 

[thekev]

I would probably try Sony or Audio Technica or something. I used to like Sennheiser, but their pricing increased a lot and they were somewhat fragile in my experience. I would never buy headphones from Apple.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

And here is why an industrial design being a male-dominated field is a problem. At least they offer good support, right ladies?



View attachment 1757

Sigh.

Yes, well, all too tediously predictable; what a puerile cliché (and - evidently - it is not as though women ever invest in, or purchase, or wish to buy, headphones).

For myself, I will stick with Bowers & Wilkins; their P5s (and I also have the original P7s) are the best headphones I have ever had.

 

[DT]

I dig on the design, the features are slick, and with Apple's resources, they may easily be as good as other higher-ish end headphones, but they're just a bit too much. I guess with Airpod Pros being $249, I'm not sure how much I expected these might be, I guess I was thinking ~$399.

 

[JayMysteri0]

I dig on the design, the features are slick, and with Apple's resources, they may easily be as good as other higher-ish end headphones, but they're just a bit too much. I guess with Airpod Pros being $249, I'm not sure how much I expected these might be, I guess I was thinking ~$399.

That's what everyone thought. It was going to be the competitor to Bose & Sony who ARE the bar when it comes to this type of headphone. I guess since Beats Studio is priced in their range, Apple felt they couldn't cheapen their new product. So the sales pitch will begin that this is high high end wireless headphones for the business/affluent set. These are hitting the bottom of audiophile headphones who normally scoff at things wireless.

 

[thekev]

I guess since Beats Studio is priced in their range, Apple felt they couldn't cheapen their new product.

Beats are basically trash though. They're flimsy garbage with low fidelity. They could just displace Beats. I'm skeptical as to how many they'll really sell at $500.

And here is why an industrial design being a male-dominated field is a problem. At least they offer good support, right ladies?



View attachment 1757

Are you saying they look like a brazier or like a woman's handbag (the flap looks like something inspired by women's handbags)? Either way I think you're turning it into a Rorshach test. I'm also not certain that Apple's design teams are primarily composed of men.

 

[JayMysteri0]

Beats are basically trash though. They're flimsy garbage with low fidelity. They could just displace Beats. I'm skeptical as to how many they'll really sell at $500.



Are you saying they look like a brazier or like a woman's handbag (the flap looks like something inspired by women's handbags)? Either way I think you're turning it into a Rorshach test. I'm also not certain that Apple's design teams are primarily composed of men.

Quality aside, Beats are a product mover. The young who see Bose like they see Facebook, go with Beats.

Apple will push these as a status symbol, which is why I imagine the late / near Christmas release. Want to flex? Here you go.

I do wonder though if the reviews aren't so glowing & the influencers don't jump on board, if we are seeing Homepod Pt. 2.

 

[thekev]

Quality aside, Beats are a product mover. The young who see Bose like they see Facebook, go with Beats.

Sure. I don't particularly care for Bose either. I just view them both as overpriced junk. I don't particularly like Facebook either. I probably check it once every few months and haven't posted anything there in a decade.

 

[SuperMatt]

I‘m a bit of a homebody. I only listen to headphones when I’m doing housework because it helps me get through it, enjoying music, public radio, or a podcast. For other listening, I have a Zeppelin Air that I bought on sale many years ago... still going strong!

 

[DT]

Funny enough, I'm looking for a pair of headphones for the wife, working out, a little music here and there, mostly from her desk, wireless, active NC, I'm thinking about the Sony WH-XB900N. Maybe a couple of packs of earcup "socks", there's a couple of brands they say are great for working out.

I mean, there are some workout specific brands, but I do generally dig on Sony.

 

[iMi]

Beats are basically trash though. They're flimsy garbage with low fidelity. They could just displace Beats. I'm skeptical as to how many they'll really sell at $500.



Are you saying they look like a brazier or like a woman's handbag (the flap looks like something inspired by women's handbags)? Either way I think you're turning it into a Rorshach test. I'm also not certain that Apple's design teams are primarily composed of men.

Hmm... not sure when is the last time you used a pair of Beats. I like my Beats Studio3 quite a bit and the new Solo Pro's are also getting great reviews. Old Beats, prior to Apple buying them out, where subpar at best. Things have changed quite a bit since then...

Oh, and the the storage case comment was obviously a joke...

 

[Chew Toy McCoy]

I love the AirPods Pro 2, especially with their noise cancellation but this price is waaaay too steep, I would never pay that for headphones like this. Definitely a specialty item for those who can afford it.

You know there are more expensive headphones for music production but that’s not what these are for. I’d go as far as saying they are probably shit for music production and color the sound to the point that the end result would sound like garbage on any other headphones or speaker system, much like trying to do production on a Bose (Better Sound Through Marketing) home theater system.

 

[Joe]

It's gonna be a no from me!

 

[User.45]

And here is why an industrial design being a male-dominated field is a problem. At least they offer good support, right ladies?



View attachment 1757

Is this serious?

*Lol, nope, OK, I can't read apparently.

 

[thekev]

Hmm... not sure when is the last time you used a pair of Beats. I like my Beats Studio3 quite a bit and the new Solo Pro's are also getting great reviews. Old Beats, prior to Apple buying them out, where subpar at best. Things have changed quite a bit since then...

Oh, and the the storage case comment was obviously a joke...

Quite a long time ago. I never owned any personally, but I saw a lot of cords break for other people. Typically the audiophile brands offer better value than something as highly marketed as Beats.

Oh, and the the storage case comment was obviously a joke...

I'm never quite sure, although product designers do sometimes copy ideas from women's fashion.

 

[User.45]

Hmm... not sure when is the last time you used a pair of Beats. I like my Beats Studio3 quite a bit and the new Solo Pro's are also getting great reviews. Old Beats, prior to Apple buying them out, where subpar at best. Things have changed quite a bit since then...

Oh, and the the storage case comment was obviously a joke...

Dunno, I got a pair of wireless beats with my iPad pro for "free." It's okayish for free, it's garbage for actual money. For example, it supports one device, cannot replay and charge at the same time, no wired audio option so on and so forth.

Wireless headsets are the mp3 of this generation. It give you a new level of freedom with a lot of sound quality compromise that only those hear who actually have heard the old tech at its height. It will catch up one day, and that day seems to be near, but had not arrived yet.

You know there are more expensive headphones for music production but that’s not what these are for. I’d go as far as saying they are probably shit for music production and color the sound to the point that the end result would sound like garbage on any other headphones or speaker system, much like trying to do production on a Bose (Better Sound Through Marketing) home theater system.

No highs or lows, must be Bose per the old audiophile proverb. Most of the headphones that come close to adequacy for mixing are awful to listen to in my experience.

 

[Thomas Veil]

I'm afraid my days of owning quality headphones of any brand are long over. My upper frequency hearing is barely mediocre, so these would be wasted on me.

Still, when I saw the price on these I was floored. I agree with everyone else: way too expensive.