AirPods Max
39% of reports < 12 months old
~1 in 2 unspecified failures
Don’t buy it — get the Sony XM4 instead
Exceptional sound and ANC — but ~1 in 2 long-term reports describe a failure, and only 40% of owners would buy again.
sound fidelity and noise cancellation matter more to you than long-term durability or value.
reliability — the Sony XM4 at $248 has no comparable failure pattern and costs far less.
The ~40% who would still buy it call the sound and ANC best-in-class and treat the connectivity failures and replacement costs as the price of admission for that audio performance.
What the 2,737 mentions are about
grouped into themes · share of opinionated mentionsThe failure mode
~1 in 2 long-term owner reports describe a failure — the highest failure rate of the 10 wireless headphones we track, against a category baseline of 27%. Connectivity is the most cited component, followed by battery and moisture/condensation damage. Failures typically surface between 12 and 31 months of ownership. Of tracked warranty outcomes, 111 cases landed unresolved versus 66 resolved — so failures usually land outside warranty or go unmade-right.
51% report a serious failure. Typical for audio: ~27%. Fails more than most of its category.
Most common concern: A vocal minority flags the price as hard to justify given the reliability record.
Based on observed owner reports, not a sampled failure rate. ~1 in 2 of the long-term owner reports we analysed mention a failure — not the same as ~1 in 2 of units failing.
How sentiment ages
Early owners rate the experience highly — 77% positive sentiment — led by praise for sound and ANC.
Long-term sentiment drops sharply to 42%, well below the category average recommend rate of 47%, as reliability problems accumulate.
Where to buy
Good price · typically $499Priced like furniture; threads agree it only makes sense deep in the Apple ecosystem or on a big dip.
Outbound links may earn a commission. It never changes the verdict.Buy this instead if…
Sony XM4 — you want strong ANC and sound without accepting a severe failure risk — 27 threads recommend it as the direct alternative at $248.
Verdicts re-weigh with every crawl — if this one moves tiers, watchers hear first.
How it compares in Audio
See all Audio verdicts →Questions people keep asking
Is the Apple AirPods Max worth it?
Reddit's verdict is Stay Away. Don’t buy it — get the Sony XM4 instead. Exceptional sound and ANC — but ~1 in 2 long-term reports describe a failure, and only 40% of owners would buy again.
What is the most common complaint about the AirPods Max?
A vocal minority flags the price as hard to justify given the reliability record. The recurring failure shows up in about 1 in 2 long-term owners: ~1 in 2 long-term owner reports describe a failure — the highest failure rate of the 10 wireless headphones we track, against a category baseline of 27%. Connectivity is the most cited component, followed by battery and moisture/condensation damage. Failures typically surface between 12 and 31 months of ownership. Of tracked warranty outcomes, 111 cases landed unresolved versus 66 resolved — so failures usually land outside warranty or go unmade-right.
What should I buy instead of the AirPods Max?
Reddit's usual alternative is the Sony XM4 — if you want strong ANC and sound without accepting a severe failure risk — 27 threads recommend it as the direct alternative at $248.