28% of 196 verified Apple AirPods Max 2owners don't recommend it, and 18 describe specific problems — based on real owner comments from Reddit, enthusiast forums, and YouTube.
For balance: 53% recommend it. This page collects the complaints so you know what you're signing up for — read the full owner report for both sides. How we score
“Just got my AirPods Max 2 yesterday and I’m already experiencing a massive battery drain.”— @KevinHouseyutiol on YouTube
“using transparency modewith the AirPods Max and now with my new AirPods Max 2 (Blue), I’ve always noticed they sound more like a tin can around my ears…”— @pigmen11 on YouTube
“That DMS part is EXACTLY what i hear with the APM2. 👍 The huge dip at 4-5kHz is crazy.”— @lindijones on YouTube
“Bought a pair of these and hate them,”— @barryoneill-ec9zz on YouTube
“Already returned without regret. It squeezes my head and the lack of the power button is just something I don’t want to compromise given the average battery life compared to other brands like Sony.”— willcfau on r/Airpodsmax
“Im having the same battery issue. Charged them to 100%, used it a bit, put it back in case and left it there for a few days. When I picked them up today, it was completely dead”— Bob_Lelys on r/Airpodsmax
“I just dropped mine off on Saturday and did the apple care claim due to connectivity issues. After 2 min of streaming they would disconnect tried my phone and Apple TV and even wired.”— Felipedev1 on r/Airpodsmax
“I have had a lot of problems with the APM2 especially connecting to multiple devices. Honestly while the sound quality is a tad better than the APM1, it is not worth $550.”— ZiggyZigman on r/Airpodsmax
“I had them replaced as well around the time you did. I just started experiencing the same issues again this morning. So, it is likely a firmware issue versus a physical defect”— shotbyadingus on r/Airpodsmax
“YES, two different pairs same problem. I verified with my OG AirPod Max with lightning cable and those work perfectly. I don’t know what’s wrong with this new model.”— MeetingDue339 on r/Airpodsmax
“Yes, couldnt stand the Max 2 when watching interviews on youtube. The Max 1´s sound is much more flat and suited better for those kind of sessions Still think I prefer the 1´s”— pellegrino6000 on r/Airpodsmax
“bought them and returned, tried loseless with usb-c. Headphones are good but they just lack an equalizer to adjust them to your favourite genre. They are just good, nothing more.”— Professional_Mouse99 on r/Airpodsmax
Not complaints — practical notes from owners that didn't affect the score.
“I have gen 1 and gen 2 midnight and it is in no way shape or form dark blue. Every person with eyes would call them black. Have you ever seen these in person.”— DepartmentAnxious344 on r/apple
“I had a weird issue with using mine with Apple TV (one of the greatest uses for them!) where the sound would be tinny, but this is fixed in the latest TV OS.”— coresme2000 on r/Airpodsmax
“I charged to 100% on purpose, I checked them in the morning it was down to 28% next morning. Someone mentioned to turn them off in “find my”. Did this recharged and checked again in morning they were at 88%”— Professional-Ask-112 on r/Airpodsmax
“I’ve had this happen to me and considered refunding my APM2 till I had realized it was due to a firmware bug. After I updated to the latest firmware version, they seemingly last a LOT longer inside their case”— X-XUnchainedX-X on r/Airpodsmax
“Hey I had this issue. So 2 things worked for me. 1 - check the AirPods aren’t connected to your phone still in settings. 2 - make sure the the metal side of the AirPods are facing out otherwise they don’t go into sleep mode.”— StandardShotz on r/Airpodsmax
“Agreed and only had mine a few days but I would say that they are surprisingly slippy vs my old XM5’s. Also, my GF can hear music a little more when I’m wearing them. Only slightly, but definitely more sound leak than my Sony’s.”— GameSetChampionship on r/Airpodsmax
“So my AirPods Max didn’t have any issues initially until today and even though it showed connected, I wasn’t connected so I tried putting them in the case. I tried completely unpairing them. Nothing was working.”— MaryMar56 on r/Airpodsmax
“I swapped out my Max2 earpads for some "cooling memory foam" ones from Amazon and they got a lot more comfortable for me. I have a huge melon and I can listen for hours without getting uncomfortable.”— circusfreakrob on r/Airpodsmax