Let\u2019s back up a few months. Last September, Apple gave the AirPods Max its only significant update since the original launch: it swapped the Lightning jack for a USB-C port<\/a>. The headphones are still running on the aging H1 chip when the rest of the current AirPods lineup has moved on to the more recent and more capable H2. I wasn\u2019t upset that the company didn\u2019t take the opportunity to update the AirPods Max design, but the failure to upgrade that chip was a head scratcher<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Now that lossless audio is here on the lightly refreshed AirPods Max, the headphones feel more complete. But that took over four years to finally happen, and if you bought the 2020 model you won\u2019t be able to use this newly added capability. You\u2019ll need the USB-C version of the AirPods Max that arrived last year and either iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4 or macOS Sequoia 15.4 to unlock lossless and ultra-low latency audio.<\/p>\n Once you\u2019ve updated one of your Apple devices to iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4 or macOS Sequoia 15.4, connect your AirPods Max to it via Bluetooth. You\u2019ll then want to plug the headphones into a power outlet or USB-C port with the included cable. If you keep the two gadgets in close proximity for about 30 minutes, the AirPods Max firmware update should download. To check, hop into the AirPods Max settings and scroll down to the About section. Here, you\u2019ll want to see version 7E101 to confirm you\u2019ve got the goods.<\/p>\n You\u2019ll want to keep that cable handy. Lossless audio on the AirPods Max is only available for wired use. You will still need to establish a Bluetooth connection for all of the smart features like hands-free Siri. Apple also sells a new $39 USB-C-to-3.5mm cord if you want to go that route, but either way, you\u2019ll need a cable due to the limitations of high-res audio over Bluetooth.<\/p>\n If you bought Apple\u2019s $549 headphones in 2020, I can understand your frustration that you aren\u2019t privy to this update. However, I wouldn\u2019t assume Apple made this decision just to drive sales. There are hardware limitations with the Lightning port that hinders lossless audio, specifically a data throughput constraint on the previous version. Apple made some changes to the DAC (digital-to-analog converter) inside the AirPods Max to make lossless happen, which wasn\u2019t possible on the older model either.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve heard some people say they can\u2019t tell the difference between normal songs and lossless tunes. I\u2019d argue it depends on what you\u2019re listening to. If it\u2019s a recent pop tune from Dua Lipa or Sabrina Carpenter, you\u2019re better off with the Dolby Atmos mix and likely won\u2019t pick up any more detail for high-resolution streaming. For bass heavy, chaotic genres like metal, I notice a better balance to the mix. Vocals on Spiritbox\u2019s Tsunami Sea <\/em>rise above the booming drums and thrashing guitar, and the bass is a little more subdued. Same for Underoath\u2019s The Place After This One<\/em>, where all the instruments seem to have more separation from the vocals. And overall, the bombastic tracks on this album feel bigger and more immersive.<\/p>\n Lossless audio on the AirPods Max particularly elevates acoustic genres like bluegrass and folk, in addition to other mellow styles like jazz. I might as well have been inside the acoustic guitar on Julien Baker & TORRES\u2019 \u201cSugar in the Tank\u201d as I felt like I could hear every percussive detail on every string. I can\u2019t imagine the sound would\u2019ve been much better on Jason Isbell\u2019s Foxes in the Snow <\/em>if I was actually in the room at Electric Lady Studios during the recording. That 1940 Martin 0-17, the only instrument on the album, is so pure and true. Jump to Miles Davis\u2019 Birth of the Blue<\/em> where the horns, piano, bass and drums all seem a little livelier and a little more energetic, with Davis\u2019 trumpet belting out its verse-like cadence throughout.<\/p>\n First, let\u2019s talk about what\u2019s available on Apple Music. Since June 2021, the service has offered lossless audio to subscribers at no additional cost. This starts at CD quality, which is 16 bit at 44.1 kHz, and goes up to 24 bit at 48 kHz. That latter rate is the maximum that AirPods Max can now support via the USB-C connection, and Apple says there are now 100 million songs available on its service in lossless quality. There is also a collection of Hi-Resolution Lossless content on Apple Music, which goes up to 24 bit at 192 kHz. You\u2019ll need extra gear like a USB DAC in order to listen at that level, though.<\/p>\n You aren\u2019t limited to just Apple Music. Anywhere you can stream lossless audio up to 24 bit at 48 kHz you can do so with these headphones. There are other services that offer this (like Tidal), or you can play locally stored files. The only requirement is a USB-C cable; your source isn’t limited to Apple.<\/p>\n It\u2019s always nice when a company directly addresses one of your complaints. It\u2019s not great when it takes over four years to do so. Now that lossless audio is here for the AirPods Max, I can no longer argue that the headphones feel incomplete, which is a big improvement from where they were at launch.<\/p>\n I keep going back and forth over whether or not this update is enough, though. It\u2019s the first time Apple has expanded the capabilities of the AirPods Max in over four years, and it could only do so for the minimally updated 2024 version. Bloomberg\u2019s<\/em> Mark Gurman, who has a solid track record with Apple product scoops, reported in November<\/a> that the company had \u201cno real plan to meaningfully update AirPods Max.\u201d He said the headphones don\u2019t sell well enough to justify much R&D, but they\u2019re not a big enough failure to be permanently shelved.<\/p>\n With that in mind, this update, which adds ultra-low latency for gamers in addition to lossless audio, is actually a lot bigger than it ordinarily would be. But to continue to demand $549 for what\u2019s essentially 2020 hardware, Apple needs to trot out these types of updates regularly. While you can find these headphones on sale for as low as $449, that’s still a steep investment. Even then, the AirPods Max would be tough to recommend to anyone other than iPhone and Mac die-hards with deep pockets.<\/p>\n<\/p>\nHow to get lossless audio on AirPods Max with USB-C<\/h2>\n
Why isn\u2019t lossless audio available on the original AirPods Max?<\/h2>\n
Does lossless audio make a difference?<\/h2>\n
Do you have to use Apple Music?<\/h2>\n
Wrap-up<\/h2>\n