Apple attaches the AirPods Max to the cable for lossless audio
The latest generation of Apple's over-ear headphones will soon be able to play lossless audio thanks to new firmware. However, you will need to connect the AirPods Max to the cable for this.
Apple's premium headphones will be able to play back lossless audio and audio with unusually low latency after a software update is released soon. This was announced by the Cupertino-based company. The firmware update will be released together with iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4 and macOS Sequoia 15.4 in April.
"Lossless Audio", as Apple calls the format, comes with 24 bit and 48 kHz on the AirPods Max. This guarantees the "integrity of the original recordings", according to Apple.
With the update, the Apple headphones now also offer "ultra-low latency audio". This requires the use of a special cable that you connect to the USB-C port of the AirPods Max. USB-C? That's right, USB-C. If you have the old model of Apple over-ears with the Lightning connector, you will miss out on the innovation. Apple refers to its own codec ALAC in its information on "lossless". However, there are other lossless audio formats on the market. Whether Apple will also support these in the future is still unknown.
Apple seems to be targeting a different clientele with the new feature anyway. As a normal listener, you are simply looking forward to the "ultimate listening experience". After all, there are actually over 100 million songs in the Apple Music catalogue that are available as "Lossless Audio" versions. Although this library has been around for four years, it could not be used with Apple's premium headphones until now. The in-ear AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 can already do this - but only if you also buy the Vision Pro.
The media release emphasises above all that the AirPods Max will soon "offer even better performance for music production". Music creators will benefit from "significant improvements in songwriting, beatmaking, production and mixing". 3D audio with head tracking could now be produced throughout the entire workflow in Logic Pro - Apple's app for music production - or other applications. It is also interesting to note that the maximum sampling rate after Apple's firmware upgrade is 48 kHz. However, Apple's ALAC codec supports up to 192 kHz. Although this is not audible to the human ear anyway, it can play a role in music production in the studio - and that is what the upgrade is advertised for.
An expensive cable is necessary
The key to the brave new world of sound is a cable. It connects the USB-C port of the AirPods Max with a 3.5 mm jack connection. It is 120 centimetres long and costs 39 francs in Switzerland and 45 euros in Germany.
The bidirectional cable connects the AirPods Max to the MacMini or an iPad. To use them with an iPhone, however, you need an adapter.
Header image: Martin Jungfer
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Martin Jungfer
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Martin.Jungfer@digitecgalaxus.chJournalist since 1997. Stopovers in Franconia (or the Franken region), Lake Constance, Obwalden, Nidwalden and Zurich. Father since 2014. Expert in editorial organisation and motivation. Focus on sustainability, home office tools, beautiful things for the home, creative toys and sports equipment.
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