4 ms·

> So will AirPods Max significantly cut into the market share of other high-end noise-cancelling over-ears from the likes of Sony and Bose? I doubt it. LOL, st

> So will AirPods Max significantly cut into the market share of other high-end noise-cancelling over-ears from the likes of Sony and Bose? I doubt it. LOL, statistically speaking Apple is more likely to prove this statement wrong than right. > Will they bother the genuinely high-end market? No. Really? To me if seems that this is _exactly_ the market which will see their shares being eaten up by AirPod Maxes. > With AirPods Max, Apple also isn’t cannibalising its own AirPods and AirPods Pro models. Duh. Yes of course not lol. These are different devices for different purposes. It's like saying "I don't think Apple will cannibalise the tablet market, because iPads are also not cannibalising the iPhone models"

hartator 6y ago
> I don't think Apple will cannibalise the tablet market, because iPads are also not cannibalising the iPhone models Technically they do cannibalize each other. And that's fine. From Tim Cook himself: https://www.cnet.com/news/cook-the-cannibal-apple-chiefs-secret-product-recipe/ https://www.cnet.com/news/cook-the-cannibal-apple-chiefs-sec...
rconti 6y ago
Even if these were better than a more-obscure headphone maker's product, the people who buy those headphones wouldn't buy these SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE they're made by Apple.
manuelabeledo 6y ago
> Really? To me if seems that this is _exactly_ the market which will see their shares being eaten up by AirPod Maxes. I highly doubt it. High-end audio is a niche market. Whoever was already willing to pony up >$500 for a pair of cans, will likely ignore it. The reason for it is that audiophiles are looking for features that the AirPods Max do not have, e.g. neutral signatures, manually-only adjustable equalizers, and open back drivers. Who is going to plug this on a $2000 amplifier, and why? Doesn't make sense. This product is set to compete with high-end lifestyle headphones, like the Beoplay H95. In that market, it will mostly be hugely successful. But the "genuinely" high-end audio market? Not a chance.
- fossuser 6y ago
  It's a niche market with mostly a lot of low quality build products (and a lot of snake oil). I have Sennheiser HD650s. They sound good, but they feel like cheap plastic, they require an amp to drive them, they have a 1/4" jack and need an adapter etc. The HD555s differentiated themselves from 595s by stuffing foam into the ear cup to make them worse (the drivers are the same). I think AirPods Max will end up replacing a lot of this premium market because they're almost as good and they categorically win the other bits (wireless, easy sync with apple devices, nice build, etc.) There will always be a small contingent that wants something different, but I think there are probably more people like me that want something better than your average headphones but the design quality that comes from Apple.
  - manuelabeledo 6y ago
    > I have Sennheiser HD650s. They sound good, but they feel like cheap plastic, they require an amp to drive them, they have a 1/4" jack and need an adapter etc. Nothing here would make a consumer of high-end audio disregard the HD650. In fact, most of these consumers either own an amplifier, or have accepted the fact that amplifiers are needed for certain audio listening needs, so what would be the issue? > I think AirPods Max will end up replacing a lot of this premium market because they're almost as good and they categorically win the other bits (wireless, easy sync with apple devices, nice build, etc.) What I'm reading here is a disconnection between what "high-end audio" means to you, compared to what it actually means to the average audiophile. That average audiophile may or may not buy into the AirPods Max, to fill the need for portable, good sounding headphones. Or they may go for Bose, or Bower and Wilkins, or Bang & Olufsen. But these all belong to a different category in the audio world, compared to high-end HIFIMAN or Sennheiser. In short, I can guarantee that the folks already rocking a McIntosh and a pair of expensive HIFIMAN, are not going to replace them for the AirPods Max. They are just not in the same league.
    - stmfreak 6y ago
      Have McIntosh and HD800S. Still considering AirPods Max as an addition, not a replacement. I have Bose QCII35s and they are nice, but so are my AirPod Pros. Having another headphone that has elements of both sounds interesting. High end audiophiles are using AND operators, not OR in purchase decisions.

hartator 6y ago

> I don't think Apple will cannibalise the tablet market, because iPads are also not cannibalising the iPhone models Technically they do cannibalize each other. And that's fine. From Tim Cook himself: https://www.cnet.com/news/cook-the-cannibal-apple-chiefs-secret-product-recipe/ https://www.cnet.com/news/cook-the-cannibal-apple-chiefs-sec...

rconti 6y ago

Even if these were better than a more-obscure headphone maker's product, the people who buy those headphones wouldn't buy these SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE they're made by Apple.

manuelabeledo 6y ago

> Really? To me if seems that this is _exactly_ the market which will see their shares being eaten up by AirPod Maxes. I highly doubt it. High-end audio is a niche market. Whoever was already willing to pony up >$500 for a pair of cans, will likely ignore it. The reason for it is that audiophiles are looking for features that the AirPods Max do not have, e.g. neutral signatures, manually-only adjustable equalizers, and open back drivers. Who is going to plug this on a $2000 amplifier, and why? Doesn't make sense. This product is set to compete with high-end lifestyle headphones, like the Beoplay H95. In that market, it will mostly be hugely successful. But the "genuinely" high-end audio market? Not a chance.

fossuser 6y ago
It's a niche market with mostly a lot of low quality build products (and a lot of snake oil). I have Sennheiser HD650s. They sound good, but they feel like cheap plastic, they require an amp to drive them, they have a 1/4" jack and need an adapter etc. The HD555s differentiated themselves from 595s by stuffing foam into the ear cup to make them worse (the drivers are the same). I think AirPods Max will end up replacing a lot of this premium market because they're almost as good and they categorically win the other bits (wireless, easy sync with apple devices, nice build, etc.) There will always be a small contingent that wants something different, but I think there are probably more people like me that want something better than your average headphones but the design quality that comes from Apple.
- manuelabeledo 6y ago
  > I have Sennheiser HD650s. They sound good, but they feel like cheap plastic, they require an amp to drive them, they have a 1/4" jack and need an adapter etc. Nothing here would make a consumer of high-end audio disregard the HD650. In fact, most of these consumers either own an amplifier, or have accepted the fact that amplifiers are needed for certain audio listening needs, so what would be the issue? > I think AirPods Max will end up replacing a lot of this premium market because they're almost as good and they categorically win the other bits (wireless, easy sync with apple devices, nice build, etc.) What I'm reading here is a disconnection between what "high-end audio" means to you, compared to what it actually means to the average audiophile. That average audiophile may or may not buy into the AirPods Max, to fill the need for portable, good sounding headphones. Or they may go for Bose, or Bower and Wilkins, or Bang & Olufsen. But these all belong to a different category in the audio world, compared to high-end HIFIMAN or Sennheiser. In short, I can guarantee that the folks already rocking a McIntosh and a pair of expensive HIFIMAN, are not going to replace them for the AirPods Max. They are just not in the same league.
  - stmfreak 6y ago
    Have McIntosh and HD800S. Still considering AirPods Max as an addition, not a replacement. I have Bose QCII35s and they are nice, but so are my AirPod Pros. Having another headphone that has elements of both sounds interesting. High end audiophiles are using AND operators, not OR in purchase decisions.