Premium wireless headphones occupy a rarified space, far outside the reach of most audio products, and indeed, most people’s budgets. Despite the encroachment of true wireless earbuds, these behemoths have remained a constant presence in the market and are the preferred option, especially among travelers, due to their superior noise cancellation and extended battery life.
Sony has ruled this segment for years with its WH-1000X series of headphones. About a decade or so ago, the company did the unthinkable and dethroned Bose as the market leader in the segment. Later, Apple came along with the AirPods Max and set its own mark on the segment, in a way it often does. More recently, Sennheiser has been making waves in the segment with its Momentum series.
Today, we have with us the best that each manufacturer has to offer. From Apple, we have the AirPods Max 2, the newest pair of headphones in this comparison. From Sennheiser, we opted to go for their latest HDB 630, an even more premium pair of headphones than their usual Momentum line. And finally, we have the venerable WH-1000XM6 from Sony that have been around the longest. By the time you read this, Sony may have already announced a successor, but the WH-1000XM6 should still be on sale for a long time from now.
So the stage is set, the champions are ready. Time to find out who comes out on top.
Despite being the most expensive pair of headphones here, the AirPods Max 2 come with the least amount of accessories in the box. All you get is the Smart Case and a braided USB-C cable.
As I mentioned in my AirPods Max 2 review, I do not hate the Smart Case. It takes the least amount of space, making it easy to deal with when not in use. Putting the headphones in takes minimal effort, and unlike the other two, you also don’t have to first readjust the headband. However, since it doesn’t cover the headband, you do invariably end up carrying the headphones by it, which is probably how most people end up with the saggy mesh problem.
The HDB 630 come with a very large and rugged case. There are a lot of nooks and crannies inside for the various accoutrements that they come with, which is the other thing about these headphones. They include just so much stuff, including a USB cable used for audio and charging, an analog cable for audio, an airplane adapter, and the BTD 700 Bluetooth adapter with a USB-C to USB-A converter. This is practically a first-class meal compared to the glass of water and a firm handshake you get with the AirPods Max 2.
Finally, the WH-1000XM6 come in a very nice-looking case that has a neat little magnetic clasp that is very easy to open and close. Inside, all you get is an analog audio cable and a short USB cable for charging. The headphones sit inside the case folded, but despite that, the case isn’t that much smaller than the one you get with the HDB 630. Also, the headphones only sit inside the case in one very specific way, which felt needlessly complicated as you essentially have to solve a puzzle every time you put them in.
In the end, this one goes to the HDB 630 for being the most practical and well-equipped of the bunch.
When it comes to design, all three headphones here have distinct aesthetic sensibilities. The AirPods Max 2 go for the typical Apple understated elegance. You get a combination of classic aviation headset shape fused with modern Apple industrial design. The ear cups are encased in beautiful metal shells with fabric ear pads and a stunning levitating fabric mesh headband. And instead of touch gestures, you get a physical rotating Digital Crown for adjusting the volume that looks and feels infinitely better. Even the way the pads magnetically attach and come off easily reeks of attention to detail. And finally, these are the only headphones here that offer a proper choice of vibrant colors, and not just fifty shades of gray.
However, the design isn’t without its flaws. Headband adjustability and ear cup articulation are at a premium. The use of all that metal also makes these the heaviest headphones here (386.2g). And there have been reports of condensation forming inside the ear cups in certain climates, and the headband mesh sagging. Lastly, the design really hasn’t changed at all since 2020, so if you were looking for something a bit fresher, then you are out of luck.
The HDB 630 are the polar opposite of the AirPods Max 2. There is a very serious business-casual look to them that feels perhaps a bit boring for headphones primarily designed for use outdoors. They are made entirely out of plastic, but try to hide it somewhat by having metallic silver yokes that really aren’t going to fool anyone. These are also the only ones here with Y-shaped yokes that attach to the cups from the side rather than at a single spot at the top.
Despite being made out of plastic, the build quality of the HDB 630 is decent. However, there is no denying that they look and feel the least premium of the bunch here, and several aspects of the design are also quite dated. The ear pads, for example, are the most difficult to get off, and it always feels like you’re going to break something when you forcefully yank them. Also, these are the only headphones here that do not come in any other color, which seems like a shortsighted decision by the company, especially since the cheaper Momentum 4 come in a multitude of colors and finishes.
Unlike the HDB 630, the WH-1000XM6 wear their plastic fantastic nature on their sleeves, and do not try to look like something else. Sony has opted for a brutally simple monochromatic look and texture for the headphones, which looks quite elegant. The overall shape and design are modern yet maintain the 1000X family look. This is also the most flexible chassis here, with not just swivel but also foldability for the ear cups, something neither of the other two do. This foldability allows its case to be smaller than that of the HDB 630, although truthfully, the difference isn’t big. The ear pads on the Sonys also come off relatively easily, especially compared to the Sennheisers.
However, as clean and sophisticated as the WH-1000XM6 look from the outside, there is a degree of crudeness to them when inspecting the ear cups. Each cup has a thin fabric hiding a complete mess underneath. There are bits of plastic sticking out of the middle that hold the feedback microphones. Oddly shaped, loosely attached pieces of foam just litter about the place and can easily be felt when you put the headphones on. How something this slapdash got shipped from a Japanese company is bewildering. Build quality also seemed a bit suspect, as our brand-new unit had already started developing some creaks after a couple of weeks of use, and the hinges have a reputation for breaking.
One minor annoyance is that none of the headphones in this test have stepped adjustments for the headbands. It does bother me when the headbands aren’t the same length on either side, and it’s difficult to do that when they don’t have preset steps that you can match. But if that’s not an issue for you, then you can just ignore this paragraph in its entirety.
All things considered, despite their limitations, the AirPods Max 2 win this round by demonstrating far better craftsmanship and attention to detail. Even compared to the other AirPods, the AirPods Max 2 feel like there was an attempt to create something artistic and opulent, instead of just another disposable consumer electronics product.
Comfort is a sore spot for noise-cancelling headphones. They can’t have the same generous proportions for their ear cups as wired headphones to avoid noise coming in, and the ear pads have to be made out of materials that block all airflow. Add to that cramped ear cup depth due to the electronics, and you have a recipe for sore and sweaty ears.
Truth be told, none of these headphones is truly comfortable, and each does something that would make me not want to wear them for long periods of time.
Starting with the AirPods Max 2, the main concern is that aforementioned weight. You can feel the additional bulk every time you move your neck, and your head wants to flop around. To make sure the headphones don’t go flying, there is also considerable clamping pressure to keep them in place. The combination of the two ensures you never really forget you are wearing them, no matter how much time passes. Also, these are the worst of the bunch for wearing around your neck when you’re not using them, as they feel way too tight, even if you extend the headband all the way. And the headband doesn’t extend much to begin with.
With that said, the AirPods Max 2 also get some things right. The ear cups have by far the most depth here, and are practically cavernous compared to the other two. The fabric-lined ear pads also feel nice and trap the least amount of heat, and it seems that having aluminum ear cups helps regulate inner temperature better. Finally, that gravity-defying fabric mesh headband is easily the best of the bunch.
The HDB 630 yokes may feel fiddly compared to the other two, but they distribute weight better around your ears without resorting to over-engineering the hinges. The cups have a full 180º swivel and good extension on the headband. The padding on the band is decent, and it’s broad enough. The best bit is easily the super soft and luxurious feeling pads that are an absolute joy to touch. They also make the HDB 630 the nicest headphones to wear around your neck in this test.
Unfortunately, the HDB 630 probably have the smallest diameter ear cups here, and feel very claustrophobic around your ears. I also found it unusually difficult to get a comfortable fit with these headphones without a lot of fiddling with the headband length, and even then, I never felt like they fit me very well. Also, at 311g, the HDB 630 are lighter than the AirPods, but still on the heavier side.
The WH-1000XM6 have no such weight concerns. Coming in at a svelte 254g, these headphones feel like they practically weigh nothing. As a result of that, the clamping force is also the least of the group.
Unfortunately, that’s pretty much it for the good news. The ear cups feel like they barely have any depth, and the cloth covering the speaker is touching your ears before you even have the headphones fully settled in. You can feel and even hear the chunks of foam they have haphazardly stuffed in there. The headband is also the thinnest of the bunch. Finally, these are easily the sweatiest headphones here, and can be genuinely tiresome to wear in warm weather. The HDB 630 are also not great in this area, but the WH-1000XM6 are definitely worse.
It was difficult to pick a winner here, and depending upon your head and ear shape, you may strongly prefer one over the other. I tended to lean towards the AirPods Max 2, as I’d much rather get used to its weight and clamping pressure than get my ears squished and cooked by the other two.
The AirPods Max 2 are the only headphones here that do not have a dedicated companion app. They are really only meant to be used with Apple devices, and there, you get a dedicated section in the Settings app with all the basic functions. In that sense, it’s better than the other two, as you don’t have to install anything separately. They also work and integrate beautifully with other Apple devices.
However, the AirPods Max 2 easily have the least amount of features here. You get all the basic stuff, including some ANC-related features as well as Live Translation, which is still in beta. But then there are glaring omissions, such as the complete absence of any sort of EQ or sound adjustability.
This is really odd when you consider these headphones probably have the most advanced hardware and software running on them that constantly adjust the sound in real-time to your ear size, shape, fit, and even the volume. The ANC is also the most sophisticated around. Even simple things like wear detection, which is done by a single optical sensor on the other two headphones, is done here by two sensors, one in each cup, along with a position sensor in each hinge. There are also two Apple H2 chips onboard, one on each side, with split batteries, instead of one processor and one big battery as on the other two. But when it comes to user-facing features, the AirPods Max 2 lag behind.
AirPods Max 2 software on an iPhone
The HDB 630 are the polar opposites once again. What they lack in sophisticated processing, they make up for in by far the most features of the bunch. Sennheiser offers an app on iOS and Android, and it’s really great. It has a lot of useful features, and it’s all well laid out. They are the only headphones here, for example, that let you manually dial in the level of noise cancellation or transparency, along with a toggle to disable anti-wind effect. But the biggest party trick is the parametric EQ, which lets you dial in the exact frequency range and adjustments for your preferences. I really wish more companies followed Sennheiser’s lead here.
Sennheiser Smart Control Plus app
However, the HDB 630 had rather annoying touch gestures. The headphones have a laundry list of gestures, and there is no way to customize them or individually disable them. The single tap to play/pause is on by default, which gets triggered accidentally all the time. All you can do is disable all the gestures entirely, which is rather dumb.
The WH-1000XM6, on the other hand, fall somewhere between the other two. They do have an app, but it’s not very good. I’ve complained about it for years, but it just gets clunkier and more bloated over time, and their solution to hiding all the bloat is to just stuff it in a menu where it’s not easily visible. It’s also janky and would often lose connection with the phone, especially on Android. And for the life of me, I couldn’t find basic things like where to change or even view the touch controls. Most of the features here are also extremely gimmicky (you can make it sound like you’re in a cafe, for some reason), but it does have an EQ, unlike the AirPods (but not as good as the Sennheisers).
This one’s not even close. The HDB 630 win hands down.
Audio quality
Alright, let’s get into the meat and potatoes of the matter. The audio quality of all three headphones was tested with all supported codecs. Both wireless and wired modes were tested. In the case of the HDB 630, the headphones were tested in wireless mode by directly pairing with the source, as well as by using the bundled BTD 700 Bluetooth dongle. All sound enhancement features were disabled, and the headphones were tested at their default tuning. A pair of Sennheiser HD 560S was used as a reference point and a palate cleanser between tests.
Let’s start with the AirPods Max 2. As I found out in my recent review of the headphones, the AirPods Max 2 generally offer an enjoyable audio experience. The tonality is upbeat, with an emphasis on low bass and upper treble. This does occasionally get overbearing, but it is usually quite fun to listen to. There is an unfortunate dip in the lower treble ranges, which causes certain vocals and instruments to sound hazy and unfocused. The sound is decently resolving, but as is the case with all noise-cancelling headphones, it feels somewhat boxed in and intimate. Using wired mode can make the sound a bit more resolving, but you’re not going to notice a major difference.
The HDB 630 are fundamentally built around the concept of a balanced audiophile-grade sound, so the stakes here are higher than for the other two. The tuning is easily the best of the bunch, with a very relaxed, laid-back bass region that comes across as clean, refined, and punchy without overwhelming the listener. The lower and middle mids are quite transparent, and the treble regions are also well fleshed out. These are easily some of the most balanced and neutral-leaning pair of wireless headphones I’ve heard in a while. Unfortunately, there is some fuzziness in the upper mids, and the upper treble can be a bit piercing at times, but those are only minor caveats.
Tuning aside, the HDB 630 don’t necessarily stand out a lot compared to its rivals. These are still the same drivers as the Momentum 4, and although Sennheiser has done some work to get better sound out of them, they’re not going to be as resolving as a good pair of wired headphones. The same goes for other factors like imaging and soundstaging, which are on par with other headphones here. This is important to state, as the marketing might lead one to believe you are getting wired headphones like sound but without the wires. Even in wired mode, the HDB 630 don’t sound dramatically better. The HDB 630’s apparent clarity comes from the bass not overwhelming the rest of the sound, not due to inherently high-quality components.
Finally, the WH-1000XM6 are the most disappointing of the bunch. These headphones have an absolutely chasmic bass shelf that bleeds far too deep into the lower mids. By having such a wide-band bass boost, you don’t get a punchy sound like with the AirPods Max 2, but rather a bloated, boomy mess. The lower mid-range is so overrun that vocals tend to sound congested, as if the singer or the speaker has a stuffy nose. This is disappointing, as the upper mid-range and treble on these headphones is perhaps the least problematic of the three. But it’s so overshadowed by what’s happened in the lower regions that it goes unappreciated. The WH-1000XM6 support the highest resolution codec of the bunch, but it’s wasted on drivers that really cannot resolve much past the standard AAC.
All in all, the HDB 630 take the lead on this one.
Noise cancellation
This is the big one. After all, this is what we buy noise-cancelling headphones for. So how do they all perform? Well, to test that, all three headphones were put through a myriad of tests, from the usual household sounds like fans, air conditioners, air purifiers, hair dryers, sinks, and blenders, to outdoor sounds like trains, planes, traffic, and also ear-splitting roadside construction sounds.
The AirPods Max 2 ANC performs remarkably well. The fabric pads let a bit more sound through than the other two, and their firmness means the seal can break easily when you turn your head around. However, the electronics on these work overtime to create absolute magic in the low and mid frequency ranges. They are easily the quietest of the bunch for airplane and car sounds, and also do well with household sounds. Their transparency mode is also the most natural of the bunch and works exceptionally well.
Noise-cancelling is another area where the HDB 630 decided they are going to do the opposite of what the AirPods Max 2 are doing. ANC performance was the weakest of the bunch, even though the soft pads themselves block a lot of noise. There isn’t as much attenuation in the lower frequencies as on the other two headphones, and quite a few sounds come through more clearly. The HDB 630 are also by far the most susceptible to wind noise, so the anti-wind effect is constantly reducing the ANC effect to compensate. This makes the ANC seem worse than it is. If you disable the anti-wind mode (it’s on by default), then you keep hearing constant buffeting noise even from indoor sources like fans and air conditioners. Also, the transparency mode is comically bad, as if the company did not bother working on it at all. Even budget earbuds do better these days.
The WH-1000XM6 do well to honor the legacy of their family. The noise-cancelling effect works really well most of the time, and these headphones are the best here at handling higher frequency noises from sinks and roadside construction work. Where the WH-1000XM6 mysteriously lagged behind the AirPods Max 2 is in the lower frequency region, which makes sound from airplane engines come through a lot more. It’s not a big difference, but the AirPods are definitely quieter on planes. Lastly, the transparency mode (called Ambient mode here) is good, but not as natural-sounding as the AirPods. Also, I feel like I detected a hint of a delay on the Sonys compared to the lightning-quick AirPods.
Most of the time, it was a toss-up between the WH-1000XM6 and the AirPods, but the latter inches ahead by being better on planes and having a more natural transparency mode.
Microphone
If you’re someone who does a lot of voice or video calls, this test is what you need to be looking at. All three headphones were tested in two environments, one with a very quiet background and the other with a set amount of background noise.
The AirPods Max 2 do exceptionally well in the quiet test. Apple processes the incoming sound in a way that makes it sound so much more natural than other Bluetooth devices that it gets dangerously close to some wired products. If you make a lot of calls in quiet environments, there is no doubt that the AirPods Max 2 will do the best job.
In the noisy test, the AirPods Max 2 don’t do as well. They still focus on maintaining vocal clarity, which is almost unchanged from the quiet test. In doing so, they sacrifice the background noise, which comes through very clearly, especially when you’re speaking. For noisy environments, the AirPods do the worst here, as your callers will be acutely aware of your surroundings.
The HDB 630 do very well in both tests. Their voice quality isn’t as nice as the AirPods’, but it is still quite clear. It also handles background noise well, and voice quality remains good. A very well-balanced option throughout.
The WH-1000XM6 voice quality isn’t too far off from the HDB 630’s, but it is a bit worse, and as such, the worst in the group. However, your callers should still be able to hear you perfectly well. The WH-1000XM6 do the best job of completely obliterating all background noise, but the voice quality drops further as a result.
Connectivity
When it comes to connectivity, the AirPods Max 2 are the simplest of the bunch. You get standard SBC/AAC codecs for wireless connectivity, and the headphones can be connected with a cable in USB audio mode. If you want to connect to analog sources, you will need to buy Apple’s $39 USB-C to 3.5 mm Audio Cable that has a built-in DAC/ADC.
There were no issues with connectivity with these headphones. The headphones don’t strictly support multipoint pairing, but the way they seamlessly switch between different Apple devices on the same ID is masterful. USB audio also works well, even if it’s limited to 24-bit/48kHz and there’s no mic output.
Meanwhile, the HDB 630 throw the entire caboodle at the wall. You get built-in SBC/AAC/aptX/aptX HD/aptX Adaptive/LC3 support, along with analog wired (with bundled 3.5mm to 2.5mm cable) and digital wired inputs. And if that wasn’t enough, you also get the Sennheiser BTD 700 dongle, which brings higher resolution codecs to devices that don’t offer them. Now, the dongle itself also supports aptX Lossless; however, the headphones don’t, so the best you can get is aptX Adaptive. If you want lossless, you will have to plug in a cable, and the digital input goes up to 24-bit/96kHz on these.
Sennheiser has a desktop app for the BTD 700, as it does not work with the company’s mobile apps. Here, you can switch between latency modes, as well as different codecs. Whatever you pick gets saved on the dongle, so you don’t have to launch the app and change the settings every time. The headphones support being connected to two devices simultaneously. This also includes the BTD 700, as that cannot be a third device.
Finally, the WH-1000XM6 offer a choice of SBC/AAC/LDAC/LC3 for wireless users, but only an analog input for wired enthusiasts. This means if you have a modern smartphone without a headphone jack, then you are stuck using wireless or having to invest in an external dongle. However, the wired input on these can be run even if the battery is fully dead, unlike on the HDB 630, which have to be powered on to use even the analog input. These headphones also support multipoint pairing, but they are a bit slow to connect to both devices when switched on.
Latency
Wireless latency isn’t a hugely important factor for these headphones, as they aren’t targeted towards gamers, and they all have a low-latency wired mode for those who may still want to game with them. Still, it may be worth looking into for casual gamers.
The AirPods Max 2 had the best latency performance while using Bluetooth and pairing directly to the source. They were quite good in games with macOS’ game mode enabled, and also did well in non-gaming applications.
The HDB 630 Bluetooth was a bit more sluggish when paired directly with the source and using AAC. Not unusable, but the latency was certainly noticeable. Then, when paired to the BTD 700, the latency is easily the worst of the bunch and even noticeable in video players with software compensation. However, the BTD 700 has a desktop client that lets you switch it to a low-latency mode. With this enabled, the HDB 630 latency performance now jumps to being the best of the bunch, with an almost wired-like performance. So a bit all over the place, but ultimately they did achieve the lowest latency in wireless mode.
The WH-1000XM6 are closer to the AirPods Max 2 than the HDB 630 while using AAC. They are quite usable for casual gaming, and won’t make you reach for the cable unless you are playing very seriously.
Battery life tends to be one of the most important factors for considering full-sized headphones over in-ears for travel. A good pair should last you through your entire flight on the way to your destination, and still have power left once you get there. A great pair shouldn’t need charging at all until you get back home.
The AirPods Max 2 can maybe do one of these. At 20 hours of battery life, these might just struggle to make it through a one-way flight with long layovers. They do charge quickly enough, but that’s no excuse for such a large and heavy set of headphones to have such meager output.
The HDB 630, on the other hand, has battery life coming out the wazoo. At 45 hours with the BTD 700 dongle, and a stunning 60 hours while using AAC, the HDB 630 will probably still be functional a week after your vacation ends.
The WH-1000XM6 aren’t as impressive. At over 30 hours with AAC, they certainly do a lot better than the AirPods Max 2, but if you are looking for an absolute battery champion, then look no further than the HDB 630.
Still, as a reminder, the HDB 630 have the worst ANC of the group. They are essentially trading ANC performance for a longer battery life by doing less processing. If you want top-tier ANC performance, then you will have to compromise on the battery life a bit, so take these numbers with a pinch of salt and a tablespoon of context.
If you couldn’t resist the urge to do the math in your head, you might come to the conclusion that the HDB 630 are the absolute best headphones of the bunch. Numerically, that is true. Sennheiser has done a really good job with them, and they do a lot of things really well, including audio quality, battery life, connectivity, and the overall software experience. At $500, they aren’t the cheapest headphones here, but they can often be found at the lowest prices with discounts.
However, as good as the HDB 630 are in many ways, they are also shockingly pedestrian in others. Design, build quality, and comfort aren’t great, but it’s really the noise cancellation and transparency performance that’s the biggest letdown. For a premium pair of wireless noise-cancelling headphones, that’s a rather big sin to commit, and make them less of an obvious choice.
The recently launched AirPods Max 2 do an incredible job with ANC. In fact, they are quite simply the best to do it at present. They also look great, have good audio quality, and have an incredible synergy with Apple’s devices. But despite the $549 sticker shock, they come with the least amount of accessories in the package. They are also frustratingly bulky and have a rather limiting battery life.
The aging Sony WH-1000XM6 have been an inoffensive middle ground throughout this test. They are never the best at anything, nor are they typically the worst. The bloated sound and questionable build quality are the only major sources of concern, but otherwise, for $460, they are a reasonably well-rounded pair of headphones. With that said, they are definitely on the verge of being replaced very soon, and hopefully, the new model will address some of the shortcomings of this one. But, knowing Sony, the WH-1000XM6 will still be around for a while, and should become more attractive with the eventual price cut.
So if you want the most well-rounded pair of wireless noise-cancelling headphones that work with a variety of devices, then the Sony WH-1000XM6 are still the best option. If you are an iPhone user, then look no further than the Apple AirPods Max 2. And if you’re an audio quality enthusiast and couldn’t care less about anything else, then the Sennheiser HDB 630 are the ones for you.
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