Apple AirPods Max

So to the Apple AirPods Max, the arrival of which prompted this whole group test of over-ear headphones. We had plenty of time to prepare — this particular Apple release was one of the worst-kept tech secrets prior to launch. But we hadn’t expected the price: $899 pushes them up above even premium wireless noisecancelling headphones. Can they justify it? Well the short answer is yes, they can.

While the styling may not be to everyone’s tastes, and you may prefer the silver, space grey, green or sky blue to the pink shown in the main image here, there is no denying the quality of the materials and build. The solid-enough Sony XM4s look and feel almost cheap compared with the Apples, which boast pristinely machined, single-piece anodised aluminium ear cups connected by a stainless-steel headband. Between