The introduction of the AirPods Max in late 2020 was met with limited spatial audio content and no support for lossless audio. At the time, Apple’s high-end headphones lacked the necessary features to fully utilize their capabilities. However, with the recent update to lossless audio and the addition of Dolby Atmos to Apple Music, the AirPods Max have become a more complete product.

In September, Apple updated the AirPods Max with a new USB-C port, replacing the original Lightning jack, as seen in the article Apple refreshes its AirPods Max with new colors and USB-C. Although the update did not include a new chip, the addition of USB-C has enabled lossless audio capabilities. To access this feature, users need to have the USB-C version of the AirPods Max, as well as iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4, or macOS Sequoia 15.4.

How to Get Lossless Audio on AirPods Max with USB-C

To enable lossless audio, connect the AirPods Max to an Apple device via Bluetooth, then plug them into a power outlet or USB-C port using the included cable. After about 30 minutes, the firmware update should download. Users can verify the update by checking the AirPods Max settings and looking for version 7E101.

Lossless audio on the AirPods Max is only available for wired use, and a cable is required due to the limitations of high-res audio over Bluetooth. Apple offers a new $39 USB-C-to-3.5mm cord for users who want to utilize this feature.

Why Isn’t Lossless Audio Available on the Original AirPods Max?

The original AirPods Max, released in 2020, do not support lossless audio due to hardware limitations, specifically data throughput constraints on the Lightning port. Apple made changes to the digital-to-analog converter (DAC) inside the AirPods Max to enable lossless audio, which was not possible on the older model.

Does Lossless Audio Make a Difference?

The difference between lossless and regular audio is noticeable, especially in certain genres like metal, bluegrass, and folk. For example, the vocals and instruments in Spiritbox’s Tsunami Sea and Underoath’s The Place After This One have better balance and separation with lossless audio. Acoustic genres like Julien Baker & TORRES’ “Sugar in the Tank” and Jason Isbell’s Foxes in the Snow also benefit from the improved audio quality.

Do You Have to Use Apple Music?

No, users are not limited to Apple Music to access lossless audio. Any service that offers lossless audio up to 24 bit at 48 kHz can be used with the AirPods Max, including Tidal, or locally stored files. A USB-C cable is required, but the source is not limited to Apple.

Wrap-up

The addition of lossless audio to the AirPods Max is a significant improvement, addressing a major complaint about the headphones. However, it has taken over four years to arrive, and the update is only available for the minimally updated 2024 version. The AirPods Max still feel like a product from 2020, and the $549 price tag is steep, even with the new feature.

As reported by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple had “no real plan to meaningfully update AirPods Max” due to their low sales. While this update is a step in the right direction, it may not be enough to justify the cost for most users. The AirPods Max would be difficult to recommend to anyone other than iPhone and Mac die-hards with deep pockets.