Over-Ear
Apple AirPods Max 2
Not yet scored
$550
Full review dataApple AirPods Max 2 vs HiFiMAN Arya: which should you buy?
Specs, scores and condensed review verdicts for the Apple AirPods Max 2 vs HiFiMAN Arya, side by side. Where a product has no HearWiki score yet, not enough reviews have been aggregated to rate it.
Score breakdown
Each axis is a 0–10 blend of what reviewers scored, not a lab measurement.
Apple AirPods Max 2
No sub-scores yet - not enough rated reviews.
HiFiMAN Arya
Sound9.5
Value8.0
Specifications
| Spec | Apple AirPods Max 2 | HiFiMAN Arya |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Over-Ear | Over-Ear |
| Price (USD) | $550 | $770 |
| HearWiki score | Not scored | 88 / 100 · Outstanding |
| Released | 2026 | 2021 |
| Audio | ||
| Driver | dynamic | Planar |
| Driver type | Apple-designed dynamic driver | - |
| Drivers per side | 1 | 1 |
| Frequency response | - | 8Hz-65kHz |
| Sound signature | - | Bright neutral |
| Impedance | - | 35 Ω |
| Sensitivity | - | 90 dB/mW |
| Wireless | ||
| Bluetooth | 5.3 | - |
| Codecs | SBC, AAC | - |
| Multipoint pairing | No | - |
| Battery | ||
| Battery life | 20 h | - |
| Quick charge | 5 min = 1.5 h | - |
| Features | ||
| Active noise cancelling | Pro-level Active Noise Cancellation 2 | - |
| ANC type | adaptive | - |
| Transparency mode | Yes | - |
| Companion app | No | - |
| Custom EQ | No | - |
| Wear detection | Yes | - |
| Controls | both | - |
| Voice assistant | Siri | - |
| Design | ||
| Weight | 386.2 g | 430 g |
| Case weight | 134.5 g | - |
| Foldable | No | - |
| USB-C | Yes | No |
| Balanced connection | - | Yes |
| Calls | ||
| Microphones | 9 | - |
| Microphone | Yes | - |
What reviewers said
Apple AirPods Max 2
No summary yet - we haven't aggregated enough reviews.
HiFiMAN Arya
The HiFiMAN Arya is a premium planar magnetic headphone known for its exceptionally fast, detailed, and airy sound. Its bright-neutral tuning delivers a highly resolving, spacious presentation with excellent technical performance, making it a strong choice for critical listening, though it requires a good amplifier to shine. With a comfortable open-back design and a relatively affordable price for its class, it balances high-end performance with accessibility.
- Pro:Excellent detail retrieval and transparency
- Pro:Wide, open soundstage with precise imaging
- Pro:Fast and articulate planar driver response
- Con:Bright treble can be fatiguing for sensitive ears
- Con:Needs a powerful amp to reach full potential
- Con:Open-back leaks sound and offers little isolation
Summaries are AI-condensed and paraphrased from published reviews and specs - not original hands-on testing. More on our method.
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