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IFixit repairability advocates have performed the first partial teardown of the AirPods Max, and that’s bad news for anyone who might want to dig into Apple’s premium noise-canceling headphones.
The main problem seems to be that the speaker cover is attached with glue, meaning that iFixit could only access the 40mm drivers by heating the AirPods Max to a glue melting point. And this despite having relatively easy-to-remove screws elsewhere, so repairing or replacing individual components is likely to be a pain.
The teardown made some other interesting discoveries, like how the AirPods Max uses two separate battery cells located in the same earpiece. However, there could also be issues repairing them, as an x-ray revealed that the battery connectors could be soldered, making it even more difficult to swap the cells.
“We always hope for an easy battery replacement procedure,” the report read. “The connectors are not always easy to spot from here.”
While it’s disappointing that the AirPods Max are harder to repair than other noise-canceling headphones – the Bose QC35 II can be taken apart with just a few screwdrivers – it’s not surprising. Apple hardware isn’t always difficult to take apart, but making repairs can be a risky business: iFixit had previously found that the iPhone 12’s camera would repeatedly fail if replaced by a third party instead. Apple’s own technicians.
It seems that if you buy the AirPods Max, you will have to use Apple’s premium priced first party services if you want to fix them. Something to consider when you’ve already spent $ 549 on Apple’s new headphones.
If the thought of spending over $ 500 on a pair of headphones leaves you a little uncomfortable, check out our list of the best headphones, as there are lots of great boxes at more reasonable prices. Our best shot right now is the Sony WH-1000xM4, which is worth a look.
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