Apple’s $549 AirPods Max 2 add better ANC and live translation

Apple has just announced the AirPods Max 2 with better noise cancellation and sound quality. The second generation of Apple’s over-ear headphones starts at $549 and comes equipped with an H2 chip that powers a bunch of new features, including AI-powered live translation, which translates speech to your preferred language in real-time.
As noted by Apple, the AirPods Max 2 offer active noise-cancellation that’s 1.5 times more effective when compared to the original AirPods Max, which launched in 2020. The AirPods Max 2 also add conversation awareness, a feature that lowers volume when someone starts speaking nearby; voice isolation to prioritize your voice and reduce background noise during phone calls; and a feature to automatically lower loud sounds in your environment.
The AirPods Max 2 support 24-bit, 48kHz lossless audio when connected with a USB-C cable — two features that Apple added to its first-generation AirPods Max years after their launch. Similar to their predecessor, the AirPods Max 2 also support up to 20 hours of listening time on a single charge. Transparency mode, which allows you to hear your surroundings while wearing the headphones, also sounds “more natural” with the AirPods Max 2, according to Apple.
There’s a camera remote feature, too, which allows you to press the headphones’ digital crown to take a photo or start a recording, as well as a personalized volume capability that “automatically fine-tunes the listening experience” based on your preferences over time. You can also now respond to Siri by nodding or shaking your head.