Apple AirPods Max 2 / Sony WH-CH720N

Apple AirPods Max 2: A3454 · USB-C

Sony WH-CH720N: WH-CH720N closed over-ear wireless headphones; black, white, blue and pink. The WH-CH710N (previous generation), WH-CH520 (no ANC) and the WH-1000X series are separate models.

SpecificationApple AirPods Max 2Sony WH-CH720N
Release year20262023
ModelA3454

Listed in Apple’s model table as AirPods Max 2, introduced in 2026.

Apple		—
Announcement and availabilityAnnounced 16 March 2026; orders from 25 March; deliveries from early April

US and more than 30 other countries and regions.

Apple		—
ColoursMidnight, Starlight, Blue, Purple, Orange Apple—
ChipApple H2 in each ear cup Apple—
Driver and amplifierApple-designed dynamic driver; custom high-dynamic-range amplifier; dual neodymium ring magnet motor

The manufacturer pages read give no frequency range or impedance.

Apple		—
Noise controlANC, Transparency mode and Adaptive Audio; up to 1.5x more effective than the previous generation

Apple’s claim, based on IEC 60268-24 testing; it does not mean the same reduction in every environment.

Apple		—
MicrophonesNine microphones: eight for ANC, three for voice pickup (two shared) Apple—
SensorsOptical, position, case-detect and accelerometer in each cup; gyroscope in the left cup only Apple—
ControlsDigital Crown (volume, play/pause, calls, Siri) and a listening mode button

No separate power button is listed.

Apple		—
Bluetooth5.3

The manufacturer does not state supported audio codecs.

Apple		—
Wired audioLossless and ultra-low-latency audio over USB-C; 24-bit / 48 kHz

Requires compatible content and a supported app. Lossless audio is not offered over Bluetooth.

Apple		—
Analogue inputAnalogue sources via a USB-C to 3.5 mm audio cable

The cable is not listed among the box contents.

Apple		—
Battery lifeUp to 20 hours of listening with ANC on

Apple’s test: pre-production units, 50% volume, ANC on, Spatial Audio fixed. Actual time depends on settings and environment.

Apple		—
Quick chargeAbout 1.5 hours of listening from 5 minutes of charging Apple—
ChargingUSB-C; ultra-low-power state when stored in the Smart Case Apple—
Dimensions168.6 × 83.4 × 187.3 mm (width × depth × height), including cushions Apple—
Weight386.2 g; Smart Case 134.5 g

Apple says size and weight vary by configuration and manufacturing process.

Apple		About 192 g Sony
Build and cushionsAnodised aluminium ear cups; breathable knit-mesh canopy; stainless steel telescoping arms; memory foam and mesh-textile cushions Apple—
Water and dust resistanceNone

Apple lists this feature as not applicable to AirPods Max 2.

Apple		—
Audio featuresAdaptive Audio, Conversation Awareness, Voice Isolation, Personalized Volume, Loud Sound Reduction, Adaptive EQ; Personalized Spatial Audio with head tracking

Adaptive Audio, Conversation Awareness, Voice Isolation and Personalized Volume need current firmware and operating system. A Spatial Audio profile needs an iPhone with a TrueDepth camera.

Apple		—
Live TranslationBeta; needs an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone on iOS 26 or later

Languages: Chinese (simplified and traditional), English (US, UK), French (France), German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish (Spain). Turkish is not listed.

Apple		—
Software requirementiOS and iPadOS 26.4 or later; current operating system on Mac, Apple Watch, Apple TV and Apple Vision Pro

On older Apple software and non-Apple devices it works as basic Bluetooth headphones with limited functionality.

Apple		—
Firmware9A348 (latest version in Apple’s list); adds an Equalizer control

Apple’s page gives no release date for this version.

Apple		—
In the boxAirPods Max 2, Smart Case, USB-C charge cable, documentation Apple—
AccessibilityLive Listen, Headphone levels, Headphone Accommodations

Requires the latest iOS or iPadOS.

Apple		—
Noise cancelling—Active noise cancelling with Integrated Processor V1 and Dual Noise Sensor; Ambient Sound mode

Microphones inside and outside each cup sample noise to generate an inverse signal; Ambient Sound mode lets you hear surroundings without removing the headphones.

Sony
Driver and frequency—30 mm dynamic driver; 7–20,000 Hz (JEITA); 20–20,000 Hz over Bluetooth (44.1 kHz) Sony
Bluetooth and codecs—Bluetooth 5.2; A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP; SBC and AAC; about 10 m range

AAC works well as the default codec on iPhones; no high-bitrate codec is listed.

Sony
Multipoint—Connection to two Bluetooth devices at the same time

For example, you can switch between a phone and a laptop without re-pairing.

Sony
Battery—Music up to 35 hours with NC on, 50 hours off; calls up to 35 hours NC on, 40 hours off; about 3.5 hours to charge over USB Sony
Wired use—Detachable cable of about 1.2 m with gold-plated L-shaped 3.5 mm plug; passive operation

When the battery runs out you can keep listening passively over the cable.

Sony
Microphone and processing—Precise Voice Pickup beamforming mic; wind noise reduction structure; DSEE

DSEE tries to restore high frequencies lost in compressed music files.

Sony
Impedance and sensitivity—NC on 325 Ω / off 31 Ω (1 kHz); NC on 108 dB/mW / off 99 dB/mW Sony