iFixit shared an initial view of its disassembled AirPods Max last month, and now it has completed the complex process. The final result revealed some really interesting details about the AirPods Max, like the headband being removable by the user, which could suggest customization, how the electromechanical hinge hardware works and that they are “really quite useful”. 9to5Mac also found that iOS devices can see the “headband type” that AirPods Max is wearing.
We learned more about the fundamentals of AirPods Max components in the initial look of iFixit. This revealed the 40mm dynamic drivers, H1 chips, battery cells and more.
Now iFixit has updated its disassembly with all the essential details today. Notably, AirPods Max has what iFixit calls “a slightly confusing and very complicated opening process” and says they are “a delightfully disconcerting pair of headphones”.
From the packaged logic board found in each headset, to Digital Crown, the electromechanical hinge hardware to the clamp tensioning system, Apple has put a lot of effort into creating and manufacturing these headphones.
Removable headband?
Interestingly, iFixit found that you can detach the entire headband with a SIM tool without having to disassemble it:
Here’s the trick, and the best part: despite the complexity of the joint, you can detach the entire headband of the AirPods Max with just a SIM card removal tool or paper clip, without even opening the ear protector.
All users would have to do is remove the magnetic earmuffs and use a SIM tool (or similar) to remove the headband, as shown below. This may be a hint that Apple may have designed this in mind with interchangeable headbands, as some reports claim.
IOS 14.4 Tip
9to5Mac also found that iOS devices can see what “headband type” AirPods Max are wearing. This can be used to do things like properly displaying AirPods Max in the UI. However, this may also be just the remnants of firmware that Apple was preparing in case it launched interchangeable bandanas before discarding the plans.
But a positive note is that the headband type identifier is present in iOS 14.4 beta 2.
Although Apple has not recognized this or launched any alternative bandanas, it is possible that they will arrive in the future. Allowing personalization of the headband along with the ability to easily change earplugs would make the AirPods Max even more attractive.
See how iFixit describes the electromechanical hinge hardware:
Apple’s electromechanical hinge hardware is intricate and over-built and can make the AirPods Max’s price a little easier to swallow.
This hinge should provide a robust yet comfortable connection to the headband, while reliably passing a power connection through the battery.
Apple uses a flexible cable wrap around the swivel part of the joint, with some smart routing and integrated strain relief – then switches to spring contacts for connection to the headband. What is a flex.Hopefully, all of this results in fewer failures due to cable wear. Durability is difficult to predict at times, but it is clear that a lot of thought has been devoted to this configuration.
All in all, iFixit thinks AirPods Max are “really quite useful” and gave them 6/10 for repairs, the AirPods family’s first score above 0. Plus, after understanding everything that happens on AirPods Max, iFixit asks “Is it starting to look like $ 550 … reasonable?”
For a fun ending to this super-complete disassembly, iFixit has released some over-ear headphones from Sony and Bose and the comparisons really highlight that the AirPods Max are in a different league. How iFixit puts it:
With all its parts of intricate and precise engineering, the AirPods Max reminds us more of a mechanical watch than any pair of headphones.
Check out the total disassembly of AirPods Max in iFixit.
Via The Verge
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