AirPods Max 2 vs WH-CH720N Comparison
Compare AirPods Max 2 vs WH-CH720N side by side: specs, ratings, pros and cons, and which one fits your room best.
On this page
At a Glance
AirPods Max 2
The AirPods Max 2 are Apple's current over-ear headphones. They use an Apple-designed dynamic driver, an H2 chip in each ear cup, and nine microphones: eight for noise cancelling and three for voice, with two shared.
- Best For
- iPhone and Mac users
- Style
- Over-ear
- Weight
- 386.2 g
- ANC
- Active Noise Cancellation, Adaptive Audio
- Mics
- 9
- Boom Mic
- No
- Talk Time
- 20 h
- Connect
- Bluetooth, USB-C audio
WH-CH720N
The Sony WH-CH720N is Sony's lower-priced noise cancelling headphone. At 192 g it is one of the lightest over-ear models in this group, and it uses 30 mm drivers with SBC and AAC.
- Best For
- Budget buyers
- Style
- Over-ear
- Weight
- 192 g
- ANC
- Active noise canceling (ANC)
- Mics
- —
- Boom Mic
- No
- Talk Time
- 35 h
- Connect
- Bluetooth, 3.5 mm cable
Review Scores Compared
Expert Score
Voice & Mic Clarity
Comfort & Ergonomics
Connectivity & Range
Battery & Charging
Why AirPods Max 2 Beats WH-CH720N (and Vice Versa)
Why AirPods Max 2 beats WH-CH720N
- Better voice & mic clarity: 6.3 vs 4.0 out of 10
- Better connectivity & range: 8.6 vs 6.8 out of 10
- Bluetooth Version: 5.3 vs 5.2
Why WH-CH720N beats AirPods Max 2
- Better comfort & ergonomics: 10.0 vs 7.2 out of 10
- Better battery & charging: 8.1 vs 7.0 out of 10
- Weight: 192 g vs 386.2 g
- Talk Time: 35 h vs 20 h
- Music Time: 35 h vs 20 h
Review-score leads of 0.5+ points out of 10 first, then specs where only one comes out ahead.
Full Specifications
General
| AirPods Max 2 | WH-CH720N | |
|---|---|---|
| Best For | iPhone and Mac users | Budget buyers |
| Wearing Style | Over-ear | Over-ear |
Design & Build
| AirPods Max 2 | WH-CH720N | |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 386.2 g | 192 g Better |
| Materials | Anodized aluminum ear cups, stainless steel frame, knit mesh canopy | — |
| Ear Cushions | Memory foam with mesh textile | — |
| Colors | Midnight, Starlight, Blue, Purple, Orange | — |
| Headband | Knit mesh canopy, telescoping stainless steel arms | — |
| Ear Cup Rotation | Each cup rotates independently | — |
Audio
| AirPods Max 2 | WH-CH720N | |
|---|---|---|
| Driver Size | — | 30 mm |
| Frequency Response | — | 7 Hz - 20 kHz (JEITA, wired) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | — | SBC, AAC |
| Driver Type | Apple-designed dynamic driver | Dynamic |
| Impedance | — | 325 Ω |
| Sensitivity | — | 108 dB/mW (on) |
| Spatial Audio | Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking | — |
| Custom EQ | Adaptive EQ | — |
| Wired Listening | Yes (USB-C lossless and ultra-low-latency audio) | Yes (1.2 m cable included) |
| Stereo / Mono | Stereo | Stereo |
Noise Cancelling
| AirPods Max 2 | WH-CH720N | |
|---|---|---|
| Noise Cancelling | Active Noise Cancellation, Adaptive Audio | Active noise canceling (ANC) |
| Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | Yes |
| Transparency Mode | Yes (Transparency mode, Conversation Awareness) | Yes (Ambient Sound Mode) |
| Adaptive ANC | Yes (Adaptive Audio) | — |
Microphone
| AirPods Max 2 | WH-CH720N | |
|---|---|---|
| Microphones | 9 | — |
| Microphone Setup | 6 outward-facing (ANC), 2 inward-facing; Voice Isolation | — |
| Call Noise Reduction | Voice Isolation | — |
| Boom Mic | No | No |
Battery & Charging
| AirPods Max 2 | WH-CH720N | |
|---|---|---|
| Talk Time | 20 h | 35 h Better |
| Charging Time | — | 3.5 h |
| Fast Charging | Yes (5 min = about 1.5 h) | Yes (3 min = 60 min; 10 min = 4.5 h) |
| Music Time | 20 h | 35 h Better |
| Charging Port | USB-C (lossless and ultra-low-latency audio) | USB-C |
| Talk Time (ANC On) | — | 35 h |
| Music Time (ANC Off) | — | 50 h |
Connectivity
| AirPods Max 2 | WH-CH720N | |
|---|---|---|
| Connection | Bluetooth, USB-C audio | Bluetooth, 3.5 mm cable |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 Better | 5.2 |
| Wireless Range | — | 10 m |
| Bluetooth Profiles | — | A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP |
| USB Audio | Yes | — |
| Cable Length | — | 1.2 m |
Controls & App
| AirPods Max 2 | WH-CH720N | |
|---|---|---|
| Controls | Digital Crown, listening mode button | — |
| Wear Detection | Optical and position sensors | — |
| Voice Assistant | Siri | — |
In the Box
| AirPods Max 2 | WH-CH720N | |
|---|---|---|
| In the Box | AirPods Max 2, Smart Case, USB-C charge cable | Connection cable, USB cable |
| Carry Case | Yes (Smart Case) | — |
Identifiers
| AirPods Max 2 | WH-CH720N | |
|---|---|---|
| Model Number | — | WH-CH720N |
Takeaways
- It's a tie on our rating (3.5/5) between AirPods Max 2 and WH-CH720N, so choose on the rows that matter most to you.
- Choose AirPods Max 2 for iPhone and Mac users.
- Choose WH-CH720N for budget buyers.
Pros and Cons
AirPods Max 2
PROS
- Nine microphones with Voice Isolation
- Adaptive Audio and Conversation Awareness
- Lossless, low-latency audio over USB-C
- Five colours, Smart Case included
CONS
- Heaviest in this group at 386.2 g
- Shortest battery here at 20 h
WH-CH720N
PROS
- Very light at 192 g
- Up to 35 h with ANC (50 h off)
- Quick charge: 3 min = 60 min
- Ambient Sound Mode
CONS
- SBC and AAC only
- Simpler ANC than the flagships
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WH-CH720N vs ATH-M50xBT2- WH-CH720N vs Studio Pro
Quick Verdict
- AirPods Max 2 7.1Best overallLeads in Voice & Mic Clarity, Connectivity & Range
- WH-CH720N 7.0Leads in Comfort & Ergonomics, Battery & Charging