Apple AirPods Max Showing Condensation Issues Near Drivers, Some Users Report

Water droplets are forming under the removable ear pads on AirPods Max and causing ear-detection problems, according to the complaints.

By Ali Pardiwala | Updated: 31 December 2020 13:17 IST

Apple AirPods Max Showing Condensation Issues Near Drivers, Some Users Report

Photo Credit: Twitter/ Donald Filimon

AirPods Max are priced at Rs. 59,900 in India

Highlights

Apple AirPods Max users are reporting a condensation issue
Water droplets are forming under the ear pads
AirPods Max carries a premium price tag in India

Apple AirPods Max users are reporting an issue with condensation, where water droplets are forming under the removable ear pads near the drivers. The high-end headphones, launched only recently and priced at Rs. 59,900 in India, seem to be particularly susceptible to this condensation issue due to the premium design, particularly the liberal use of metal that is considerably cool to touch as compared to headsets that use a fair amount of plastic in the build. While one particular user provided details on the issue along with images, others have responded that they are facing similar issues as well.

A significant report comes from user Donald Filimon, who has provided details of the condensation issues along with images on Twitter and Reddit. The images show the AirPods Max space grey colour variant with the ear pads removed, and visible water droplets on the inside, near the drivers. The user reports that he has used the headphones in non-humid environments (primarily indoors) and the water droplets are causing ear-detection problems on the headset.

The Twitter and Reddit threads have various replies from users reporting similar problems, suggesting that the issue isn't an isolated incident. This is particularly concerning because of the high price of the headphones. At Rs. 59,900, AirPods Max are among the most expensive mainstream options available today, and issues like these are causing significant worry for buyers who have paid the full price.

According to a report by Cult Of Mac, this is likely sweat from users' ears. Although sweat condensation inside headphones is a fairly common issue because of the snug over-ear fit, the issue here is largely about the AirPods Max's ability to actually handle these amounts of sweat or moisture. That said, it shouldn't be too hard to clean the moisture out using a soft cloth periodically, but that's assuming it doesn't get into the drivers and cause any serious damage.

Is HomePod mini the best smart speaker under Rs. 10,000? We discussed this on Orbital, our weekly technology podcast, which you can subscribe to via Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or RSS, download the episode, or just hit the play button below.

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Apple AirPods Max Wireless Headphones

REVIEW
KEY SPECS
NEWS

Design / Comfort
Audio Quality
Battery Life
Value For Money

Good
Beautiful, comfortable, and luxurious 
Best-in-class controls 
Seamless connectivity with Apple devices 
Very good ANC and Transparency modes 
Wide, spacious soundstage 
Excellent, flexible sound

Bad
No power button, unpredictable power consumption  
Below-par battery life 
Smart Case is a bit silly 
Lightning charging port 
No ANC level adjustment

Read detailed Apple AirPods Max Wireless Headphones review

Headphone Type Over-Ear

Microphone Yes

Connectivity Wireless

Type Headphones

More Apple Headphones & Headset

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Further reading: Apple, Apple AirPods Max, Apple AirPods Max Features, Apple AirPods Max Price in India, Apple AirPods Max Specifications, Headphones, Bluetooth, Active noise cancellation