The AirPods Max have just passed into the hands of iFixit experts for proper disassembly. To everyone’s surprise, Apple’s headphones inherit a repairability rating of 6 out of 10. They are therefore fairly easy to repair.
This January 19, 2021, iFixit posted online the complete teardown of the AirPods Max, Apple’s first headphones. The helmet gets a repairability score of 6 out of 10. This is an excellent rating for a high end helmet. In his article, experts also point out that Apple’s headphones are easier to repair than their direct rivals, the Sony WH-1000XM4 or the Bose 700.
The AirPods Max do a lot better than the AirPods wireless earbuds. As a reminder, iFixit gave the AirPods 2 a rating of 0/10. They are simply impossible to repair. Same story with the AirPods Pro, which also get a score of 0/10.
AirPods: iFixit touts the build quality of the headphones
iFixit first praises the overall build quality of the helmet. “The hardware of Apple’s electromechanical hinge is both complex and well-constructed, and makes the price of AirPods Max a bit easier to swallow” iFixit note. In front of him, Sony and Bose headphones look like “To toys”. Experts admire “Obsessive know-how” from Apple.
Moreover, the dismantling and repair experts appreciated easily detachable magnetic pads. It suffices to pull slightly on them to change them. Likewise, it is easy to detach the headband of the two earbuds using a simple SIM card puller. Finally, the headphone battery is secured with easy-to-remove screws rather than glue. Glue is one of the worst obstacles to repairing an appliance.
On the same subject : AirPods Max – moisture forms in Apple headphones over $ 600
On the other hand, Apple used “A disconcerting number of screws” different within AirPods Max. “You will need a complete toolbox” iFixit warns. To conclude, experts regret that adhesives and screws protect some components within the headphones, “Which complicates internal repairs”.
Source: iFixit
