Short answer: the Sennheiser HDB 630. It ranks #250 of 429 over-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 3.3/5, at $489.95; the Apple AirPods Max ranks #291, rated 3.1/5, and costs $496.49, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
What the Apple AirPods Max does well: Bass sits close to target and holds down to 20 Hz, so low end sounds full without bloat. The catch: Presence sits about 4.5 dB low with an 8.9 dB dip near 7.3 kHz, so vocals and instruments lose some bite.
Why pick the Sennheiser HDB 630: Bass sits close to target and holds down to 20 Hz, so low end sounds full without bloat. The tradeoff: Treble sits about 4.5 dB low, so it sounds a little dark.
Buy the Sennheiser HDB 630. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Apple AirPods Max and costs less, so only choose the other one for a particular feature it does better.
Still deciding? The full Headphones rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Apple AirPods Max | Sennheiser HDB 630 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $496.49 | $489.95 |
| Ranked | #291 of 429 in Over-Ear Headphones | #250 of 429 in Over-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | Over-ear | Over-ear |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
| Connection | Bluetooth | Bluetooth |
| Driver Type | Dynamic | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 40mm dynamic | 1 x 42mm dynamic |
| Weight | 0.8 lbs (384.8 g) | 0.7 lbs (311 g) |
| Harman Preference Score | 62 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) | 67 (median of 7 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 2.53 dB standard deviation | 2.37 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -1.35 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -1.11 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+1.9 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+2.6 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Frequency Response | - | 6Hz - 40kHz |
Related Headphone Comparisons
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Prices on this page were last checked October 13, 2026 at 3:17 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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The Two Headphones In Full
Apple AirPods Max: $496.49 Amazon $496.49 eBay
Pros: Bass sits close to target and holds down to 20 Hz, so low end sounds full without bloat. Lower mids sit within about 0.5 dB of target, keeping voices and guitars natural. It uses 1 x 40mm dynamic.
Cons: Presence sits about 4.5 dB low with an 8.9 dB dip near 7.3 kHz, so vocals and instruments lose some bite. A Harman score of 62 places it in the lower part of the over-ear rankings.
Full Apple AirPods Max review and specifications →
| Released | Dec 2020 (5 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Back | Closed |
| Connection | Bluetooth |
| Deviation From Target | 2.53 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 40mm dynamic |
| Form Factor | Over-ear |
| Harman Preference Score | 62 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+1.9 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -1.35 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Weight | 0.8 lbs (384.8 g) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -4.7 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | -3.0 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 7,273 Hz | +3.6 dB | 2.41 |
| Peak | 218 Hz | -2.9 dB | 1.41 |
| Peak | 1,031 Hz | -3.2 dB | 0.99 |
| Peak | 3,185 Hz | +3.1 dB | 0.56 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -5.5 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 9,508 Hz | +2.7 dB | 2.20 |
| Peak | 66 Hz | +0.6 dB | 1.65 |
| Peak | 4,045 Hz | +2.1 dB | 5.82 |
| Peak | 4,834 Hz | -1.8 dB | 6.00 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Sennheiser HDB 630: $489.95 Amazon $489.95 eBay
Pros: Bass sits close to target and holds down to 20 Hz, so low end sounds full without bloat. Lower mids sit within about 0.5 dB of target, keeping voices and guitars natural. It uses 1 x 42mm dynamic.
Cons: Treble sits about 4.5 dB low, so it sounds a little dark.
Full Sennheiser HDB 630 review and specifications →
| Released | Oct 2025 (1 year ago) |
|---|---|
| Back | Closed |
| Connection | Bluetooth |
| Deviation From Target | 2.37 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 42mm dynamic |
| Form Factor | Over-ear |
| Frequency Response | 6Hz - 40kHz |
| Harman Preference Score | 67 (median of 7 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+2.6 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -1.11 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Weight | 0.7 lbs (311 g) |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons