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Screw you, gadget-menders! No really, you'll need loads of screwdrivers to fix Apple's AirPods Max headphones

(2021/01/20)


AirPods are as close as you can get to a swearword in the repair world, known for being almost impossible to service thanks to their densely packed circuitry and closed design. Mercifully, that isn't the case when it comes to Apple's [1]hugely expensive AirPods Max headphones .

The buds proved surprisingly modular when subjected to [2]the harsh glare of spudger-wielders at iFixit .

[3]

Here's the good news: the AirPods Max are fairly modular, making disassembly straightforward. That is, provided you've got a sufficiently large screwdriver collection. The gadget botherers encountered a dizzying array of screw types, ranging from pentalobe and Torx to one they couldn't quite identify at first glance.

This shouldn't come as much of a surprise to anyone who has ever serviced or repaired Apple-made kit. Cupertino has a propensity for using different screw types in its hardware, with early-generation Intel MacBooks prime examples of this. This will inevitably make reassembly that bit harder, especially if you fail to keep proper track of where each screw goes.

[4]

[5]

What lies beneath (click to enlarge). Pic: courtesy iFixit

"While screws are almost always preferable to glue, the sheer number of screw types here is baffling — you'll need an extensive toolkit, even by our standards," the right-to-repair site remarked.

Apple aptly calls its wireless over-the-ear headphones the AirPods Max – as in, maximum damage to your wallet [6]READ MORE

Speaking of adhesive, we've got some bad news on that front. The earcup grilles on each cup are affixed with both pentalobe screws, as well as hefty globs of glue. Defeating this requires the careful use of a heat gun, lest you inadvertently melt part of your £550 headphones.

After that, it's straightforward, albeit fiddly, work. With a bit of finesse, it's possible to dislodge all relevant components: from the dual logic boards hidden within each speaker, to the headband and dual batteries.

[7]

Dual logic boards hidden within each speaker...

"These things are actually fairly serviceable. Not fun to service, but serviceable," remarked iFixit.

Is this much of a surprise? Well, yes and no. On one hand, we suspected that these buds would be relatively repairable, especially considering Apple has already priced up the cost of basic out-of-warranty fixes, like battery replacements. Similarly, other over-ear headphones have proven possible to fix in the past.

But again, one can't ignore Apple's [8]limited enthusiasm for third-party repairs , which applies to computer hardware and audio kit alike.

As mentioned, the earbud-style AirPods are [9]effectively designed to be disposable . When the battery dies, there's no real way to fix it. Your only option is to buy another.

[10]

This design hurts both consumers and the environment. Precedent made us fear the AirPods Max would be the same way. This time, we're glad to be proven wrong. ®

Get our [11]Tech Resources



[1] https://www.theregister.com/2020/12/08/airpods_max_apple/

[2] https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/AirPods+Max+Teardown/139369

[3] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_personal_tech/front&sz=300x250&tile=2&c=2YAgNQ@ewZPT0lWB7qL4qrQAAAIA&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0

[4] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_personal_tech/front&sz=300x250%7C300x252%7C300x600&tile=3&c=33YAgNQ@ewZPT0lWB7qL4qrQAAAIA&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0

[5] https://regmedia.co.uk/2021/01/19/airpods_via_ifixit.jpg

[6] https://www.theregister.com/2020/12/08/airpods_max_apple/

[7] https://regmedia.co.uk/2021/01/19/airpods_logic_boards.jpg

[8] https://www.theregister.com/2020/06/04/apple_repair_norway/

[9] https://www.theregister.com/2019/11/01/airpods_teardown/

[10] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_personal_tech/front&sz=300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251&tile=4&c=44YAgNQ@ewZPT0lWB7qL4qrQAAAIA&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0

[11] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/

Extensive toolkit

don't you hate it when you lose your account

Hammer, solves all DIY evils

Re: Extensive toolkit

Giles C

From the kitcar world

Tool 1 hammer

Tool 1a large hammer

There is a whole article that a friend of mine wrote but it is far too big to put here and wanders into odd tools later on - when building cars a suitable SWMBO is often required....

Lee D

Honestly, if you're in the Apple repair game, find another business.

They don't care about repairability at all.

And I thought there was supposed to be Apple "Geniuses" (like Sheldon, I refuse to contribute to the devaluation of that word) and AppleCare etc. to take care of all that for you?

Applecare

Chris G

Is an oxymoron except where income is concerned.

Building any product that is either impossible or deliberately difficult to maintain and/or repair immediately tells you the manufacturer is not interested in the purchaser beyond their money.

Peter2

Five hundred and fifty bloody quid?!

You can buy real high grade audiophile headphones from Sennheiser for less than that will sound several times better, will last orders of magnitude longer without needing maintenance, can be fixed usually without needing so much as a screwdriver after a decade in use with OEM parts willing supplied from the manufacturer without requiring extortion, blackmail or legal coercion, you can trust the device and parts won't be EOL'd and therefore unavailable in 5 (or 15) years time, and crucially it will work with any audio device ever invented, and not just a iPhone! And you'll still have enough spare change left over to take a weekend trip somewhere with the cost of a hotel room and eating out at restaurants covered by the savings!

Surely only an utter idiot (or an Apple fanboi) would buy this at this sort of price.

45RPM

Sennheiser FTW! I dropped a few hundred quid on really nice Sennheiser cans and they do sound brilliant. Better than AirPod Max? Well, having read the reviews I’m not certain that I’d go that far - AirPod Max sound, apparently, really really good. That said, I’m not sure that they sound twice as good as my Sennheisers - and that’s the point, isn’t it? Bang per buck. And my cheaper (but still costly) Sennheisers have the following points in their favour…

* They’re cheaper

* They’re lighter

* They look nicer (to my eyes, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder)

* They connect easily and automatically to my iPhone, and I can connect using a good old fashioned cable too - for devices that support it (which is a massive advantage in my view).

* The noise cancellation works well - although, again, perhaps not quite as well as AirPods Max from what I’ve read.

Overall, I think that the AirPods Max do look impressive. Would I want a pair? No - I’d rather have my Sennheisers, and pocket the change. Would I dismiss them out of hand? No - I wouldn’t do that either.

oiseau

Surely only an utter idiot (or an Apple fanboi) would buy this at this sort of price.

Hmmm ...

Methinks you may be exaggerating and giving the poor idiots a bad rep.

Let's leave it at Apple fanboi .

O.

PiltdownMan

I read somewhere that these head sets (sets for your head) excel in all design areas,

EXCEPT sound quality!!!!!!!

$550!!!!!!!!!!!

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