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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
For immersive music listening with high comfort and quality build, the Apple Airpods Max is superior, but they are pricey and might not be as suitable for exercise due to their size and weight. On the other hand, the Jaybird Vista 2 offers excellent portability and is better suited for exercise, with a more secure fit and resistance to sweat and dust, all at a lower price. While both have good sound quality for music, the Airpods Max features active noise cancelling, helpful for air travel or noisy environments, which the Vista 2 lacks. The Vista 2 excels in calls and meetings, likely due to its better microphone quality. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Apple Airpods Max
- Good for music
- Excellent for air travel
Advantages of the Jaybird Vista 2
- Very good for phone calls
- Best in class for exercise
- Excellent for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Music
7.3
6.3
The Apple Airpods Max is good for music, while the Jaybird Vista 2 is only fair.
Phone Calls
6.6
8.0
The Jaybird Vista 2 is very good for phone calls, while the Apple Airpods Max is only fair.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
8.0
9.0
The Jaybird Vista 2 is excellent for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Apple Airpods Max is very good.
Noise Reduction
10.0
7.0
The Apple Airpods Max is best in class for noise reduction, while the Jaybird Vista 2 is good.
Battery
21.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Apple Airpods Max has 21 hours of battery life. The Jaybird Vista 2 has 6 hours of battery life.
Cost
$549
$80
$50
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
$400
The Apple Airpods Max has a price of $549 and the Jaybird Vista 2 costs $80.
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Key similarities
Gaming
5.5
5.2
The Apple Airpods Max and Jaybird Vista 2 are both poor for gaming.
TV and Video
5.7
5.6
The Apple Airpods Max and Jaybird Vista 2 are both poor for TV and video.
Build Quality
9.0
9.0
The Apple Airpods Max and Jaybird Vista 2 both have excellent build quality.
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How the Apple Airpods Max and the Jaybird Vista 2 compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple Airpods Max | Jaybird Vista 2 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$549 | $80 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Apple | Jaybird | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | December 1, 2020 | June 1, 2021 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired + Wireless | Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 7.4/10 | 6.4/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 6.6/10 | 8/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.5/10 | 5.3/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 5.8/10 | 5.6/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 6.2/10 | 10/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 21 Hours | 6 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | No | Yes | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 2 Hours | 3 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5 | 5 | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | N/A | 24 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | Yes | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 10/10 | 7/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | Yes | No | |
Android App | |||
Android App | No | Yes | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 9/10 | 9/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 7/10 | 7.9/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | N/A | Large | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 385.5 Grams | 6.7 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | Integrated | |
Shopping
Apple Airpods Max
See more
Dig into reviews and images
Sound Guys
Adam Molina | July 2023
"Objectively, the AirPods Max is a spectacular pair of headphones. I appreciate the smart features like auto-pause and the transparency mode are super practical. It also sounds great, is well-built, and has solid battery life."
Jaybird Vista 2
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Dig into reviews and images
Sound Guys
Chase Bernath | September 2022
"Compared to the original Vista, the Jaybird Vista 2 adds some key features including ANC and SurroundSense to control how much environmental noise you hear. If you're an athlete and are looking for rugged earbuds with tons of customization options, the Jaybird Vista 2 makes for a good option—but only if you are able to achieve a proper fit from the proprietary ear tips."
Get a great deal on the Apple Airpods Max or the Jaybird Vista 2
About Apple
Apple Inc. is an American technology company, founded in 1976, known for its wide range of premium products, including smartphones, computers, and audio solutions. Apple offers the very popular personal audio line AirPods, highly regarded for their wireless, smart capabilities and their seamless integration with the iPhone, iPad and Mac devices. They provide a high-quality sound, comfort and lifestyle features perfect for all users invested in their ecosystem.
About Jaybird
Jaybird is an American headphone and activity tracker manufacturer focused on the exercise and sports market. The company was founded in 2006 by Judd Armstrong who sought for a product that was thoroughly sweatproof and that wouldn’t get in the way during physical activity. Jaybird is a part of the Swiss company Logitech International, since 2016.
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Why trust us
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec earbuds & headphones team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest earbuds or headphones information and makes it digestible for you.
By the numbers
108
Earbuds and headphones evaluated
11,340
Earbuds and headphones stats compiled
15
Proprietary Earbuds and headphones ratings developed
94,700
Recommendations made
14,205
Consumer hours saved
About the Earbuds or Headphones team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Earbuds and Headphones Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Luis Torres
Earbuds and Headphones Expert
Luis is a Mexico-based headphones expert. He’s been making headphone recommendations for five years and has close to 100 pairs in his personal collection.
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