The Short Version
AirPods Max 2 and Sony XM6 split the flagship headphone market between Apple-device convenience and raw audio quality.
Apple and Sony have landed on opposite answers to the same question: what should a $500-plus pair of headphones actually do best. Apple's AirPods Max 2 works effortlessly with iPhones and Macs, switching between devices without fuss. Sony's XM6 puts that same energy into sounding better. You can have one or the other, not both.