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The AirPods Max headband has a canopy design made with a synthetic "breathable knit mesh" material. The headband's primary structure is stainless steel with telescoping arms that adjust length. Apple says the canopy distributes weight in a way that reduces head pressure. The ear cups are suspended on a fully adjustable mechanism that rotates independently of the telescoping arm. Apple uses aluminum for the ear cups and a custom-designed mesh textile for the ear cushions. AirPods Max use Adaptive EQ, a feature that continually adjusts the audio to the ear cushions' fit and seal. It measures the sound signal, changing the low and mid frequencies in real time. Apple's intent is to use the real-time data to provider richer and more detailed audio. Six external and two internal microphones listen for audio inside and outside the headphones to adjust playback dynamically. Each song, movie, or sound byte will be dynamically adjusted on the fly – custom for each listener's fit. The AirPods Max have ANC, or Active Noise Cancelation. This means the headphones use an external microphone to pipe in "anti-noise" to eliminate external noise from your listening experience. An additional mic inside the ear also listens for in-ear noise, negating that as well. Another use for the ANC technology is something Apple calls "transparency mode." By utilizing the same techniques for ANC, Apple can pass external audio through to your ears as if you were not wearing headphones at all. This means moving around environments will be much safer as your ears won't be blocked. Apple's headphones include a noise-control button on the right earpiece that lets you immediately switch between ANC and transparency modes. A dedicated button can switch between ANC and Transparency with a single tap. The functions can also be adjusted using controls on your iPhone or iPad.