The Noise Master Buds Max aim to compete with segment-leading brands like JBL and Sony. Here’s our review.
The price of Noise Master Buds Max is set at Rs. 11,999
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Noise has steadily been expanding its footprint with a growing portfolio of gadgets, from smartwatches and true wireless stereo (TWS) earphones to chargers. But the majority of its business remains in the sub–Rs. 5,000 segment. Recently, the company has begun pushing into the more premium segment with its Master Series. To aid in its ambitions, it has now introduced the Noise Master Buds Max as the first over-ear headphones in its flagship series.
The Noise Master Buds Max price is set at Rs. 11,999. The headphones come with ‘Sound by Bose’, but is it just a label or do the headphones punch above their weight? I will explain in my review.
Noise Master Buds Max Design: Classy and Comfortable
- Weight – 262g
- Durability – IPX4
- Colours – Onyx, Titanium, and Silver
The Noise Master Buds Max catch your attention at first glance in terms of appearance, despite their plastic build. They are available in three colourways — Onyx, Titanium, and Silver. I have the Silver shade, which has a premium finish that doesn’t feel ostentatious and features the Master Buds series’ signature vinyl motifs on the outside of the earcups. Noise has provided vegan leather earcups with plenty of cushioning, but they are non-removable, which might become a problem in the long term. There’s a C-shaped headband with metal underneath, allowing the user to extend or retract it and obtain the right fit.
You can see the ‘Sound by Bose’ badging on each end of the headphone, which clearly signifies the company’s close collaboration with the audio giant.
Functionally, Noise has also focused on practicality; the cups can fold inwards, making it easier to tuck them into a backpack or the provided velvet pouch. The Master Buds Max also features a light bar on the left earcup for charging and pairing status.
One gripe I have is that the brand has not marked the left and right earcups, except for on the inside. The left earcup features the USB Type-C port for charging, while the right one has the power and playback control buttons. All of the buttons have a raised texture, which makes it easier to remember their functionality without removing the headphones — a nice touch. And contrary to what you may read elsewhere, the Master Buds Max, in fact, do not include a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Tipping the scales at 262g, the Noise Master Buds Max aren’t the lightest over-ear headphones that you can buy. In fact, they are even heavier than the new Sony WH-1000XM6, which offers vastly more features and superior audio quality. Despite the added heft, the headphones remained comfortable even during long listening sessions. The tension is just about right and does not feel too stiff.
The plush vegan leather provides a nice fit and seal. It does not create any heat zones. Master Buds Max come with an IPX4 rating, which means you can wear them to the gym without too much worry. In terms of accessories, the company provides a velvet pouch to carry the headphones, while an AirPods Max case clone for the headphones is also sold separately.
Noise Master Buds Max App Support and Specifications: Familiar Territory
- Driver – 40mm Dynamic
- Companion app – NoiseAudio
- Gesture controls – No
Like the Master Buds, the Noise Master Buds Max are compatible with the NoiseAudio app. Once you navigate to the app, it primarily shows the battery status and the selected audio mode of the headphones. From here, you can switch between ANC, Transparency, and Off modes. Scroll down to find additional features. Moving to sound customisation, you’ll see options including Spatial Audio, equaliser, wear detection, Swift Call Mode, Focus Mode, Dual Pairing, and Find My Device.
Disappointingly, the company has only provided two preset modes in the equaliser: Default (which is the Bose tuning) and Custom. This means you will have to manually adjust the bands to find the sound that suits you the most.
Under the hood, the Noise Master Buds Max are powered by 40mm drivers paired with the LHDC 5.0 codec. They also support Bluetooth 5.4, offering a wireless range of approximately 10 meters. The over-the-ear headphones carry a five-microphone setup for voice calls and audio recording. As per the company, they support active noise cancellation (ANC) up to 40dB. The list of Bluetooth-supported profiles includes A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP, SPP, and AVDTP. The Master Buds Max are claimed to provide up to 60 hours of music playback on a single charge.
Noise Master Buds Max Performance and Battery Life: Exceeds Expectations
- Codec Support – LHDC 5.0
- Connectivity – Bluetooth 5.4
- Battery – Up to 60 hours (ANC off)
The Noise Master Buds Max sound better than I expected. Carrying the ‘Sound by Bose’ torch, they have a soft bass that is synonymous with Bose audio products. The low frequencies are very much there, but they do not overpower the mids or the highs, making the headphones almost perfect for mainstream listening across different genres.
On tracks with rich layering, such as “Private Investigations” by Dire Straits, Eagles’ Hotel California, and “World’s Smallest Violin” by AJR, the headphones reveal a wide soundstage. There is good separation between vocals, percussion instruments, and other elements. At low volume, the bass becomes prominent, while increasing the volume balances the lows, mids, and highs very nicely. There is no audio distortion at any volume level, and I found 70–75 percent to be the sweet spot for most tracks.
Switching to bass-forward tracks, such as Amit Trivedi’s “Baithi Hai,” helped reveal their low-end performance. The default audio tuning offered plenty of punch that will satisfy bass lovers, but without the ‘boominess’ that often plagues non-premium audio products. The bass levels increase when ANC is turned on, and the headphones sound slightly better. That said, some tracks may feel like they lack treble, but this is something we have also observed in other products priced similarly.
The headphones also offer Spatial Audio support that is claimed to provide a 3D listening experience. In my experience, however, it hollows out the sound and is primarily a gimmick. You’ll be better off with the feature turned off.
In everyday environments, such as walking down busy streets or commuting on metro rides, the headphones effectively manage to drown out most ambient noise. However, I wore them on a fairly long flight, and they were not able to entirely cut down on the engine noise. Neither can they completely drown out office chatter when it is nearby. The Transparency mode, on the other hand, works well and lets in enough ambient sound.
Not everything works flawlessly, though. The wear detection feature, in particular, feels inconsistent. On multiple occasions, the audio failed to stop playing when I removed the headphones. In some scenarios, it even switched the audio app it was playing music on.
On the bright side, battery life is one area where the Noise Master Buds Max truly shine. The company claims up to 60 hours of playback on a single charge, and I got close to that number with ANC turned off. With ANC, the headphones are likely to deliver between 35 and 40 hours of usage. Meanwhile, a 10-minute charge provides 8–9 hours of playback, which is fantastic.
Noise Master Buds Max Verdict
Noise’s Master Buds Max deliver a surprisingly polished experience, boosted by Bose’s tuning influence. The headphones offer clean, balanced sound, effective ANC, strong battery life, and a comfortable, premium-feeling design. Their feature set is robust for the price, with Spatial Audio and wear detection being the only underwhelming elements. Overall, they stand out as a value-packed, refined pair of over-ear headphones that exceed expectations.
The Noise Master Buds Max are one of the more impressive mid-range over-ear headphones this year, and a good option to consider if you’re in the market for new headphones.
