Based in Florida, Blackbrook Cases manufactures high-quality leather goods, including cases for iPhones, AirPods, iPads and Airtags, as well as Apple Watch bands. One of Blackbrook’s latest products is a case solution for the AirPods Max, which works both with and without Apple’s own smart case and tries to address some of the criticisms leveled at protecting Apple’s over-ear headphones.
Blackbrook offers three different cases for the ‘AirPods Max’. This review takes a look at two of Blackbrook’s ‘AirPods Max’ cases, the “Danny” case and the “Tommy” case. The Danny case is slightly more compact with flat sides and a back pocket, while the Tommy case is slightly larger, with beveled edges and no back pocket. Overall, the designs are very similar and there is no real reason to choose one other than aesthetics.
The other “Hannah” case isn’t made specifically for AirPods Max, but rather serves as both a storage pouch and a desk stand that works with any headphone.
My Danny case is in “Golden Brown” and my Tommy case is in “Barnish Tan,” but both cases are also available in “Pebble Black,” “Dark Chocolate,” and “Distressed Antique Coffee.” Each case has a high-quality textured finish with rich colors that complement the choice of materials.
The outer skin of the cases is tough and backed by a hard shell inside for added protection. The Tommy case feels spongier on the outside than the Danny case, probably due to some extra padding, but both feel very durable. I’m confident that the design and tough exterior do a good job of protecting my AirPods Max.
At the top, there’s a useful carrying handle that makes moving around with the stowed AirPods Max even easier. It can also be used to hook or fasten the ‘AirPods Max’ elsewhere if needed.
The back of the Danny case has a medium-sized zip-up pocket. Unfortunately, the leather is pulled so tightly to the hard interior that it’s virtually impossible to use for anything practical.
It might be possible to slide something thin like a credit card or a receipt inside, but I’m worried I won’t be able to retrieve it because I can barely get my fingers inside. Blackbrook says the pocket is a feature of the case, but really I think it’s more decorative.
There is no passthrough area for charging the headphones with the Lightning cable while zipped inside the case, but users can use both zips to close the charging cable on either side if needed.
The zippers are a brassy color to compliment the hues of the case. The zippers themselves are sturdy and don’t snag too much, but they’re not as smooth as I think they could be.
When opened, the Tommy case design allows the clamshell design to fully open, while the Danny case stops at about 135 degrees. Although it’s not particularly important, I like the full opening of the Tommy case because it minimizes the chance of scratching my AirPods Max on the zipper.
The inside of the cases has a soft microfiber material to prevent your headphones from getting scratched or bruised Despite the slightly different designs, the interior space is effectively the same in both cases.
Unlike Apple’s Smart Case, Blackbrook cases cover the entire AirPods Max for better overall protection. The design is space-efficient and compact as you need. The angular profile of the case closely matches the shape of the protected headphones while giving it a distinctive shape and character.
Inside, there is a generously sized elasticated pocket to store a cable or power adapter. Unlike the back pocket of the Danny Case, this pocket is very easy to access and large enough to store a few items. The inside pocket of the tommy case is a bit small due to the shape.
Blackbrook’s ‘AirPods Max’ cases feature a pair of magnets, arranged in a “butterfly”, with one magnet each sewn into the center of the case between two flaps of leather. This allows you to snap them together to fit between each earcup, or lay them flat when you want to store the AirPods Max in their Apple Smart Case.
Just like Apple’s Smart Case, the magnet butterfly can keep the headphones in their ultra-low power mode when placed between the earcups to conserve battery life.
When snapped together, aligning the butterfly between the ear cups is almost effortless. Using a case in this configuration avoids using Apple’s Smart Case entirely.
If you want to keep your AirPods Max in the Apple Smart Case but also want some extra protection, Blackbrook’s case design allows for that. You fold the magnetic butterfly to lay it flat and the AirPods Max fit perfectly into the Smart Case.
My only criticism of this system for regular use is that the butterfly seems to prefer snapping together rather than lying flat, so when placing the AirPods Max in their Smart Case Blackbrook case, you may need to smooth them back out. Still, the butterfly works well and adds versatility to the field.
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Overall, Blackbrook’s ‘AirPods Max’ case is both a good alternative and addition to Apple’s Smart Case. There’s no question that BlackBrook’s case protects the AirPods Max much better than Apple’s Smart Case alone, offering proper all-around protection.
Inside, I appreciated the soft-touch material, versatile butterfly magnet system, and large pocket to keep the headphones in their ultra-low power mode.
The case seems to last and will age well, but it seems a bit expensive to me at $149. It’s a high-quality and well-designed product, but not so luxurious I think I’d personally be comfortable paying this price. The only other minor bugbear for me was the practically inaccessible pocket on the back of the Danny case.
Whether the case is used for everyday use as an alternative to a smart case, or for occasional peace of mind while traveling, BlackBrook AirPods Max– cases present functional and premium options for any potential buyer.
how to buy
The Blackbrook “Danny” and “Tommy” AirPods Max– Cases can be purchased from the Blackbrook Case website for $149 and are available in “Golden Brown,” “Barnish Tan,” “Pebble Black,” “Dark Chocolate,” and “Distressed Antique Coffee.” “
BlackBrook is currently offering a free AirTag keychain case with any AirPods Max case order.
Note: Blackbrook provided MacRumors with the AirPods Max case for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.
