I think the writer meant to say ‘gone rogue’ instead of ‘AWOL’. Just poor writing skills.

I switched to Qobuz. Mainly for sound quality, but they also pay artists more than ten times as much and they have pretty neat long read articles and deep dives, which is a way more satisfying way to discover new stuff. It’s pretty great.

It’s so desperate.

If you’re happy with them, then it’s a good pair of headphones for you! I think the best indicator is that if you can listen to them for long sessions on end, then it’s good stuff. If they pinch, itch, if the sound makes you restless or if you feel like taking them off after an album, then it’s not a good match.

I tested them and they don’t even sound that great. For the price, there are a lot of WAY better options out there.

But that is the case with many Apple products.