A pair of replacement ear cushions for the AirPods Max headphones will cost you $69

Apple’s $549 AirPods Max headphones are available to pre-order today ahead of December 15 availability. According to the product listing on the online Apple store, a pair of replacement ear cushions for the audio accessory, available in a variety of colors, is priced at $69.

Listed at post time as “coming soon,” the AirPods Max Ear Cushions are available from apple.com and in the Apple Store app in black, silver, green, sky blue and red — the same color finishes as the headphones themselves. Your purchase includes one set of cushions, made by Apple, for each ear. To make using the AirPods Max more intuitive, the left ear cushion has the letter “L” and the right one has the letter “R” printed on the inside fabric.

Each ear cushion uses acoustically engineered memory foam to create an effective seal, which is “a critical factor in delivering immersive sound”. Custom Apple-designed mesh textile wraps the ear cushions to provide “pillow-like softness while listening” and added comfort.

Another innovation, dubbed adaptive EQ, helps adjust the sound to the fit and seal of the ear cushions by measuring the sound signal delivered to a user and adjusting the low and mid-frequencies, in real time (they call it computational audio for a reason).

The headphones can be pre-ordered starting today for $549 in the United States and 24 other countries and regions from apple.com and in the Apple Store app. The AirPods Max will begin shipping next Tuesday, December 15. The audio accessory requires Apple devices running iOS 14.3, iPadOS 14.3, macOS Big Sur 11.1, watchOS 7.2 or tvOS 14.3 or later.

The promotional video reveals that the ear cushions attach magnetically.

The AirPods Max ship with an included Smart Case and a Lightning to USB-C cable. Extended AppleCare+ coverage for the new headphones is priced at $59.

For further information, visit apple.com/airpods-max.