We’ve seen more M2 MacBook Pro laptops lately in Setups than M2 MacBook Air machines, but today’s featured setup bucks the trend. Its M2 MacBook Air drives a 34-inch LG 4K IPS display.
But it’s the setup’s audio gear that may grab your attention. AirPods Pro (2nd gen) make the cut, as do two other sets of premium earphones, outstanding speakers and one of Sony’s super-high-end Walkman MP3 players.
This post contains affiliate links. Cult of Mac may earn a commission when you use our links to buy items.
Trim M2 MacBook Air setup packs 18 items, including stellar audio
Redditor drhippopotato (“Hip”) showcased the setup in a post entitled, “Home office/entertainment station.” The workstation centers on a 2022 13.6-inch MacBook Air driving a 34-inch LG 4K IPS display, but there’s a lot more to it than meets the eye at a glance.
But first things first. Apple’s slimmest and lightest laptop, the MacBook Air, is getting the job done.
“I’m using the Air M2 too with 24GB RAM, how do u feel it performs under heavy load?” a commenter asked.
“TBH, my workload is pretty light — word processing, Excel, media playback. For those, I’ve never run into any problems,” Hip replied.
Apple and Logi input devices
For input devices, he relies on a Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and number pad, a Magic Trackpad 2 and the hugely popular Logitech MX Master 3 wireless mouse.
We see that mouse and its updated sibling, the MX Master 3S, the most often in Setups besides Magic Mouse and Magic Mouse 2.
Nice and pricey audio devices
While Hip includes AirPods Pro 2 in his audio arsenal, that’s the sole device from Cupertino in the mix.
Interestingly, the other headphones are also the in-ear type — the quite pricey Vision Ears Elysium custom in-ear monitors (over $2,000) as well as Sony MX1000 M2 wireless behind-neck Bluetooth headphones ($200 – $300).
Here’s how he breaks down how he likes and uses the three sets:
AirPods
-
Great for the gym, and whenever I’m on the move.
-
I also use them with my Mac/iPad/iPhone when my partner’s asleep and I’m still watching/listening to stuff.
-
Sound quality is decent, but convenience is the big pull factor here.
VE Elysium
-
My favorite pair of IEMs [in-ear monitors]; I auditioned to them at a local headphones shop and fell in love; I placed the order for a customized pair, and waited excruciatingly for 2 months before they arrived.
-
I use them for critical listening and musical enjoyment.
-
When paired with the Sony WM1AM2 [Walkman Digital Audio Player], they are great for single-tasking (i.e. I want to just enjoy listening to music and nothing else).
-
These are a highly resolving pair of IEMs and can be very unforgiving of poorly mastered material; treble and female vocals shine through because of the electrostatic drivers.
Sony WM1000 M2
-
To be honest these get very little listening time these days.
-
I bought them online a few years back while I was still in university, and they have just ‘been around’ I guess.
-
Sound is mediocre.
He uses a Chord Mojo headphone amplifier and digital-to-audio converter (DAC).
He also uses a Sony WM1AM2 Walkman Digital Audio Player, mentioned above. If you haven’t kept up with Sony Walkman lately, you might be surprised to hear Hip’s is a $1,400 MP3 player with a built-in digital amplifier for hi-res audio.
For in-room sound, Hip relies on high-performance Kanto Tuk powered speakers. You can buy them with stands to help direct the sound at your ears, but Hip doesn’t have any.
“I think your next step could be buying speaker stands or speaker foam to point the tweeter at your ears so that you’re getting direct sound,” a helpful commenter advised. Hip appreciated the advice.
Shop these items now:
Computers:
Display:
Input devices:
Audio:
Charging accessories:
- Elago W4 Apple Watch silicone dock
- Belkin MagSafe 2-in-1 Wireless Charging Stand
- Native Union charging docks for iPhone and Apple Watch
If you would like to see your setup featured on Cult of Mac, send some high-res pictures to info+setups@cultofmac.com. Please provide a detailed list of your equipment. Tell us what you like or dislike about your setup, and fill us in on any special touches, challenges and plans for new additions.
Apple's latest MacBook Air laptop features the powerful M2 chip, a beautiful Liquid Retina display and a 1080p FaceTime HD Camera.
iPad mini 6 is Apple's latest small-sized tablet with big performance. It includes the A15 Bionic chip, 8.3-inch Liquid Retina Display, Wi-Fi 6, 12MP front/12MP back camera, Touch ID and more.
The latest model AirPods Pro 2 are among the best wireless earbuds you can buy for your iPhone and other Apple gear. They offer excellent sound quality, battery life and active noise cancellation, among other advanced features.
