The Audeze Maxwell Wireless are feature-packed gaming headphones that come in Xbox and PlayStation variants. They have a detachable boom mic as well as an integrated mic and support LDAC codec for streaming Hi-Res audio, and you can pair them with two different devices in many ways. However, what sets them apart from competitors like the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless are their planar magnetic drivers, which can help them create a more immersive soundstage and keep distortion low compared to more common dynamic drivers. This kind of driver is pretty heavy and can be fatiguing to wear over time. Planar magnetics are also more complex and harder to match; our model's L/R drivers have some phase mismatch, affecting the placement of objects in the stereo image.
Note: We investigated the original measurements for the Audeze Maxwell measurements and updated the results. For more details, please check out our article here.
The Audeze Maxwell are very good for neutral sound. Out of the box, their default 'Audeze' EQ has a very neutral sound, ensuring adequate punch, thump, and boom, while vocals and instruments sound clear and natural. They have EQ presets available in their companion app, and the 'Immersive' EQ is even flatter and more neutral. These headphones also support LDAC, which is great if you want to stream Hi-Res audio via Bluetooth. Unfortunately, they're closed-back headphones, so their soundstage isn't very immersive or spacious compared to open-backs.
The Audeze Maxwell are gaming headphones, and while you can make them look more casual by detaching their boom mic, they're still heavy and bulky, which can be a deal breaker if you want to use them for commuting. They also don't block out much of the low rumble of bus and plane engines, and their fit can become fatiguing over time. That said, they have a very long battery life that lasts through long days on the go.
The Audeze Maxwell are gaming headphones and aren't the best choice for sports and fitness. They're heavy and bulky and can easily fall off your head with moderate movement. On the upside, you can detach the boom mic to help minimize their gamer-centric design.
The Audeze Maxwell are decent for office use if you don't mind the heavy, gamer-centric design. They have over 70 hours of continuous playback time and can be paired with your PC and smartphone simultaneously via several different connectivity options. While they lack noise cancelling, they can block out some mid-range noise, like ambient chatter, and a lot of high-pitched noise, like the hum of A/C fans. That said, their fit can be fatiguing to wear for long periods.
The Audeze Maxwell are very good for wireless gaming. They come in Xbox and PlayStation variants, so it's important to ensure you get the right model for your needs. Their wireless dongle ensures low latency, so your audio and visuals stay in sync while gaming. They have a fairly neutral sound out of the box, but you can also use their companion software's EQ presets to adjust their sound to suit your tastes. If you like to game with others, their boom mic ensures your voice sounds clear and accurate, even if you're talking in noisy environments. You can pair the headphones with your console and smartphone simultaneously, too.
The Audeze Maxwell are good for wired gaming. They have a neutral sound that most users will enjoy, and their boom mic offers a great overall performance, ensuring you're heard clearly, even in noisy environments. You can also use either variant of these headphones via analog or wired USB on PCs. However, the manufacturer recommends that you use the correct variant with each console to avoid potential functionality issues. In addition, there's some feedback present when using the analog cable, and the mic can pick it up, which is a little disappointing.
The Audeze Maxwell are very good for phone calls. When using their boom mic, your voice sounds clear and natural, even if you're calling from a noisy environment like a busy street. These headphones also have an integrated mic for a more casual look, and although it doesn't perform as well as the boom mic, your voice is still intelligible to others on the line. It has some trouble separating speech from noise, so if you want to use this mic to take calls, it's best to do so from a quieter environment. These over-ears also lack noise cancelling and have a hard time reducing ambient sound around you.
We updated the Controls section of this review with information about the multi-functional power button.
The Audeze Maxwell Wireless come in two console-locked variants: 'Xbox' and 'PlayStation.' We tested the 'Xbox' variant. Both variants come in the 'Dark Gray' colorway. There's also a limited 'Ultraviolet Edition,' released August 15th, 2023, designed for Xbox. This model has a glossy electroplated color scheme that transitions from blue to pink. Since it's only a cosmetic change, we expect our results to be valid for this variant.
If you encounter another variant of these headphones, please let us know in the forums.
The Audeze Maxwell are premium planar magnetic headphones that come in separate variants for PlayStation and Xbox. Like the Audeze Penrose Wireless and Audeze Mobius, they're equipped with a boom mic for gaming as well as an integrated mic for more casual situations. They also have a pretty neutral sound out of the box and have EQ presets available in their companion app to help you get the best sound. They're pretty heavy compared to other gaming headphones, which can be a drawback during long gaming sessions. They're not as customizable as the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless or the Astro A50 Gen 4 Wireless 2019, but they offer robust connectivity options and have an exceptionally long continuous playback time.
If you're looking for more headphones, check out our recommendations for the best gaming headsets, the best headsets for Xbox Series X/S, and the best wireless gaming headsets.
The Audeze Maxwell Wireless have the edge over the Audeze Penrose Wireless. The Maxwell are better built, have a more neutral sound, which some users may prefer, and have a better overall mic performance, which is good if you want to game with others. They also have an exceptionally longer continuous battery life and support LDAC, which is nice if you want to stream Hi-Res content. However, the Penrose are more comfortable as they weigh less.
The Audeze Maxwell Wireless are a solid step up from the Audeze Mobius. The Maxwell are better built and have a more neutral sound profile out of the box, which some users may prefer. Their continuous battery life is significantly longer lasting, and you can connect them with up to two devices at a time. They also support non-Bluetooth wireless via their wireless dongle for a low latency gaming experience. In contrast, the Mobius are more comfortable and have a better overall boom mic performance.
The Audeze Maxwell Wireless are better than the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro. The Audeze are wireless gaming headphones with a better build quality. They come with a boom mic for gaming and an integrated mic for more casual situations. Their mic has better noise handling for when you're gaming in noisy environments, and they support Bluetooth as well as non-Bluetooth wireless connections. They deliver audio more consistently. On the other hand, the SteelSeries are wired headphones. They have a more comfortable fit for most people and better mic recording quality. They have a graphic EQ for sound customization, while the Audeze's app only has presets.
The Focal Bathys Wireless and the Audeze Maxwell Wireless are both premium headphones with balanced sound profiles and very good build quality, but they prioritize different features. For on-the-go, casual use, the Focal perform better, but the Audeze are better suited for gaming. The Audeze have a dedicated boom microphone, which produces more natural-sounding speech with better noise handling, and these headphones have a wired or wireless console and PC compatibility. While you can use the Focal for wireless gaming on PCs, if you're using aptX Adaptive, their latency via this connection is higher than the Audeze's when using the wireless dongle. However, you can use their wired USB-C connection with full audio and mic compatibility.
The Audeze Maxwell Wireless are better overall headphones than the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless. While both headphones are similarly comfortable and well-built, the Audeze have a flatter sound out of the box, which some users may prefer, and they have a more robust virtual soundstage feature. Their boom mic also offers better overall performance, and they have a significantly longer continuous battery life. However, the SteelSeries have a noise cancelling system, which can be handy if you like to game in noisy environments. Their wireless transmitter also puts controls like EQ and sidetone at your fingertips.
The Audeze Maxwell Wireless have a slight edge over the Astro A50 Gen 4 Wireless 2019. While both headphones are well-built, the Audeze have a significantly longer continuous battery life, and support Bluetooth. They have a slightly more neutral sound profile out of the box, which some users may prefer, and they can also be used wired via USB or analog too. However, the Astro are more comfortable, their boom mic offers a better overall performance, and they have a more immersive passive soundstage.
The Audeze Maxwell Wireless are better gaming headphones than the Turtle Beach Stealth Pro Wireless as they're more versatile. The Audeze can be used via analog and wired USB and wirelessly with full audio and mic compatibility. They also support codecs like LC3, LC3+, and LDAC, which is great if you like to listen to high-quality audio. Overall, they have a flatter, more neutral sound profile, which some users may prefer compared to the boomy, bassy sound of the Turtle Beach. They have a better, more immersive passive soundstage, too, their boom mic offers a superior overall performance, and they have a significantly longer continuous playback time. They also have lower wireless latency via their dongle, ensuring your audio and visuals are in sync. Latency varies depending on your setup; even though we noticed some audio lag when using the Turtle Beach on PC, which could hinder your gameplay, we didn't notice it via console. The Turtle Beach are also more comfortable since they weigh less and have ANC, which is handy if you want to block out background noise.
The Audeze Maxwell Wireless are better than the Razer BlackShark V2 Pro Wireless 2023 for gaming. The Audeze have a more balanced default sound profile and deliver audio more consistently. They have a longer continuous battery life and lower latency. On the other hand, the Razer's companion software includes a graphic EQ, and their mic has a better recording quality, so your voice sounds more natural during online games.
The Beyerdynamic MMX 300 (2nd Generation) and Audeze Maxwell Wireless are both manufactured with audio enthusiasts in mind, with great sounding mics and not particularly impressive noise isolation, but they have key differences. You can only use the Beyerdynamic wired, and their mic is permanently affixed. They feel more comfortable because they weigh less, given that they lack batteries, and use dynamic drivers. In contrast, the Audeze work wirelessly and wired, with a detachable mic. Their planar drivers add heft to the overall headphones as well.
The Astro A50 X Wireless and the Audeze Maxwell Wireless are both very good gaming headsets with different strengths that might suit your needs better. The Astro have more connectivity options via their base station, with plenty of USB-C inputs and the capability for HDMI passthrough with their three 2.1 inputs. They're also more comfortable and have a better mic recording quality. The Audeze have a more balanced default sound profile, and you can use them with a wired connection. They also have a longer continuous battery life and better noise isolation, and their mic does a better job of separating your voice from background noise.
The Audeze Maxwell Wireless are better gaming headphones than the Sony PULSE Elite Wireless, and they're better for most uses, too. Although both use planar magnetic drivers, the Audeze are better built and have a more neutral default sound profile. They also have a more intuitive control scheme and a longer continuous battery life and feature Bluetooth multipoint connectivity. That said, both headphones are similarly comfortable and have similarly performing microphones. The Audeze retail for quite a bit more, though.
The Audeze Maxwell Wireless are slightly better gaming headphones than the Logitech G PRO X 2 LIGHTSPEED Wireless. While both headsets have a premium, well-built design, the Audeze come in console-specific variants to suit your needs. Their overall microphone performance is also better, and they support multi-device pairing, which is handy if you want to game from your console and receive audio from your smartphone simultaneously. If you want to use the headphones more casually, they also support higher audio-quality Bluetooth codecs like LC3, LC3+, and LDAC. However, the Logitech are more comfortable, and their app offers more customization features.
The Audeze Maxwell Wireless are a little better than the SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless. The Audeze have a much better build quality and a longer continuous battery life. They can connect with multiple Bluetooth devices at once and support the LDAC codec for high-res audio via Bluetooth. Their mic has better noise handling. However, the SteelSeries have an app with more sound customization features. They come with a wireless transmitter that also works as a battery charging station for the headphones.
The Audeze Maxwell Wireless are better gaming headphones than the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 Wireless. The Audeze have a sturdier design and their boom mic has better noise handling, so you're less likely to be drowned out by loud background noise. They also have a longer continuous battery life. That said, the SteelSeries have a more comfortable fit for most people. They have more in-app sound customization features, including a parametric EQ.
The Audeze Maxwell have an understated look, compared to the Audeze Penrose Wireless and Audeze Mobius, with a mostly black satin design. They have a removable boom mic as well as an integrated mic to help them fit into more casual environments. Although these headphones come in either an 'Xbox' or 'PlayStation' variant, both models have the same dark gray design. There's a limited colorway called 'Ultraviolet Edition,' which has a glossy electroplated pink and purple design as well.
These headphones are decently comfortable for most people. The earcups are spacious and well-padded. However, their planar magnetic drivers are heavy, which adds to their total weight. As a result, they're heavier than the Audeze Penrose Wireless and dynamic gaming headsets like the Logitech G PRO X 2 LIGHTSPEED Wireless. The manufacturer offsets the weight by switching from a more traditional headband to a leather ski-band design, which helps distribute the weight more evenly on your head. The headband has three different settings, but it can be hard to get a good fit if you're between sizes. While you can adjust the size by moving only one band on either side of the ear cups, this could also disrupt the seal of the headphones. Unfortunately, even with the ski-band headband, the headphones can cause fatigue over time.
The Audeze Maxwell have good physical controls. They're located on the left ear cup and are easy to use. There are voice prompts as well as chimes to let you know when a command is registered. There's also an LED indicator light letting you know whether you're connected via dongle or Bluetooth or in pairing mode; the light also indicates the status of the battery. That said, the volume and game chat wheels feel the same, and it can be hard to tell them apart when you're wearing the headphones.
Power button:
Mic mute:
AI Noise Reduction button:
Volume wheel:
Game chat wheel:
These headphones are pretty bulky and aren't intended for use on the go. Although their ear cups can swivel to lay flat to help reduce their footprint, they still take up quite a bit of space in a bag. They also lack a carrying case to protect the headphones when on the go.
The Audeze Maxwell have a great build quality. These premium over-ears are made of a combination of materials and feel more sturdy than the Audeze Penrose Wireless or the Audeze Mobius. The faux leather ear cups are spacious, deep, and detachable. The headband frame is also reinforced with metal, while the headband is made from leather. That said, each time you readjust the headband, it leaves behind leathery residue. There are only three adjustment levels, which can make it harder to get a good fit. This design isn't meant to be adjusted repeatedly, though, and once you get a good fit, you won't have to adjust it again.
Using the 'Audeze' EQ, which is the default setting, the Audeze Maxwell have a neutral sound profile, making them well-suited for most uses. Sound effects like explosions and gunfire are present, while dialogue and instruments are clear, natural, and accurate. That said, if you prefer a different sound, their companion app offers a graphic EQ and presets to help you customize their sound to your liking.
If you're looking for an even more neutral sound, then you'll want to check out their 'Immersive' EQ's Sound Profile and Raw Frequency Response. This EQ helps further level the bass and treble amount, which some users may prefer.
After reports that firmware 1.01.60 drastically changed the frequency response and lowered the output at max volume even after the release of 1.01.61, which was meant to revert to the original sound profile and output, we retested the headphones. Our unit was still running firmware version 1.01.38, so we can't replicate the issue because the headphones will only update to the latest firmware. Our measurements indicate that the sound profile is the same for both 1.01.38 and 1.01.61 firmware versions, and while we expected a lower output, the headphones are very slightly louder.
The frequency response consistency is mediocre. The leather headband has a limited range of adjustment because it only has three levels, making it difficult to get a good fit during our human passes. We had to adjust one side to be smaller than the other to achieve a proper fitting. Overall, these headphones are prone to inconsistencies in bass and treble delivery. You may also notice a drop in bass if you have thick hair or wear glasses.
The bass accuracy is outstanding. Their sound is light on thump and rumble, but the rest of the range is fairly flat and even, ensuring that sound effects like footsteps or the rumble of vehicle engines in games like Bayonetta 3 are clear and present in your gameplay.
These headphones have fantastic mid accuracy. This range is very flat and neutral, so dialogue between characters and instruments in soundtracks like the finale of Final Fantasy VII: Remake sound clear, natural, and accurate.
Their treble accuracy is great. The range is a little underemphasized, so dialogue and instruments are a little veiled, while sibilants are dull. However, this roll-off is somewhat minor.
The Audeze Maxwell have a great peaks and dips performance, meaning they control their sound profile very well. There aren't many significant peaks and dips overall. A small peak in the low bass adds thump and rumble to the mix, while another between the high-mid to low treble makes dialogue and instruments bright. The uneven mid-treble makes sibilants alternatingly dull and piercing.
Planar magnetic drivers, like those used in these headphones, differ from the dynamic drivers more commonly found in headphones. Planar magnetic drivers are more complex, making them more prone to L/R driver mismatch and variance between units. Audeze usually has good quality control and ergonomics, and our unit's L/R drivers are well-matched in group delay, ensuring tight bass and transparent treble reproduction. They're also well-matched in amplitude and frequency response, ensuring a stable stereo soundstage.
However, some phase mismatch is present and is audible in subjective listening, as male voices, in particular, sound recessed and incorrectly placed in the soundstage. There's also some rattling and warping in the low bass, affecting the soundstage's quality. For more information regarding our assessment and retest of phase response, you can check out our investigation article here. It's worth noting that imaging varies between units, but if you have experienced this issue, please let us know in the forums.
The Audeze Maxwell have a disappointing passive soundstage performance, mostly due to their closed-back design. They create a less spacious and immersive soundstage, compared to open-backs like the Drop + Sennheiser/EPOS PC38X, and struggle to create an open, out-of-head listening experience. However, their soundstage feels more spacious and wide than the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless. That's likely partly due to their planar magnetic drivers, which can create a broader wavefront to interact with your ear than dynamic drivers, resulting in a better representation of the stereo image.
The Xbox variant comes with a Dolby Atmos subscription included in the box, which works on Xbox and PC. This feature offers EQ presets with their own spatial settings to help create a more immersive gaming experience. Unfortunately, if you buy the PlayStation version of the headphones, you must buy this subscription separately. While the included AudezeHQ app does not have spatial audio, you can purchase the compatible third-party app, Immerse Gaming Hive for PC to gain the feature. This subscription isn't included when you buy the headphones and will allow you to personalize your surround sound experience. The added features include sound optimization that analyzes photos of your ears and their unique shape, as well as EQ presets for specific game genres.
The Audeze Maxwell's weighted harmonic distortion performance is good. While there's some distortion present in the right driver's low-bass and in the mid-treble range for both drivers at moderate volumes, both peaks are narrow and hard to hear with real-life content. The rest of the frequencies fall within good limits, which results in mostly clear and pure audio reproduction.
These are the settings used to test the Audeze Maxwell. Our results are only valid when used in this configuration.
The noise isolation performance is disappointing, but these headphones aren't designed to block out a lot of sound. They won't reduce any of the low rumbles of traffic from an open window. That said, they can reduce some ambient chatter and do a significantly better job of cutting down the high-pitch whirl of computer fans. If you're looking for gaming headphones with better noise isolation performance and ANC, check out the Turtle Beach Stealth Pro Wireless instead.
Our test results indicate a peak in the level of attenuation that goes above zero in the low-bass range, implying that these frequencies are actually amplified when you have these headphones on. While we have encountered this phenomenon before, we ran multiple passes and confirmed it wasn't a result of our testing rig or particular resonances in the room. We also carried out subjective listening, mimicking the positioning of the dummy head, and noticed an elevated bass frequency volume while the full-range audio sample was playing. While it's hard to definitively say what's causing this, it's possible that it's related to how the Audeze headphones' physical properties interact with external factors, like vibrations in the building. They have a large, bulky enclosure that houses the planar magnetic drivers, and it's possible that this allows lower frequencies to reverberate inside, trapping them and amplifying them further.
The Audeze Maxwell are disappointing when it comes to isolating you from noise in dynamic scenarios. They provide very little attenuation against the roar of plane engines or the hustle and bustle of a busy office. They fare slightly better when it comes to attenuating street noise, but car honks and engine revs will still find their way into your audio.
The leakage performance is decent. Leakage is mostly spread in the mid-range and sounds somewhat full. If you like to crank up the volume while gaming, others around you will hear it in a quiet space like a living room. It isn't so noticeable in noisier places, though.
The Audeze Maxwell come with two mics: a detachable boom mic and an integrated mic. The detachable boom mic is quite flexible, but if you need to adjust it, it's best to do so from its base as the mic can easily fall down.
The boom mic has good recording quality. Your voice sounds very clear, making the mic a solid choice if you like to game with others.
The integrated mic also captures your voice very clearly, and you can hear this mic's recorded speech file here. Whoever's on the other end of the line will hear you well.
The boom mic's noise-handling performance is outstanding. You'll be heard clearly whether you're talking in a noisy environment like a gaming tournament or chatting with friends at home.
The integrated mic doesn't perform quite as well as the boom mic, especially with loud noise like a subway. You can hear our recordings of 'Speech + Pink Noise' and 'Speech + Subway Noise.' Your voice is drowned out by loud sound, so if you want to take a call using the integrated mic, it's best to do so from a quieter environment.
The Audeze Maxwell have outstanding battery performance. The manufacturer advertises them to last 80 hours at 80dB, and we measured a similar amount, which means you can game multiple days in a row without recharging them. Battery life depends on usage and volume, though. Luckily, they have an auto-off timer to help conserve battery life when not in use. The manufacturer also advertises them to deliver 20–30 hours of play time after charging for 20 minutes.
The Audeze HQ app is decent. You can also see a video of how it works here. Unlike most gaming companion software, you can use it on mobile devices as well as on PCs. Both pieces of software offer the same level of controls and features. You can choose from a few EQ presets, but you can also access the game/chat mixers, toggle the sidetone on/off, and adjust the sidetone's level.
These headphones come with a 1/8" TRS cable, a USB-C to USB-C audio/charging cable, and a USB-A to USB-C adapter, also for audio and charging. The USB-C cable has fairly low latency, ensuring your audio and visuals stay in sync while gaming.
While we originally measured somewhat high latency via wired USB, we launched an investigation into our latency measurements, and created headphones test bench 1.6 to address these issues. These results are more accurate and better represent what you can expect from your setup. For a more straightforward gaming headset that retains analog connectivity and controls, the Beyerdynamic MMX 300 (2nd Generation) are a stripped-back option.
The Audeze Maxwell have excellent Bluetooth connectivity. They support Bluetooth version 5.3 and can be quick-paired with your Android device. You can also connect these headphones with up to two devices in the following ways: via two Bluetooth devices; a device connected via Bluetooth and another connected via dongle; USB wired and Bluetooth (simultaneously); and analog and Bluetooth (simultaneously). You'll need to manually switch audio between devices for any connection that isn't simultaneous, as you can't play audio at the same time. The headphones will also prioritize the output path and automatically switch to Bluetooth (HFP), dongle, Bluetooth (A2DP), USB-C, or analog, depending on the connection.
These headphones support Bluetooth LE Audio, a wireless standard designed with low power consumption in mind. This wireless standard also supports LC3 and LC3+ codecs, both of which offer more efficient audio transmission with higher audio quality. However, we can't adequately test these codecs. They also support LDAC codec, which is a proprietary codec from Sony for streaming Hi-Res content. This codec has high latency, so it isn't the best choice for streaming video; audio lag won't be noticeable if you're only listening to audio. These headphones also have high latency via SBC on PCs, so you'll be better off using the wireless dongle for gaming. Some apps and devices compensate for latency, though.
These headphones have excellent wireless dongle connectivity. This ensures that your audio and visuals stay in sync while gaming.
In our original review, we noticed higher-than-expected latency using the dongle. The manufacturer claims the results should be closer to 20 ms, though, so we launched an investigation into our latency measurements and created Test Bench 1.6 to address these issues. These results are more accurate and better represent what you can expect from your setup.
The Audeze Maxwell Xbox have full audio and mic compatibility with PCs, whether you're using Bluetooth, the dongle, or even their analog or USB cable.
The Audeze Maxwell Wireless come in two console-specific variants: Xbox and PlayStation. The manufacturer states in their FAQ section that the Xbox variant isn't officially supported on this console, which can result in 'some limitations in volume control and other possible loss of functionality.' They also recommend that you use the correct variant with each console.
We could still get our Xbox variant to work with the PS4 and PS5 via analog, non-Bluetooth wireless, and wired USB with full audio and mic compatibility. There's slight static from the drivers when connected via analog, but the mic can pick up the feedback, though. To use the headphones wirelessly, you'll need to set the USB dongle to 'PC mode' for the mic and audio to work. However, you lose game/chat mix controls and will be limited in volume control. You can use PS5 Audio Tempest, though, which can help make your audio seem more immersive.
If you have the PlayStation variant of this console, you can connect these headphones with these consoles in every way with full compatibility. You won't lose out on features, either.
The Audeze Maxwell Xbox have full audio and mic compatibility when connected via analog or non-Bluetooth wireless. That said, some users have experienced issues connecting this variant to their Xbox Series X|S consoles. It also happened to us during testing, but resetting the console seemed to eliminate the issue. If you're using them via analog, there's slight static coming from the drivers, which the mic can pick up.
The PlayStation variant of these headphones aren't officially supported on this console. While you can connect them via analog with full audio and mic compatibility, you may lose out on other features.
The Audeze Maxwell comes with a wireless USB dongle. Depending on your variant, it offers full audio and mic compatibility with the Xbox or PlayStation consoles. However, if you own multiple consoles and want to switch between them, it's worth looking at the Astro A50 X Wireless instead, which let you switch between different systems with the click of a button.