Audeze Maxwell Wireless Headphones Review

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:

• Hold 3 seconds: Power on or off.
• Single press: Play or pause media/answer or end call.
• Double press: Bluetooth pairing mode.

Mic mute:

• Slide up and down: Mutes and unmutes the mic.

AI Noise Reduction button:

• Single press: Turns the mic's noise reduction on and off.

Volume wheel:

• Scroll up or down: Raises or lowers the volume.
• Single press + scroll up or down: Skips or returns to the previous track.
• Double press: Cycles through EQ presets.

Game chat wheel:

• Scroll up or down: Adjusts the game/chat mix.
• Single press + scroll up or down: Adjusts the sidetone.
• Double press: Turns sidetone on and off.

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.

These headphones aren't the most stable; while they have a high clamping force, they also weigh a lot. However, they'll stay in place if you're gaming at your desk or computer. If you want to use them while moving, they can easily fall off your head, even with moderate head movements.

• Audeze Maxwell Wireless gaming headset
• 1/8" TRRS cable
• USB-C to USB-C cable
• USB-C dongle
• USB-C to USB-A adapter
• Detachable boom mic with filter
• Manuals

Using the 'Audeze' EQ, which is the default setting, the Audeze Maxwell have a generally balanced sound profile with a little extra bass, making them well-suited for most uses. Sound effects like explosions have plenty of rumble, 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.

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 compliance is outstanding. The whole bass region is slightly inflated relative to our target curve but is very well-balanced, without any big peaks or dips. That means effects like explosions have plenty of rumble while higher-frequency sounds like footsteps or the rumble of vehicle engines in games like Bayonetta 3 are clear, present, and immersive in your gameplay.

These headphones have excellent mid-range target compliance. Apart from a small dip in the low-mids, which keeps soundtrack mixes from getting muddy, this range is mostly flat. Dialogue between characters and instruments in soundtracks like the finale of Final Fantasy VII: Remake sound clear, natural, and accurate.

Their treble compliance is remarkable. The range is just a touch underemphasized, but not at the cost of much clarity. A couple of small dips in the low- and mid-treble mean some sounds like cymbals might feel a little dull depending on their pitch. But, in general, your audio will sound clear and detailed.

The Audeze Maxwell have a very good 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 a few small peaks and dips in the treble range can make 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.