Penrose was a learning experience for Audeze. The ill-fated wireless headset was something people expected to be the hands down best, that ended up being a good headset with some particularly annoying negatives. Not only did Audeze listen to concerns, they were a driving force to make Maxwell into everything players expected Penrose to be. Giving the consistent quality of Audeze, and ground to make up, is Maxwell the best wireless gaming headset, or is it a repeat of previous mistakes?
Unlike every other Audeze product I’ve reviewed, besides Penrose, Maxwell’s packaging is much closer to what I’d expect from a gaming headset. These include a wide array of key features, sides further expand on them, with the back giving a surprisingly detailed overview of what to expect.
Inside features the same attention to detail. The cardboard box containing Maxwell starts by having a quick start guide on the back of the protective cover. It quickly explains how to use Maxwell, along with alternate modes. Beneath that is a foam holder with Maxwell, and the USB-C dongle, with a hidden box beneath the foam holder containing the remaining accessories.
As previously mentioned, Maxwell includes a multifunctional USB-C dongle. Along with that players are given a 3’~ 3.5 mm cable, 6’~ USB-C to USB-C cable, small manual, introduction card, Audeze logo sticker, and a USB-A to USB-C adapter. The last part is a nice addition as it adds versatility, and accounts for different set ups, such as PlayStation 4, and Xbox Series S lacking USB-C ports.
I also greatly appreciate Audeze largely future proofing Maxwell by including USB-C. Now I can directly connect it to my iPhone, Android phone, tablet, computer, Nintendo Switch, and not have to worry about having additional adapters. It also features a toggle for console, and PC.
One of the most common complaints Penrose received was build quality. The largely plastic frame simply did not stand the test of time for many players, resulting in unfortunate cracks, and breaks. Audeze addressed this by making Maxwell’s frame metal.
Not only is the frame a lot more durable, it’s a rather thick metal. As near as I can tell it’s the same headband, just in a different color, as their recently released $400 MM-100 headset. The same is seemingly true for ear pads, though the ear shell is a similarly colored plastic.
All things considered, this is a welcome step up from Penrose. It should better stand the test of time, will absolutely withstand a little misuse, and simply looks fantastic.
As previously mentioned, Maxwell shares a lot with MM-100. This is something I will get into more in our upcoming review, but I mention it here because the design feels more like a high quality headset than one designed for gaming. Branding is to a minimum, with the only loud element being the Audeze logo being blue. Naturally, the Xbox version will be green, and MM-100 has the logo on the other side in a more muted grey.
Since this is a gaming headset, the left side has a volume slider, chat/game audio mixer, 3.5 mm input, USB-C port, mic port, and noise suppression button. On the side is power, with a mute toggle above it. It’s an okay system that takes a little getting that works fine once acclimated to it.
Normally, I don’t include comfort because it’s such a subjective element. I made an exception for Penrose since it was among the most prevalent complaints, and something I feel Audeze made massive strives with on Maxwell.
First and foremost, I actually like the leather headband. At first I had concerns about it given there are only three different levels, but it works surprisingly well. I can’t speak to its longevity, but at least it’s an easy replacement if it were to get damaged.
I can also say it feels pretty comfortable, with an okay weight. At 490 g (1.08 lbs) it’s on the heavier side compared to popular headsets like Astro A50 (363 g), Arctis Nova Pro (340 g), or even Penrose (320 g). This is where the plastic ear shells are a welcome compromise, as even without a battery MM-100 comes in at 475 g.
That being said, I found Maxwell stuck to my face causing constant readjustment. Thankfully, given this is a more popular headset, and the similarities to MM-100, aftermarket solutions exist. I can’t speak to their quality, how they impact sound, or if they even fix this concern, just that there are potential options to combat it.
One of the biggest concerns I personally had with Penrose was connectivity. With almost every headset I’ve tested I was able to get a couple rooms away before connection was an issue. For Penrose, I’d frequently disconnect leaving my office, or simply having it behind my television.
I am pleased to say Maxwell makes massive strides in this category. Whether the dongle is connected to my PlayStation 5’s USB-C port, or through a docking station on the back, I can maintain a stable connection anywhere in my house. It’s actually the only gaming headset I tested capable of maintaining a connection when leaving the front door, though it disconnects as soon as I leave my house.
Bluetooth unsurprisingly gave similar results. I could get far enough to enter my car, which is around 40′ away, though anything more would disconnect. In all I am pleased with both as they will work with any reasonable experience one could ask for.
I also love that it doesn’t instantly swap to USB headset when my PlayStation 5 turns on. This is something most headsets do, forcing me to swap sound from headset to my soundbar, whereas Maxwell only connects when the headset is turned on.
Living up to the Audeze name, Maxwell delivers an amazing audio experience. This held true regardless of whether I listened to a gaming song, was listening for context clues, something I knew extremely well, amazing arrangements like those found in Returnal, or Indies that tried their best.
Where I noticed it the most is my go to test game, Destiny 2. What immediately stood out was how well everything was represented. I could accurately hear my charged melee as someone activated their super in the distance, or listen to an attack being charged as my arrow unleashed a powerful electric shock. It really brought out the game’s best, and something that elevated the experience.
I was also lucky enough to experience Marvel Rivals, NetEase Games/Marvel Games take on the hero shooter, and absolutely noticed a change. On a basic level every detail, be it an iconic phrase, or imminent attack was detailed with such delightful clarity. It helped me focus on what really matters, and ultimately avoid attacks I might not have otherwise anticipated.
This is also something that has the potential to get better with time. Embody, known for their fantastic Spatial Audio service on PC, announced a partnership with Audeze, and Maxwell. The hopes of this partnership is to use the head tracking technology found on Maxwell to make mixing in Dolby Atmos easier. Not only will this increase the number of Spatial Audio sources out there, it makes for an affordable headset content creators may have used to create their vision. The Xbox version also comes with a Dolby Atmos license embedded, so that is one less concern for anyone on that side of things.
Music performance is in an unusual place. Compared to other gaming headsets, Maxwell would be one of my first choices for music; but compared to headsets designed with music in mind it wouldn’t rank high.
The default profile starts by being more bass heavy. This isn’t surprising, given a wide variety of gaming elements favor this profile. Beyond that, Maxwell does well at retaining detail across a wide range of sounds. I never missed an instrument, or failed to hear a lyric due to clarity. At least in regard to what Maxwell can control.
Where it starts to fall behind is sound stage. Given Maxwell is a closed back headset this isn’t too surprising. Again, not the worst thing in games where most players want to feel what is happening around them, but for music it can make songs sound scrunched together.
Audeze added Maxwell to Audeze HQ, their free software that helps players get the most out of their headset. For Maxwell this application works on Windows, MacOS, Android, and iOS. This is a good way to recalibrate Maxwell’s sound, or adjust a wide variety of other settings.
The most notable being volume limiter, which prevents Maxwell from hitting excessive volumes, and auto-shutdown. Options range from 5 minutes to 6 hours, making it a good option to conserve battery life, or adapt to a wide variety of situations.
While Maxwell is heavier than a lot of the competition, it makes up for it with impressive battery life. Audeze lists Maxwell as having an 80+ hour battery life, which based off our tests was slightly above that. Given many gaming headsets are in the 20 hour range it’s more than enough to go days, possibly even weeks, without thinking about it. To me the biggest advantage isn’t the massive reserve, it’s the fast charge capabilities.
What I liked about Astro A50, and to a lesser extent RIG 800 Pro, are the docking stations. I can set either headset on the dock, leave it there, and always have it ready to go when I need it. Maxwell might lack said feature, though being able to get roughly 20 hours of battery life in 20 minutes simplifies the process for me. I’ll often get a message from a friend saying they will be on in 10 minutes, which it goes without saying is usually 30, giving me ample time to charge my headset.
Naturally, this is a great feature for longer raids, or other long term investments. Instead of having to make sure it’s plugged in before bed, or at specific times I can always top it off during a meal, or taking a break to watch my favorite show.
In addition to having great sound, Audeze included their impressive Filter technology. This was originally found on their Filter device, which even earned them a spot on Time Magazine’s Best Inventions of 2022 list. Having it on a headset is a massive win, as it can help eliminate unwanted noise, with one of the most common being a fan.
Even at a low level, Filter works surprisingly well. I asked multiple different people I played with if they could hear my fan, and they unanimously agreed it was silent. Given these are big claims, I wanted to do something different, and recorded a brief video of me testing Maxwell at the lowest on-device noise suppression level with my Dreo Polyfan.
Due to the long length some parts were cropped out, and I ultimately went with my initial more amateur take. The reason for this is how well it performed. Going into it I knew a direct hit at max speed would push Maxwell to the green range, which was my benchmark for “bad,” though I did not anticipate how well it would handle a less direct hit. Seriously, this is impressive technology that lives up to the hype, but it isn’t without negatives.
I knew going into Maxwell that microphone performance was one of the most, if not the most, common complaint. Having extensively tested this across a wide variety of conditions, I am not surprised by this outcome.
The day I got Maxwell I was excited to try it with my usual Destiny 2 group, who immediately commented on the new mic. After inquiring into why, I was told it sounded “scratchy” compared to my usual Astro A50 set up.
Immediately after I tried a wide variety of configurations, including using Penrose’s microphone because people reported improvements, with my friend. At first he agreed with their assessment of Maxwell being “scratchy,” though after about an hour he claimed low noise suppression with Penrose’s microphone sounded “perfect.”
At this point I was confident I solved the issue, though the previous Destiny 2 group disagreed. To their credit they did not immediately point it out until I asked if it was better. Within seconds all five people scrambling to comment on how bad the experience was for them.
I then recruited another a fellow Infinite Start writer to see if we could find the magic combination. After trying PlayStation 5 transmitted to Discord, PlayStation 5 directly, changing a wide variety of settings per Audeze’s suggestion, using an FAQ, and more I could not find a winning solution. I was consistently told it sounded like I was “in a fishbowl,” and the Filter technology was so aggressive, even at the lowest level, it caused distortion when I spoke.
In hopes a new person would yield better results, I recruited my best friend who had no complaints besides the aggressive filter. I repeated this with my girlfriend who echoed the same sentiment.
Speaking for myself, I don’t have issues with the audio recordings. I can kind of make out the distortion, though I personally don’t see it being a big enough difference to warrant such responses. Still, I wanted to include this feedback as this is something that directly impacts other people. It ultimately doesn’t matter if I think it’s fine if everyone else agrees it’s bad. Especially when there are simply too many variables to consider.
I give Audeze a lot of credit for what they did with Maxwell. They took the overwhelming amount of negative feedback Penrose received, and legitimately tried their best to deliver an amazing wireless gaming headset.
For the most part, it’s hard to deny Maxwell is an exceptional headset. It looks great, feels well constructed, delivers one of the best performances I’ve heard from a gaming headset, all with a couple notable features. The only room for improvement is the microphone, but at least that can be corrected. Saramonic makes a wireless microphone, Antlion Audio makes options for this specific situation, or a wide variety of options from companies like Maono. So for these reasons and more, I absolutely believe Maxwell is worth checking out.
Editor’s Note: Audeze Maxwell was provided to us for review purposes.
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