Audeze Maxwell gaming headset review

udeze is back at it with a new gaming headset that takes advantage of their famous high-fidelity planar magnetic drivers. Their stellar line of headphones have a great reptutation with my coworkers, especially headphone expert Jeff Miller, so I was pumped to take part in the Beta test for these high-performance gaming 'phones.

I got to spend some serious quality time testing out the PlayStation version of Maxwells. Read on for my firsthand impressions.

A quick overview

The Audeze Maxwell was designed from the ground up for accurate gaming, with quick response times and impressive directional details that make every gaming session smoother — whether you're a pro gamer or an enthusiastic hobbyist like me.

Super-long wireless battery life

One of the coolest features of the Maxwells are their wildly long battery life of over 80 hours. You can play on and off for days (even weeks) at a time before you'll need to charge the headset again. Even then, it supports fast-charging. You can plug them up for a quick 20-minute charge and net more than enough power to play for the rest of the day unimpeded.

Powerful spatial audio

Both the PlayStation and Xbox versions of the Maxwell provide high-quality spatial audio that boosts your immersion and heightens your situational awareness with compatible games, from single-player sandbox adventures to competitive multiplayer titles.

The Audeze Maxwell headset features expertly designed 90mm planar magnetic drivers for crisp, detailed sound.

The PlayStation version of this headset is designed to work seamlessly with the PS5's impressive built-in Tempest 3D audio technology, while the Xbox version of the headset comes with an embedded Dolby Atmos license. Just download the free Dolby Access app to activate your license and personalize your spatial audio.

Crystal-clear team communication

This headset includes both a detachable, flexible boom mic and onboard array of four beamforming microphones. The built-in noise suppression system is powered by an advanced AI algorithm that kills background noise, removing distracting sounds like you chewing on your lunch or the washer kicking on in the background. This keeps your chat clear, helping you hear and respond to important call outs for improved teamwork.

Detachable boom mic features built-in noise suppression so your teammates can hear you clearly at all times.

While playing on PC or Xbox you can control your game-chat mix in real time with a dial built into the headset or use the Audeze HQ app. If you're playing on PS5 you'll need to tinker with the onscreen console settings instead.

Flexible wireless connection

The Audeze Maxwell gives you the freedom of a wireless connection using a convenient USB-C dongle. This dongle offers a reliable ultra-low-latency transmission with three times the range of the usual 2.4 GHz band. It also works with PC, PS4, PS5, and Nintendo Switch, as well as Apple® and Android™ smartphones. Just plug it in and you're good to go. (There's a USB-A to USB-C adapter in the box if you're running low on ports.)

Includes ultra-low-latency USB-C wireless transmitter that plugs right into your PC or gaming console.

Stream music and take calls with Bluetooth

These headphones aren't just good for gaming — they deliver sweet sound for music, too. Built-in Bluetooth lets you jam to your favorite tunes when paired up to a smartphone. With support for lossless LE Audio, LC3plus, and LDAC codecs, you can even stream high-resolution audio files.

You can also take hands-free calls when paired with your phone. You can use the detachable boom mic or take advantage of the beamforming mic array integrated right into the headset.

Optimize your sound with Audeze HQ

If you're playing on a PC, you can dial in your sound with Audeze HQ. This optional downloadable software lets you manually tweak the little details of your game audio and voice communication to get them just where you want them. You can customize and save up to four EQ profiles, but there are also audio presets for footsteps, racing, RPGs, and more. There's an Android version of the app as well and a version for iOS® devices will be available in mid-2023.

My listening impressions

I had the opportunity to run the Maxwells through their paces over the course of a couple weeks, playing a variety of games almost nightly on my PS5. I also spent hours listening to music via Bluetooth while I typed away during the day.

The Audeze Maxwells offer uncompromising wireless sound that never disappointed during my two weeks putting them to the test.

To make a long story short, the Audeze Maxwells sound straight-up awesome and really brought my gaming sessions to life. Let's dig in a little deeper for the full story.

Bombastic JRPG battles and quiet moments

I started out by dropping into my current run of Tales of Arise. The high-octane battles are one of the main draws for this game, so I wanted to see how the Maxwells handled them. The clang of steel on steel, the crunch of aerial dive kicks, the whooshing flash of giant columns of fire, the rumble of multi-colored magic explosions — the Maxwells reproduced it all with ease. Each split second brought the sound to new highs and lows as I chained huge combos together, hyper-focused and drawn into the anime-powered soundscape.

On the flipside, the quieter dialogue-driven moments between battles, often around a campfire, offered a surprising sense of space and environmental sound detail. While the protagonists chatted about food, their lives, and the impending doom of their civilization (you know, the little stuff), I could clearly make out the crackling campfire, insects chirping in the surrounding woods, and the trickle of a nearby stream. These details were never distracting and felt clearly in their place. It felt like I was there, too, sitting next to the fire, listening in to the conversations of my companions. In no small way this helped draw me into the storytelling, bringing me closer to the characters. As it turns out, clean sound is for more than just shooters. Speaking of....

Hunting the hunter, one sound cue at a time

Accurate sound cues are essential to survival in Predator: Hunting Grounds. You play as covert operatives in a dense jungle, desperately trying to complete a series of missions with a strict time limit — all while a deadly trophy-hunting alien invisibly tracks your team down one by one. I love the original Predator film and the precise directional sound offered by the Maxwells helped me feel like I was right in the thick of that classic piece of action cinema.

In fact, these 'phones helped me and my usual crew turn the tables on the alien hunting us. Covering ourselves in mud with a satisfying splish-splash, we were able to disguise ourselves from the creature's thermal vision (controlled by an opposing player, by the by). We then tried to quickly and quietly move from point to point, listening intently for the creak of branches bending above us.

With the Maxwells on, I was able to immediately pinpoint the iconic trickling purr made by the Predator and we opened fire. No active camouflage could save the monster from us that evening. I was able to track its movement consistently, from the heavy thump of its footsteps to the humming vmmm of its thermal vision changing frequencies. Unlike Dutch in the movie, I didn't escape the nuclear explosion the creature unleashed in its final petty moments, but one of my teammates did, so I'll call that a win.

Rock 'n' roll backed up by explosions

I finished out my gaming tests with Back 4 Blood, a cooperative shooter with massive droves of parasite-infested zombies, or "Ridden" as they're called in-game. The rush of oncoming enemies can be chaotic, and so I wanted to see if the Maxwells would help me keep my head on the swivel. We played a mission where you crank up a jukebox to lure your enemies as you lie in wait for the coming horde. It was the perfect test.

The jukebox started blasting Black Betty by Ram Jam as a wild assortment of undead creatures piled through every available window and door in a mad dash to gobble us up. I found myself bobbing my head to the song as I sprinted through the bar to confront each new incursion. Despite the banging soundtrack and the cacophony of monster screams and gunshots, I was able to catch the cues that mattered. Whether it was smashing wood, breaking glass, or the pitter-patter of zombie feet, I made sense of the whirlwind and was able to redirect as needed. In all the chaos, the Maxwells never let me down.

And I didn't need to charge them

After all that gaming and music listening, I've yet to charge these headphones. Not a single a time over the course of a couple weeks. Last I checked, they were at just around 50%. They have the longest battery life of any pair of headphones I've ever used — a significant plus.

Details

• professional gaming headset with ultra-low-latency USB-C wireless transmitter
• built-in Bluetooth® 5.3 for wireless music listening and phone calls
• over-ear, closed-back design with secure fit and comfortable seal
• reinforced dual-chamber earcups provide excellent noise isolation and extended bass response
• award-winning 90mm planar magnetic drivers offer detailed, dynamic sound optimized for gaming
• detachable hypercardioid boom microphone and onboard array of four beamforming mics
• rugged chassis with spring-steel headband and cast aluminum yokes
• deluxe contoured earpads with soft, comfortable padding
• earcups rotate 90° for easier storage
• easy-to-use controls built into the headset
• USB-C wireless transmitter is compatible with PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, PC, and Mac
• fine tune EQ and mic settings, select and customize audio presets, and more with Audeze HQ PC and mobile app
• 3.5mm stereo audio connection is compatible with controllers for PlayStation®, Nintendo Switch in handheld mode, PC, and Mac
• supports 24-bit/96kHz high-res playback
• frequency response: 10-50,000 Hz
• battery life: 80 hours
• warranty: 1 year

Contact us!

Still have a few lingering questions about the Audeze Maxwells? Or wanna know how they stack up to our other gaming headsets? Don’t hesitate to get in touch with one of our friendly Advisors. They'll make sure to point you in the right direction.

Free lifetime tech support is included with your Crutchfield purchase.