The $299 Audeze Maxwell gaming headset is by far the best gaming headset ever to grace my crown. I have tried several in the past and, most recently, the SteelSeries Arctis 7P+ was my go-to headset (I liked it so much I scored it a 9.5/10 in my 2022 review). So, the bar is set high for the Maxwell to beat.
Yet, somehow, it manages to be better than the 7P+. In fact, this gaming headset is perfect, and comes with the bonus of being great for listening to music. If your gaming rig doubles up as an office space during working hours, then you can use these to listen to music while you work, in Hi-Res Audio quality.
Anyway, this introduction is getting a bit on the long side. Let’s dive into the deets.
Audeze Maxwell Gaming Headset
The Audeze Maxwell gaming headset stands out as a must-have for any avid gamer seeking unparalleled audio experiences. Boasting an exceptional 80-hour battery life, it ensures uninterrupted gaming sessions without the hassle of frequent recharging, allowing players to delve deep into their virtual worlds without interruption. But it’s not just about longevity; supreme comfort accompanies extended gameplay, thanks to its meticulous craftsmanship. With plush leatherette covered foam ear cushions, fatigue becomes a thing of the past, enabling players to focus solely on the thrill of the game.
What’s Inside the Box?
The box for the Maxwell headset is pretty big, but then it needs to be—the headset is a pretty chonky boi, so the box is always going to be fairly sizeable. Inside it, you’ll find…
And that, aside from a game console or PC, is all you need to get started! Well, and something to generate the sound, like a game…
A Beautiful Piece of Gaming Audio Gear
So, let’s take a tour around the Audeze Maxwell. We should note that I am reviewing the PlayStation version of the headset, here. There is an Xbox specific version as well, but I cannot speak to that. I can best describe the colorway of this version as gunmetal grey, and it has a nice mattified-yet-metallic finish to it.
Audeze’s Maxwell headset follows an over-ear design (or circumaural in audiophile speak), and the back is closed for enhanced sound isolation. Obviously you don’t want the sound of next door’s arguing neighbors getting in the way of gaming, and this helps a lot with drowning out external sound sources.
The frame is a combination of steel and aluminum, which—coupled with the planar magnetic drivers inside—means you are looking at a hefty headset that weighs in at 490g. This might seem heavy to some, but as my review will confirm, they didn’t cause me any fatigue during wear, even with longer playing sessions.
The left earcup is where you will find all the controls. On the outer fascia of the ear cup is the power button (which also puts the headset into pairing mode), and a mute button, which is handy if you need to tell your Mum you don’t want chicken nuggets for dinner AGAIN during an Elden Ring co-op play through with your friends.
On the edge of the left earcup—from front to rear—we have the LED indicator, the AI noise reduction toggle button, the boom mic port, the USB-C port, aux-in, a game/chat wheel for toggling between, well, game sound and chat sound, and the headphone volume wheel. The game/chat wheel also toggles side-tone.
Each earcup comes complete with a leatherette-covered foam earpad. The cups themselves attach to a cast aluminum yoke, which in turn attaches to the steel headband. The earcups can swivel on the vertical and horizontal axis, meaning you shouldn’t have too much trouble getting a fit that suits the shape of your head.
A floating tension headband features on the inside of the steel headband, which means even more comfort as you wear them. The tension headband is easily adjustable via the notches punched in the leatherette. However, this doesn’t offer quite as much freedom as a sliding adjuster. They fit my head just fine, though.
On the top of the steel headband, the outer face has the Audeze brand name printed in off-white, and each side of the headband—just above the earcup—also carries branding in the form of the Audeze ‘A’ logo in blue.
In all, this is a lovely piece of gear, aesthetically. While it might not have the RGB lights and so on commonly associated with a lot of other headsets, I don’t feel this takes away from the experience at all. This is a classy, premium gaming headset, after all.
Solidly Spec’d Out
So, we know what the headset looks like, now, but what about the guts of the beast? Well, in terms of specs (both hardware and software), we have an outstanding headset. In fact, you might go as far as to say, currently, the Maxwell is an unbeatable gaming headset.
We will start with the drivers, as this is the most prominent feature that differentiates the Maxwell from other gaming headsets. You’ll know from my previousAudeze LCD-5 review(and theLCDi3 reviewas well) that Audeze specializes in cans with planar magnetic drivers. The Audeze Maxwell also features a whopping 90mm planar magnetic transducer.
To briefly describe how this tech works, planar magnetic headphones typically feature two sets of magnets placed opposite each other inside each ear cup. Between these magnet arrays sits a diaphragm, with equal magnetic pressure holding the diaphragm smack-bang between the arrays. Most gaming headsets have a passive diaphragm which is fixed in place, attached to the voice coil inside the ear cup. The planar magnetic diaphragm features an embedded coil, inside the diaphragm itself.
This, in essence, means you should get a more faithful sound reproduction, as the diaphragm is under significantly better control than the passive variety. Thus, detail retrieval will be better. With respect to video gaming, this leads to further immersion in the game, as you’ll be able to hear more of the details the sound designers have put in there, with enhanced accuracy.
Of course, the Maxwell utilizes the proprietary Fluxor magnet arrays that are a part of its planar magnetic setups across all of its cans. Combined with the paper-thin Uniforce Voice Coils and the Fazor Wave Guides, the planar arrangement delivers certified Hi-Res Audio, peaking at 24-Bit/96kHz over Wireless and Bluetooth connections.
The battery life is somewhat of a game-changer, too. Considering most other gaming headsets can’t manage more than about 40 hours—with around 25 hours being the average—the outrageous 80-hours of juice these cans are capable of storing leaves all other gaming headsets in the dust. You can charge it via any USB-C connection and get a full day of use out of a 20-minute charge, which is most impressive.
In terms of connectivity, the Maxwell is fully conversant in BlueTooth 5.3 (which supports LE Audio, LC3plus, LDAC) and ultra low-latency wireless, which brings a connection stability of up to 3x the distance of standard 2.4Ghz wireless.
Finally, if you are running the PlayStation version as I am, then your headset is compatible with Tempest 3D, which means your games are going to be even more immersive! On paper, this is an outstanding gaming headset. But what about in practice?
The Best Gaming Headset I’ve Ever Used
On to the practical points of the Audeze Maxwell, then. The title of this section says it all, really. Having used the Maxwell for every gaming session on my PS5 for the past 6 months or so, I don’t think such an accomplished gaming headset has adorned my head in all my years of headset use. Having gone through numerous Turtle Beach headsets, the previously mentionedSteelSeries Arctis 7P+ I reviewed, and a brief flirtation with Razer, I can safely say that this headset tops them all, without a shadow of doubt.
The Maxwell’s deliver audio to an exceptional level. This is partly thanks to the planar magnetic drivers, which are primed to reproduce sound incredibly faithfully and with pinpoint accuracy. This accuracy is important, and especially so with the Tempest 3D compatibility. You want to be able to tell how fast and from which direction an enemy is approaching you; hearing this is the only way you’re going to be able to react quickly enough.
I’ve been playing a lot of FromSoftware games lately—Sekiro, Demon’s Souls, and Elden Ring—and all these titles are well known for their immersive qualities. The sound effects and music make up a major part of the experience. How satisfying to hear the bloody gurgle of a dying enemy in such gruesome detail, the cry of a distant giant, or the clashing of swords with each successfully timed parry of an enemy weapon.
Likewise, shooters are great fun with the Maxwell sat on your bonce. From the top-end exploiting jangle of bullet cases falling to the ground, to those big, bottom-end heavy, OTT set-piece explosions, the Maxwell captures everything in tremendous detail. Stealth shooter Sniper Elite 5 ensured I make excellent use of these headphones; in a game like that, knowing exactly where patroilling enemies are without being able to see them is critical. The Maxwell affords this luxury.
Don’t even get me started on horror games. I probably pause RE7 for twenty minutes at a time, with gameplay periods of around five seconds in between those pauses to deal with my petrifying fear. I can barely get past the loading screen with the Maxwell in full swing, such is my terror, supplemented by the claustrophobic soundscape the headset is laying out before me.
Really, though, it doesn’t matter what games you play; if you want a headset that delivers immersive sound in crystal clarity, then the Maxwell should be in your shopping cart before you’ve even finished reading this review.
In a more general sense, sound wise, the Audeze Maxwell differs in tuning to their headphones designed specifically for listening to music. The LCD-5, for example, is not effusive on the bass, delivering lower frequencies at reference level. However, the Maxwell bumps the bass up a touch, which is going to help when it comes to reproducing those set-piece explosions I mentioned earlier. Mids are a little set back, while the treble is pretty forward, allowing for clarity of top-end detail that other headsets simply can’t compete with. The Tempest 3D audioreallyshines with this headset.
If you use your PS5 (because this is the PS5-specific version, don’t forget) as a multimedia device, rather than just for gaming, then keep these cans on, because they accompany music or movies wonderfully as well. Note that you will need to take account of the gaming-friendly tuning though, and fiddle with the EQ in the app to drop the top end back and tease the mids out a touch.
On a comfort level, I was able to wear the Audeze Maxwell for an entire day and not feel any sort of strain in my neck or shoulders. Sure, they’re not as light as other products on the market, but I honestly felt no fatigue at all while I was wearing them. My only gripe is that my ears became a bit warm on occasion, but I could easily attribute this to the solid eight hours I spent attempting to beat Margit the Fell Omen for the first time.
The mic is excellent, too, so will be a boon for anyone who uses it. I tend not to play games and chat at the same time, but I tested it with a gamer friend who told me everything I said was clear and distortion free, with no background noise to speak of thanks to the AI noise filtration.
In all, this is an incredible headset, and I cannot fault it one bit. Buy one now. You can get an Xbox equivalent if you don’t have the PS5, and this allows you to make use of that version’s Dolby Atmos capabilities for spatial sonics. Obviously I cannot speak to that version, but I have no doubt it is equally as astounding.
Should You Buy the Audeze Maxwell?
I cannot recommend this headset enough. It delivers on every front, and I can’t find fault with it, even after six months of prolonged testing. So, you know that Audeze has built the Maxwell headset to last. If you, as a gamer, love to immerse yourself in the world set out in front of you, then you simply need to do that with an Audeze Maxwell headset on your head. You won’t look back.
