Audeze Maxwell Review: Are Planar Magnetic Gaming Headphones Worth It?

Audeze spent years building a reputation among audiophiles for planar magnetic headphones costing $500–$1,000 and up, before bringing that same driver technology into a $300 gaming headset. The result is a genuinely unusual product in this category — one independent reviewer called it “possibly the best gaming headset you can buy,” while another specifically noted it’s “unbelievable value” compared to closed-back headphones costing over ten times as much. This review covers what planar magnetic technology actually delivers, where the Maxwell genuinely struggles, and whether it’s worth choosing over the original Maxwell’s own sequel.

Overview

The Audeze Maxwell uses 90mm planar magnetic drivers — a fundamentally different driver technology from the dynamic drivers found in virtually every other gaming headset. Instead of a coil attached to a small diaphragm, a planar magnetic driver uses a thin, flat membrane with an embedded conductor suspended between magnets, moving uniformly across its entire surface. It comes in console-locked Xbox and PlayStation variants (both work across PC as well via the included dongle), with a detachable boom mic co-developed with Shure, plus a less capable backup integrated mic for situations where you don’t want the boom attached.

Specs

Pros and Cons

Pros: – Genuinely audiophile-grade sound quality that multiple independent reviewers explicitly rate above closed-back headphones costing far more — one reviewer specifically said they’d take the Maxwell’s sound over almost every closed-back headphone they’d heard, including some costing over $1,000 – Exceptional detail, low distortion, and — once EQ’d — genuinely impactful, well-controlled bass – Excellent isolation, even without active noise cancellation, blocking most ambient noise effectively – Strong, well-regarded microphone performance, described by one reviewer as “untouchably good at this price point” – Long battery life (64–80+ hours depending on source) – Broad platform compatibility via the proprietary dongle and Bluetooth, including multipoint connectivity – Soft, deep ear pads that comfortably accommodate a wide range of ear sizes without compression issues – Removable ear pads support third-party replacements if you want to tune comfort or sound further

Cons: – Genuinely heavy (~460–500g) — multiple reviewers independently flag this as fatiguing over long sessions, and it’s described as “insane” weight by one detailed comparison – No active noise cancellation at all, a real gap at this price point – Headband design draws specific, repeated criticism — a “mishmash” of padded band and suspension strap that one reviewer says “needs a trip back to the drawing board” for long-term durability concerns – Limited headband adjustment range can make it hard to achieve a consistent fit, especially for glasses wearers, larger heads, or long hair — RTINGS specifically notes this affects frequency response consistency and bass seal – Default factory tuning is polarizing — multiple reviewers describe it as bright, treble-forward, and “unnatural” out of the box, requiring EQ adjustment to sound genuinely musical – RTINGS’ measured unit showed some L/R driver phase response mismatch, a known complexity risk with planar magnetic manufacturing – No simultaneous dongle + Bluetooth audio mixing on the original Maxwell

Performance Impressions

The consensus across nearly every independent review is remarkably consistent: the planar magnetic drivers deliver a genuine, measurable step up in detail, distortion control, and bass quality compared to virtually anything else in the gaming headset category. One reviewer summarized it directly — “I would easily take the Maxwell’s sound over almost every closed back headphone I’ve heard,” naming only the $1,300 Focal Radiance and a handful of boutique products as headphones they’d actually prefer. Another reviewer went further, calling the Maxwell’s tuning comparable to the $4,000 DCA Stealth as the only other closed-back headphone tuned this well, concluding “for $300, the Maxwell is unbelievable value.”

The factory tuning is the most consistent point of friction. Multiple reviewers independently describe the out-of-box sound as bright and treble-forward, deliberately optimized for footstep detection and competitive FPS cues rather than musical balance — one detailed audiophile review described it as pushing “a ton of treble energy” with bass “easily overshadowed,” making sounds feel “unnatural and artificial” despite the impressive underlying detail. The good news, repeated across reviews, is that the Maxwell’s 10-band EQ is unusually effective and responsive compared to typical gaming headset EQs — after adjustment, multiple reviewers reported the sound transforming into something “much more musical,” with bass becoming “less boomy and more impactful” and the harsh treble tamed without losing detail. Budget time to EQ this headset; don’t judge it purely on the factory default.

Weight and comfort are the other recurring, serious caveats. At roughly 460–500g, the Maxwell is meaningfully heavier than most gaming headsets, and while several reviewers found it became comfortable after an adjustment period (one specifically noted comfort held up fine across a long international flight), others flagged real fatigue over extended sessions. The headband design specifically draws criticism — RTINGS and other reviewers note its part-padded, part-suspension-strap design varies in effectiveness from person to person, in contrast to the ear cups themselves, which are consistently praised as soft, deep, and comfortable.

How It Compares

Vs. the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless: RTINGS’ direct comparison is clear-cut: choose the Arctis Nova Pro if you need ANC, swappable batteries for uninterrupted long sessions, or simultaneous dual-source audio (game + phone at once) — features the Maxwell doesn’t offer. Choose the Maxwell if planar magnetic sound quality and a broadcast-quality mic are your top priority, since the underlying driver technology is the Maxwell’s clear differentiator that no dynamic-driver competitor, including the Nova Pro, can fully replicate.

Vs. its own predecessor, the Audeze Penrose: The Maxwell improves on the Penrose meaningfully — better build quality, dramatically longer battery life (64+ hours vs. the Penrose’s 13 hours), and improved microphone performance, at a similar price point. If you’re choosing between Audeze’s own older and newer wireless gaming headsets, the Maxwell is the clear upgrade.

Vs. the Audeze Maxwell 2: This is a genuinely important consideration if you’re shopping new, since original Maxwell stock has reportedly sold out at most retailers outside the secondary/refurbished market. Multiple detailed reviews describe the Maxwell 2 as a sidegrade rather than a clear upgrade — sound quality improves slightly (excellent footstep detail and separation for competitive FPS), but the two biggest original complaints (weight and lack of simultaneous dongle+Bluetooth audio) didn’t improve at all; the Maxwell 2 is actually 14% heavier than the original, and one detailed comfort-focused review concluded Audeze “completely failed to make the Maxwell 2 more comfortable” despite a redesigned, more ventilated headband strap. If you can find an original Maxwell — especially at a discounted or refurbished price — multiple reviewers explicitly recommend it over the Maxwell 2 unless you specifically prioritize the 2’s marginally sharper FPS-focused detail and don’t mind the added weight.

Final Verdict: 9.5/10 for Audio-Focused Gamers

The Audeze Maxwell is a genuinely unusual, genuinely excellent product — the best-sounding gaming headset available at its price by a wide margin, backed by consistent, independent praise from audiophile-focused and gaming-focused reviewers alike. The trade-offs are real and worth taking seriously: no ANC, real weight that some users will find fatiguing over long sessions, a headband design multiple reviewers specifically flag as needing improvement, and factory tuning that requires EQ adjustment to sound its best. If you’re an audio-focused gamer who also listens to music or watches movies on the same headset, the Maxwell effectively replaces both a gaming headset and a dedicated listening headphone — a combination that’s hard to find anywhere near this price. If ANC, swappable batteries, or simultaneous dual-source audio matter more to you than raw sound quality, a more feature-complete competitor like the Arctis Nova Pro Wireless is the better fit.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Audeze Maxwell too heavy for long gaming sessions? It’s a genuine consideration — at roughly 460–500g, it’s notably heavier than most gaming headsets, and reviews are split on how much this matters in practice. Some reviewers report becoming comfortable with the weight after an adjustment period; others flag real fatigue, particularly during sessions beyond a few hours. If you’re sensitive to headset weight, this is worth testing in person if possible before committing.

Does the Audeze Maxwell need EQ adjustment to sound good? Most reviewers recommend it, yes — the factory default tuning is consistently described as bright and treble-forward, optimized for competitive footstep detection rather than musical balance. The Maxwell’s 10-band EQ is unusually effective compared to typical gaming headset software, and multiple reviewers reported a dramatically more musical, balanced sound after adjustment.

Should I buy the original Maxwell or the Maxwell 2? If you can find the original Maxwell, several detailed reviews explicitly recommend it over the Maxwell 2, since the sequel is heavier (not lighter, despite the comfort criticism) and still lacks simultaneous dongle+Bluetooth audio — the two main complaints about the original. The Maxwell 2 offers marginally sharper FPS-focused detail, which may matter if competitive footstep precision is your top priority.

Does the Audeze Maxwell have active noise cancellation? No — this is one of its clearest feature gaps compared to competitors like the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless, and it’s consistently cited as a drawback across reviews despite the headset’s otherwise excellent isolation from its deep, soft ear pads.

Is the Audeze Maxwell worth it if I mostly use it for work calls rather than gaming? It can be, but one detailed reviewer specifically cautioned that the Maxwell is “overkill” if purchased purely for work use — the audio quality and gaming-specific features are wasted if it’s not also serving as your entertainment headset. If you’ll use it for gaming, music, or streaming alongside work calls, the investment makes more sense.