It was again within the early months of 2021 after I first found Audeze. An organization who have been making their preliminary foray into the gaming scene, they got here to market with the Audeze Penrose X. It sounded beautiful and was a pleasure to make use of. In reality, within the close to three years which have handed since that point, I nonetheless assume it’s considered one of – if not THE – greatest sounding Xbox headset.
So the Audeze Maxwell has huge ears to fill. For worry of spoiling any phrases which are to comply with, it does that with aplomb, after which some. I imply, the Ultraviolet Version is visually beautiful. And it actually does sound nearly as good because it seems to be.
I feel it’s in all probability greatest to kick this evaluate off by mentioning that the Audeze Maxwell for Xbox received’t be for everybody. It’s fairly costly for one, working on the very prime finish of the gaming headset market. It’s additionally pretty giant in dimension, with an actual heft and weight about it. Removed from the likes of the RIG 900 MAX HX and it’s tremendous light-weight nature, you’ll actually know that the Maxwell is in your head. The 508 grams of weight be certain that to be the case. And sure, you’re studying that proper – the Audeze Maxwell is available in at simply over half a kilo. It’s an enormous boy.
We’re additionally not completely satisfied that the removable mic is the way in which ahead. Like we talked about in our evaluate ideas for the Penrose X, we a lot want built-in, flip-down mics. Not solely are they one much less factor to lose, however they’re usually extra stable affairs; much less prone to break, be sat on, or the like. We’d suspect that if you happen to’re paying the £349.00 asking value of the Maxwell Ultraviolet, you then’ll seemingly be extraordinarily cautious with its use, however that removable, pretty flimsy increase mic should still be a priority.
Don’t get me mistaken. That mic continues to be capable of mission some actually respectable comms throughout the board. It comes with an AI powered noise filter inbuilt and we’ve discovered the comms going out to be of extraordinarily excessive normal. It’s simply that full integration could be a private desire.
Apart from the sheer weight. slight microphone issues and value (if that’s of concern to you) although, the Audeze Maxwell Ultraviolet for Xbox excels in all methods. And we actually do imply all methods.
Visually this one shall be a crowd pleaser and so streamers, Twitch associates or these seeking to critically up their recreation ought to seize for its delights instantly. The chameleon-like colors that imbue the outer headband and earcups guarantee this factor stands out from every part else in the marketplace. Purples, greens and blues enable the eyes to actually feast on the primary parts, drawing any potential person in, dazzling them forevermore. I’m undecided there’s any headset in the marketplace which is ready to get near how sensible and shiny the Maxwell Ultraviolet is. Frankly, it’s nothing in need of excellent, near being an artwork piece that you’d go away on the facet to admire.
It feels nice too. We’ve used sufficient headsets over time to know that tactility in each hand and on head are extraordinarily necessary to any headset and once more, Maxwell excels. In fact it’s heavy, and at occasions in-use eventualities amplify that weight but it surely at all times feels comfy. A lot of the reasoning behind that shall be all the way down to the suspension styled leather-based internal headband, maintaining your cranium away from the much less versatile outer elements. And with easy pop-on, pop-off adjustability, getting a good match is straightforward.
The cups themselves additionally assist. These are giant, swivelling (so sure, this sits across the neck properly) spherical choices with which Audeze have seen match to throw in a ton of oval cushioning. It permits the ears to be fully sealed away from the skin world, making certain each final piece of audio is piled in direction of your lugholes, and nowhere else.
And once more, Audeze are exhibiting their high quality in that sound. Totally Dolby Atmos’d up, the massive 90mm drivers inside each cups work planar magnetic methods, full with Fluxor N50 Neodymium magnets. We received’t even attempt to fake we all know what that each one means, however hell, we completely adore the sounds they convey. And, boy, does it get loud. When it comes to sheer top-end quantity, these 90mm drivers pound out the audio like there is no such thing as a tomorrow, with by no means a touch of distortion or lack of readability, irrespective of how excessive you go.
In gaming phrases, we’ve discovered the Audeze Maxwell Ultraviolet to ship gaming audio that’s – frankly – from one other planet. Take the latest launch of Forza Motorsport as an example. Turn10 have accomplished a sterling job in making certain that engine roars, exhaust notes and tyre squeals are about as reasonable as you will get. However take heed to it with the Maxwell’s in tow? There’s nothing fairly prefer it. A lot of that shall be all the way down to the Dolby Atmos kicking into gear, however the {hardware} greater than helps amplify issues.
It’s pretty easy to make sure that the Maxwell is set-up how you want too. An on/off energy button on the left cup is nicely positioned, as is a mic mute swap simply above that (though once more, we’d want to be flipping our mic to mute). From there, the remainder of the left cup homes all of the buttons and dials you want – a quantity rocker, separate recreation/chat stability, 3.5mm jack for wiring in, USB-C port for cost and that removable mic port. There’s a Bluetooth button as nicely. Apart from often grabbing the sport/chat dial over the total quantity one, the structure may be very nicely thought of.
When you then want additional personalisation and customisation, the Audeze cellular App will type you out. We’ve performed with it and should say the App works rather well with quite a lot of changes and equalisers in place. However straight out of the field, sticking Maxwell in your head will hold you totally coated too.
Audeze have you ever sorted by way of the connection to your machine as nicely. The Maxwell Ultraviolet comes full with Bluetooth 5.3 and a low latency connection, hitting up a easy dongle that connects to your Xbox console. USB-C ended with a swap permitting you to apply it to PC or Xbox, when mixed with a reasonably brief, however totally important USB-C to USB-A cable, attaching issues to console is a cinch. Connection has been nothing however stable too, immediately aligned as and when the Xbox console, after which the headset, has been switched on.
That Bluetooth possibility has additionally been appreciated. Whipping it up and connecting to our cellular has seen the Maxwell used for music listening occasions. Once more, it’s been an utter pleasure to make use of, able to – and that is no joke – sending chills down the backbone. I’m fairly sure the audioscape and readability delivered is on one other stage to anything we’ve used, maybe solely bettered by the facility delivered by Audeze’s pro-audio stage Euclids.
And mixing and matching the Maxwell for numerous makes use of is not any concern both. This comes with the promise of an enormous eighty hours of juice from a full battery, topped up everytime you see match through USB-C. With these sort of ranges mixed with quick cost (20 minutes for all-day play), we’d suspect that ought to you ever get too low on energy, you must maybe take into account some life selections.
So, do you have to go straight forward and purchase a pair of Audeze Maxwell Ultraviolets for Xbox? We guess that each one is determined by what you need from a headset. See, if you happen to’re floating round psychological concepts of top-end buying and want one thing that doesn’t simply look absolutely the bomb, however sounds it too, crack proper on with this. You’ll have to go far to seek out something higher in that respect and shall be totally blown away by the audio expertise it delivers. However the value may nicely be an enormous deal for a lot of, as might that detachable mic or the sheer weight of the headset.
For us, the Audeze Maxwell Ultraviolet goes to be sitting on the prime of our checklist, albeit often on rotation. We’re saving it for the occasions once we’re gaming alone, pounding out the hours as a solo gamer. It’ll be once we go browsing once we then resolve to achieve for the RIG 900 MAX HX or SteelSeries Arctis 7X Wi-fi for our audio wants, leaving that Maxwell Ultraviolet to sit down on our headphone stand, gleaming forevermore just like the masterpiece it’s.
Enormous thanks exit to Audeze for offering us with the Maxwell Ultraviolet headset for Xbox for evaluate functions. Hear themselves will have the ability to type you out with a headset do you have to be available in the market. Anticipate to pay round £349.