Audeze - Maxwell Gaming Headsets! (1-20-2025: Update On Stolen Maxwells)

Nov 17, 2024 at 1:54 PM Post #4,577 of 4,627
For the most part like the Maxwell, but every time I come back to them it drives me crazy how the volume control isn’t granular enough. Especially at the top end. It’s either a hair to quite or a bit too loud.
PC, iOS, or Android? If Android you can make absolute volume is disabled and then have adjustments in both source and headphones. Should give more granularity (though always best to maximize the source volume if possible).
 
Nov 17, 2024 at 9:14 PM Post #4,578 of 4,627
PC, iOS, or Android? If Android you can make absolute volume is disabled and then have adjustments in both source and headphones. Should give more granularity (though always best to maximize the source volume if possible).
xbox, mac, and ios. yeah on Mac it’s not too much of a pain to manually adjust apple music, but just in general i think the volume has the biggest steps of any headphones / earbuds I’ve ever used.
 
Nov 18, 2024 at 12:31 PM Post #4,579 of 4,627
Just received my Maxwells today. I have a Schiit Hel2 - any reason to plug them in via aux over using the dongle for wireless?
The aux input is more of a last resort if you do not have access to the other connections. For example, plugging your PS version on your Xbox controller or Switch.

It can sound fine, but you can just add more noise or clipping. If you push the amp past the Maxwell's ability to handle it, you can overcharge the input with too much juice and damage the internal circuitry. So really, I'd advise not using amplifiers.

If you volume control well enough it's fine, but there's no real reason to do so. You have to go through the ADC back to DAC process. You gain no amplification benefit.

Essentially, it's recommended mostly as last resort for things like lower powered devices, like laptops, tablets with headphone inputs, if you can't use the other connection types.
 
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Nov 23, 2024 at 3:13 PM Post #4,580 of 4,627
OK well it arrived - SIBILANCE. Anyone know what I mean?
Most concerning being that brighter sounding music seems to trigger distorted sibilance and ringy-ness. Having a mellower EQ helps a bit, but it does just seem like certain frequencies at a certain level don't sound very good at all, like - outside of what I'd expect from an Audeze driver. And it's an uglier sibilance than what I have experienced with some cheaper headphones like the DT990pro or the HD-25.

I've already contacted support so this is an appeal to 'the community' of Maxwell users, just wondering if anyone else has found these distort in the highs, because I'm not seeing those sort of comments out there, and a lot of very positive feedback from the reviewersphere about the tuning and it being a very capable driver.

Wondering if I'm alone, not sure if these need a repair.
 
Nov 23, 2024 at 3:15 PM Post #4,581 of 4,627
OK well it arrived - SIBILANCE. Anyone know what I mean?
Most concerning being that brighter sounding music seems to trigger distorted sibilance and ringy-ness. Having a mellower EQ helps a bit, but it does just seem like certain frequencies at a certain level don't sound very good at all, like - outside of what I'd expect from an Audeze driver. And it's an uglier sibilance than what I have experienced with some cheaper headphones like the DT990pro or the HD-25.

I've already contacted support so this is an appeal to 'the community' of Maxwell users, just wondering if anyone else has found these distort in the highs, because I'm not seeing those sort of comments out there, and a lot of very positive feedback from the reviewersphere about the tuning and it being a very capable driver.

Wondering if I'm alone, not sure if these need a repair.
Yep, same issue here. The 2024 model is noticeably more sibilant than the previous model. At this point I might just give up on this headset and just go with the LCD-2 closed…
 
Nov 23, 2024 at 4:18 PM Post #4,582 of 4,627
Yep, same issue here. The 2024 model is noticeably more sibilant than the previous model. At this point I might just give up on this headset and just go with the LCD-2 closed…
Sorry to hear you are also having issues. I'll note that the wired USB connection does sound the best in the high end, but it would seem to be an issue no matter which connection method.
Darker sounding mix/masters are not really having the issue, but as soon as anything starts to get bright, for instance a lot of modern pop, it starts sounding really quite wrong for me. Wrong in a way that I can't believe has rarely if at all been mentioned, hence me wondering about whether this is a fixable fault.

Interestingly the side-tone also sounds insanely sibilant and has no body to the sound at all. Makes me wonder if there's some kind of DSP issue going on, but I just don't know.
 
Nov 23, 2024 at 4:23 PM Post #4,584 of 4,627
Might also be worth pointing out that I have an ultraviolet maxwell B-stock from the recent sale. So maybe it's not the newest model. Has an R prefix to the serial.
Hmm, you might actually want to get that checked then. I had a pre 2023 model before that (naturally) broke now, and I didn’t have any treble issues there.
 
Nov 24, 2024 at 3:07 PM Post #4,586 of 4,627
OK, so this is the EQ I've settled on for 'bright' tracks this evening. Which I think one would struggle to say is not pretty conservative in the top end.
Somehow Fleetwood Mac's 'Tango in the Night' album (2017 remaster) still manage to trigger some real ugliness in the top end on snares, cymbals and esses, and Chappell Roan's album 'The Rise and Fall of a Midwestern Princess' on some tracks.

This does not seem right, and while I do recognise both recordings to be considerably brighter than my taste by a fair margin, and that recently I've become quite accustomed to the highly smooth '4z' sound in the last few months, I can't help but feel there's a problem rather than that's just the design of these headphones / dsp / whatever it is.
I can find barely any mention of anything like my experience anywhere where I think it might come up.

I'm really hoping this is some fixable issue - like a faulty firmware or something, because as a closed back wireless they show a lot of promise for SQ otherwise. Everything 2k downwards is great really once that sub is controlled. 4-6k can get a bit glary / ringy. And higher than that seems like a crapshoot and very dependent on how bright or dark the mix/master is.

Screenshot 2024-11-24 at 19.29.09.png
 
Nov 29, 2024 at 2:03 AM Post #4,587 of 4,627
OK, so this is the EQ I've settled on for 'bright' tracks this evening. Which I think one would struggle to say is not pretty conservative in the top end.
Somehow Fleetwood Mac's 'Tango in the Night' album (2017 remaster) still manage to trigger some real ugliness in the top end on snares, cymbals and esses, and Chappell Roan's album 'The Rise and Fall of a Midwestern Princess' on some tracks.

This does not seem right, and while I do recognise both recordings to be considerably brighter than my taste by a fair margin, and that recently I've become quite accustomed to the highly smooth '4z' sound in the last few months, I can't help but feel there's a problem rather than that's just the design of these headphones / dsp / whatever it is.
I can find barely any mention of anything like my experience anywhere where I think it might come up.

I'm really hoping this is some fixable issue - like a faulty firmware or something, because as a closed back wireless they show a lot of promise for SQ otherwise. Everything 2k downwards is great really once that sub is controlled. 4-6k can get a bit glary / ringy. And higher than that seems like a crapshoot and very dependent on how bright or dark the mix/master is.

I've just picked up another set of Maxwell's (Argos had them for £100 off for BF) and do not experience this at all (I've tested a few tracks from the TinTN album too. Not sure how I identify the model year of my Maxwell's but perhaps I have an older manufactured one?

Having said that this Maxwell sounds better to me than the 3 I had at various stages before - I'm now hearing a lot more of the lower frequencies that other reviews had mentioned which has elevated them for music in my eyes. The only thing I've done differently is added a Capra strap instead of the stock one so thinking the more flexible and slightly different sized strap is helping the pads to sit better on my head and maybe seal a bit more consistently?

Not sure whether it's worth testing a set from Argos to compare (although I'm not sure on their return policy?). Hope you get a solution.
 
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Nov 29, 2024 at 4:36 PM Post #4,588 of 4,627
Thanks, yeah I'm currently suspecting it a rare issue rather than a personal taste issue. The stock preset, I am aware that it's tuned quite bright in that highest mid region, where the 5 and the MM series have their peaks, but the upper treble is way WAY spicier than my 4z or X when the Maxwell is tuned to its default mode, which defo doesn't seem right.

Audeze CS have gotten back to me with a list of things to try (process of elimination type things), which I hope to find time to do soon.

I agree it would probably be good if I could find another set somewhere just to see if there really are differences.... not sure I want the hassle of buying and returning a set though - but one step at a time.
 
Nov 30, 2024 at 7:30 AM Post #4,589 of 4,627
Has anyone compared our device to the Fokus Appolo? There are many comparisons with Focal Bathys, but honestly I didn't like Bathys a lot and think Maxwell sound better. But what is really interesting is a comparison with Appolo since they both have a planar driver.

Fokus Apollo needs serious EQ to sound natural, so out of the box experiece for me is much better with Maxwell. Apollo and its tuning remind me of cheap Soundcore headphones, which have harsh and unnatural treble and thin mids. I get a lot of sibilance and shoutyness, which can be seen from FR as well. EQ helps though, after which you get a bit more dynamic and lively sound compared to Maxwell.

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Dec 12, 2024 at 6:05 AM Post #4,590 of 4,627
I don't know if this has already been discussed, but for a few months my headphones have been disconnecting from the USB dongle and to reconnect them I have to go through the PC and use the app to redo the pairing.
Can you tell me if there is a solution to this problem?

Thanks
 

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