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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize sound quality for music and a highly immersive experience for gaming and TV, the Audeze Maxwell is a better choice with its excellent battery life for extended use. However, they are bulkier, which may affect portability and comfort during exercise. The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds are more suitable if you seek portability, better noise isolation for air travel, and sweatproof features, making them ideal for exercise. Their stemless design is more discrete, and they support wireless charging, which the Audeze lacks. Note that microphone quality is lower on the Bose, potentially affecting call clarity. Consider your primary activities and preferences to guide your decision. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Audeze Maxwell
- Very good for phone calls
- Excellent for gaming
- Excellent for podcasts and audiobooks
Advantages of the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
- Very good for exercise
Key differences
Phone Calls
8.7
5.1
The Audeze Maxwell is very good for phone calls, while the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
9.4
6.0
The Audeze Maxwell is excellent for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds is only fair.
TV and Video
8.9
8.1
The Audeze Maxwell and Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds are both very good for TV and video, though the Audeze Maxwell is somewhat better.
Noise Reduction
6.0
8.9
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds is very good for noise reduction, while the Audeze Maxwell is only fair.
Battery
78.0 Hours
6.5 Hours
The Audeze Maxwell has 78 hours of battery life. The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds has 6.5 hours of battery life.
Cost
$299
$249
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
$400
The Audeze Maxwell has a price of $299 and the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds costs $249.
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Key similarities
Music
8.4
8.6
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds and Audeze Maxwell are both very good for music.
Gaming
9.0
8.8
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Audeze Maxwell to be excellent for gaming, while the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds is very good.
Build Quality
9.0
9.0
The Audeze Maxwell and Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds both have excellent build quality.
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How the Audeze Maxwell and the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Audeze Maxwell | Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$299 | $249 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Audeze | Bose | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2023 | September 1, 2023 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired + Wireless | Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 8.4/10 | 8.7/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 8.7/10 | 5.1/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 9.1/10 | 8.8/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 8.9/10 | 8.2/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 6.3/10 | 8.4/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 78 Hours | 6.5 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | No | No | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 2 Hours | 2 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5.3 | 5.3 | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | N/A | 21 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | No | Yes | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 6/10 | 8.9/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | N/A | Yes | |
Android App | |||
Android App | Yes | Yes | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 8/10 | 6.2/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 9/10 | 9/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 8/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | N/A | Medium | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 498.9 Grams | 7.7 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Boom | Integrated | |
Shopping
Audeze Maxwell
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Dig into reviews and images
Sound Guys
Christian Thomas | August 2023
"Despite a few caveats, the Audeze Maxwell is one of the best-performing gaming headsets on the market and should top the ranks for a few buyers — provided the budget (and neck strength) is there. Gaming headsets have their work cut out for them, and their audience is historically unkind to performance flaws. If you’re an older gamer with some cash to blow, you should be pleased with the Audeze Maxwell."
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
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Dig into reviews and images
Soundguys
Christian Thomas | October 2023
"Bose put the time in to fix the major issues with the previous earbuds, and the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds are very befitting of its price point. While you might be tempted to save a few bucks and go with the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II on sale, fight the urge. There are enough upgrades here to justify the newer model."
Get a great deal on the Audeze Maxwell or the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
About Audeze
Audeze is an, award-winning, American premium headphone manufacturer based in California. Founded in 2008, their products are developed around aerospace materials technology first used by NASA and are widely used by enthusiasts and professionals alike, not only in the fields of music and sound engineering but also in e-sports and the health industry.
About Bose
Bose is an American audio equipment manufacturer based out of Framingham, Massachusetts. Founded in 1964 by Amar Bose with the goal of creating a speaker system that could accurately recreate the sound of a concert hall, Bose has become one of the most prominent players in the modern consumer audio market due to the premium feel of their products and their wide brand recognition.
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Why trust us
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec earbuds & headphones team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest earbuds or headphones information and makes it digestible for you.
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About the Earbuds or Headphones team
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CEO and Earbuds and Headphones Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Luis is a Mexico-based headphones expert. He’s been making headphone recommendations for five years and has close to 100 pairs in his personal collection.
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