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Maxwell
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JBuds Work Wireless
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What we think

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The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·

If sound quality in music and movies is of utmost importance to you, the Audeze Maxwell should be your preferred choice, since they offer better overall sound quality, superior soundstage, and a higher music score. They also feature planar magnetic drivers, which typically deliver a high-quality audio experience and are especially known for their detail and depth. Additionally, they have a significantly longer battery life, which may be beneficial for extended use without the need to recharge. However, the Maxwell is a premium priced product, which might be a consideration if budget is a concern. On the other hand, the JLab JBuds Work Wireless, while generally scoring lower on sound quality and soundstage, excel in other areas such as comfort and portability, scoring higher than the Maxwell in both. They also have a boom mic which, combined with their high mic quality, makes them well-suited for calls and meetings. Furthermore, the JLab JBuds are much lighter, thus potentially more comfortable during long sessions. They're priced more affordably as well. Both models offer similar features such as wireless and wired connections, detachable cables, and built-in controls. Neither of them is optimized for exercise, as indicated by their lower scores in that category, but they both score well for use during air travel. Ultimately, if you value top-tier audio fidelity and are willing to invest in it, the Audeze Maxwell is recommended despite its higher price. If you are looking for a more affordable option that still delivers a good experience for a variety of uses, such as work-related calls, with the added benefits of comfort and portability, the JLab JBuds Work Wireless would be a suitable choice. 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 music
  • Very good for phone calls
  • Excellent for gaming
  • Very good for TV and video
  • Excellent for podcasts and audiobooks
Advantages of the JLab JBuds Work Wireless
  • The JLab JBuds Work Wireless has no clear advantages over the Audeze Maxwell.

Key differences

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Music

8.4
Maxwell
JBuds Work Wireless
6.8
The Audeze Maxwell is very good for music, while the JLab JBuds Work Wireless is only fair.

Phone Calls

8.7
Maxwell
JBuds Work Wireless
7.3
The Audeze Maxwell is very good for phone calls, while the JLab JBuds Work Wireless is good.

Podcasts and Audiobooks

9.4
Maxwell
JBuds Work Wireless
7.9
The Audeze Maxwell is excellent for podcasts and audiobooks, while the JLab JBuds Work Wireless is good.

TV and Video

8.9
Maxwell
JBuds Work Wireless
7.9
The Audeze Maxwell is very good for TV and video, while the JLab JBuds Work Wireless is good.

Noise Reduction

6.0
Maxwell
JBuds Work Wireless
5.3
The Audeze Maxwell is only fair for noise reduction, while the JLab JBuds Work Wireless is poor.

Battery

78.0 Hours
Maxwell
JBuds Work Wireless
60.0 Hours
The Audeze Maxwell has 78 hours of battery life. The JLab JBuds Work Wireless has 60 hours of battery life.

Cost

$299
Maxwell
JBuds Work Wireless
$79
Product image
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The Audeze Maxwell has a price of $299 and the JLab JBuds Work Wireless costs $79.
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Key similarities

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Gaming

9.0
Maxwell
JBuds Work Wireless
8.8
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Audeze Maxwell to be excellent for gaming, while the JLab JBuds Work Wireless is very good.

Build Quality

9.0
Maxwell
JBuds Work Wireless
9.0
The Audeze Maxwell and JLab JBuds Work Wireless both have excellent build quality.

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How the Audeze Maxwell and the JLab JBuds Work Wireless compare to other earbuds and headphones

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Spec Comparison

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Audeze MaxwellJLab JBuds Work Wireless
Audeze MaxwellJLab JBuds Work Wireless

GENERAL

Price
$299
$79
Brand
AudezeJLab
Release Date
January 1, 2023October 1, 2021
Form Factor
HeadphonesHeadphones
Connectivity
Wired + WirelessWired + Wireless

SOUND

Music Score
8.4/106.9/10
Phone Calls Score
8.7/107.3/10
Gaming Score
9.1/108.9/10
TV and Video Score
8.9/108/10
Exercise Score
6.3/106.3/10

PERFORMANCE

Battery life
78 Hours60 Hours
Wireless charging
NoNo
Charging time
2 Hours3 Hours
Bluetooth version
5.35

FEATURES

Active Noise Cancelling
NoNo
Noise Reduction Score
6/105.3/10
Virtual Surround
N/ANo
Android App
YesNo
iOS App
YesNo
Mic Quality
8/109/10

BUILD AND DESIGN

Build Quality
9/109/10
Comfort score
8/108.4/10
Weight (headset or single earbud)
498.9 Grams158 Grams
Microphone style
BoomBoom
Waterproof Rating
00

Shopping

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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."

JLab JBuds Work Wireless

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Dig into reviews and images

PC Magazine

Tim Gideon | February 2022
"The JLab JBuds Work is an affordable headset-headphone hybrid that you can use to listen to music in stereo and communicate on video calls thanks to a retractable boom mic, and we particularly like its convenient mono and passive wired modes. You won't find any frills here like you will with the costlier Jabra Evolve2 65 or Plantronics Voyager 4220 UC, but for less than half the price, the JBuds Work is an effective lower-cost alternative."

Get a great deal on the Audeze Maxwell or the JLab JBuds Work Wireless

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.

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Why trust us

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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.

By the numbers

108
Earbuds and headphones evaluated
11,340
Earbuds and headphones stats compiled
15
Proprietary Earbuds and headphones ratings developed
95,000
Recommendations made
14,250
Consumer hours saved

About the Earbuds or Headphones team

Joe Golden, Ph.D

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.

Jason Lew

Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.

Chandradeep Chowdhury

Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.

Luis Torres

Earbuds and Headphones Expert
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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