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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you're looking for premium over-ear headphones with high sound quality for both music and gaming, and don't mind paying a premium price, consider the Audeze Maxwell. They offer wireless connectivity, active noise canceling, long battery life, and are built with a planar magnetic driver which is typically well-regarded for audio fidelity. However, they're quite heavy and not as portable, which might not be ideal for travel or exercise. On the other hand, if you prefer more affordable in-ear earbuds with a simple design, the Moondrop Chu could be a better fit. They have excellent sound quality for music and calls and are much lighter and more portable, although they lack wireless capabilities and active noise cancelling. They would be more suited for on-the-go use but might not offer the same level of immersion for gaming or studio-like listening experiences. 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
- Excellent for gaming
- Very good for TV and video
- Very good for air travel
- Excellent for podcasts and audiobooks
Advantages of the Moondrop Chu
- The Moondrop Chu has no clear advantages over the Audeze Maxwell.
Key differences
Gaming
9.0
8.0
The Audeze Maxwell is excellent for gaming, while the Moondrop Chu is very good.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
9.4
7.6
The Audeze Maxwell is excellent for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Moondrop Chu is good.
TV and Video
8.9
7.5
The Audeze Maxwell is very good for TV and video, while the Moondrop Chu is good.
Battery
78.0 Hours
N/A
The Audeze Maxwell has 78 hours of battery life. The Moondrop Chu does not have a battery.
Cost
$299
$21
$0
$100
$200
$300
$400
The Audeze Maxwell has a price of $299 and the Moondrop Chu costs $21.
Build Quality
9.0
8.5
The Audeze Maxwell has excellent build quality, while the Moondrop Chu has very good build quality.
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Key similarities
Music
8.4
7.9
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Audeze Maxwell to be very good for music, while the Moondrop Chu is good.
Phone Calls
8.7
8.8
The Moondrop Chu and Audeze Maxwell are both very good for phone calls.
Noise Reduction
6.0
6.0
The Audeze Maxwell and Moondrop Chu are both only fair for noise reduction.
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How the Audeze Maxwell and the Moondrop Chu compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Audeze Maxwell | Moondrop Chu |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$299 | $21 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Audeze | Moondrop | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2023 | April 1, 2022 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired + Wireless | Wired | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 8.4/10 | 8/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 8.7/10 | 8.9/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 9.1/10 | 8.1/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 8.9/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 6.3/10 | 4.4/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 78 Hours | N/A | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | No | N/A | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 2 Hours | N/A | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5.3 | N/A | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | No | No | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 6/10 | 6/10 | |
Android App | |||
Android App | Yes | N/A | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | N/A | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 8/10 | 8.5/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 9/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 8/10 | 7/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | N/A | Large | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 498.9 Grams | 8 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Boom | In-Line | |
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."
Moondrop Chu
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Sound Guys
Jasper Lastoria | September 2022
"These budget buds put the pressure on those premium priced in-ear monitors to really justify the cost disparity. Offering excellent sound quality at any price, the Moondrop Chu is both a perfect entry into the audio enthusiast hobby, and an all around good pick for music fans."
Get a great deal on the Audeze Maxwell or the Moondrop Chu
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 Moondrop
Moondrop is a Chinese brand of smart audio equipment, portable audio players, earbuds and headphones started in 2015. During the last few years they have become one of the major players in what is lovingly referred to as the Chi-fi market, the bulk of Chinese companies that have managed to actually compete with the western manufacturers in both prices and superior quality. Products such as the Blessing II, Chu and Kato are among the most popular offerings of the brand, more popular among those users that wish for good quality audio that won't break the bank. Besides audio, the brand also works in what they call the ACGN field (Animation, Comics, Games and Short Novels).
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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.
By the numbers
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Earbuds and headphones stats compiled
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Proprietary Earbuds and headphones ratings developed
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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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