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Company ProductName Specs
What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Audeze Maxwell offers superior sound quality, noise cancellation, and wireless features, ideal for audiophiles seeking the best listening experience in quiet environments. However, they come with a premium price tag. On the other hand, the Razer Kraken is priced in the lower mid-range and while they don't offer noise cancellation or wireless connectivity, they are quite suitable for gaming due to their performance in that area. They also have a boom microphone, which makes them a good option for gamers or anyone needing to communicate while using headphones. If you prioritize sound quality and can invest more, choose Audeze Maxwell, but if you're looking for a cost-effective option with solid gaming performance, the Kraken might be better for you. 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
- Very good for air travel
- Excellent for podcasts and audiobooks
Advantages of the Razer Kraken
- The Razer Kraken has no clear advantages over the Audeze Maxwell.
Key differences
Music
8.4
7.1
The Audeze Maxwell is very good for music, while the Razer Kraken is good.
Gaming
9.0
8.3
The Audeze Maxwell is excellent for gaming, while the Razer Kraken is very good.
Phone Calls
8.7
5.5
The Audeze Maxwell is very good for phone calls, while the Razer Kraken is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
9.4
4.7
The Audeze Maxwell is excellent for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Razer Kraken is poor.
TV and Video
8.9
7.4
The Audeze Maxwell is very good for TV and video, while the Razer Kraken is good.
Noise Reduction
6.0
6.5
The Razer Kraken and Audeze Maxwell are both only fair for noise reduction, though the Razer Kraken is somewhat better.
Battery
78.0 Hours
N/A
The Audeze Maxwell has 78 hours of battery life. The Razer Kraken does not have a battery.
Cost
$299
$50
$0
$100
$200
$300
$400
The Audeze Maxwell has a price of $299 and the Razer Kraken costs $50.
Build Quality
9.0
8.5
The Audeze Maxwell has excellent build quality, while the Razer Kraken has very good build quality.
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How the Audeze Maxwell and the Razer Kraken compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Audeze Maxwell | Razer Kraken |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$299 | $50 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Audeze | Razer | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2023 | March 1, 2019 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Headphones | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired + Wireless | Wired | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 8.4/10 | 7.1/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 8.7/10 | 5.5/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 9.1/10 | 8.4/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 8.9/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 6.3/10 | 4.2/10 | |
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 | 6.5/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | N/A | No | |
Android App | |||
Android App | Yes | N/A | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | N/A | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 8/10 | 9/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 9/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 8/10 | 7/10 | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 498.9 Grams | 322 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Boom | Boom | |
Waterproof Rating | |||
Waterproof Rating | 0 | 0 | |
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."
Razer Kraken
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PC Gamer
Rob Dwiar | March 2019
"Generally the Kraken is a very comfortable headset and there’s nothing that really identifies it as anything else. All in, the Kraken performed exactly as I’d expect a premium, designated gaming headset to perform: performing well in game audio, though not quite with the same quality of those headsets further up the price scale."
Get a great deal on the Audeze Maxwell or the Razer Kraken
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 Razer
Razer is an American-Singaporean hardware manufacturer aimed specifically toward the gaming market. They manufacture a very wide array of gaming laptops, tablets, phones, peripherals and, of course, headphones and earbuds both wired and wireless. Since 2016, Razer has owned the THX suite, aimed at quality assurance of audiovisual systems such as speaker sets, video game consoles and even movie theaters.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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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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