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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize sound quality and battery life for long listening sessions, the Audeze Maxwell would be the better choice; their high-quality planar drivers and a much longer battery life make them suitable for an immersive experience in music, gaming, and TV. However, they are heavier and significantly more expensive. On the other hand, the Skullcandy Hesh ANC is much more affordable and lighter, with active noise cancelling and foldable design for portability. While its sound quality is respectable, it is not on par with the Audeze Maxwell, and the battery life is significantly shorter, limiting extended use without recharging. 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 Skullcandy Hesh ANC
- Excellent for air travel
Key differences
Music
8.4
6.7
The Audeze Maxwell is very good for music, while the Skullcandy Hesh ANC is only fair.
Gaming
9.0
5.6
The Audeze Maxwell is excellent for gaming, while the Skullcandy Hesh ANC is poor.
Phone Calls
8.7
5.3
The Audeze Maxwell is very good for phone calls, while the Skullcandy Hesh ANC is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
9.4
6.0
The Audeze Maxwell is excellent for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Skullcandy Hesh ANC is only fair.
TV and Video
8.9
5.8
The Audeze Maxwell is very good for TV and video, while the Skullcandy Hesh ANC is poor.
Noise Reduction
6.0
8.7
The Skullcandy Hesh ANC is very good for noise reduction, while the Audeze Maxwell is only fair.
Battery
78.0 Hours
23.0 Hours
The Audeze Maxwell has 78 hours of battery life. The Skullcandy Hesh ANC has 23 hours of battery life.
Cost
$299
$135
$50
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
$400
The Audeze Maxwell has a price of $299 and the Skullcandy Hesh ANC costs $135.
Build Quality
9.0
7.0
The Audeze Maxwell has excellent build quality, while the Skullcandy Hesh ANC has good build quality.
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How the Audeze Maxwell and the Skullcandy Hesh ANC compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Audeze Maxwell | Skullcandy Hesh ANC |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$299 | $135 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Audeze | Skullcandy | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2023 | December 1, 2020 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Headphones | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired + Wireless | Wired + Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 8.4/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 8.7/10 | 5.3/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 9.1/10 | 5.6/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 8.9/10 | 5.8/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 6.3/10 | 6.2/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 78 Hours | 23 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | No | No | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 2 Hours | 1.6 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5.3 | 5 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | No | Yes | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 6/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | N/A | No | |
Android App | |||
Android App | Yes | No | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | No | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 8/10 | 7.4/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 9/10 | 7/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 8/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 498.9 Grams | 226.7 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Boom | Integrated | |
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."
Skullcandy Hesh ANC
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Headphonecheck
Maike Paeßens | 2021
"Skullcandy’s Hesh ANC are compact, wireless over-ears for everyday use that are tuned for bass and designed to suppress or amplify ambient noise as required. In addition to Bluetooth 5.0, optional tracking via the Tile app is supported so that these headphones can be found if they get lost."
Get a great deal on the Audeze Maxwell or the Skullcandy Hesh ANC
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 Skullcandy
Skullcandy is an American, consumer-oriented, earbuds and headphones manufacturer with 20 years of market experience. They sell a wide variety of, budget-friendly and unique, wired and wireless products that are sure to please the vast majority of users. Among their most popular offerings, the Crusher headphones, includes a pair of actual subwoofers inside the cups which makes the bass extra prominent for a unique and extra fun sound.
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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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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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