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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated April 10, 2024·
The Audeze Maxwell offers excellent gaming and music experience with superior microphone, build, and sound quality, but they're heavy and not portable. If gaming, music, and call quality are important and budget is not an issue, choose the Maxwell. Sony MDREX15AP is budget-friendly, highly portable with good noise isolation and comfort, suitable for casual listening, watching TV, and when on the move. However, they lack wireless connectivity, have poor microphone quality, and are not the best for exercise or travel. If price and portability are priorities, and you mainly listen to music or watch TV, go with the Sony earbuds. 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
- Very good for air travel
- Excellent for podcasts and audiobooks
Advantages of the Sony MDREX15AP
- Excellent for TV and video
Key differences
Gaming
9.0
6.7
The Audeze Maxwell is excellent for gaming, while the Sony MDREX15AP is only fair.
Phone Calls
8.7
3.5
The Audeze Maxwell is very good for phone calls, while the Sony MDREX15AP is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
9.4
5.4
The Audeze Maxwell is excellent for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Sony MDREX15AP is poor.
Noise Reduction
6.0
7.0
The Sony MDREX15AP is good for noise reduction, while the Audeze Maxwell is only fair.
Battery
78.0 Hours
N/A
The Audeze Maxwell has 78 hours of battery life. The Sony MDREX15AP does not have a battery.
Cost
$299
$20
$0
$100
$200
$300
$400
The Audeze Maxwell has a price of $299 and the Sony MDREX15AP costs $20.
Build Quality
9.0
8.0
The Audeze Maxwell has excellent build quality, while the Sony MDREX15AP has very good build quality.
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Key similarities
Music
8.4
8.3
The Audeze Maxwell and Sony MDREX15AP are both very good for music.
TV and Video
8.9
9.3
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Sony MDREX15AP to be excellent for TV and video, while the Audeze Maxwell is very good.
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How the Audeze Maxwell and the Sony MDREX15AP compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Audeze Maxwell | Sony MDREX15AP |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$299 | $20 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Audeze | Sony | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2023 | March 1, 2014 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired + Wireless | Wired | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 8.4/10 | 8.3/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 8.7/10 | 3.5/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 9.1/10 | 6.8/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 8.9/10 | 9.3/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 6.3/10 | 4.6/10 | |
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 | 7/10 | |
Android App | |||
Android App | Yes | N/A | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | N/A | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 8/10 | N/A | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 9/10 | 8/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 8/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | N/A | Small | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 498.9 Grams | 3.1 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Boom | N/A | |
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."
Sony MDREX15AP
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Make It Sound Great
Pete Anthony | June 2022
"At the ultra budget $10 price-point (and we’ve seen the no-mic version go for as cheap as $7), I’d say these are a decent option if you’re looking for a passable pair of earbuds for basic use that’s as cheap as possible. I wouldn’t say they feel or sound as good as some of the ultra-budget alternatives out there – of which there are a few at this point – but some might disagree. I will say though that the cable is a little bit nicer than those of that same competition."
Get a great deal on the Audeze Maxwell or the Sony MDREX15AP
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 Sony
Sony is a multinational corporation, based out of Japan, with over 75 years of experience in the consumer electronics industry. In the audio market, Sony has been a trendsetter several times throughout its history. In 1979 they released the first-ever portable music player, the Sony Walkman, followed by the Discman 20 years later. Today, Sony is one of the leaders in the wireless headphone and earbud market, especially in terms of Active Noise Cancellation technology.
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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
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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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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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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