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Maxwell
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WH-1000XM5
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What we think

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

When choosing between the Audeze Maxwell and the Sony WH-1000XM5, consider the following: The Audeze Maxwell offers a superior gaming and TV/video watching experience due to better soundstage and imaging, as well as a higher score for gaming use. They also have a longer battery life which could be advantageous for extended sessions without needing a charge. Conversely, the Sony WH-1000XM5 is significantly lighter, which increases comfort for long-term wear, and has superior noise isolation, making it more suited for air travel and noisy environments. Both support wireless LDAC codec for high-quality audio. If you prioritize gaming or longer listening sessions, the Audeze Maxwell could be the better option, while the Sony WH-1000XM5 could be more desirable for travel and listening in noisy settings. 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 TV and video
  • Excellent for podcasts and audiobooks
Advantages of the Sony WH-1000XM5
  • The Sony WH-1000XM5 has no clear advantages over the Audeze Maxwell.

Key differences

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Gaming

9.0
Maxwell
WH-1000XM5
5.6
The Audeze Maxwell is excellent for gaming, while the Sony WH-1000XM5 is poor.

Phone Calls

8.7
Maxwell
WH-1000XM5
5.5
The Audeze Maxwell is very good for phone calls, while the Sony WH-1000XM5 is poor.

Podcasts and Audiobooks

9.4
Maxwell
WH-1000XM5
6.0
The Audeze Maxwell is excellent for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Sony WH-1000XM5 is only fair.

TV and Video

8.9
Maxwell
WH-1000XM5
5.8
The Audeze Maxwell is very good for TV and video, while the Sony WH-1000XM5 is poor.

Noise Reduction

6.0
Maxwell
WH-1000XM5
9.1
The Sony WH-1000XM5 is excellent for noise reduction, while the Audeze Maxwell is only fair.

Battery

78.0 Hours
Maxwell
WH-1000XM5
40.3 Hours
The Audeze Maxwell has 78 hours of battery life. The Sony WH-1000XM5 has 40.3 hours of battery life.

Cost

$299
Maxwell
WH-1000XM5
$398
Product image
Product image

$150

$200

$250

$300

$350

$400

The Audeze Maxwell has a price of $299 and the Sony WH-1000XM5 costs $398.
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Key similarities

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Music

8.4
Maxwell
WH-1000XM5
8.2
The Audeze Maxwell and Sony WH-1000XM5 are both very good for music.

Build Quality

9.0
Maxwell
WH-1000XM5
8.8
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Audeze Maxwell to have excellent build quality, while the Sony WH-1000XM5 has very good build quality.

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How the Audeze Maxwell and the Sony WH-1000XM5 compare to other earbuds and headphones

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Spec Comparison

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Audeze MaxwellSony WH-1000XM5
Audeze MaxwellSony WH-1000XM5

GENERAL

Price
$299
$398
Brand
AudezeSony
Release Date
January 1, 2023May 1, 2022
Form Factor
HeadphonesHeadphones
Connectivity
Wired + WirelessWired + Wireless

SOUND

Music Score
8.4/108.3/10
Phone Calls Score
8.7/105.6/10
Gaming Score
9.1/105.6/10
TV and Video Score
8.9/105.8/10
Exercise Score
6.3/106.3/10

PERFORMANCE

Battery life
78 Hours40.3 Hours
Wireless charging
NoNo
Charging time
2 Hours3.5 Hours
Bluetooth version
5.35.2

FEATURES

Active Noise Cancelling
NoYes
Noise Reduction Score
6/109.1/10
Virtual Surround
N/AYes
Android App
YesYes
iOS App
YesYes
Mic Quality
8/108.5/10

BUILD AND DESIGN

Build Quality
9/108.8/10
Comfort score
8/107.6/10
Weight (headset or single earbud)
498.9 Grams249.4 Grams
Microphone style
BoomIntegrated
Waterproof Rating
00

Shopping

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Audeze Maxwell

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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 WH-1000XM5

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Headphonesty

Kazi Mahbub Mutakabbir | February 2023
"The Sony WH-1000XM5 are the best Sony Bluetooth headphones so far and one of the most well-rounded Bluetooth headphones around. Look no further if you need class-leading ANC with a mostly inoffensive sound signature. Just be ready to pony up the price premium."

Get a great deal on the Audeze Maxwell or the Sony WH-1000XM5

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

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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
122,900
Recommendations made
18,435
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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