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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Audeze Maxwell offers superior overall sound quality, a more immersive experience for gaming and TV, as well as better build quality and controls. However, these come with a higher price tag. The Soundcore Life Q20, while more budget-friendly, still delivers decent sound quality and excellent noise isolation, making it a good choice for travel. It also scores well in portability and is lighter in weight. If your priority is high-quality audio and a robust build for home use, the Audeze Maxwell is the better option. For those who need more affordability and portability for on-the-go use, the Soundcore Life Q20 is more suitable. 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 Soundcore Life Q20
- Excellent for air travel
Key differences
Music
8.4
7.0
The Audeze Maxwell is very good for music, while the Soundcore Life Q20 is good.
Gaming
9.0
5.2
The Audeze Maxwell is excellent for gaming, while the Soundcore Life Q20 is poor.
Phone Calls
8.7
4.9
The Audeze Maxwell is very good for phone calls, while the Soundcore Life Q20 is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
9.4
4.7
The Audeze Maxwell is excellent for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Soundcore Life Q20 is poor.
TV and Video
8.9
5.3
The Audeze Maxwell is very good for TV and video, while the Soundcore Life Q20 is poor.
Noise Reduction
6.0
8.7
The Soundcore Life Q20 is very good for noise reduction, while the Audeze Maxwell is only fair.
Battery
78.0 Hours
32.3 Hours
The Audeze Maxwell has 78 hours of battery life. The Soundcore Life Q20 has 32.3 hours of battery life.
Cost
$299
$60
$50
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
$400
The Audeze Maxwell has a price of $299 and the Soundcore Life Q20 costs $60.
Build Quality
9.0
8.0
The Audeze Maxwell has excellent build quality, while the Soundcore Life Q20 has very good build quality.
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How the Audeze Maxwell and the Soundcore Life Q20 compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Audeze Maxwell | Soundcore Life Q20 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$299 | $60 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Audeze | Soundcore | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2023 | November 1, 2020 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Headphones | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired + Wireless | Wired + Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 8.4/10 | 7/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 8.7/10 | 4.9/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 9.1/10 | 5.2/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 8.9/10 | 5.3/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 6.3/10 | 5.3/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 78 Hours | 32.3 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | No | No | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 2 Hours | 1.8 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 | |
Android App | |||
Android App | Yes | No | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | No | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 8/10 | 6.8/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 9/10 | 8/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 8/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 498.9 Grams | 258.5 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."
Soundcore Life Q20
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Dig into reviews and images
Sound Guys
Christian Thomas | January 2022
"As far as headphones that cost under $100 go, the Anker Soundcore Life Q20 is a really solid option. Like any good tool, it does the job well without much guff, and it’s affordable to boot. Sure: it’s not going toe to toe with any of the higher-end models of ANC headphones out there—but the headphones do well enough for commuters that it’s a good stand-in if you were never planning on spending a bunch of money anyway."
Get a great deal on the Audeze Maxwell or the Soundcore Life Q20
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 Soundcore
Soundcore is a sub-brand belonging to Anker Innovations. Starting in 2014, initially marketing wireless, Bluetooth, speakers, Anker now offers an array of, budget-friendly, wireless earbuds and headphones that directly compete, especially in the Active Noise Canceling field, with other brands several times as expensive.
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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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Earbuds and Headphones Expert
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