My Maxwell's arrived last week and had the WC Freeze pads waiting. The setup is heavier than my prior headset but the sound quality is excellent and the added depth of the WC pads keeps my ears from rubbing. You produce high quality videos based on scientific testing plus first had experience with most other reviewers don't do. No issues with you making a profit on sales kickback, you deserve it for the time you put into the testing.
I just got the WCs for my Maxwell and run them with +1dB @125Hz and -1dB @500Hz based on your measurements. They basically sound stock for me and solve my problems with space for my ears and low clamping force for my liking. It is great.
I love WC! The first time I purchased them, he texted me to see if I was happy with them. I was blown away. Take the money, Joe. Everyone else does. I will still trust you.
I just wanted to say a huge thank you for always being so detailed with these videos as far as which headsets or pads develop heat. I’m super sensitive to heat build up when it comes to headsets so your channel is a huge help on so many products!
Brian from Badseed Tech recommended you and I'm glad I found your videos. Definitely the most underrated tech TH-cam channel out there. Keep up the good work :)
I bought the WC gel pads because I live in a really hot zone, but I would get unconformable with the sports material. Then I watched a video from another TH-camr where he mentioned the deafen silky fabric. I found it a lot more comfortable, and I saw a news article about Dekoni making ear pads for the Maxwell, first I was interested in the Velour ones but after seeing your video I got interested in the sheepskin ones, it's a shame that they don't ship to Mexico.
Hey, Joe, excellent and thorough review as always! I just ordered the Maxwell from the Audeze site via your link and I am excited to try them out on the PS5/around the house. Question: Dekoni has added the Midnight Maxwell Pads, which are the same dimensions as their Sheepskin pads but retail for $35 USD. They are a synthetic leather to save on cost. Have you heard anything about these pads or had a chance to try them? I am just wondering if they are close enough to stock Audeze pads to not consider the switch. They are new and no reviews are up, so I am consulting the best guy in the biz! Thank you!
Yeah man. Best reviews. Thanks for taking time to do this. I have the DT 900 Pro X for music and what not. Would you say those Dekoni Velour are the same experience as those because I've always enjoyed wearing my 900 pro x.
I would really want to love them but can't get used to the weight sadly. Use them for listening to music once in a while but for long gaming sessions i need something lighter. I am getting the acezone aspire today because of your review about it. Keep up the good work!
Oh sweet i just bought the dekoni so awesome review. Switching out the wc. The wc are comfy but i do feel like it fatigues my head faster than stock. I wear glasses sometimes so good to know dekoni is still friendly for that.
I definitely noticed a change in imaging with the WCs as well. I initially thought they perform worse than stock, but it is just different. After some time I could pinpoint stuff just as well and stock sounded weird when switching back. I also noticed that when moving from MMX300 to the Maxwell. Seemingly a lot of the imaging performance comes down to acclimatization. I wish PC game HRTFs could be personalized similar to 3D audio on PS5, it is perceived differently by people.
hi i ordered the Maxwell and right now i use a MMX300 too ..... Do you like Stereo or Surround Sound to locate footsteps ? If you play any FPS ... Greetings
Super useful video! I have started experiencing the same issue with my Maxwells where after awhile the stock pad depth has reduced and my ears touch the inside mesh. WIll be upgrading to WC based on your recommendations.
Another great video Joe, just found your channel the other day and have watched a bunch of your videos. Bought the Maxwell which will be here Sunday and the Dekoni sheepskin pads. Can't wait to try them out! Keep up the awesome work; used your referral link as well. You definitely deserve the kickback my man.
How are the maxwells for you? Ive been considering picking them up but have heard of quality control issues and recent firmware updates tanking the sound quality
Got Wicked now but would like to try Dekoni sheep to see the difference but will have to find them from europe. Always thought wicked was the "coolest" of them but now I know better. Great video as always.
Thanks to Joe at GadgetryTech, not only did I buy these headphones, but I learned how to create my own EQ profile!! For 32hz, 64hz, and 125hz I put them all the way to max.. at least I'm pretty sure that's how you do it.
Thank you as always, Sir, for this detailed and indepth pad review. I am glad you decided to get a little revenue back from your links. You deserve a reward for all your hard work and review efforts. Take care, Sir.
Thank you very much for this Joe. I was hoping for some measurements on the Dekoni velour's, and as usual you came through. For anyone struggling to get the Dekoni's in the UK, B&H Photo have them with reasonable shipping costs. For some reason Dekoni ship everywhere except the UK.
I like my WC freeze pads, but the strap is nothing special, still not comfortable enough since it has no padding. Something similar to the strap on the Steelseries Arctis Nova would be way better.
Did you buy a launch headband? I thought they had a first batch that was more stiff but it got softer after a while. I didn't really have an issue with stiffness but I think that could be a subjective thing of course. Sorry you didn't like it!
@@GadgetryTech cheers Joe. It's probably a launch one. I prefer the extra holes for my tiny head but yes, it's very uncomfortable. I bought a Sony platinum headset years ago and that was unbearable. I gave it to my friend.
@@GadgetryTech I bought the launch ones, they were so stiff and terrible. They sent the new one out for free, improved, but still sucks. I got padded ones (ZMF Pilot Pad) instead, much better.
In Short instead of reading a wall of text: My guess is, Audeze did a revision of the Maxwell and didnt tell about it wich impacted the sound. To the worse for me atleast. The amount of information u provide with every headphone review forces me to comeback to your channel every week and even rewatch them multiple times. Seeing u also respond to comments is awesome. Ive bought the Maxwell and was suprised when i saw different screws on the headband system. These are more like buttons now (Nice). I plugged them installed firmware v1.0.1.74 in and... was kinda disappointed. I just coudn't turn them up so loud before they started hurting my ears which basicaly made them unusable for me. After researching (just compared multiple freq. graphs from 2023 and 2024 lol) and using eq with APO it seems that the 2024 Version with different "screws/buttons" have a massive shout at 7kHz and upwards into the treble. I didnt find any offical information from audeze regarding a revision.
Thanks for the in-depth video. Really helpful. My headphone shopping budget has jumped up since watching your channel, bought H6 pro open, TYGR and Maxwell over the last few months :) do you have Audeze HQ eq for music on Maxwell or just use default for music?
I already have Deafen silk pads, would you say the cost for Dekoni sheepskin is worth it? I understand the Deafen affect sound a bit as you stated, but I have an EQ with them and it sounds fantastic. Love to hear your thoughts, keep the videos coming!
Really nice and detailed video! You always smash these vids. I would love a pad swap interrogation on the Hifiman Arya organic/ HE1k line, is this a possibility?
Great video, I snagged the velour pads (also own the wicked’s) because I’m used to open back cans and really do not like not being able to hear myself when speaking. Hopefully the velour pads allow me to hear myself and more around me. I don’t care for the maxwell’s “hear through” hiss. I prefer gaming in open back headphones. I use the LCD 2-c’s a lot on PC but for PlayStation, maxwells or epos 38x’s (which is basically a Sennheiser 580).
Great video, many thanks!! Quick question, for hip-hop music and single player story telling RPG games, which pad would be the upgrade from the stock in terms of sound quality?
that 8Khz Hellofapeak might explain why the Deafens sounded wrong for me, i also really didn't like the cooling Gel on both the Deafen and Wickeds. They created too much clamp force and due to the gel being stiffer, they felt too "hard" after a while and created a unpleasant pressure point on my Jawbone. I was unhappy with stock pads at first too, due too my ears touching the drivers housing and the fit just wasn't right. i then watched Audeze's Video about the Headband adjustment and tried that "offset" looking setting with middle holes on the left and top holes on the right. since then the overall fit changed perfectly and i'm fine with stock pads :) i might give the Dekoni's a try just for curiousity or i'll even try to 3D print something to get some of my ZMF Pads on it :D
Yeah the treble peak was apparent regardless of which Deafen pad I went with. You can always EQ it down a bit to help, but the other pads don't have the same issue. Glad you found a setup that works well for you though!
@@GadgetryTech i guess the Deafens really are just some cheap or ripoff versions from the WC's which didn't turn out too be a complete disaster, saw them on eBay and Aliexpress under different names and prices^^ and also thank you as usual for those nice measurements and detailed pad reviews :)
Thank you so much for your incredible reviews Joe! If not using parametric eq and just using the Audeze app, would you recommend lowering 2k by 3 db with the dekoni sheepskin to get close to stock? I wasn’t sure if you would make the same adjustments. Thank you.
I'm thinking of getting the dekoni sheepskin since I'm a glasses user and dont want to mess up the sound too much, but I'm worried about if they are deep enough to stop my ears from touching the inside of the headphones. You mentioned that was your issue as well and thats why I'm in the market for new pads. Do you think that extra 3mm in the front and back are going to be enough?
@GadgetryTech Joe, you mentioned on Twitter recently that Audeze HQ had an important update. Did they improve the imaging on the Maxwell in that update?
Gracias por el video. No sabía que habían tantas opciones de almohadillas para estos auriculares. Me gustaría comprar unos Dekoni, pero por el precio que tienen mejor me compro 2 pares de Wicked Cushions para alternar entre ellos durante los días más calurosos. Otra vez, buen video :)
I find myself agreeing with almost all your opinions so I gotta ask: You only get to pick two hifi headphones to cover music and gaming, go: Also really looking forward to the GX review.
Thanks so much! If you need a mic, one open and one closed back. That puts me at Maxwell and Drop PC38X or the Epos H6 Pro open acoustic. If you don’t need a mic, for general gaming the Sennheiser HD560S is great, but the clamp is too strong for me so I lean towards the more expensive HD 490 Pro.
dang I grabbed the WCs based on one of your other Maxwell vids but now I’m thinking I should’ve gotten the Dekoni for the glasses confort😅 ah well, either way I appreciate your great reviews!
Great video man!! I have a question you didn’t cover. Do the velour dekonis help with imaging and soundstage at all that you can notice?? I know velour can sometimes help that a bit. Maybe it’s just because of the less bass idk haha. Maybe play a game with them back to back and let us know!!thanks dude!!
Both the Velour and Sheepskin have imaging performance closest to stock due to the depth being very similar. The Velour, having less bass, will seem to image better only because the bass is less prominent, but they effectively all perform close to the same. The difference in imaging performance is affected greatly by pad depth and your specific ear pinna, so it's hard to say for sure how much of a difference you'll notice.
Hi, ordered the Maxwell and now a ask me, should i use the Maxwell with surround sound (dolby Atmos) or in stereo to better locate food steps? So where exactly the opponent is? Greetings from Germany :)
Really good overview. Especially the size overview was helpfull. Much better to see at a glance than talking about one after another. Just orderes the Deafen Silk. Hope they accompany my big ears nicely without being hurtful with glasses. Having both is just a hazzle with headphones 😬😂
@briannguyen32 they fit better than the original in my case. But i send the Maxwell back in the end, was just too much weight and too pricy for the times i would have used them.
@@SanaiGaming Im rocking the Hyperx cloud alpha wireless with the WC freeze and thinking about trying out defean silk pads just for the weight reduction and slightly better cooling. Don't know how much it will impact sound but thank you for your input man
Do you have any recommendation for changing the external mic EQ on the Maxwell? Several friends have complained about the heavy bass listening to my voice.
been waiting on this one. I don't know if it's just me, but on the thinner/front side of the wicked cushions pads they are now misshapen and won't change back to a proper shape I've probably got about 1000 hours of wear time on them
1000 hours is quite a bit for any pad. For example, on a $500 beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro or a $350 Sennheiser HD650, the pads wear down at a similar, if not quicker, rate. This affects comfort and sound quality, and often requires purchasing new pads. So while it's a bummer the pads wore out, I'd like to clarify that this isn't exclusive to Wicked Cushions. Best of luck with whatever you decide to replace it with!
@@GadgetryTech thanks for the reply! I might just be spoiled by dekoni, I have probably 5x that on my dekoni lcd-x elite hybrid pads, triple that on my stock focal elegia pads (but those pads are pretty much dead now) and nearly 1000 on the dekoni stelia elite sheepskin on my focal elegias. I tend to wear headphones all day while I work so I rack up insane hours 40 hours a week adds up fast. The wicked cushions were my first gel pad and I do think I got plenty for the money if that's a normal thing
Been using the WC freeze ones. I have glasses and the Dekoni Sheepskin looks nice, but the price, jeez.. The shipping cost more than the WC freeze pads.. Also, the WC strap is TERRIBLE (even the updated version).
Joe, ive recently purchased the Maxwells and I feel that the volume does not get loud enough for me. I researched all of the fixes people have found to increase the volume related to bugs with firmware and settings. I do not think there are any issues with firm ware or setting with my set up. I think that they just plain old dont get loud enough. What are your thoughts on the Maxwells general ability to get loud enough. Maybe my ears are not sensitive enough.
My Maxwells were the same low volume and did this and it worked for me. To fix it: • Go to Device Manager • Expand "Sound, video and game controller" • Double click "Game-Audeze Maxwell" • Go to "Driver" Tab • Click on "Update Driver" • Click on "Browse my computer for drivers" • Click on "Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer" • Double click "USB Audio Device" Windows should reinstall the driver with generic ones, and audio volume should return
Hi I'm using the Dekoni Velour pads. If I am also using Dolby Atmos for spatial sound, do you recommend I apply your recommend EQ settings to Audeze HQ, or in Dolby Atmos' app itself? Or should I just apply the EQ settings to Audeze HQ and disable Dolby Atmos completely? Thank you.
Hola amigo em encantan mucho tus videos pero podrias ayudarme a elegir astro a50x o maxwells ya que me da miedo comprarlos yanque hablan de muchos problemas de calidad y que se mueren de los parlantes simplemente dejsn de sonar estonyanse corrigio en las nuevos lotes me ayudarias porfavor
Really loved the Maxwell but after the second pair developed the crinkle sound only after a couple months I had to switch. Add to that the Audeze warranty taking a very long time and not the greatest communication, it just wasn't worth it for me to go through that all again just for the same thing to happen. Shame because they really are amazing headphones.
What a bummer dude! Mine somehow have been going strong since launch. I use the stock pads lol but I cut two pieces of an old Ethernet cable about 8 inches long or so and stuffed it between the pad and the headphone. Can’t even tell it’s there and ads a little depth haha . I also put a pad from the shoulder strap of a small duffle bag on the head strap and now they are wayyyyy comfy haha . What did you end up getting instead?
Thanks sad to hear, sorry! I still have my launch Maxwell and it's going well. That is still my most used one, as I'm trying to keep the "miles" down on the newer ones.
@Ejziponken1 I waited 3 months when I ordered them new, so that sounds about right production wise. If you got them fast, I would be worried you got a refurbished unit.
I got the crinkle sound on mine then the right cup completely died. I got it on warranty and replaced so this second set going ok. I take care of these as they are really good but the drivers are fragile. Even pushing the ear cups together causing a suction which damages the drivers. Very fragile. Ordered the sheepskin pads looking forward to them.😉
I may be late for this but... I had the Stealth Pros and this just sound soo much better. They are way more unconfortable tho, I got used to it. If you really care about sound and you listen to a lot of music i would go with the Maxwells, if not just stick with the pros (way more confortable)
i love this headset but a few issues after a few hours the drivers gets moist and i hear like artifact sometimes like 2-4times in 2-3 music and when you push the bases its static they dont like 2 much base but fucking hell it blows the arctis nova pro wired out of the water
Pretty sure Joe sold us all on the Model One😂 He convinced me on both Model One and the Maxwell. On the topic of the Model one, have you replaced the stock cable?
@@c.carrillo7813 Indeed. Joe has sold me on the Maxwell, Model One, and Stealth Pros. I didn't like the Maxwells, but the TBs were a great wireless alternative. I haven't changed the cable on the VZR though, still fully stock. I've heard of people getting balanced cables though.
It's coming really soon!! Sorry for the delay! I wanted to test it more thoroughly before releasing the video and this Maxwell one took close to a week of testing thoroughly.
I've been waiting to hear your thoughts on these pads. You're truly an amazing reviewer. I bought the Maxwells because of your review.
Thanks so much! I hope this helped you decide haha. I'm a little nervous this vid was too long
@GadgetryTech I don’t mind the long format; I love hearing you talk about headsets.
@@GadgetryTech please could you do an updated eq settings for the maxwell for warzone?
same here, I should receive after 2 days
My Maxwell's arrived last week and had the WC Freeze pads waiting. The setup is heavier than my prior headset but the sound quality is excellent and the added depth of the WC pads keeps my ears from rubbing. You produce high quality videos based on scientific testing plus first had experience with most other reviewers don't do. No issues with you making a profit on sales kickback, you deserve it for the time you put into the testing.
PS: I'm a glasses wearer and the WC freeze pads are just fine.
I've been using this setup since day 1. More and more of you are following my example.
You're my go to Headphone review channel. Keep it up!
Thanks!
This is the style of review and comparison I wish everything received.
I just got the WCs for my Maxwell and run them with +1dB @125Hz and -1dB @500Hz based on your measurements. They basically sound stock for me and solve my problems with space for my ears and low clamping force for my liking. It is great.
I love WC! The first time I purchased them, he texted me to see if I was happy with them. I was blown away.
Take the money, Joe. Everyone else does. I will still trust you.
I just wanted to say a huge thank you for always being so detailed with these videos as far as which headsets or pads develop heat. I’m super sensitive to heat build up when it comes to headsets so your channel is a huge help on so many products!
Thanks! I hope that whatever you go with after watching this, it ends up being to your liking.
Just placed order for the silky defean for my audeze maxwell.. Thanks for the detailed breakdown once again.
Anytime!
Brian from Badseed Tech recommended you and I'm glad I found your videos. Definitely the most underrated tech TH-cam channel out there. Keep up the good work :)
@@t3xas8urns haha thanks! Brian is awesome
@@GadgetryTech Truth, you two are the best on YT for headphone tech reviews. Simply awesome.
I bought the WC gel pads because I live in a really hot zone, but I would get unconformable with the sports material. Then I watched a video from another TH-camr where he mentioned the deafen silky fabric. I found it a lot more comfortable, and I saw a news article about Dekoni making ear pads for the Maxwell, first I was interested in the Velour ones but after seeing your video I got interested in the sheepskin ones, it's a shame that they don't ship to Mexico.
Hey, Joe, excellent and thorough review as always! I just ordered the Maxwell from the Audeze site via your link and I am excited to try them out on the PS5/around the house. Question: Dekoni has added the Midnight Maxwell Pads, which are the same dimensions as their Sheepskin pads but retail for $35 USD. They are a synthetic leather to save on cost. Have you heard anything about these pads or had a chance to try them? I am just wondering if they are close enough to stock Audeze pads to not consider the switch. They are new and no reviews are up, so I am consulting the best guy in the biz! Thank you!
This headset just got an update from Audeze.
Its simply unbelievable how good they sound.
Do you mean a software update?
According to a comment: since the software update 1.60v the sound quality has deteriorated a bit 🤷
Literally just opened the box and plugged them in to do the first update and this vid comes out. Good stuff. Thank you
Hell yeah!
Yeah man. Best reviews. Thanks for taking time to do this.
I have the DT 900 Pro X for music and what not. Would you say those Dekoni Velour are the same experience as those because I've always enjoyed wearing my 900 pro x.
I purchased the Dekoni Sheepskin pads for my Maxwells and haven't looked back
Shows how great the Maxwell is that Joe does a full video on cushions for it
It’s one of the goats for sure! Headset broke price barriers for value and performance
Nice video as always! Cool to see the measurements which reinforced what I experienced between listening to the Dekoni pads
I’ve tried all of them. Deafen is the best
I would really want to love them but can't get used to the weight sadly. Use them for listening to music once in a while but for long gaming sessions i need something lighter.
I am getting the acezone aspire today because of your review about it.
Keep up the good work!
Thank you for this. I came from Badseed and you are one of the goats.
Oh sweet i just bought the dekoni so awesome review. Switching out the wc. The wc are comfy but i do feel like it fatigues my head faster than stock. I wear glasses sometimes so good to know dekoni is still friendly for that.
Something tells me this man like the Audeze Maxwell.
I think you're on to something
I definitely noticed a change in imaging with the WCs as well. I initially thought they perform worse than stock, but it is just different. After some time I could pinpoint stuff just as well and stock sounded weird when switching back. I also noticed that when moving from MMX300 to the Maxwell. Seemingly a lot of the imaging performance comes down to acclimatization. I wish PC game HRTFs could be personalized similar to 3D audio on PS5, it is perceived differently by people.
hi i ordered the Maxwell and right now i use a MMX300 too ..... Do you like Stereo or Surround Sound to locate footsteps ? If you play any FPS ... Greetings
Super useful video! I have started experiencing the same issue with my Maxwells where after awhile the stock pad depth has reduced and my ears touch the inside mesh. WIll be upgrading to WC based on your recommendations.
Another great video Joe, just found your channel the other day and have watched a bunch of your videos. Bought the Maxwell which will be here Sunday and the Dekoni sheepskin pads. Can't wait to try them out! Keep up the awesome work; used your referral link as well. You definitely deserve the kickback my man.
How are the maxwells for you? Ive been considering picking them up but have heard of quality control issues and recent firmware updates tanking the sound quality
Got Wicked now but would like to try Dekoni sheep to see the difference but will have to find them from europe. Always thought wicked was the "coolest" of them but now I know better. Great video as always.
Thanks to Joe at GadgetryTech, not only did I buy these headphones, but I learned how to create my own EQ profile!! For 32hz, 64hz, and 125hz I put them all the way to max.. at least I'm pretty sure that's how you do it.
Thank you as always, Sir, for this detailed and indepth pad review. I am glad you decided to get a little revenue back from your links. You deserve a reward for all your hard work and review efforts. Take care, Sir.
Thank you very much for this Joe. I was hoping for some measurements on the Dekoni velour's, and as usual you came through. For anyone struggling to get the Dekoni's in the UK, B&H Photo have them with reasonable shipping costs. For some reason Dekoni ship everywhere except the UK.
Thanks! I hope you got what you needed from it! I appreciate your support
Thats what u get for leaving EU. xD
Nice I have wicked cushions but prefer the stock cushions for Maxwell
I like my WC freeze pads, but the strap is nothing special, still not comfortable enough since it has no padding. Something similar to the strap on the Steelseries Arctis Nova would be way better.
Looking forward to this. I bought the WC red pads and the headband but the headband is very hard silicone and is not comfortable at all.
Did you buy a launch headband? I thought they had a first batch that was more stiff but it got softer after a while. I didn't really have an issue with stiffness but I think that could be a subjective thing of course. Sorry you didn't like it!
@@GadgetryTech cheers Joe. It's probably a launch one. I prefer the extra holes for my tiny head but yes, it's very uncomfortable. I bought a Sony platinum headset years ago and that was unbearable. I gave it to my friend.
@@GadgetryTech I bought the launch ones, they were so stiff and terrible. They sent the new one out for free, improved, but still sucks. I got padded ones (ZMF Pilot Pad) instead, much better.
I just got the wicked cushions, and although i didnt like them on my older hyperx headset, i really like them on this headset
Yeah the WC Freeze has been the best bang for your buck pad swap on the Maxwell since it came out. Can't beat what you get for the price!
@@GadgetryTech the extra weight is not an issue?
Stock pads finally starting to wear out (left ear) 😭😭 I went with the Dekoni.
It's a shame Audeze doesn't sell stock pads.
In Short instead of reading a wall of text: My guess is, Audeze did a revision of the Maxwell and didnt tell about it wich impacted the sound. To the worse for me atleast.
The amount of information u provide with every headphone review forces me to comeback to your channel every week and even rewatch them multiple times. Seeing u also respond to comments is awesome.
Ive bought the Maxwell and was suprised when i saw different screws on the headband system. These are more like buttons now (Nice). I plugged them installed firmware v1.0.1.74 in and... was kinda disappointed. I just coudn't turn them up so loud before they started hurting my ears which basicaly made them unusable for me. After researching (just compared multiple freq. graphs from 2023 and 2024 lol) and using eq with APO it seems that the 2024 Version with different "screws/buttons" have a massive shout at 7kHz and upwards into the treble. I didnt find any offical information from audeze regarding a revision.
Why did you use the WC pads if you say you lean towards the dekoni leather?
Cuz he's sponsored by them and they're their most expensive ones (80$)
Liked and subscribed , quality is insane . Thank you
Thanks for the in-depth video. Really helpful. My headphone shopping budget has jumped up since watching your channel, bought H6 pro open, TYGR and Maxwell over the last few months :) do you have Audeze HQ eq for music on Maxwell or just use default for music?
Im very happy with my Defean silk pads.
Awesome! They feel great on the skin, so I can see why!
I already have Deafen silk pads, would you say the cost for Dekoni sheepskin is worth it? I understand the Deafen affect sound a bit as you stated, but I have an EQ with them and it sounds fantastic. Love to hear your thoughts, keep the videos coming!
If you are happy don't change a thing.
Really nice and detailed video! You always smash these vids.
I would love a pad swap interrogation on the Hifiman Arya organic/ HE1k line, is this a possibility?
Great video, I snagged the velour pads (also own the wicked’s) because I’m used to open back cans and really do not like not being able to hear myself when speaking.
Hopefully the velour pads allow me to hear myself and more around me.
I don’t care for the maxwell’s “hear through” hiss. I prefer gaming in open back headphones. I use the LCD 2-c’s a lot on PC but for PlayStation, maxwells or epos 38x’s (which is basically a Sennheiser 580).
Great video, many thanks!! Quick question, for hip-hop music and single player story telling RPG games, which pad would be the upgrade from the stock in terms of sound quality?
2:22 mic picked up that beard scratch pretty well.
Thank you so much for reviewing this headset, i bought it because of you! :D
I've had two sets of Dekoni pads. One set made my X2HR's sound way worse. Both sets fell apart after a few months.
that 8Khz Hellofapeak might explain why the Deafens sounded wrong for me, i also really didn't like the cooling Gel on both the Deafen and Wickeds. They created too much clamp force and due to the gel being stiffer, they felt too "hard" after a while and created a unpleasant pressure point on my Jawbone.
I was unhappy with stock pads at first too, due too my ears touching the drivers housing and the fit just wasn't right. i then watched Audeze's Video about the Headband adjustment and tried that "offset" looking setting with middle holes on the left and top holes on the right. since then the overall fit changed perfectly and i'm fine with stock pads :) i might give the Dekoni's a try just for curiousity or i'll even try to 3D print something to get some of my ZMF Pads on it :D
Yeah the treble peak was apparent regardless of which Deafen pad I went with. You can always EQ it down a bit to help, but the other pads don't have the same issue. Glad you found a setup that works well for you though!
@@GadgetryTech i guess the Deafens really are just some cheap or ripoff versions from the WC's which didn't turn out too be a complete disaster, saw them on eBay and Aliexpress under different names and prices^^ and also thank you as usual for those nice measurements and detailed pad reviews :)
Thanks for the pad info👍 I noticed you used an old firmware version, have you tried the 61 version yet? Heard there were problems
Great Vid as always!! Was this test done on latest Audeze Maxwell firmware (v1.0.1.61) apparently the sound changed with their latest update?
It shows what firmware he uses in the video.
I am very interested how these pads affects distortion.
Thank you so much for your incredible reviews Joe! If not using parametric eq and just using the Audeze app, would you recommend lowering 2k by 3 db with the dekoni sheepskin to get close to stock? I wasn’t sure if you would make the same adjustments. Thank you.
I'm thinking of getting the dekoni sheepskin since I'm a glasses user and dont want to mess up the sound too much, but I'm worried about if they are deep enough to stop my ears from touching the inside of the headphones. You mentioned that was your issue as well and thats why I'm in the market for new pads. Do you think that extra 3mm in the front and back are going to be enough?
I have the same question, thanks!
@GadgetryTech Joe, you mentioned on Twitter recently that Audeze HQ had an important update. Did they improve the imaging on the Maxwell in that update?
Gracias por el video. No sabía que habían tantas opciones de almohadillas para estos auriculares. Me gustaría comprar unos Dekoni, pero por el precio que tienen mejor me compro 2 pares de Wicked Cushions para alternar entre ellos durante los días más calurosos. Otra vez, buen video :)
What great timing for this video, it's exactly what I was looking for!
Thanks! I was trying to release it sooner but I wanted to cover as much detail as I could.
Same lol just in time
I find myself agreeing with almost all your opinions so I gotta ask: You only get to pick two hifi headphones to cover music and gaming, go:
Also really looking forward to the GX review.
Thanks so much! If you need a mic, one open and one closed back. That puts me at Maxwell and Drop PC38X or the Epos H6 Pro open acoustic. If you don’t need a mic, for general gaming the Sennheiser HD560S is great, but the clamp is too strong for me so I lean towards the more expensive HD 490 Pro.
dang I grabbed the WCs based on one of your other Maxwell vids but now I’m thinking I should’ve gotten the Dekoni for the glasses confort😅
ah well, either way I appreciate your great reviews!
Great video man!! I have a question you didn’t cover. Do the velour dekonis help with imaging and soundstage at all that you can notice?? I know velour can sometimes help that a bit. Maybe it’s just because of the less bass idk haha. Maybe play a game with them back to back and let us know!!thanks dude!!
Both the Velour and Sheepskin have imaging performance closest to stock due to the depth being very similar. The Velour, having less bass, will seem to image better only because the bass is less prominent, but they effectively all perform close to the same. The difference in imaging performance is affected greatly by pad depth and your specific ear pinna, so it's hard to say for sure how much of a difference you'll notice.
@GadgetryTech is coming in clutch with extra info!
Im fine with you earning kickbacks
Hi, ordered the Maxwell and now a ask me, should i use the Maxwell with surround sound (dolby Atmos) or in stereo to better locate food steps? So where exactly the opponent is? Greetings from Germany :)
After I used the maxwells I couldn’t buy the freeze pads fast enough. My ears got so hot I needed to remove them to cool them off.
Should I still buy these or can you recommend a better one. Im both doing music and PC and PS gaming
Really good overview. Especially the size overview was helpfull. Much better to see at a glance than talking about one after another.
Just orderes the Deafen Silk. Hope they accompany my big ears nicely without being hurtful with glasses. Having both is just a hazzle with headphones 😬😂
Thoughts on defean silk? Im tempted but not sure
@briannguyen32 they fit better than the original in my case.
But i send the Maxwell back in the end, was just too much weight and too pricy for the times i would have used them.
@@SanaiGaming Im rocking the Hyperx cloud alpha wireless with the WC freeze and thinking about trying out defean silk pads just for the weight reduction and slightly better cooling. Don't know how much it will impact sound but thank you for your input man
Have you tried the Dekoni Suede pads?
Dekoni Sheepskin gang reporting for duty!
Same purchased the Dekoni Sheepskin and haven't looked back
You love dekoni?
I saw that wicked cushion has the freeze pads for the pulse elite. Will you do a video about them?
Indeed!
I didn’t like the wicked cushions. Watching to see how the dekoni’s hold up
Which headband would you recommend for it? The one from Dekoni, the ZMF Pilot Pad, or the WC silicone one?
Way to go Joe! Keep adding those affiliate links! Badass review as always!
🙌🏽🔥🔥🔥🙌🏽
Thanks man!
@GadgetryTech What FW version are you using on your Maxwell ?
Sweet Video, this was really in-depth!
Do you have any recommendation for changing the external mic EQ on the Maxwell? Several friends have complained about the heavy bass listening to my voice.
hey man what headphone stand are you using for the Maxwell?
There way fix the mic or can do you have video on it
So if I like more lush bass I should get velour?
been waiting on this one. I don't know if it's just me, but on the thinner/front side of the wicked cushions pads they are now misshapen and won't change back to a proper shape I've probably got about 1000 hours of wear time on them
1000 hours is quite a bit for any pad. For example, on a $500 beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro or a $350 Sennheiser HD650, the pads wear down at a similar, if not quicker, rate. This affects comfort and sound quality, and often requires purchasing new pads. So while it's a bummer the pads wore out, I'd like to clarify that this isn't exclusive to Wicked Cushions. Best of luck with whatever you decide to replace it with!
@@GadgetryTech thanks for the reply!
I might just be spoiled by dekoni, I have probably 5x that on my dekoni lcd-x elite hybrid pads, triple that on my stock focal elegia pads (but those pads are pretty much dead now) and nearly 1000 on the dekoni stelia elite sheepskin on my focal elegias.
I tend to wear headphones all day while I work so I rack up insane hours 40 hours a week adds up fast.
The wicked cushions were my first gel pad and I do think I got plenty for the money if that's a normal thing
I dunno if I missed it or not but was there an EQ for the Maxwells with the silk Deafens? Thank you
Hey man I'm thinking of getting this headphones can you tell me if your pads lasted? Any issues with them as well as this video's over 4 months now.
What measurement rig do you use? Thanks!
Been using the WC freeze ones. I have glasses and the Dekoni Sheepskin looks nice, but the price, jeez.. The shipping cost more than the WC freeze pads..
Also, the WC strap is TERRIBLE (even the updated version).
Joe, ive recently purchased the Maxwells and I feel that the volume does not get loud enough for me. I researched all of the fixes people have found to increase the volume related to bugs with firmware and settings. I do not think there are any issues with firm ware or setting with my set up. I think that they just plain old dont get loud enough. What are your thoughts on the Maxwells general ability to get loud enough. Maybe my ears are not sensitive enough.
Hello, are you using them on the pc?
My Maxwells were the same low volume and did this and it worked for me. To fix it:
• Go to Device Manager
• Expand "Sound, video and game controller"
• Double click "Game-Audeze Maxwell"
• Go to "Driver" Tab
• Click on "Update Driver"
• Click on "Browse my computer for drivers"
• Click on "Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer"
• Double click "USB Audio Device"
Windows should reinstall the driver with generic ones, and audio volume should return
Please let us know if the firmware update changed the EQ
What your top 3 headsets for gaming.
Console!
the maxwell or the vzr?
Hi I'm using the Dekoni Velour pads. If I am also using Dolby Atmos for spatial sound, do you recommend I apply your recommend EQ settings to Audeze HQ, or in Dolby Atmos' app itself?
Or should I just apply the EQ settings to Audeze HQ and disable Dolby Atmos completely?
Thank you.
We need your eq for approximate to harman with wc freeze! Please!
Hi, do you know that the Razer Blackshark V2 Hyperspeed still has that annoying bug?
Hola amigo em encantan mucho tus videos pero podrias ayudarme a elegir astro a50x o maxwells ya que me da miedo comprarlos yanque hablan de muchos problemas de calidad y que se mueren de los parlantes simplemente dejsn de sonar estonyanse corrigio en las nuevos lotes me ayudarias porfavor
Really loved the Maxwell but after the second pair developed the crinkle sound only after a couple months I had to switch. Add to that the Audeze warranty taking a very long time and not the greatest communication, it just wasn't worth it for me to go through that all again just for the same thing to happen. Shame because they really are amazing headphones.
What a bummer dude! Mine somehow have been going strong since launch. I use the stock pads lol but I cut two pieces of an old Ethernet cable about 8 inches long or so and stuffed it between the pad and the headphone. Can’t even tell it’s there and ads a little depth haha . I also put a pad from the shoulder strap of a small duffle bag on the head strap and now they are wayyyyy comfy haha . What did you end up getting instead?
Thanks sad to hear, sorry! I still have my launch Maxwell and it's going well. That is still my most used one, as I'm trying to keep the "miles" down on the newer ones.
I waited 3 months for replacement Maxwells when mine broke.
@Ejziponken1 I waited 3 months when I ordered them new, so that sounds about right production wise. If you got them fast, I would be worried you got a refurbished unit.
I got the crinkle sound on mine then the right cup completely died. I got it on warranty and replaced so this second set going ok. I take care of these as they are really good but the drivers are fragile. Even pushing the ear cups together causing a suction which damages the drivers. Very fragile. Ordered the sheepskin pads looking forward to them.😉
Would these headphones be worth picking up if I own the Stealth Pros?
I may be late for this but... I had the Stealth Pros and this just sound soo much better. They are way more unconfortable tho, I got used to it. If you really care about sound and you listen to a lot of music i would go with the Maxwells, if not just stick with the pros (way more confortable)
should i go with wicked cushions, stock, or dekoni im kinda confused on this because im not a enthusiast in any sorts
Play the video one more time.
thank you so much for epic review thanks.
Hello,can you say pls, Audeze Maxwell - they have or not noise cancellation?
Only the microphones (both boom and built-in ones) have active noise cancellation.
i love this headset but a few issues after a few hours the drivers gets moist and i hear like artifact sometimes like 2-4times in 2-3 music and when you push the bases its static they dont like 2 much base but fucking hell it blows the arctis nova pro wired out of the water
Unfortunately I had nothing but issues with mine and the weight was unbearable.
Joe, could you help make a review on portable cases for Audeze Maxwell please?
thx for the great video mate [:
You bet!
Just feeding the algorithm
POV: Patiently waiting for Model One pads and EQ.
Pretty sure Joe sold us all on the Model One😂
He convinced me on both Model One and the Maxwell.
On the topic of the Model one, have you replaced the stock cable?
@@c.carrillo7813 Indeed. Joe has sold me on the Maxwell, Model One, and Stealth Pros. I didn't like the Maxwells, but the TBs were a great wireless alternative.
I haven't changed the cable on the VZR though, still fully stock. I've heard of people getting balanced cables though.
It's coming really soon!! Sorry for the delay! I wanted to test it more thoroughly before releasing the video and this Maxwell one took close to a week of testing thoroughly.
@@GadgetryTechwhen will the model one new pads be available to order?
@@GadgetryTech Oh, totally not trying to rush you. Take your time goat!
Dekonis are 60 bucks at B and H
I’m on ps5 and only play story rpg games. For the best immersion should I just use the preset or do you have an EQ you’d recommend?