Short answer: the Beyerdynamic DT 700 Pro X. Both are rated 3.8/5 for sound quality (#98 and #96 of 216 over-ear headphones), and the Beyerdynamic DT 700 Pro X costs $279.99 against $329.99 for the Audeze Maxwell, with sound quality a draw, the lower price decides it.
The case for the Beyerdynamic DT 700 Pro X: Bass from 60 to 200 Hz lands right on the Harman target, and the 48 ohm, 100 dB sensitivity design drives easily from a laptop or interface. The catch: A deep 12.8 dB dip near 3.9 kHz pulls vocal presence and consonant clarity backward, and presence overall runs about 3.5 dB under target.
Buy the Beyerdynamic DT 700 Pro X. Both are rated the same for sound quality, and it costs $50 less than the Audeze Maxwell.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Headphones rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Audeze Maxwell | Beyerdynamic DT 700 Pro X | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $329.99 | $279.99 |
| Ranked | #96 of 216 in Over-Ear Headphones | #98 of 216 in Over-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | Over-ear | Over-ear |
| Harman Preference Score | 78 (median of 8 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) | 77 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 1.85 dB standard deviation | 2.58 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.79 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -0.34 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+2.5 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-0.5 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Connection | Wireless and wired | Wired |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
| Driver Type | Planar magnetic | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 90mm planar magnetic | - |
| Weight | 1.1 lbs (490 g) | 0.8 lbs (350 g) |
| Frequency Response | 10Hz - 50kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 5Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Active Noise Cancelling | No | - |
| Battery Life | 80 hours (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | - |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC, LC3, LC3plus | - |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | - |
| Impedance | - | 48 ohms |
| Sensitivity | - | 100 dB SPL (1mW/500Hz) |
Related Headphone Comparisons
How Audeze Maxwell compares with other leading options:
- HarmonicDyne Romantic vs Audeze Maxwell
- Audeze Maxwell vs Austrian Audio Hi-X65
- Audeze Maxwell vs Sony MDR-MV1
- Audeze Maxwell vs Sennheiser HD 490 Pro
- Audeze Maxwell vs Sivga Audio Phoenix
Prices on this page were last checked October 11, 2026 at 4:59 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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The Two Headphones In Full
Audeze Maxwell: $329.99 Wireless Amazon eBay
Full Audeze Maxwell review and specifications →
| Released | 2023 (3 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Active Noise Cancelling | No |
| Back | Closed |
| Battery Life | 80 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC, LC3, LC3plus |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Connection | Wireless and wired |
| Deviation From Target | 1.85 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Planar magnetic |
| Drivers | 1 x 90mm planar magnetic |
| Form Factor | Over-ear |
| Frequency Response | 10Hz - 50kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 78 (median of 8 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+2.5 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.79 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Weight | 1.1 lbs (490 g) |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Beyerdynamic DT 700 Pro X: $279.99 Amazon eBay
Pros: Bass from 60 to 200 Hz lands right on the Harman target, and the 48 ohm, 100 dB sensitivity design drives easily from a laptop or interface. The closed back and 350 g weight suit tracking and long monitoring sessions where bleed matters. A preference score of 77 with a fairly smooth 2.6 dB deviation makes it an easy listen overall.
Cons: A deep 12.8 dB dip near 3.9 kHz pulls vocal presence and consonant clarity backward, and presence overall runs about 3.5 dB under target. Sub-bass is about 2 dB light, so the lowest notes lack rumble. The Austrian Audio Hi-X65 matches its rating for noticeably less money, so the price is hard to justify on sound alone.
Full Beyerdynamic DT 700 Pro X review and specifications →
| Released | Oct 2021 (5 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Back | Closed |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 2.58 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Form Factor | Over-ear |
| Frequency Response | 5Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 77 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 48 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 100 dB SPL (1mW/500Hz) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-0.5 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.34 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Weight | 0.8 lbs (350 g) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -4.6 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | +1.0 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 131 Hz | -4.1 dB | 1.24 |
| Peak | 2,692 Hz | -2.6 dB | 0.37 |
| Peak | 265 Hz | +4.2 dB | 1.71 |
| Peak | 3,557 Hz | +6.8 dB | 2.70 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -0.2 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 5,709 Hz | -2.0 dB | 3.38 |
| Peak | 62 Hz | +1.5 dB | 3.47 |
| Peak | 88 Hz | -0.8 dB | 3.25 |
| Peak | 4,028 Hz | +1.4 dB | 5.91 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons